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 ///////// 11. KSWCKei. 
 
PICTORIAL DESCRIPTION 
 
 \ 
 
 UNITED STATES; 
 
 EMBRACING THB 
 
 HISTORY, GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION, AGRICULTURAL AND MINERAL 
 
 RESOURCES, POPULATION, MANUFACTURES, COMMERCE, AND 
 
 SKETCHES OF CITIES, TOWNS, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, 
 
 ETC., ETC. 
 
 I 
 
 INTERSPERSED WITH 
 
 REVOLUTIONARY AND OTHER INTERESTING INCIDENTS CONNECTED WITH 
 THE EARLY SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTRY. 
 
 ^ 
 
 ILLUSTRATED WITH NUMEROUS ENGRAVINGS. 
 
 BOSTON : 
 JOHN A. LEE & CO., 
 
 No. 5 Harvard Place. 
 1876. 
 
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INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The history of America has not, like that of the Old World, the charm of classical or 
 romantic associations; but in useful instruction and moral dignity, it has no equal. It is 
 scarce three quarters of a century since this fair and flourishing republic was a colony of 
 England, scarcely commanding the means of existence without the aid of the mother-coun- 
 try, Avho was herself oppressed by European wars. Our puritan forefathers began in the 
 rough fields of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, on a broad, comprehensive 
 principle, which has gone forth to fraternize the world. Our history, therefore, like that 
 poetical temple of fame reared by the imagination of Chaucer, and decorated by the taste 
 of Pope, is almost exclusively dedicated to the memory of the truly great. Within, no 
 idle ornament encumbers its bold simplicity. The pure light of heaven enters from above, 
 and sheds an equal and serene radiance around. As the eye wanders about its extent, it 
 beholds the unadorned monuments of brave and good men, who have bled or toiled for their 
 comitry ; or it rests on votive tablets inscribed with the names of the blessed benefactors 
 of mankind. 
 
 The puritans of England — the resolute conquerors of the lakes and forests of the New 
 World — occupied, in the first period of their social existence, the depressed position of a Euro- 
 pean colony ; but the spirit of liberty which had led them to these wild regions, and the gifts 
 of a magnificent and fertile nature, were sufficient to prepare them for their high destiny.* 
 This rude apprenticeship lasted more than one hundred and fifty years before the hour of 
 
 * We rejoice to see a disposition manifested by the con- 
 ductors of the secular press, to sanction the great princi- 
 ples of morality and religion, which lie at the foundation of 
 social happiness and national prosperity. We have no confi- 
 dence in tile stability and success of any form of government 
 which does not recognise God " as the Ruler of nations." 
 
 " Washington was undoubtedly tke man of the age in 
 which he lived. He was raised up by Providence for the 
 accomplishment of a most important and difficult work. 
 But wise and gifted as he was, he would never have 
 achieved the sublime results which crowned his etforts, if 
 he had not had the best material the world has ever fur- 
 nished, for laying the foundation of a government, under 
 whose beneficent influences we have been happy and 
 prosperous. Indeed, the germs of our republic may be 
 traced back long prior to the Revolution. They are seen 
 in the spirit; the intelligence, the probity, the indomitable 
 
 perseverance, and the piety, of the little band who reached 
 our shores in the May-Flower. It was there, in the solemn 
 compact into which they entered before leaving their frail 
 bark, that we see the incipient steps taken which led on, 
 by a process slow but sure, to the Declaration of Inde- 
 pendence. There is nothing that rouses our indignation 
 more effectually, than to hear the miserable prating of 
 some who have yet to learn the rudiments of our true his- 
 tory, throwing out their sneers, and casting contempt upon 
 those to whom they are indebted for their rich privileges, 
 and whose ' shoe's latchet they are not wortky to unloose.' 
 Such a man 
 
 " * Is fit for treason, stratagems, and spoils ; 
 Tke motions of Liis spirit are dull as i.ight, 
 And Ins aOectioiu dartc as Erebus. 
 Let Qo sucij man be trusted.' " 
 
 Philadelphia North Amtriean. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 change struck ; and in the night of the 18th of April, 1775, the cannons of Lexington called 
 a new-born nation to regenerate the world. The people rose as one man, and turning the 
 ploughshare that tilled the soil into a sword to defend it, they threw themselves upon their 
 unjust oppressors, and proclaimed at Philadelphia the immortal principles of self-govern- 
 ment, that made tyrants tremble and every generous heart palpitate with joyful hope. At 
 that moment a new name was inscribed on the catalogue of great nations. If not in na- 
 tional importance, it was great by the moral influence it immediately exercised on the 
 world. England, overwhelmed with a debt of one hundred and twenty-eight and a half 
 millions sterling, chargeable with an annual interest of four and a half millions, wished to 
 transfer a portion of the burden to her colonies, and attempted to infringe their rights ry 
 the imposition of the celebrated stamp-tax. The colonists admitted the justice of all the 
 members of a confederation contributing, according to their ability, to the support of the 
 common government, since the prosperity of each depends on the security and Avell-being 
 of all, but declared they could not and ought not share in the expenses of a war with which 
 they had nothing to do, and a luxurious court which was equally repugnant to their repose 
 and American simplicity. At first England affected to acknowledge the right of the colo- 
 nies to refuse to pay for faults they had no share in committing ; but after the pause of a 
 few years, she renewed her attacks under a different form. With equal firmness America 
 repelled the second attempt to violate her liberties; and England, offended at this unex- 
 ampled audacity, closed the port of Boston, and kindled the flames of a war which doubled 
 her troublesome debt. Then appeared the host of blazing meteors that illumined the path 
 of our Revolution, and now watch in their high spheres over our safety. They broke the 
 chains of thirteen colonies, and offered to the astonished world the most sublime spectacle 
 of ancient or modern times — the fusion of all races, tongues, and sects, in the one political 
 religion of liberty. The Declaration of Independence found thirteen states and three mill- 
 ions of people; now there are thirty-one states, and a population of twenty-five millions. 
 The whole exterior commerce of the republic, at 1780, amounted to about eight and a half 
 millions annually ; now our annual exports exceed one hundred and fifty-eight millions, 
 while our internal commerce is valued at five hundred millions per year, without estima- 
 ting the home consumption. 
 I What a change has the progress of civilization effected on this vast continent during the 
 last two centuries ; and what a glorious change to the enlightened mind.* Then a few 
 ' ill-constructed roads, and the water-courses nature had bestowed, were our only means of 
 I intercommunication ; now, about ten thousand miles of railway and numerous canals, 
 I which embrace, in continuous lines of navigation, thirty thousand miles of lake and river, 
 render the most northern corner of Maine nearer in time to Florida and Mexico than was Bos- 
 ton to Charleston in those days. Steam and the magnetic telegraph have annihilated distance. 
 A few years ago, and the majestic forest spread its Aving far and wide, and the Indian was 
 monarch of all he surveyed — traversing its wilds xvith his spear, or navigating its lakes 
 with his bark canoe. What was once gloomy forests is now beautiful villages and populous 
 cities, teeming with industrious and intelligent inhabitants, ministering to the wants of the 
 mother-country. Our vast prairies are noAv becoming thrifty farms, and the produce of every 
 climate smiles upon our shores. The application of steam to various purposes has produced 
 wonderful results. America and England are brought withtn a ten-days' voyage, and China 
 will in fifty years be, comparatively, as near as England now is: the whole world will yet 
 be neighbors to each other, and peace and good will universally prevail among mankind. 
 In the preparation of the following work, we have found new reason to admire the rapid 
 progress of our own country in population, the arts, and the various institutions which ac- 
 
 * The following passage will realize to our readers the 
 c.indition of things two hundred years ago: — 
 
 "The numlier of the pilgrims was hut one hundred, all 
 told. The liark in which they crossed the ocean was of 
 less capacity than that of one of the craft which navigate 
 our Schuylkill canal. The length of their voyage was the 
 same with that of Columbus, a little more than a century 
 before. The Spaniards had held their 'reveU in the halls 
 of the Montezumas' during the greater part of this centu- 
 ry. Virginia had been settled a few years, and contained 
 from five hundred to one thousand inhabitants. What we 
 now call Now England was regarded as an island — a mis- 
 take not corrected in old England so late as the time of an 
 official despatch of I-ord North's during our Revolution. 
 They came from England, and our thoughts are naturally 
 tui-ned to the condition of things in England at the time. 
 They had not much glass for their houses, and not a great 
 deal of linen for their persons; no tea or cortee, and Init 
 little sugar for tlieir tables, in old England then. They had 
 uu science of chymistry or of geology ; no knowledge of 
 
 electricity or of the power of steam ; scarcely any manu- 
 factures, but very imperfect agriculture, and very little 
 horticulture. Crossbows had scarcely gone out of use in 
 war, and their firearms generally had matchlocks. They 
 had their old baronial establishments, their ruined castles, 
 and deserted monasteries; their magnificent catheibaLs, 
 their two great universities, their vast enclosures for parks 
 and presences. They had monuments of the times of the 
 Druids, and abiding evidence that England, for two centu- 
 ries, had been a Roman province. They boasted of a con- 
 stitution ; but it existed principally in custom, depending 
 upon uncertain memory, and there were precedents of all 
 kinds — those favoring prerogative greatiy pievailing over 
 those in favor of liberty. From the peasant to the prince, 
 the distance was more awful than we can well imagine. 
 For five thousand years the human race had been subject, 
 all the world over, to the dominion of arbitrary power. 
 From the earliest period of recorded time, history had 
 been occupied with the rise and fall of kingdoms and of 
 kings." 
 
INTRODUCTION. vii 
 
 company and promote civilization, morals, and religion, as well as national extension, 
 wealth, and power. Great pains have been taken, and expenf.e incurred, to introduce 
 some of the most important, appropriate, and interesting scenes, sketches of character, and 
 other matters embraced in the wide surface of the American Union. In thy older states, the 
 historical details offered for a work of this kind are superabundant ; and the only dilTiccilty 
 is found in making a selection of periods, and in sufficiently condensing the matter, without 
 reducing it to the foim of mere statistics. Respecting the new states, we can assure the 
 reader that the labor of collecting the latest and most authentic information has been very 
 great. We take pleasure in acknowledging our obligations to those benevolent and intelli- 
 gent friends at a distance who have aided us in collecting the most recent statistics relating 
 to some of the most flourishing parts of our country. 
 
 We can not but feel, in looking upon the numerous and important subjects to which the 
 attention of our readers is here directed — as we pass from one portion of the country to an- 
 other, that they, as well as ourselves, must naturally and almost unavoidably be strongly 
 impressed with several great and salutary reflections. To read the history of any country 
 or people, without permanent benefit, would be to waste time and to abuse one of the most 
 important branches of human knowledge ; but to pass over descriptions of our own land, 
 and the history of our own people, without giving them any serious regard, or drawing from 
 them any of those interesting and salutary lessons which they are adapted to supply, be- 
 yond almost any other part of the world or portion of the human family, would prove a 
 frivolity of mind, or an insensibility of heart, too great for any author willingly to attribute 
 to the circle of his readers. 
 
 We are indeed aware of the extent to which the floods of fictitious writings, at the pres- 
 ent day, vitiate the public taste, waste the time, enfeeble the mind, and, alas ! pervert the 
 heart ; and we find new reason every day to lament the various evils, both mental and 
 moral, which are brought upon individuals and society by that pernicious cause. But still 
 we know full well, that there are those who keep their minds and their hearts free from 
 the contamination, as well as the debilitating influences, of that miserable kind of reading 
 (which deserves not the title of literature), and that there are persons, in all parts of the 
 country, whose native strength of intellect and manly Christian principles have never been 
 subjected to the insidious, inji'rious, and often ruinous influence of fiction-reading. Heavy 
 responsibility rests upon those who write for the public. Tutors of the world, they may 
 not lightly assume nor thoughtlessly discharge a very important ofl[ice. Every line found 
 wanting in moral tone should be instantly erased. Incalculable evil may follow its publi- 
 cation — for in that the depraved find countenance, and the young example and encourage- 
 ment. He is without excuse — nay, he is grossly culpable — who trifles with the welfare 
 of society, or neglects to do good when opportunity is presented. A bad thought uttered in 
 print is not addressed to a single individual, but to the whole community. 
 
 While others, though it may be by thousands, devote their leisure hours to subjects of a 
 frivolous and unreal nature, . jur readers, we would fain hope, will employ them in the more 
 rational and useful task of reviewing the aspect, resources, and history, of their own native 
 land, and the prosperous and powerful nation to which they belong. The materials for 
 such a review we now place before them, in such number and variety as the limits assigned 
 by such a publication permit ; and the public will do us the justice to allow that great 
 labor has been bestowed on these pages, and that we have collected an amount of authentic 
 information not easily to be surpassed in importance, variety, and interest, Avithout greatly 
 exceeding the limits to which we have been confined. It has been our constant study to 
 pursue the happy medium between the dry record of facts and dates, and the diffuse and 
 detached descriptions to which the abundance of pleasing topics invited us at every step. 
 
 Although four years have not elapsed since the first edition of this work issued from the 
 press, yet a thorough revision of it has been imperatively demanded from the many and 
 extraordinary changes that have, in that brief period, occurred in every section of the 
 country ; the most remarkable instance of which is the recent acquisition, discovery of 
 the mineral wealth, and settlement of California, resulting in the addition, without its 
 going through the usual territorial probation, of a new state to the Union upon the very 
 western verge of the American continent. About fifty pages have been added to the 
 original sizeof the work, comprising a full historical and descriptive account of the above- 
 named new Pacific state, with appropriate illustrations, and of the territories of Minne- 
 sota, New Mexico, and Utah. Many important facts have been greatly condensed, and 
 many circumstances of minor consequence excluded for want of room ; but we trust that 
 the reader will see that we have, throughout the volume, had in view his own gratifica- 
 tion and lasting advantage : and that he will arise from its perusal with the reflection that 
 it has brought him a strengthened mind and an improved heart. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 One of the first reflections to which a deliberate survey of our country naturally gives 
 rise, is, that we have a territory vast in extent, varied in surface and climate, embracing 
 numerous and inexhaustible natural treasures, and secured, by its position, from many of 
 the evils to which most other countries are exposed. Without powerful neighbors, jealous 
 of our prosperity, watching our movements, and threatening to interfere in our concerns, as 
 Ave find most of the nations of Europe, we are left free from apprehensions of such diHicul- 
 ties on all our borders ; so that we may choose such objects, ways, and means, as seem 
 good and right in our own eyes. 
 
 The general good of the country demands a mutual acquaintance between the citizens 
 in all parts of it. If ignorant of each other's condition, the people of the difl'erent states 
 can not feel that high and just regard for each other which is essential to the existence of a 
 stronw spirit of brotherhood. The general diffusion of accurate knowledge, respecting all 
 parts of the country, is therefore to be esteemed as an important public object, as it is one 
 of the principal means to secure that great end. While all look with intelligent interest 
 on the progress annually made, in every state and territory, in difl'erent branches of im- 
 provement, the value of great and good m^n Avill be appreciated, and a noble rivalry main- 
 tained, from which the whole country wili derive advantage. 
 
 All history, however, is only useful so far as Ave are guided by a knowledge of past ex- 
 perience. Rational liberty and the expansive genius of self-government have so far made 
 us united and poAverful. To the people who are qualified by correct habits and self-disci- 
 pline to love and respect the free institutions of our land, liberty is what the sun is to the 
 earth and religion to the soul — light, and life, and infinite progression. Intellectual, apart 
 from moral culture, is, however, to be feared rather than encouraged ; it teaches, indeed, 
 how to rear, but is powerless to 'perpetuate. The loss of liberty at Rome was contempo- 
 raneous, or very nearly so, with the era of her greatest intellectual achievements. It is 
 not alone a knowledge of their rights that the people require, but a virtuous appreciation 
 of them. It was the loss of this public virtue that the elder Cato deplored, when he said 
 to the Roman senate, that it Avas not by the force of arms, merely, that their forefathers 
 had raised the republic to the greatness it enjoyed in their day, but by things of a very dif- 
 ferent nature — industry and discipline at home, abstinence abroad, a disinterested spirit in 
 council, unblinded by passion, and unbiased by pleasure. 
 
 The preservation of Avell-regulated freedom should be the prayer of every American cit- 
 izen ; but while honestly desirous of enlarging its circumference, he should take great care 
 lest he admits within the circle the elements of licentiousness. In the present state of 
 society, there is more to be feared from this quarter than from any effort of tyranny. The 
 onAvard progress of intellect and education has put that down for ever. To those who 
 are united for a good purpose, we would say, look to the constancy and character of the 
 early founders of our republic ! While other portions of the earth are slumbering in dark- 
 ness and debased in crime, let us recall to mind their counsel and example. Let us never 
 forget that it is to an Education, wisely and liberally provide i for our people, that Amer- 
 ica oAves her proud superiority. Claiming full exemption from all superstition, we firmly 
 believe that no state can prosper in a long career of true glory, in the disregard of the 
 claims of justice and the injunctions of the Christain religion. A floodtide of apparent 
 prosperity may come, filling for the time the avenues of trade, and satiating the cravings 
 of taste and curiosity ; yet, sooner or later it has its ebb, and either cloys Avith its abundance 
 or leaves the void greater than before. History is a silent but eloquent Avitness of its truth, 
 and from her undying lamp sheds a stream of unceasing light along our pathway. The 
 fabrics of ancient greatness, built by injustice and consecrated to ambition, are noAv flitting 
 shadows before us, starting up from behind the broken pillars and falling columns that were 
 reared to perpetuate the genius by which they were wrought. 
 
 With such views, the foUoAving descriptions of the several states and territories have 
 been written. We shall indeed feel doubly rewarded, if this brief sketch of our great 
 Avestern republic should increase the attachment of our readers to those great principles of 
 equal rights, intelligence, virtue, and peace, in which were laid the foundation of our in- 
 stitutions. In the folloAving pages will be found facts displaying the good principles, sound 
 judgment, and genuine patriotism, of our ancestors, and others of later date, Avhich prove 
 that they have not a few Avorthy successors. It is an interesting reflection, that each one 
 is a member of this great commonwealth, and that no one is too weak or humble to do 
 something for the public good. 
 
 Nov., 1851. 
 
MAINE. 
 
 Antiquities page 
 
 Area of the State 
 
 Augusta 
 
 Bangor 20, 
 
 First Settlement of 
 
 Theological Seminary at 
 
 Bath 
 
 Bowdoin College, History of 
 
 Breakneck Hill 
 
 Castine 
 
 Eastport 
 
 Exports 
 
 Fryeburgh 
 
 Hallowell 
 
 History 
 
 Houlton 
 
 Katahdin Mountain 13, 
 
 Lovell's Expedition 
 
 Lovell's Pond 
 
 Lower Stillwater Village 
 
 Lumber Business 14, 
 
 Moose Island 
 
 Mooseheaci Lake 
 
 Mouftt Desert Island and Lighthouse 
 
 Newspaper, first published in Maine 
 
 North Bangor 
 
 Pegipscot Falls 
 
 Population 
 
 Portland 
 
 Burnt in the Revolution 
 
 Quebec, Expedition for the Capture of 
 
 Rivers 
 
 Sebago Lake 
 
 Settlement first attempted on the Connecticut 
 
 Soil 
 
 •Temperance Law 
 
 Topography 
 
 Tiade, Ports and Places of 
 
 Welles 
 
 York 
 
 NEW HAMPSHIRE. 
 
 Area of the State 26 
 
 ^jrtlett 36 
 
 ^JUows' Falls 30 
 
 lundaries 25 
 
 pJnterbury 40 
 
 ^, jntre Hanbor 34 
 
 laracter of the People 80 
 
 Charlestown page 30 
 
 Concord 23 
 
 Connecticut River, Source of 26, 32 
 
 Constitution, Synopsis of 43 
 
 Conway 34 
 
 Chalybeate Springs at 34 
 
 Dartmouth College 31 
 
 Presidents of 32 
 
 Education, Provisions for 43 
 
 Gilmanton Theological Seminary 43 
 
 Hanover 31 
 
 Haverliill 32 
 
 Historical Society 43 
 
 History 28, 42 
 
 Lakes , 26 
 
 Land Slide at the White Mountain, and De- 
 struction of the Willey Family 34 
 
 Latitude and Longitude 25, 26 
 
 Manchester 30 
 
 Medical Society 43 
 
 Meredith 32 
 
 Merriniac River 26 
 
 Natural Curiosities 28 
 
 New Hampton Academy 43 
 
 Northern and other Railroads 43 
 
 Old Man of the Mountain 28 
 
 Ossipee Lake 26 
 
 Papsumpsic River 32 
 
 Phillips' Academy at Exeter 48 
 
 Population 26 
 
 Portsmouth 28 
 
 Saco River 25 
 
 Seacoast 26 
 
 Shaker Village 40 
 
 Squam Lake 26, 33 
 
 Statehouse 28 
 
 Sunapee Lake 26 
 
 Walpole 30 
 
 White Mountains 32, 34 
 
 Heights of the different Peaks 88 
 
 Lake of the Clouds 39 
 
 Mount Washington 38 
 
 Nancy's Hill 36 
 
 Notch of the 86, 38 
 
 Prospect Mountain 36 
 
 Wild Birds and Game 89 
 
 VERMONT. 
 
 Area of the State 44 
 
 Battle of Flattsburgh i 86, 57 
 
 Bennington 64 
 
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 
 
 Battle of Bennington page 54 
 
 Burlington 52 
 
 Courts 66 
 
 Crown Point, Fortress of 49 
 
 Green Mountains 44, 45 
 
 Hero Islands 45, 46 
 
 History 46 
 
 Lake Champlain 45 
 
 Lake Mempliremagog 45 
 
 Mineral Springs 45 
 
 MoNTPELIEn 52 
 
 Mount Defiance 48 
 
 Mount Independence 47 
 
 Naval Action on Lake Champlain 49, 51 
 
 Newspaper first printed 56 
 
 Onion River 46 
 
 Pell's Garden at Ticonderoga 48 
 
 Rivers 46 
 
 Rutland 51 
 
 Statehouse at Montpelier 54 
 
 Ticonderoga, Fortress of 47 
 
 Topography 44 
 
 University of Vermont 52 
 
 Windsor 54 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 Adams, John Quincy, Biographical Sketch of 116 
 
 Amherst 104 
 
 College 104 
 
 Andover 100 
 
 Theological Seminary at 73 
 
 Blind Institution 86 
 
 Bloody Brook, History of 107 
 
 Boston 74 
 
 Asjlum and Farm School 92 
 
 Athenajum 92 
 
 Bridges 93 
 
 Common 78 
 
 Customhouse 86 
 
 •f aneuil Hall 88 
 
 Faneuil Hall Market 86 
 
 Residence of John Hancock 80 
 
 Plan for Enlargement of 80 
 
 Schools _ 92 
 
 Statehouse 78 
 
 Theatres 92 
 
 Villages in the Vicinity of 94 
 
 "Waterworks 92 
 
 Boundaries 59 
 
 Brookfield 100 
 
 Bunker Hill Monument 93 
 
 Cambridge Observatory 70 
 
 Cambridge University 68 
 
 Charlestown 93 
 
 Clergymen of Early Times 66 
 
 Cochituate Waterworks 92 
 
 Common Schools 63 
 
 Deerfield 107 
 
 Distinguished Laymen of Early Times 66 
 
 East Boston 76 
 
 Education 63 
 
 Government 63 
 
 Grand Refractor, Cambridge Observatory. . . 70 
 
 Hadley 104 
 
 History 60, 106 
 
 Indians, Early Missions among 62 
 
 Islands page 60 
 
 Landing of the Pilgrims 107 
 
 Lawrence Observatory, Amherst Colleg;e. ... 106 
 
 Lawrence Scientific School, Cambridge 72 
 
 Learned Societies 74 
 
 Lexington 98 
 
 Battle of 100 
 
 Liberty Tree, History of 88 
 
 Lowell 96 
 
 Sketch of Operatives at 98 
 
 Martha's Vineyard 60 
 
 Massachusetts General Hospital 84 
 
 Mount Auburn Cemetery 98 
 
 Mount Holyoke 103 
 
 Mount Holyoke Female Seminary. ..._.... 103 
 
 Mount Tom 103 
 
 Nahant 94 
 
 Nantucket 60 
 
 Newspapers 74 
 
 Newton Theological Seminaiy 68 
 
 Northampton , 103 
 
 Pilgrim Fathers, Historical Incident of the. ..110 
 
 Plymouth 96 
 
 First Settlement of 60 
 
 Landing of the Pilgrims at 107 
 
 Printing, Establishment of 62 
 
 Railroads 63, 96, 98 
 
 Sears, Residence of the Hon. David 84 
 
 Sears, Sketch of Colonel Isaac 66 
 
 Shay's RebeUion, Brief Sketch of 101 
 
 Sears' Tower, Cambridge Observatory. ..... 70 
 
 South Hadley Falls 101 
 
 Springfield 101 
 
 South Boston , ., 76 
 
 Statehouse 78 
 
 Watchusett Hill 101 
 
 Williams College , 68 
 
 Winthrop, John, First Governor of Massa- 
 chusetts, Biographical Sketch of 110 
 
 His History of New England Ill 
 
 Death of . 114 
 
 Winthrop Family Tomb, Inscriptions on. . . . 115 
 
 Worcester 101 
 
 CONNECTICUT. 
 
 Agricultural Improvements in 122 
 
 Area 119 
 
 Boundaries 119 
 
 Charter Oak, at Hartford 126 
 
 Connecticut River 125 
 
 East Haddam 125 
 
 Essex 125 
 
 Farmington and Northampton Canal. 124 
 
 Fort Griswold, History of 127 
 
 Fort Hill, History of 127 
 
 Haddam 1 25 
 
 Hartford 126 
 
 Charter Oak at 126 
 
 Deaf and Dumb Asylum 127 
 
 Insane Hospital 127 
 
 History . 
 
 Indians, History of. 
 
 Judges' Cave 
 
 Manufactures 
 
 Middletown 
 
 Lead Mines in 126 
 
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 
 
 Mohegan Indians, History of. page 128 
 
 New Haven 122 
 
 Graves of the Regicide Judges at 124 
 
 New Haven and Hartford Railroad 124 
 
 New London 127 
 
 Norwich 130 
 
 High Bridge across the Thames at. • . • 130 
 
 Sachem's Field at 130 
 
 Saybrook 1 24 
 
 History of the Settlement of 125 
 
 Sears, David, Esq., Notice of 132 
 
 Stateprison at Wethersfield 126 
 
 Topography 119 
 
 Wethersfield 126 
 
 Winthrop, John, First Governor of Connec- 
 ticut, Biographical Sketch of ] 3 1 
 
 Yale College 122 
 
 RHODE ISLAND. 
 
 Area of the State 133 
 
 Blackstone Canal 138 
 
 Block Island 140 
 
 Boundaries 133 
 
 Brown University 136 
 
 Coal Mines 136 
 
 Commerce 133 
 
 Early History of Cotton Manufactures. . . . 138 
 
 Eminent Men in Early Times 140 
 
 History 134, 141 
 
 Manufactures 134, 138 
 
 Mount Hope 136 
 
 Narragansets, History of 134 
 
 Nevvtort 141 
 
 Pawtucket 138 
 
 Population 134 
 
 Population at various Periods 141 
 
 Providence 136 
 
 Railroads 138 
 
 Rivers 133 
 
 Statistics 134, 141 
 
 Topography 133 
 
 NEW YORK. 
 
 Academies 160 
 
 Albany 152 
 
 Capitol 156 
 
 City-Hall 154 
 
 History of 154, 156 
 
 Rensselaer Mansion 156 
 
 State-Hall. 154 
 
 Female Institute and Female Seminary 154 
 
 Auburn 172 
 
 Stateprison at 1 72, 174 
 
 Ballston Springs 147 
 
 Brooklyn 192 
 
 Navy-Yard at 192 
 
 Greenwood Cemetery near 192 
 
 Buffalo 178 
 
 Canals 158 
 
 Carthage 178 
 
 Catskill Mountains 144 
 
 Champlain Canal 158 
 
 Cherry Valley 164 
 
 Massacres at during the Revolution .. 164 
 
 Clinton 170 
 
 Church of Our Lady, at Cold Spring 182 
 
 Common School Fund page 161 
 
 Common Schools, Statistics of 161 
 
 Cooperstown 162 
 
 Delaware and Hudson Canal 158 
 
 Erie Canal 158 
 
 Erie Railroad 159 
 
 FaLj of the Genesee at Rochester 176 
 
 Falls of Niagara 178 
 
 Gas Springs c ..... . 146 
 
 Geneva ..<.... 175 
 
 Geneva College 175 
 
 Genesee Flats 146 
 
 Genesee River 146 
 
 Greenwood Cemetery 192 
 
 History.. 150-152, 161, 162, 164-166, 168, 171, 
 
 193-200 
 
 Hudson and Erie Railroad 159 
 
 Hudson River 143 
 
 Palisades on the 144 
 
 Hudson River Railroad 160 
 
 Indian Barbarities 161 
 
 Indian Barbarities in Early Times. . . . 164-166 
 
 Lake Champlain 149 
 
 Lake George 149 
 
 Little Falls 166 
 
 First Settlement at 168 
 
 Marble Aqueduct at 168 
 
 Natural Scenery at 166 
 
 Remarkable Cavern at 168 
 
 Medical Colleges 160 
 
 Medical College at Geneva 175 
 
 Mountains 144 
 
 Natural History 147 
 
 Navy-Yard at Brooklyn 192 
 
 New York City 186 
 
 Area of 186 
 
 Banks 188 
 
 Bellevue 190 
 
 Blind Institution 188 
 
 Bowling Green 190 
 
 Churches 186 
 
 City Hall 192 
 
 Croton Aqueduct 188 
 
 Custom-House 190 
 
 Deaf and Dumb Asylum 188 
 
 Greenwood Cemetery near 192 
 
 Harbor 186 
 
 Merchants' Exchange 192 
 
 Park 190 
 
 Penitentiary 192 
 
 Prisons 192 
 
 Public Squares. . . - , , 190 
 
 Schools > 188 
 
 Settlement .. 186 
 
 Streets , 86 
 
 Trinity Church 192 
 
 Union Place 190 
 
 Wall Street 190 
 
 Washington Square 190 
 
 New York and Erie Railroad 159 
 
 New York and New Haven Railroad 160 
 
 Niagara Falls 178 
 
 Normal Seminaries 1 60 
 
 Onondaga County, French Colony settled at 171 
 
 Oswego River 14& 
 
 Plattsburgh 184 
 
 Battle of. 185 
 
 L. 
 
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 
 
 Penitentiaries page 172 
 
 Poughkeepsie 180 
 
 Railroads 159 
 
 Receipts and Expenditures of New York 
 
 and Erie Railroad 160 
 
 Rensselaer Mansion at Albany 156 
 
 Rochester 176 
 
 Rome 168 
 
 Salina Salt Springs 171 
 
 Saratoga Springs 1 47 
 
 Schenectady ■. 161 
 
 Schenectady Lyceum 162 
 
 Sears, Colonel Isaac, Biography of. 196 
 
 Adventure of the 23d August, 1775... 198 
 Destruction of the Loyal Gazette Print- 
 
 ing-Office 199 
 
 His Opposition to the Stamp Act 197 
 
 Member of Committee of Correspond- 
 ence 197 
 
 Washington's High Opinion of Him... 199 
 
 Last Illness and Death 200 
 
 Seminaries of Learning and Religion 160 
 
 Springs ". 146 
 
 Statehouse at Albany 156 
 
 Stone-Church at Dover 182 
 
 Staten Island 192 
 
 Sons of Liberty, History of 193 
 
 Colonel Isaac Sears their Leader 193 
 
 First Organization of dissolved 195 
 
 Letter of Nicholas Ray to 195 
 
 Reply to 196 
 
 Maryland Association, Proceedings of. 195 
 
 New York Association 194 
 
 Object of the Association 194 
 
 Organization of 194 
 
 Paved the Way to Declaration of Inde- 
 pendence 197 
 
 Syracuse « 171 
 
 Theological Seminaries 160 
 
 Trenton Falls 170 
 
 Troy 184 
 
 Utica 170 
 
 Van-Kleek House at Poughkeepsie 180 
 
 NEW JERSEY. 
 
 Battle of Assunpink 208 
 
 Battle of Trenton 208 
 
 Delaware and Raritan Canal 210 
 
 Elizabethtown 210 
 
 History of Early Settlements 202 
 
 Laws of the Colony in Early Times 206 
 
 Livingston, William, first Governor of the 
 
 State , 205 
 
 Morristown. 212 
 
 Names of Early Settlers 204 
 
 Newark 212 
 
 Nev/ Brunswick 210 
 
 Rutgers' College at 210 
 
 Newspapers, first printed in the Colony. .. 207 
 
 Paasaic, Source of 2 14 
 
 Paterson 212 
 
 History of Manufactures at 212, 214 
 
 Penitentiary at Trenton 207 
 
 Princeton 208 
 
 Nassau Hall 210 
 
 Presbyterian Seminary 210 
 
 Settlement in West Jersey page 202 
 
 Sla very, when introduced 206 
 
 Soil 201 
 
 Source of the Passaic 214 
 
 Statehouse at Trenton 207 
 
 Swedish Settlement 202 
 
 Temperance, this State Early Advocate of. 206 
 
 Thanksgiving-Day first appointed 206 
 
 Topography 201 
 
 Trenton 207 
 
 Battle of. 208 
 
 Washington's Residence at Morristown ... 214 
 
 Whale-Fishery, Early Attempts at 206 
 
 PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 Bedford 245 
 
 Bedford Springs 245 
 
 Bethlehem 234 
 
 Birmingham 245 
 
 Boundaries 215 
 
 Brandy wine. Battle of. 246 
 
 Canals 215, 234 
 
 Cannonburgh 245 
 
 Carlisle. . .". 244 
 
 Sulphur Springs at ,. 245 
 
 Chambersbnrg 24£ 
 
 Coal, Amount imported 222 
 
 Coal-Mines 218, 233, 243 
 
 Accident in, in 1845 244 
 
 Coal Statistics 220 
 
 Coal-Trade, Anecdotes of. 220 
 
 Delaware and Hudson Canal 234 
 
 Easton 238 
 
 Lafayette College at 238 
 
 Erie 245 
 
 Franklin, Benjamin, founded Library 222 
 
 Founded Philosophical Society 224 
 
 Hajirisburgh 244 
 
 History of the State 216 
 
 Interesting Facts in 247 
 
 Inventions and Improvements by Citizens 
 
 of this State 251 
 
 Lehigh Coal-Mines 233 
 
 Lehigh River, Locks and Dams upon 234 
 
 Literary Institutions 218 
 
 Little Schuylkill River. . '. 233 
 
 Mauch-Chunk 234 
 
 Meadville 245 
 
 Merchants' Magazine, Extract from 220 
 
 Minersville 244 
 
 Montgomery County , 241 
 
 History of 242 
 
 Mountains 215 
 
 Mount Carbon = . 233 
 
 Mount Carbon Railroad 243 
 
 Patriotism of People of this State 232 
 
 Penn, William, Historical Sketch of. 249 
 
 His Burial-Place 250 
 
 His Treatment of the Indians 216 
 
 His Treaty with them 249 
 
 Letitia House, his Residence 249 
 
 Obtains a Grant of Land on the Dela- 
 ware 216 
 
 Site of his Treaty with the Indians .... 249 
 
 Pittsburgh 235 
 
 History of 236 
 
 M inufactures 235 
 
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 
 
 Pittsburgh, United States Arsenal at., page 23fi 
 
 Water- Works 236 
 
 Western Penitentiary 236 
 
 Western Theological Seminary 236 
 
 Western University. 236 
 
 Port Carbon 244 
 
 Pottsville 233 
 
 Printing, when first introduced 218 
 
 Philadf-lphia. 222 
 
 American Historical Society 224 
 
 American Philosophical Society 224 
 
 Bank of Pennsylvania 224 
 
 Customhouse 224 
 
 Distinguished for Neatness 222 
 
 Exchange 224 
 
 Fairmount Water- Works 229 
 
 Fountain Park, Residence of Andrew 
 
 M'Makin, Esq 229 
 
 Girard Bank 224 
 
 Girard College 226 
 
 Hospital 228 
 
 House of Refuge 228 
 
 Independence Hall 224 
 
 Markets 222 
 
 Naval Hospital 228 
 
 Penitentiary 226 
 
 Permanent Bridge 229 
 
 Philadelphia Library 222 
 
 Plan of the Streets 222 
 
 Schools 226 
 
 United States Mint 228 
 
 University of Pennsylvania 22S 
 
 Wire Suspension Bridge 229 
 
 Railroads ^ 243 
 
 Reading 231 
 
 Rivers 215 
 
 Schuylkill Water Gap 231 
 
 Sulphur Springs 244, 245 
 
 Tunnel near Orwigsburgh 233 
 
 Valley Forge, Revolutionary History of. . . 243 
 
 Washington 245 
 
 Whiskey Rebellion 218 
 
 Wyoming, Valley of 238 
 
 Landscape, Beauties of. 240 
 
 Massacre at 241 
 
 York 244 
 
 DELAWARE. 
 
 Area of the State 253 
 
 Boundaries 253 
 
 Brandy wine Creek 255, 256 
 
 Brandywine Springs 255 
 
 Cape Henlopen 255 
 
 Chesapeake and Delaware Canal 254 
 
 Colonial Assembly in 1704 254 
 
 Condition and Prospects of the State 259 
 
 Courts 254 
 
 Delaware Breakwater 254 
 
 Delaware City 256 
 
 Delaware College 254, 256 
 
 Dover 255 
 
 Government 254 
 
 Georgetown 256 
 
 History 253, 254 
 
 Kent County 257 
 
 Latitude and Longitude 253 
 
 Lewes 256 
 
 Medical Society of Delaware, 1789.. page 259 
 
 Milford 256 
 
 Newark 255 
 
 Newcastle County and Town , 256 
 
 Population at various Periods 253 
 
 Population and Area of Delaware and 
 
 Rhode Island compared 259 
 
 Printing first introduced 254 
 
 Rodney, Caesar, Biographical Sketch of. . . . 257 
 
 Stamp-Act, Proceedings on 257 
 
 Sussex County 257 
 
 Topography 25S 
 
 Wilmington 255 
 
 MARYLAND. 
 Agricultural Advantages, from Soil, &.c. . . . 276 
 
 Agricultural Statistics 278 
 
 Annapolis 273 
 
 Capitol 273 
 
 St. John's College 273 
 
 Area of the State 260 
 
 Baltimore and Ohio Railroad 267 
 
 Baltimore 267 
 
 Area 267 
 
 Armistead Monument 268 
 
 Battle Monument 268 
 
 Battle of Baltimore 272 
 
 Cathedral 268 
 
 Early History of. 270 
 
 Fort M'Henry 270 
 
 Merchants' Exchange 267 
 
 Museum and Gallery of Fine Arts.. . . 268 
 
 Population 267 
 
 • Suburbs 272 
 
 Topography 268 
 
 Washington Monument 268 
 
 Barren Creek Mineral Springs 274 
 
 Boundaries 260 
 
 Cambridge 274 
 
 Chesapeake Bay 261 
 
 Chestertown 274 
 
 Coal-Mines 278 
 
 Constitution of the Colony in 1650 264 
 
 Copper-Mines 278 
 
 Cumberland 276 
 
 Easton 274 
 
 Education 266 
 
 Elkton 273 
 
 Ellicott's Mills 276 
 
 Emmettf burg 274 
 
 St. Mary's College at 274 
 
 Flour Trade 273 
 
 Frederick 274 
 
 Frederick County 274 
 
 Government 266 
 
 Hagerstown 274 
 
 Hancock 276 
 
 Havre de Grace 273 
 
 History of the Settlement of the State. 263, 266 
 
 Indian War in 1642 264 
 
 Iron Mines 278 
 
 Latitude and Longitude 260 
 
 Manufactures 266, 273, 278 
 
 Minerals found in the State 278 
 
 Patapsco River 261 
 
 Patuxent River 260 
 
 Pocomoke Bay 261 
 
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 
 
 Population page 260 
 
 Potomac River 261 
 
 Productions 266 
 
 Rebellion in 1645 264 
 
 Rivers 261 
 
 Roman Catholic College at Georgetown... 266 
 
 Snow Hill 274 
 
 Statistics 278 
 
 St. Mary's, Settlement of 263 
 
 Temperature 262 
 
 Topography 260-262 
 
 Viaduct of the Baltimore and Washington 
 
 Railroad 276 
 
 Westminster 274 
 
 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 Area of the District 279 
 
 Boundaries • 279 
 
 Capitol 282 
 
 Capture of Washington City in 1814 292 
 
 Chain Bridge across the Potomac 301 
 
 Columbian College 292 
 
 Congressional Burying-Ground 290 
 
 Conaressional Debates, Character of 298 
 
 Cumberland Road, Notice of. 299 
 
 Georgetown 301 
 
 Roman Catholic College and Nunnery at 301 
 
 History 279, 289, 292, 293 
 
 Inauguration of President described 284 
 
 Latitude and Longitude 260 
 
 Lighting the Capitol with Gas 292 
 
 Manufactures 266, 273, 278 
 
 Navy-Yard 292 
 
 Patent-Office 286 
 
 Statistics of and Remarks on ... . 286-289 
 
 Potomac River 299 
 
 President's House 284 
 
 Rotunda of the Capitol, Paintings in 300 
 
 Smithsonian Institute 292 
 
 Topography 279 
 
 Treasury Building 290 
 
 Washington, George, Anecdotes of. . . 293-297 
 
 Brougham's Eulogy of 297 
 
 VIRGINIA. ■ 
 
 Abingdon 337 
 
 Birds of Virginia 310 
 
 Blue Ridge, Passage of 305 
 
 Boundaries 302 
 
 Capitol at Richmond 327 
 
 Charlestown 338 
 
 Charlottesville 334 
 
 Climate and Scenery 312 
 
 Education, Provisions for. 331 
 
 Elizabeth 337 
 
 Fairfax County 338 
 
 Farmvil'e 334 
 
 Fincastle 337 
 
 Fredericksburg 334 
 
 Geological Facts 311 
 
 Hon. William C. Rives, Letter from 307 
 
 Hampden Sidney College 336 
 
 Hampton 332 
 
 History 313-318, 322, 324, 329-331 
 
 Jamestown 314 
 
 Jeflerson, Sketch of. 322 
 
 Lynchville ^ . . . page 334 
 
 Madison, Residence of 332 
 
 Sketch of 332 
 
 Martinsburg 338 
 
 Monroe, Birthplace of. 336 
 
 Sketch of. 336 
 
 Monumental Church at Richmond 327 
 
 Monticello, Residence of Jefferson 322 
 
 Natural Bridge over Cedar Creek 303 305 
 
 Nesro Cabin and Funeral 348 
 
 Norfolk 33 1 
 
 Old Point Comfort 332 
 
 Petersburg 337 
 
 Pocahontas, Sketch of. 350 
 
 Point Pleasant ^ 337 
 
 Portsmouth 331 
 
 Potomac River 308 
 
 Randolph, John, Grave of 351 
 
 Richmond 325 
 
 Springs 337, 338, 346 
 
 Staunton 337 
 
 Valley of Virginia, Description of. 306 
 
 Washington, Sketch of 318 
 
 Birthplace of 320 
 
 Last Illness of 340 
 
 Residence ol 338 
 
 Tomb of 342 
 
 Wellsburg 348 
 
 Wheeling 337 
 
 Weir's Cave 306 
 
 William and Mary College 344 
 
 Williamsburg 344 
 
 Winchester 337 
 
 Woodstock 337 
 
 Yorktown 346 
 
 NORTH CAROLINA. 
 
 Area of the State 352 
 
 Dismal Swamp 358 
 
 Edenton 362 
 
 Education 359 
 
 Gold-Mines 353, 359 
 
 Government 358 
 
 History 353- 357 
 
 Internal Improvements ' 359 
 
 Mountains - 358 
 
 Raleigh 360 
 
 Revolutionary Incident 363 
 
 Shocco White Sulphur Springs 362 
 
 Statehouse 362 
 
 Tarborough 362 
 
 Topography 352, S58 
 
 Turpentine and Tar, Manufacture of. 352, 360 
 
 Wake Forest College 362 
 
 Warrenton 362 
 
 Wilmington 362 
 
 SOUTH CAROLINA. 
 
 Beaufort 378 
 
 Camden 378 
 
 Charleston 374 
 
 Capitulation of in 1780 369 
 
 Literary Institutions of. 376 
 
 Settlement of 366 
 
 Cheraw 378 
 
 College of South Carolina 37 8 
 
 i 
 
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 
 
 Columbia , page 378 
 
 Cotton, Cultivation of 372 
 
 Falls of the Charashilactay 374 
 
 Greenville 378 
 
 History 365-372 
 
 Indian Wars 366, 368 
 
 Keowee Lake 374 
 
 Marion and the British Officer 368 
 
 i Rice, Culture of 372 
 
 Railroads 374 
 
 Revolutionary History 368-372 
 
 Sullivan's Island, near Charleston 378 
 
 Spartansburg 378 
 
 Topography i . . 365 
 
 GEORGIA. 
 
 Area of the State 379 
 
 Athens 388 
 
 Augusta 390 
 
 Eoundaries 379 
 
 Chatahoochee River 380 
 
 Columbus 388 
 
 Constitution, Synopsis of 386 
 
 Education 386 
 
 Falls of Coweta 382 
 
 Falls of Tockoa 396 
 
 Falls of the Towaliga 394 
 
 Falls ofTullulah 382 
 
 Georgia Female College 392 
 
 History 384 
 
 Remarkable Incidents in 396-403 
 
 Lover's Leap, on the Chatahoochee 380 
 
 Macon ^ 390 
 
 Madison Spring 388 
 
 Medical College of Georgia 390 
 
 MiLLEDGEVILLE 388 
 
 Oglethorpe, General, Sketch of 400 
 
 Oglethorpe University 394 
 
 Printing first introduced 386 
 
 Rock Mountain 382 
 
 Cross-Roads and Fort on 384 
 
 Savannah 386 
 
 Attack on, in 1779 398 
 
 Pulaski Monument at 388 
 
 Settlement of 396 
 
 Tockoa Falls 382 
 
 Topography 379 
 
 Towaliga Falls 394 
 
 Tullulah Falls 382 
 
 Wesleys, John and James, Arrival of in the 
 
 Country 401 
 
 Whitfield, George, Arrival of in the Country 401 
 
 FLORIDA. 
 
 Agticultaral Productions 405, 411 
 
 Appalachicola 407 
 
 Area of the State 405 
 
 Boundaries 404 
 
 Caves 408 
 
 Climate 405 
 
 Everglades 409 
 
 Florida Keys 407 
 
 History 409, 411 
 
 Jacksonville 407 
 
 Lime-Sinks 408 
 
 Ladies' Cave 409 
 
 Pensacola 405 
 
 St. Augustine pake 405 
 
 Subterranean Springs 407 
 
 Tallahassee 407 
 
 Topography 404, 405 
 
 White Sulphur Springs 407 
 
 WahuUy River 407 
 
 ALABAMA. 
 
 Alabama River 412, 413, 417, 418 
 
 Area of the State 412 
 
 Boundaries 412 
 
 Cahawba 41S 
 
 Coosa River 413 
 
 Cotton Trade 418 
 
 Demopolis 418 
 
 Education, Constitutional Provisions for.. . 416 
 
 Fossil Bones, &c 420 
 
 Gainesville 418 
 
 History 413-415 
 
 Hydrargos Sillimanii described 420 
 
 Improvements projected 421 
 
 Latitude and Longitude 412 
 
 Magnolia, History and Description of. 424-427 
 
 Mobile 418 
 
 Mobile Bay 413 
 
 Mobile lliver 413 
 
 Montgomery, 418 
 
 Population 412 
 
 Printing first introduced 416 
 
 Selma 420 
 
 Silliman, Professor, Letter from 420 
 
 State of the Country 416 
 
 Statistics of the Cotton-Crop 427 
 
 St. Stephen's 418 
 
 Tombigbee River 412 
 
 Topography 412 
 
 Tuscaloosa 418 
 
 University of Alabama 418 
 
 MISSISSIPPI. 
 
 Asricultural Productions 428, 429 
 
 Antiquities 430,434 
 
 Area of tlie State 428 
 
 Boundaries 428 
 
 Centennary College 432 
 
 Columbus 433 
 
 Government 429 
 
 Grand Gulf 433 
 
 Holly Springs 433 
 
 Jackson 432 
 
 Latitude and Longitude 428 
 
 Mississippi Railroad 43 1 
 
 Mississippi River, Remarkable Features of 431 
 
 Natchez 430 
 
 Population.. 430 I 
 
 Statistics .'30 
 
 Vicksburg 433 ' 
 
 Washington 433 
 
 Wooding Station, Notice of 434 
 
 LOUISIANA. 
 
 Alexandria 446 
 
 Area of the State 436 
 
 Baton Rouge 445 
 
 Boundaries 436 
 
 Canebrakes, Description of 448 
 
 Cotton-Moth, Ravages of 447 
 
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 
 
 Cotton-Trade page 439, 448 
 
 Country Life in Louisiana 446 
 
 Covington 446 
 
 Cypressj Nature of 448 
 
 Donaldsonville 446 
 
 Galveztown 446 
 
 Geology 438 
 
 Madisonville 446 
 
 New Orleans 442, 445 
 
 Opelousas 446 
 
 Parishes and Counties 440 
 
 Springfield 446 
 
 Statistics 439 
 
 Sugar-Making, Description of 440-442 
 
 Topography 436, 437, 439, 440 
 
 View on the Mississippi 447 
 
 TEXAS. 
 
 Agricultural Productions 45 1 
 
 Area of the State 449 
 
 Austin 456 
 
 Bastrop 458 
 
 Boundaries 449 
 
 Climate 451 
 
 Corpus Christi 458 
 
 Galveston 454 
 
 Government , 458 
 
 History 449, 452 
 
 Houston 456 
 
 Latitude and Longitude 449 
 
 Matagorda 458 
 
 Naco^doch es 458 
 
 Population 452 
 
 Rivers 450 
 
 San Ausustin 458 
 
 San Felipe de Austin 458 
 
 San Antonio de Bexar 458 
 
 Topography 450 
 
 Washington 458 
 
 Wild Horses, Manner of Capturing 451 
 
 ARKANSAS. 
 
 Arkansas Post , . 465 
 
 Boundaries 459 
 
 Chalybeate Springs 465 
 
 Constitution, Synopsis of 464 
 
 Helena 465 
 
 Hot Springs 465 
 
 Indians, Sketches of 465 
 
 Little Rock 464 
 
 Population 465 
 
 Prairie, Description of 463 
 
 Rivers 459 
 
 Rocky Bluffs on the Mississippi 462 
 
 Scenery along the Mississippi 460 
 
 Statistics 465 
 
 Sulphur Springs 465 
 
 Topography 459 
 
 TENNESSEE. 
 
 Area of the State 467 
 
 Boundaries 467 
 
 Capitol at Nashville 473 
 
 Cascades 472 
 
 Caverns 470 
 
 Clarksville " 475 
 
 Cliaate and Productions 475 
 
 Columbus PAGE 475 
 
 Curiosities 472 
 
 East Tennessee University 473 
 
 Fossil Remains 469 
 
 Franklin 475 
 
 Geological Formations 469 
 
 History 468, 471 
 
 Iron-Trade 470, 471 
 
 Jonesborough 473 
 
 Kingston 475 
 
 Knoxville 473 
 
 Latitude and Longitude 467 
 
 Maysville 473 
 
 Memphis ; 473 
 
 Minerals 468 
 
 Murfreesborough 475 
 
 Nashville 473 
 
 Population 470 
 
 Statistics 470, 471 
 
 Topography 467, 468 
 
 KENTUCKY. 
 
 Area of the State 476 
 
 Barrens 477 
 
 Boundaries 476 
 
 Capitol at Frankfort 484 
 
 Educational Statistics 485 
 
 Frankfort 484 
 
 Government 478 
 
 History 477 
 
 Historical Society 484 
 
 Indian Curiosities 481 
 
 Kentucky River 477 
 
 Latitude and Longitude 476 
 
 Lexington 482 
 
 Louisville 482 
 
 Mammoth Cave, Description of 478 
 
 Medical Institute at Louisville 484 
 
 Ohio Canal 482 
 
 Population 478 
 
 Prison Statistics 485 
 
 Productions 478 
 
 Stateprison 484 
 
 Synopsis of the Constitution 478 
 
 Topography 476, 477 
 
 Transylvania University 482 
 
 OHIO. 
 
 Akron 505 
 
 Antiquities 504 
 
 Area of the State 486 
 
 Ashtabula 505 
 
 Batavia 511 
 
 Boundaries 486 
 
 Bucvrus 510 
 
 Chil'licothe 508 
 
 Cincinnati 496 
 
 History of 498 
 
 Literary Institutions of 500, 502 
 
 Manufactures of 500 
 
 Cleveland 505 
 
 Clinton County • 511 
 
 Columbus . 509 
 
 Coshocton 510 
 
 Cuyahoga Falls 505 
 
 Dayton 511 
 
 Eiyria 506 
 
^m^ 
 
 GEOGRAPHICAL AND ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 
 
 Fairport page 508 
 
 Franklin County 510 
 
 Gallipolis 508 
 
 Gambler , 502 
 
 Granville 510 
 
 Hamilton 512 
 
 History 488-494 
 
 Kenyon College at Gambler 503 
 
 Lancaster 509 
 
 Lane Seminary 502 
 
 Latitude and Longitude 486 
 
 Mansfield , 505 
 
 Marietta 503 
 
 Massillon 510 
 
 Maumee City 512 
 
 Newark 510 
 
 Oberlin 506 
 
 Painesville 508 
 
 Pickaway County 509 
 
 Population at different Periods 487 
 
 of 1790 and 1840 compared 494 
 
 Pork-Trade of the West 513 
 
 Portsmouth 508 
 
 Public Works of the State 488 
 
 Roscoe 510 
 
 Sandusky City 506 
 
 Sidney 512 
 
 Springfield 512 
 
 Statistics 496, 513 
 
 Steubenville 506 
 
 Toledo 505 
 
 Urbana 511 
 
 Van Buren 512 
 
 Williamsburg 511 
 
 Willoughby 508 
 
 Wilmington 511 
 
 Xenia 512 
 
 Zanesville 508 
 
 MICHIGAN. 
 
 Adrian 523 
 
 Agricultural Advantages of the State 515 
 
 Ann Arbor 523 
 
 Boundaries 514 
 
 Copper-Mines 524 
 
 Detroit 518 
 
 Emigrants. Advantages to 530 
 
 Exports of Wool. . .' 527 
 
 Falls of St. Mary 523 
 
 Fisheries 522, 523 
 
 History 515 
 
 Illinois and Michigan Canal 526 
 
 Internal Improvements 517 
 
 Jackson 523 
 
 Jolietj Water-Power at 527 
 
 Kalamazoo 520 
 
 Lake St. Clair 518 
 
 Lansing 520, 525 
 
 Mackinac 520 
 
 Business of 522 
 
 Marshall 520 
 
 Mining Operations, History of 524 
 
 Monroe 520 
 
 Population 515 
 
 Pictured Rocks of Lake Superior 528 
 
 Account of "Visit to 529, 530 
 
 Railroads 517 
 
 Sheep-Growing page 515. 527 
 
 Soil 515 
 
 Statistics 522, 527, 528 
 
 St. Joseph's 520 
 
 Topography ....= .... 514, 516 
 
 Wool-Growing, History of 527 
 
 Ypsilanti 523 
 
 INDIANA. 
 
 Academies and Common Schools 533 
 
 Area of the State 532 
 
 Bear-Hunt 540 
 
 Bloomington 543 
 
 Boundaries 532 
 
 Climate 533 
 
 Coal and Copper-Mines 538 
 
 Crawfordsville 536 
 
 Cut-off River 543 
 
 Evansville 542 
 
 History 540,543 
 
 Indianapolis 533 
 
 Capitol at 534 
 
 Lafayette 536 
 
 Latitude and Longitude 532 
 
 Lawrencebarg 542 
 
 Literary Institutions 533 
 
 Madison 542 
 
 Michigan City 536 
 
 New Albany 542 
 
 New Harmony 534, 543 
 
 Peculiar Characteristics of Western Mind.. 536 
 
 Pigeon Springs 520 
 
 Population . i^ 532 
 
 Saltsprings 538 
 
 South Bend 536 
 
 Terre Haute | 536 
 
 Toposrnphy 532 
 
 Vincennes 534 
 
 Western River Town 538 
 
 ILLINOIS. 
 
 Alton 555 
 
 Area of the State 544 
 
 Belleville 556 
 
 Cave-in Rock, near Shawneetown 555 
 
 Chicago 551 
 
 History of 554 
 
 Emigration 562 
 
 Galena 549,556 
 
 Growth of the West 564 
 
 Illinois College 555 
 
 Jacksonville 549, 555 
 
 Kaskaskia 555 
 
 Latitude and Longitude ^ 544 
 
 Lead-Mines 549 
 
 Mount Joliet 560 
 
 Population , 544 
 
 Peoria 556 
 
 River Navigation of the Wesi 559 
 
 Rock Fort 556 
 
 Rock Island City 556 
 
 Shawneetown 555 
 
 Springfield 555 
 
 St. Joseph 552 
 
 Swedish Settlement, Notice of 550 
 
 Topography 545 
 
 Yandalia 556 
 
10 
 
 GEOGRAPHICAL AND ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 
 
 MISSOURI 
 
 Area and Boundaries page 566 
 
 Bethel 575 
 
 Boonville 576 
 
 Buffaloes and Elks 577 
 
 Canton 575 
 
 Cape Girardeau 576 
 
 Columbia 576 
 
 Edina 575 
 
 Elkhorn Pyramid 581 
 
 Falls of the Missouri 568 
 
 Fulton 576 
 
 Glasgow 576 
 
 Hannibal 576 
 
 Hunting the Buffalo 579 
 
 Independence 576 
 
 Jefferson Citv 571 
 
 Latitude and Longitude 566 
 
 Lexington 576 
 
 Liberty 576 
 
 Mempliis 575 
 
 Mines 567 
 
 Missouri River 566 
 
 New Madrid 576 
 
 Palmyra 575 
 
 Population 567 
 
 Potosi 576 
 
 Springfield 576 
 
 St. Charles 575 
 
 St. Genevieve 570 
 
 St. Joseph 576 
 
 St. Louis 571 
 
 History of 571 
 
 Population of at various Periods 574 
 
 TuUy 576 
 
 IOWA, 
 
 Antiquities 583 
 
 Area and Boundaries 582 
 
 Burlington 583 
 
 Dubuque 583 
 
 Geological Features of the State 586 
 
 History 582 
 
 Iowa City 583 
 
 Jamesville 583 
 
 Latitude and Longitude 582 
 
 Log-Cabin and Sawmill 584 
 
 Population 682 
 
 Prairie, description of , 584 
 
 WISCONSIN. 
 
 Antiquities 592, 594 
 
 Area and Boundaries 587 
 
 Azatlan 590 
 
 Clearing and Log-Cabin 594 
 
 Fond du Lac 592 
 
 Geographical Description 587-589 
 
 Isle Royale 598 
 
 Lakes, Extent of Great American 600 
 
 Lake St. Croix 598 
 
 Latitude and Longitude 587 
 
 Madison 599 
 
 Maiden's Rock, History of 59G 
 
 Milwaukie 590 
 
 Mines of Lake Superior 598 
 
 Population page 587 
 
 Prairie on Fire, r»e3cription of 596 
 
 Racine 590 
 
 Rivers 587 
 
 Sheboygan 592 
 
 Southport 592 
 
 Swamps 588 
 
 CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Area and Boundaries _ 506 
 
 Benicia 621 
 
 Climate j08 
 
 Constitution, Synopsis of 605 
 
 Geographical Description 606 
 
 History 601 
 
 Indians 610 
 
 Mineral Wealth 622 
 
 Monterey, City of 620 
 
 Population 610 
 
 Postoffices 622 
 
 Rivers 608 
 
 Sacramento City 617 
 
 San Diego 621 
 
 San Francisco, Bay of 608 
 
 San Francisco, City of 611 
 
 San Jose, City of 618 
 
 Seal of the State, Explanation of 605 
 
 Stockton, City of 620 
 
 Vallejo 621 
 
 TERRITORY OF OREGON. 
 
 Area and Boundaries 627 
 
 Climate 627 
 
 Geographical Description 627 
 
 History 630 
 
 Mountains 627, 628 
 
 Oregon City, Territorial Capital 632 
 
 Rivers 629, 630 
 
 Towns and Settlements 632-63-4 
 
 TERRITORY OF MINNESOTA. 
 
 Area and Boundaries 636 
 
 Geographical Description 686 
 
 History 635 
 
 St. Paul's, the Territorial Capital 638 
 
 Towns and Settlements 638, 639 
 
 Western Territory 639 
 
 TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO. 
 
 Area and Boundaries 61'^ 
 
 Geographical Description 641 
 
 History 640 
 
 Manners and Customs 644 
 
 YAwrsil Wealth , 642 
 
 Population 648 
 
 Santa Fe, Tenitorial Capital 648 
 
 Towns and Settlements 641-643 
 
 TERRITORY OF UTAH. 
 
 Area and Boundaries 646 
 
 Geographical Description 646, 647 
 
 (treat Salt Lake City, Capital 647 
 
 History 646 
 
 Population 648 
 
 Settlements 647 
 
LIST OF EMBELLISHMENTS. 
 
 Seal of Maine, nnd Desort-Rock Lighthouse., page 13 
 
 Bowdoin College, Brunswick 19 
 
 Eastport 21 
 
 Seal of New Hampshire, and Old Man of the Mountain 25 
 
 Squam Lake 27 
 
 Statehouse, at Concord 29 
 
 Centre Harbor and Lake Winnipisiugee 35 
 
 Notch-house, White Mountains 37 
 
 Shaker Settlement at Canterbury 41 
 
 Seal of Vermont, and View of Burlington 44 
 
 Statehouse, at Montpelier 53 
 
 Seal of Massachusetts, and Landing of the Pilgrims... 59 
 
 City of Boston 58 
 
 Boston in 1776, taken from the Road to Dorchester... 61 
 
 Residence of John Hancock, Boston C7 
 
 Cambridge University 69 
 
 Cambridge Observatory, with Sears' Tower 71 
 
 Grand Retractor, Cambridae Otiservatory 72 
 
 Lawrence Scientific School, at Cambridge 73 
 
 Boston and Bunker Hill from the East 75 
 
 Old City-Hall, and State Street, Boston 77 
 
 Boston Common, with the Statehouse in the Distance. 79 
 
 The Statehouse, at Boston 81 
 
 Sears' Plan for Improvement of Boston 83 
 
 Residence of the Hon. David Sears, Boston Common . . 85 
 
 Customhouse, Boston 87 
 
 Liberty-Tree 88 
 
 Faneuil Hall 89 
 
 Bunker-Hill M;uument, Charlestown 95 
 
 Plymouth 97 
 
 Cemetery at M cint AuLum 99 
 
 Mount Tom and Mount llolyoke 102 
 
 Amherst College, with new Cabinet and Observatory. 105 
 Portrait of John Winthrop, first Governor of Mass... 110 
 
 Death-bed of Winthrop 114 
 
 Residence of the Adams Family, Quincy 117 
 
 Yale College, State Seal, &c 119 
 
 New Haven College-Green 123 
 
 Bridge at Norwich 129 
 
 Portrait of John Winthrop, first Governor of Con- 
 necticut 131 
 
 Seal of Rhode Island 133 
 
 J.anding of Roger Williams 133 
 
 Newport paoe 135 
 
 Brown University 137 
 
 Seal of New York 143 
 
 Tomb of Kosciusko, West Point 142 
 
 Genesee Falls, Rochester 143 
 
 The Palisades, Hudson River 145 
 
 View of Albany from Greenbush 151 
 
 Albany Female Seminary 153 
 
 St. Paul's Church. Albany 155 
 
 State Street, Albany 157 
 
 Schenectady Lyce\im 163 
 
 Village of Little Falls I»i7 
 
 Utica 169 
 
 Auburn 172 
 
 Geneva Medical College '"5 
 
 Falls of Niagara, viewed from Table Rock 177 
 
 Falls of Niagara, viewed from the Clifton House... 179 
 
 The Van-Kleek Hcnse, Poiighkeepsie ISO 
 
 Collegiate School, Poiighkeepsie 181 
 
 ('hurch of Our Lady, at Cold Spring 182 
 
 Dover Stone Church 183 
 
 St. Paul's Church, Troy 184 
 
 View of the City of New York 187 
 
 Merchants' Exchange, Wall Street. New York City. 189 
 The Old Billop House, at Bentley, West End of 
 
 Staten Island 191 
 
 Seal of New Jersey - — 201 
 
 Delaware Water-Gap 201 I 
 
 Theological Seminary, Princeton 209 
 
 Washington's Headquarters, Morristown 211 
 
 Source of the Passaic 213 
 
 Seal of Pennsylvania 215 
 
 Head Waters of the Juniata, and the Allegany 
 
 Mountains 215 
 
 Treafv of William Penn with the Indians 217 
 
 City of Pliiladelphia 219 
 
 Philadelphia E.xchange 221 
 
 Customhouse (formerly United States Bank), Phila- 
 delphia 223 
 
 Old Statehouse, or Independence Hall, Philadelphia. 225 
 
 Eastern State Penitentiary, near Fairmount 226 
 
 New Suspension Bridge at Fairmount 230 
 
 Fountain Park, Residence of Andrew M'Makin, Esq 232 
 
 View of Pittsburg 236 
 
 The Wyoming A'alley, from Prospect Rock 239 
 
r 
 
 12 
 
 LIST OF EMBELLISHMENTS. 
 
 Seal of Delaware - P^«= 25;! 
 
 Chesapeake and Delaware Canal -J-^ 
 
 Seal of Maryland ^j!^ 
 
 Battle Monument ~" 
 
 Cirv of Baltimore - ~I^^ 
 
 Washington Monument, Baltimore .- ■ -"■ 
 
 ViaQJct over tlie Patuxent, on the Baltimore and 
 
 WashinL'ton Railroad "'"^ 
 
 City of Washington 
 
 Capitol, Washington ... 
 
 President's House 
 
 State Department ...... 
 
 Smithsonian Institution. 
 
 283 
 285 
 291 
 292 
 
 Seal of Virginia •'^- 
 
 Shannondale Springs ^^'~ 
 
 Natural Bridge over Cedar Creek ;5U4 
 
 Ruins of Jamestown 315 
 
 Portrait of Washington ^J^^ 
 
 Birthplace of Washington ^~i 
 
 Monticello, Residence of Jefferson o\.J 
 
 Richmond 326 
 
 Stitehouse, at Richmond 3^8 
 
 Monumental Church, Richmond f~^ 
 
 Residence of Madison 333 
 
 Birthplace of Monroe 3'^ 
 
 Hiir|jer's Ferry, from the Potomac Side 339 
 
 Mount Vernon. Residence of Washington 311 
 
 Death-hed of Washington 343 
 
 Tomb of Washington^ Mount Vernon 345 
 
 Yorktown 347 
 
 Negro Cabin in Virginia 349 
 
 Seal of North Carolina 352 
 
 PinePorest in North Carolina 3o2 
 
 The Old Statehouse, at Raleigh 361 
 
 Seal of South Carolina 365 
 
 Lake Scene in South Carolina 365 
 
 City of Charleston 367 
 
 Keowee Lake 373 
 
 Falls of the Charashilactay 375 
 
 Charleston Hotel 376 
 
 View in Meeting Street, Charleston 377 
 
 Seal of Georgia 379 
 
 The Lover's Leap 379 
 
 Tullulah Falls 381 
 
 Rock Miiuntain 383 
 
 Pulaski Monument, and Christ Church, Savannah ... 385 
 
 Statehouse, at Miliedgeville 387 
 
 City of Columbus 389 
 
 Entrance to Madison Springs 390 
 
 Medical College of Georgia 391 
 
 Oglethorpe University 393 
 
 Falls of Towaliga 395 
 
 Tockoa Falls 397 
 
 Seal of Florida 404 
 
 The Everglades 404 
 
 Public Square at St. Augustine 406 
 
 Seal of Alabama 412 
 
 Tombigbee River 412 
 
 City and Harbor of Mobile 419 
 
 Seal of Mississippi 428 
 
 A Wooding Station on the Mississippi River 428 
 
 Seal of Louisiana 436 
 
 Canebrakes 436 
 
 City of New Orleans 445 
 
 Mississippi River, at Bend 100 447 
 
 Seal of Texas 449 
 
 The Texan Hunter's Home 449 
 
 Catching Wild Horses on a Prairie 453 
 
 Galveston 455 
 
 Houston 457 
 
 Seal of Arkansas page 459 
 
 Ozark Mountains 459 
 
 Rocky Bluffs on the Mississippi 462 
 
 Seal of Tennessee '■ 467 
 
 Cumberland Mountains 467 
 
 City of Nashville 474 | 
 
 Seal of Kentucky 476 I 
 
 BankLick 476 i 
 
 Entrance to the Mammoth Cave 479 I 
 
 City of Louisville 483 
 
 SealofOhio 486 ! 
 
 Blennerhasset's Island 486 
 
 Scene in the Early Settlement of Ohio 491 
 
 View of Cincinnati in 1800 493 
 
 View of Cincinnati in 1850 495 
 
 The Landing-Place at Cincinnati 497 
 
 New Catholic Cathedral, Cincinnati 499 
 
 Lane Seminary. Walnut Hills, near Cincinnati 501 
 
 Keny on College, Gambler Ohio 502 
 
 Antiquities — Silver Sword-Ornament 503 
 
 Front and Back View of a Boss of the Sword-Beit 504 
 
 A Copper Plumb, or Pendant 504 
 
 View of Steubenville 507 
 
 Seal of Michigan 514 
 
 Pictured Rocks on Lake Superior 514 
 
 City of Detroit 519 
 
 Mackinac Bluffs 521 
 
 Seal of Indiana 532 
 
 Cut-off River, near New Harmony 532 
 
 Statehouse, at Indianapolis 535 
 
 View on the Wabash Iliver 539 
 
 Bear-Hunting— Winter Scene 541 
 
 Seal of Illinois 544 
 
 Cave-in Rock, near Shawneetown 544 
 
 The Pioneer of the Western Forest 547 
 
 City of Chicago 553 
 
 Rock Fort, on the Illinois River 557 
 
 Mount Joliet 561 
 
 Emigration to the West 5C3 
 
 Encampment for the Night 565 
 
 Seal of Missouri 566 
 
 Elk-horn Pyramid, on the Upper Missouri 566 
 
 City of St. Louis 573 
 
 Herd of Buffaloes and Elks 578 
 
 Buffalo-Hunting 580 
 
 Seal of Iowa 582 
 
 Emigration 562 
 
 Log-Cabins and Sawmill at the West 585 
 
 Seal of Wisconsin 587 
 
 Pi-airie on Fire 587 
 
 View of the City of Milwaukie 591 
 
 View of Southport, on Lake Michigan 593 
 
 A Clearing, and Log-Hut 695 
 
 Maiden's Rock, on the Missouri River 597 
 
 Seal of California 601 
 
 Scene in the Valley of the Sacramento 601 
 
 California Emigrants at Panama converting Canoes in- 
 to Sailing- Vessels, in which to reach California.. 604 
 
 San Francisco, from the Foot of Telegraph Hill 613 
 
 Iron House at San Francisco 615 
 
 View of Sacramento City, from the River 619 
 
 Scene in the Mines — Washing out the Gold 623 
 
 Rounded Water-worn Pebble of Gold, with Quartz.. 624 
 
 Foliated Gold intermingled with Quartz 625 
 
 Lump of Gold, as it came from the Mines 625 
 
 Specimens of Gold-Dust and Gold in Crystals 625 
 
 View of Astoria on the Columbia River 63 1 
 
 View of Oregon City, at the Falls of the Willamette.. 632 
 
 Seal of the United States 648 
 
L 
 
 Although Maine was settled hy 
 Europeans several years before any 
 other part of New EnQ;lancl, it was 
 not admitted into the Union as a state 
 until 1820. Previously to that peri- 
 od it was a mere territory of Massa- 
 chusetts, and IpnsT bore the title of 
 the " district of Maine." In point 
 of extent, however, and rapidity of 
 growth, it ranks at the head of the 
 eastern states ; embracing, between 
 its distant limits of Lower Canada 
 on the north, New Brunswick on the 
 east, the Atlantic on the south, and 
 New Hampshire on the west, an area 
 of 33,22.3 square miles. 
 A considerable part of the northwestern division of the state is mountainous, 
 and there are rough tracts and peaks of considerable elevation in some other 
 parts; but in the north the surface is generally even, although the height is con- 
 sidei'able, dividing the waters of the St. Lawrence from those emptying into the 
 ocean. The Allegany range, which first appears in Alabama, and traverses all 
 the intermediate Atlantic states, with mountains or hills of different breadth and 
 elevation, is considered as terminating in that cluster of wild and lofty heights 
 which occupy the northwestern counties of Maine ; beyond which no ridge is to 
 be found, except that of the gi'eatly rising land in the north just mentioned. 
 
 The highest land east of the Mississippi, excepting only Mount Washing-ton, 
 and a few of its neighboring peaks, in the heart of the New Hampshire White 
 hills, is Katahdin mountain, on the Penobscot river, near the centre of this state. 
 It is 5,335 feet high. The other most elevated points ai'e Speckled, Whiteface, 
 Bald, and Saddleback mountains, north of Androscoggin river, and not far from 
 the western boundary of the state. 
 
 The rivers of Maine present some striking peculiarities. The surface of the 
 state is divided into unequal parts by the courses of the Penobscot. Kennebec, 
 
r?'- 
 
 14 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MAINE. 
 
 and Androscoggin, which run nearly 
 south, in directions nearly parallel and 
 equidistant ; while, as they approach the 
 sea, a number of smaller streams flow 
 in short courses between them, subdivi- 
 ding the coast into many capes and pe- 
 ninsulas, whose number is still further 
 increased by bays and coves which set 
 up into the land every few miles, and 
 fringe the southern outline of the state 
 along its whole extent of 22 1 miles, from 
 Kittery point to Quoddy head. The 
 northern part of the map presents count- 
 less small streams pouring into the main 
 trunks of the rivers above-mentioned, of 
 which they are the tributaries ; while 
 still above them, flowing with a long 
 sweep, from north to east and southeast, 
 the St. John's, the principal stream of 
 the state, encircles the whole, marking 
 out the present northern boundary, 
 till it crosses the eastern boundary, and 
 flows on through the neighboring Brit- 
 ish province of New Brunswick. 
 
 The valley of the Saco embraces 650 
 square miles, that of the Androscoggin 
 3,300, the Kennebec 5,280, and the 
 Penobscot 8,200. The smaller streams 
 in the south part of the state, before al- 
 luded to, are the Piscataqua, Sheejiscot, 
 Damariscotta, Muscongus, Union, Nar- 
 ragaugus, and Machias. The region 
 between the Penobscot and the Kenne- 
 bec, a distance of fifty miles, is remark- 
 ably well supplied with streams and in- 
 lets, so that almost every town has a 
 navigable channel of its own. 
 
 The soil along the Atlantic border, 
 extending from ten to twenty miles back 
 from the coast, is generally poor, al- 
 though varying from sand to gravel, 
 clay and loam, pi'oducing small crops of 
 gias3, Indian corn, rye, &c. The next 
 belt of land, from fifty to one hundred 
 miles wide, is of better quality, and 
 yields, in addition to these articles, 
 wheat, oats, flax, and hemp, as well as 
 most of the northern plants. The tract 
 between the Kennebec and Penobscot 
 is remai-kably favorable to grazing, and, 
 when well cultivated, yields forty bush- 
 els of corn, and from twenty to forty 
 bushels of wheat, to the acre. Agricul- 
 ture was greatly neglected for many 
 years, the attention of the inhabitants 
 
 being almost entirely engrossed, on the 
 one hand, by the cutting of timber in 
 the interior, its transportation to the 
 mills at the falls of the rivers, the saw- 
 ing and exportation of it to the different 
 ports of the Union and the West Indies ; 
 and, on the other, hand, by the fisheries 
 along the coast. The increase of pop- 
 ulation, however, with the rapid disap- 
 pearance of the forests in the immediate 
 vicinity of streams, together with the 
 diffusion of just views of the importanc e 
 and methods of agriculture, have jiro- 
 duced great and extensive improve- 
 ments ; and the benefits resulting to 
 the stale are already incalculably great. 
 Manufactures have also been introduced 
 to a considerable extent, while the min- 
 eral resources have begun to be devel- 
 oped, as iron, slate, marble, and espe- 
 cially limestone, which is celebrated for 
 its excellent quality. Literary institu- 
 tions have been multiplied and well sup- 
 ported, and the common-school system 
 has been placed on a liberal foundation. 
 
 Trade is much favored by the natui'e 
 of the coast and the character of some 
 of the principal rivers ; and already great 
 improvements have been made by the 
 construction of roads, railroads, and ca 
 nals, and the establishment of steamboat 
 lines. The principal ports and places of 
 trade are Portland, Hallowell, Bangor, 
 Calais, Brunswick, and Belfast ; and 
 Saco, Machias, and Eastport, have also 
 excellent hai'bors. The exports are 
 chiefly timber, lumber, dried fish, salt 
 pork and beef, lime, and pot and pearl 
 ashes. 
 
 The business of cutting, transporting, 
 and manufacturing timber, includes ma- 
 ny laborious operations, and occupies a 
 considerable part of the population. 
 Trees are felled in the winter, drawn 
 by oxen to the nearest water-course, and 
 left upon the ice, mai'ked with the axe 
 in such a manner that they may be i-ec- 
 ognised by the agents of the owner, sta- 
 tioned on the lower parts of the main 
 river. In the spring, at the melting of 
 the deep snows, the floods carry down 
 the timber with the broken ice ; and, 
 after a long voyage, every log is drifted 
 to the falls of the gi-eat stream on whose 
 branches it has g-rown. Here numerous 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MAINE. 
 
 15 
 
 mills a.e kept in active operation by the 
 powerful currents, which bring down 
 abundant materials to employ them. 
 Above these ai'e long rafts, or floating 
 bridges, called buoys, formed of logs, 
 connected strongly together, and stretch- 
 ed from bank to bank, to stop the float- 
 ing timber. Men are continually em- 
 ployed with boats, in the spring, in 
 bringing it to the shore as it comes 
 down ; and great care is taken to dis- 
 pose of each stick according to the di- 
 rection of the owner, whose name is 
 known from the mark. The millers, 
 with their circular saws and other ma- 
 chines, saw whole rafts of logs into 
 millions of planks, boards, shingles, 
 staves, headings, &c. ; and vessels, lying 
 at the foot of the falls, readily receive 
 their cargoes of lumber from the doors 
 of the mills, slid down upon their decks 
 and into their holds ; and, hoisting sail, 
 steer away for many a distant harbor. 
 
 History. — The Jesuits in Lower Can- 
 ada early began their intercourse with 
 the Indian tribes in Maine, and soon 
 established a mission on the Penobscot, 
 which, according to custom, became a 
 centre of intrigue and of military oper- 
 ations against the New Eno^land settle- 
 ments. It was at length cut off by an 
 expedition from Massachusetts, by which, 
 in a sudden attack, the Jesuit chief, 
 Ralle, was killed. The remnants of 
 the Penobscot tribe are, to this day, 
 chiefly Roman catholics. Previously to 
 the landing in Massachusetts bay, a col- 
 ony was commenced on the coast of 
 Maine, by Gorges and Mason, under a 
 grant from the council of Plymouth, 
 England, to whom the territory had been 
 g'-anted by King James I., in 1606. 
 The first settlements made, at Damaris- 
 cotta and a few other points on the coast, 
 were soon abandoned ; and few traces 
 are to be found of any of them. Few 
 motives were offered to colonists, to 
 counterbalance the inhospitable nature 
 of the country, the severity of the cli- 
 mate, and the exposure to interference 
 from the Indian^ and French. 
 
 Two or three miles from the road 
 that leads between Linniken's bay and 
 Damariscolta river, where was formerly 
 an Indian burying-place, the remains 
 
 of cellai'-walls and chimneys are found, 
 as also broken kettles, wedges, &c. At 
 the head of the bay are the hulks of two 
 or three large vessels sunk in the water; 
 and on the shore, the ruins of an old 
 gristmill, where the present one stands. 
 On the islands opposite the town, are 
 other ruins, the history of which is un- 
 known, as is also that of those already 
 mentioned. The following interesting 
 facts afford a guide to their origin. 
 
 In the year 1605, Captain Weymouth, 
 of Plymouth, in England, returned from 
 an unsuccessful voyage made for the dis- 
 covery of a northwest passage, bringing 
 with him five American savages, whom 
 he had taken on board in the Penobscot 
 river. Sir Fei'nando Gorges felt so much 
 interest in these men from a new world, 
 that, to use his own language, he "seized 
 upon" them, and had three of them in 
 his own family for three years ; and 
 "this accident must be acknowledged as 
 the means, under God, of putting on foot 
 and giving life to all our plantations." 
 He obtained much information from the 
 Indians, and became, from that time, 
 deeply interested in schemes for the set- 
 tlement of the New World, and an active 
 member of the Plymouth company. 
 
 The first settlement was attempted by 
 Englishmen, on the Kennebec, at the 
 early date of 1609, the same year as that 
 of Jamestown. King James having, by 
 request, granted a patent, in 1606, divi- 
 ding the coast into North and South Vir- 
 ginia, this part of Maine was embraced 
 in the former, which extended from the 
 38th to the 45th degree of north latitude. 
 While Gosnold, with Captain Smith for 
 his agent, commenced planting a colony 
 at Jamestown, Captains George Popham 
 and Raleigh Gilbert led another to the 
 mouth of the Kennebec. They landed 
 near the island of Monheagan, a few 
 leagues east of that river, and soon after 
 entered the stream, and stopped at an 
 island near its eastern shore, now form- 
 ing a part of Georgetown. As Chief- 
 Justice Popham had procui'ed an accu- 
 rate survey of the river the year before, 
 it is pi'obable that this place was chosen 
 in England, before the sailing of the ex- 
 pedition. 
 
 Eut the hist07-y of this colony is short 
 
and melancholy. As it did not arrive 
 until August, there was not sufficient 
 time to complete the necessary prepara- 
 tions for the winter, which- set in early 
 and with rigor. A fort was erected, but 
 many arrangements, important to the 
 ■ comfort of the people, could not be 
 [ made ; and, as the ships returned in 
 December, about half of the number 
 embarked in them, apprehending severe 
 sufFei'ings from the cold and the want of 
 food. Part of the buildings and provis- 
 ions were soon after destroyed by fire ; 
 and Captain Popham died before spring. 
 The first ships brought the news of the de- 
 cease of the chief-justice ; and the pain- 
 ful intelligence of the death of a brother 
 rendered it necessary for Captain Gilbert 
 to return to England. The remaining 
 colonists, becoming disheaitened, aban- 
 doned their enterprise ; and, the place 
 being deserted, the Plymouth company 
 did not repeat the experiment. 
 
 Gorges, one of the most intelligent 
 and devoted friends of America among 
 the members of the Plymouth colony, 
 endeavored in vain to induce them to 
 send out a second colony. Unwilling, 
 however, to see the object wholly aban- 
 doned, he engaged in private enterjjrises 
 for trading with the natives and fishing; 
 and, in 1G16, sent out a party, under the 
 command of Richard Vines, to explore 
 this part of the coast. They penetrated 
 into the country, and were kindly treat- 
 ed ; but they found the people suffering 
 fnmi the smallpox, and the hostile at- 
 tacks of the Tarrantines, a nation east 
 of the Penobscot. They met with the 
 Indians who had been in England, and 
 received special marks of faror from 
 them. On the approach of winter, which 
 they had agreed to spend in the country, 
 they chose a spot on the western side of 
 Saco river, at its mouth. Some of them 
 took up a hundred acres of land on lease 
 from Vines, one of which was for a thou- 
 sand years, at the annual rent of two 
 shillings and one capon, after the pay- 
 ment of a previous compensation. The 
 lease, partly in Latin, was executed in 
 1638. A considerable trade was carried 
 on here for some years, the colonists 
 employing themselves both in agricul- 
 ture and in fishing, besides trading con- 
 
 siderably with the savages for beaver- 
 skins, &c. 
 
 In the southwestern parts of the state 
 are several scenes of the later and more 
 permanent settlements. 
 
 Peglpscot Falls. — Near Lewistown, 
 on the Androscoggin river, is a remark- 
 able cataract, where the current breaks 
 through a range of mountains, and pours 
 over a broken ledge of rocks. The 
 scene is wild and striking, and derives 
 an additional interest from its connexion 
 with the history of a tribe of Indians 
 long since extinct. According to a tra- 
 dition current in the neighborhood, the 
 upper parts of this stream were formerly 
 the residence of the Rockmego Indians, 
 who inhabited a fine and fertile plain 
 through which the river winds. The 
 situation was remote, and they had never 
 engaged in any hostilities with the whites, 
 but devoted themselves to hunting and 
 fishing. The ground still contains many 
 remains of their weapons, utensils, &c. 
 They were, however, at length persua- 
 ded to engage in a hostile incursion 
 against Brunswick, at that time an ex- 
 posed frontier settlement ; and the whole 
 tribe embarked in their canoes to ac- 
 complish the enterprise. The stream 
 flows gently on for a great distance, un- 
 til it approaches very near to the falls ; 
 and this was the spot appointed for the 
 night encampment. Night set in before 
 their arrival ; and they sent two men 
 forward to make fires upon the banks a 
 little above the cataract. For some un- 
 known reason, the fires were kindled 
 below the falls ; and the Indians, being 
 thus deceived concerning their situation, 
 did not bring up their canoes to the 
 shore in season, and were carried over 
 the rocks, and the tribe all destroyed to- 
 gether. 
 
 It was along the valley of the Kenne- 
 bec that the expedition, formed in the 
 winter of 177o-'6, for the capture of 
 Quebec, proceeded. The hardships they 
 endured were very sevei'e, as the coun- 
 try at that time was wholly destitute of 
 inhabitants through almost the whole 
 route, after leaving the seacoast, until 
 appi'oaching the valley of the St. Law- 
 rence. The plan had been formed and 
 adopted while the American army was 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MAINE. 
 
 17 
 
 engaged in the siege of Boston, and 
 General Montgomery was placed at the 
 head of it. Benedict Arnold was among 
 the most active of the officers. After 
 numerous delays, caused by the difficul- 
 ties of navigation and transportation, 
 cold and hunger, they arrived at the 
 French settlements ; but being unable 
 to proceed with desirable rapidity, or to 
 cross the St. Lawrence immediately after 
 reaching its shore, the inhabitants had 
 time to make preparations; and, instead 
 of taking the city by surprise, and at 
 once finding comfortable quarters, they 
 were able only to encamp on the heights 
 of Abraham, after scaling the precipitous 
 shore at Wolfe's cove, with an army be- 
 tween them and the walls. This un- 
 fortunate expedition failed, after losing 
 their commander, who was killed in an 
 unsuccessful attempt to gain the lower 
 town by a night attack, and Arnold, with 
 a large division e" the forces, who were 
 made pi'isoners :n an assault on the up- 
 per town. 
 
 The first newspaper in Maine was 
 printed on Januaiy 1, 1785. It was 
 called the " Falmouth Gazette and 
 Weekly Advertiser," and published at 
 Falmouth (now Portland), by Benjamin 
 Titcomb and Thomas B. Wait, on a demy 
 sheet. Its name was changed to the 
 " Cumberland Gazette," in 1786. The 
 second was commenced in the same 
 town, in 1790, called the " Maine Ga- 
 zette," by Benjamin Titcomb, and con- 
 tinued till 1796 ; at which time there 
 were but three newspapers in Maine, 
 one of them at Hallowell, and one at 
 Augusta. In 1810, there were eight 
 newspapers, and, in 1850, fifty-six. 
 
 The first daily paper was begun at 
 Portland, October 13, 1829, and called 
 the " Daily Courier ;" and the second, 
 the " Daily Evening Advertiser," in 
 1831. 
 
 York. — There are some pleasant fields 
 about this little place, but its size is in- 
 significant, when compared with the an- 
 ticipations foi'med of its destiny at the 
 time of its first settlement ; for the 
 ground was laid out for streets, and the 
 divisions of the land still retain much of 
 the regular foi'm given it by the first sur- 
 veyors. Population, about 3,500 
 
 The Nithhle is a rocky point, four and 
 a hplf miles from York, and Cape Ned- 
 dock lies beyond. While travelling 
 along this dreai*y country, the road pass- 
 es the site of an old fort or blockhouse, 
 built before Philip's war. The Aga- 
 menticus hills form a range some dis- 
 tance west. 
 
 Lower Welles. — There is a little 
 hai'bor here, defended by a sandbar, with 
 a narrow entrance under a rock ; but it 
 is almost dry at low water. 
 
 Welles. — The sea often breaks beau- 
 tifully on the beach, in front of the tav- 
 ern. Porpoise point is just distinguish- 
 able in the northeast, and the view of 
 the sea is fine and refreshing. 
 
 Three miles beyond is Breakneck hill, 
 over which falls a small stream, from the 
 height of thirty feet, about forty yards 
 from the path. The old fort was half a 
 mile beyond, or a quarter of a mile from 
 the church. This little fortress was once 
 attacked by five hundred Indians, who 
 at first supposed, as was the fact, that 
 the men were absent from home. The 
 place was, however, very bravely and 
 successfully defended by five women, 
 dressed in their husband's clothes. 
 
 Portland. — The situation of this 
 place is remarkably fine, occupying the 
 ridge and side of a high point of land, 
 with a handsome though shallow bay on 
 one side, and the harbor on the othei*. 
 The anchorage is protected on every 
 side by land, the water is deep, and the 
 communication with the sea direct and 
 convenient. Congress street runs along 
 the ridge of the hill, and contains a 
 number of very elegant private houses. 
 There is also the town-hall, with the 
 market below, and a beautiful church, 
 with granite columns. The steps are 
 fine blocks of granite, six by nine feet, 
 brought from the quarry at Brunswick, 
 twenty-two miles distant. 
 
 From the observatory, south and south- 
 west, are seen several distant eminences : 
 among others, the Agamenticus hills ; 
 northwest are seen, in clear weather, the 
 lofty ridges and peaks of the White hills 
 in New Hampshii'e, which are discov- 
 ered at sea often before the nearer land 
 appears in sight. 
 
 Cape Elizabeth is the highland on the 
 
18 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MAINE. 
 
 south side of the harbor; and the islands, 
 which nearly close the entrance, are 
 called Bangs's and House islands. Fort 
 Preble stands on the former, and Fort 
 Scammel on the latter. Due east is 
 Seguin lighthouse, which is visible, in 
 clear weatlier, thirty-two miles distant, 
 at the mouth of the Kennebec. Nearei', 
 and in the same quarter, lie numerous 
 islands of various forms. 
 
 The intrenchments on the hill, west 
 of the observatory, belong to Fort Sum- 
 ner, and part of them were made duripg 
 the Revolutionary war. Under the bluff, 
 on the water's edge, is Fort Burroughs. 
 
 Portland (the former name was Fal- 
 mouth) was burnt in the Revolutionary 
 war by Captain Mowatt, in the British 
 sloop-of-war Canceau, on the 18th of 
 October, 1775, on the refusal of the 
 inhabitants to deliver up their arms. 
 About one hundred and thirty houses, 
 three quarters of all the place contained, 
 were consumed, some being set on fire 
 with brands, after a cannonade and bom- 
 bardment of nine hours. The old church 
 is among the buildings saved, and has 
 the mark of a cannon-shot in it. A small 
 part of the hotel belonged to one of the 
 houses not destroyed. There are many 
 fine stores and dwelling-houses in the 
 middle of the town, and the shore is 
 lined with shipping. Pop. 28,000. 
 
 Augusta. — This town, the capital of 
 Kennebec county, is fifty-six miles 
 northeast fi'om Portland, and two miles 
 north of Hallowell. It stands on both 
 sides of the Kennebec, forty-seven miles 
 fi-om its mouth, and has a bridge across 
 that river, connecting its two parts. It 
 is a place of some trade, being at the 
 head of sloop-navigation. The situation 
 is pleasant, on the top and sides of an 
 elevation. Population, 9,000. 
 
 The statehouse has a front of one hun- 
 dred and fifty feet, toward ihe east, with 
 two wings, of thirty-three and fifty-four 
 feet, on a plan somewhat resembling that 
 at Boston ; and its position, on Capitol 
 hill, is commanding. It is built of gran- 
 ite, and has eight granite columns, twen- 
 ty-one feet high, each weighing ten tons. 
 The top of the dome is one hundred and 
 fourteen feet from the ground, 
 
 Hallowell is a considerable town. 
 
 fifty-four miles northeast from Portland, 
 and is a place of much business, and one 
 of the principal in the state. The Ken- 
 nebec is navigable in vessels of one hun- 
 dred and fifty tons, and an extensive and 
 productive tract of country is depend- 
 ent on it. Granite of excellent quality 
 abounds in the vicinity, which is quar- 
 ried on a considerable scale. 
 
 Brunswick. — This town is situated 
 on the left bank of the Androscoggin riv- 
 er, at the Pejepscot falls, which here 
 make an extensive water-power. It con- 
 tains about six thousand inhabitants, ten 
 churches, two academies, cotton and wool- 
 len factories, and is the seat of 
 
 Bowdoin College. — The two larger 
 buildings represented in the engraving, 
 are occupied by the students. The three- 
 story building contains the mineralogical 
 cabinet, gallery of paintings, medical cabi- 
 net, the library, and lecture rooms. The 
 northerly of the two central buildings, 
 besides rooms for the students, has reci- 
 tation-rooms, and two spacious apart- 
 ments for the libraries of two societies. 
 This edifice was erected in place of the 
 one destroyed by fire in 1836. The 
 three-story building is called Massachu- 
 setts hall, the large building on the south, 
 Maine hall, the other. North college. 
 
 It was after several petitions had been 
 presented to the government of Massa- 
 chusetts, that, in 1731, a bill was intro- 
 duced for the establishment of a college 
 in the district of Maine, which was to 
 be called Bowdoin college, after the dis- 
 tinsfuished governor of that name. It 
 was not built, however, until 1734, du- 
 ring which time Brunswick was chosen 
 as the seat of the college. This act also 
 appointed a board of trustees, which was 
 to consist of thirteen members, and a 
 board of overseers, of forty-five mem- 
 bers, who were to regulate the institu- 
 tion. At the same time a grant was 
 made to it of five townships of wild land 
 in the interior of Maine. Immediately 
 after its establishment, Governor Bow- 
 doin's son, honorable James Bowdoin, 
 made to it a donation of a thousand acres 
 of land, and upward of eleven hundred 
 pounds in money. Now the business 
 of the boards was the erection of a suit- 
 able building. Accordingly., a meeting 
 
 Jj 
 
20 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MAINE. 
 
 was called at Brunswick, in 1796, for] 
 the selection of a location. This town 
 is on a sandy plain, south of the Andros- 
 coggin river The plain is slightly ele- 
 vated, nearly a mile south of the river ; 
 and this spot was chosen as the most 
 desirable situation for the college. Al- 
 though the uninterrupted level of the 
 ground, and the dark green of the pines 
 and firs, render the scenery of Bruns- 
 wick rather monotonous, yet, by its quiet 
 retirement, it is well adapted for the seat 
 of an institution of learning. Shortly 
 after, the brick building, called Massa- 
 chusetts hall, was erected, and received 
 the name which it still bears. 
 
 The boards assembled, in July, 1801, 
 for the election of a president. The 
 Rev. Dr. M'Keere, from Beverley, Mas- 
 sachusetts, was chosen ; an 1 Mr. John 
 Abbott was chosen professor of lan- 
 guages. They were inducted into office 
 on the 2d of September. Also, at this 
 time, eight students were admitted to 
 the institution. The services were per- 
 formed on a stag^e which was raised un- 
 der a grove of evergreens, neai" to the 
 college. In 180 4, Mr. Samuel Willard 
 entei'ed the college as tutor, and the fol- 
 lowing year Mr. Parker Cleaveland was 
 installed professor of mathematics and 
 natural history. Mr. Bowdoin had given 
 one thousand acres of land toward this 
 professorship. 
 
 The first commencement of this col- 
 lege was in 1806, when the honors of the 
 institution were conferred upon seven 
 young men. The name of Richard Goff, 
 Esq., of Boston, stands first on the list 
 of graduates. This was the only com- 
 mencement at which President M'Keene 
 was allowed to preside, for, in July of 
 the following year, he was removed by 
 death from the scene of his labors. 
 
 Eastport, on Moose island, occupy- 
 ing the extreme point of the coast of the 
 United States on the eastern border, is 
 a spot interesting alike for its military 
 importance and its natural features. 
 The ground is rocky, and rises abruptly 
 from the western shore of St. Croix 
 river, to a considerable eminence, which 
 is crowned by the fort, on which waves 
 the first American flag that greets the 
 eye of a traveller from the east, on ap- 
 
 proaching our country. It is 41 miles 
 east-northeast- from Machias, 176 miles 
 east from Augusta, and 279 miles east- 
 noitheast from Portland. It contains 
 2,500 inhabitants. 
 
 Moose island, on which Eastport is 
 situated, lies in Passamaquoddy bay, and 
 is four miles long, surrounded by deep 
 wa^er, and connected with Lubec by a 
 ferry, and with Perry by a bridge. 
 The village is in the south part of the 
 island, and is a place of considerable 
 business ; the lumber-trade and fishing 
 being carried on with activity. 
 
 Bangor. — This city is situated on the 
 west side of the Penobscot, at the head 
 of navigation, on an elevation which 
 commands an extensive view. There is 
 a bridge across the river, 1,329 feet in 
 length ; and the place contains a court- 
 house, a jail, seven churches, a bank, 
 two academies, and a population of 
 fifteen thousand. It is thirty-five miles 
 north from Castine, sixty-five northeast 
 of Augusta, and two hundred and twen- 
 ty-two miles from Boston, with which 
 communication is held by steamboats, 
 touching at Portland, to which latter 
 place rail-road trains run daily. An ex- 
 tensive trade in lumber is carried on at 
 Bangor. The distance from the sea, at 
 Owl's Head point, is thirty miles. 
 
 The spot now occupied by the town 
 was in a wilderness only about fifty 
 years ago. The region above, lying in 
 the valley of the Penobscot, and natu- 
 rally tributary to Bangor, is an area of 
 nine thousand square miles. The wa- 
 ter-power is abundant, and applicable to 
 a great variety of machinery. There 
 are few places in the Union which pos- 
 sess greater advantages of this kind. 
 The lumber-trade, which has formed the 
 chief source of business and prosperity, 
 must necessarily decrease ; but the clear- 
 ing of the land will as naturally be ac- 
 companied with the extension of agri- 
 culture and the increase of its more 
 valuable products, which will of course 
 seek their vent through this town. Nav- 
 igation is active during the summer-sea- 
 son, and much transportation is per- 
 formed in the winter in sleighs. The 
 soil in the neighborhood is good for 
 brickmakinsf 
 
I 
 
22 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MAINE. 
 
 Bangor, on account of its rapid growth, 
 as v/ell as its important position, and the 
 beauty of its situation, is the place of 
 the greatest note in the interior of the 
 state. The Kenduskeag enters the Pe- 
 nobscot nearly at right-angles, dividing 
 the town into two parts, and diversify- 
 ing the surface in the environs with high 
 and picturesque banks. The town ap- 
 pears to great advantage on approach- 
 ing it from down the valley of the Pe- 
 nobscot, as it is gradually disclosed to 
 viow, displaying its numerous clusters 
 of houses spread up the rising grounds 
 and over the more level surface on the 
 summit of the bank. On the northwest 
 side of the town the eminence commands 
 an extensive and charming view. Mount 
 Katahdin appearing in the distance, in 
 clear weather, though more than seventy 
 miles off, its head often capped with 
 snow. , 
 
 .Judge Williamson's History of Maine 
 informs us, that the first settlement was 
 made in this place in the year 1769, 
 when only one family became the inhab- 
 itants. A second followed in the course 
 of 1770 ; and two years later there were 
 twelve families. In 1787, the first pub- 
 lic meeting was held, to procure a pas- 
 tor and a place for public worship ; when 
 the Rev. Seth Noble, a whig refugee 
 from Nova Scotia, was appointed, and 
 received his ordination under the shade 
 of an oak-tree. He received a salary 
 of four hundred dollars from the people 
 residing on both sides of the river, and 
 remained there twelve years. He was 
 appointed, in 1791, to procure an act of 
 incorporation from the Massachusetts 
 legislature ; and, although the people 
 proposed to call the place Sunbury, the 
 present name was chosen. 
 
 The courthouse (now the city-hall) 
 was the first public building erected in 
 the place, in 1812. It was occupied for 
 public worship, as well as for various 
 other public purposes, until 1822. That 
 year the first meetinghouse was built, 
 by the only religious society existing 
 there. The Rev. Harvey Loomis, who 
 was ordained in 1811, officiated in it un- 
 til 1822, when, having preached a new- 
 year's sermon, on the 2d of January, 
 from the text, " This year thou shalt 
 
 die/' on leaving the pulpit he dropped 
 down dead. Five years afterward the 
 building was destroyed by fire ; and, 
 in 1831, a handsome brick edifice was 
 erected in its place. 
 
 In 1828, three houses for public wor- 
 ship were commenced, by societies of 
 methodists, baptists, and unitarians, and 
 several others were erected a few years 
 later; and, in 1832, a large courthouse, 
 with county offices, and a jail. 
 
 The Theological Seminary has three 
 professors, about fifty students, and a li- 
 brary of seven thousand volumes. The 
 classical and theological course occupies 
 four years. It was instituted, in 1815, 
 to prepare young men to preach the 
 gospel. A tract of five acres of land 
 was given to the institution by Isaac 
 Davenport, of Milton, Massachusetts, on 
 which the present fine building stands. 
 It is of brick, four stories high, and en- 
 joys an elevated and commanding situa- 
 tion. A second edifice, of a similar de- 
 scription, with houses for the professors, 
 was afterward planned. The institu- 
 tion is under the direction of a board of 
 trustees, and has a fund of about a hun- 
 dred and twenty thousand dollars. 
 
 The Bangor House is one of the orna- 
 ments of the town. It is constructed on 
 a plan resembling that of the Tremont 
 house in Boston, and was built in 1836. 
 
 There is a bridge across the Penob- 
 scot, and three across the Kenduskeag. 
 Two of the latter were built by individ- 
 uals. 
 
 The first printing-office was opened 
 in Bangor in the year 1815, by Peter 
 Edes. The first bank was established 
 in 1818 ; and banks have since been mul- 
 tiplied to supply the demands of the ex- 
 tensive lumber-business and navigation 
 carried on here. The ice interrupts the 
 river-trade during four or five months in 
 the year ; but the river is generally open 
 to Frankfort, twelve miles below. 
 
 The first railroad in the state was that 
 from Bangor to Oldtown, in Oxfoid coun- 
 ty, twelve miles of which was opened in 
 1836, at an expense of $250,000. 
 
 The market-house is large, and well 
 planned. A rural cemetery, on the plan 
 of that of Mount Auburn, near Boston, 
 was laid out in 1836, two miles from the 
 
n 
 
 DESCaiPTION OF THE STATE OF MAINE. 
 
 23 
 
 city, enclosing about thirty acres; of] 
 which twenty belong to the public, and 
 the remainder to individuals. A fine 
 greenhouse is connected with it. j 
 
 In the neighborhood of Bangor, sev- 
 eral small manufacturing villages have 
 been founded by capitalists, where large 
 quantities of timber are sawn. 
 
 North Bangor. — Here are the mills 
 of the Penobscot Milldam company. It 
 is four miles from Bangor, on the road 
 to Orono, and three miles from — 
 
 Lower Stillwater Village, another of 
 these industrious settlements, situated, 
 like the preceding, on the Kenduskeag. 
 The ample water-power at these places 
 admits of a large amount of business. 
 
 The population of Bangor experi- 
 enced a very rapid increase in the course 
 of a few years. In 1793, there were 
 but forty-five rateable polls in the town. 
 In 1800, the population was 277 ; m 
 1810, 850; in 1820, 1,221; in 1830, 
 2,868; in 1840, 8,627; in 1850, 14,441. 
 
 Bath, thirty- four miles northeast from 
 Portland, and one hundred and fifty-three 
 northeast from Boston, is situated on the 
 western side of the Kennebec, and occu- 
 pies a considerable eminence, on a piece 
 of land almost isolated by several arms 
 of the sea, from which it is distant about 
 twelve miles. It is a considerable town, 
 of 8,500 inhabitants, extends aloiig the 
 river a mile and a half, and back from it 
 about three fourths of a mile. The har- 
 bor is excellent, and freely admits to its 
 wharves ships of the largest size. There 
 are in the town two banks and five acad- 
 emies. Steamboats communicate daily 
 with Portland and Boston during nearly 
 the whole year. 
 
 Castine, the capital of Hancock coun- 
 ty, occupies a promontory on the east 
 side of Penobscot bay, and has a good 
 harbor, always open, and accessible to 
 large vessels. It is in latitude forty-four 
 degrees and twenty-four minutes, seven- 
 ty-eight miles from Augusta, and a hun- 
 dred and twenty-two east-northeast from 
 Portland. Pop. 2,000. 
 
 HouLTON is a military post jn a small 
 branch of St. John's river, near the line 
 of New Brunswick. It is one hundred 
 and twenty miles north-northeast from 
 Bangor. 
 
 Fryeburg, sixty miles northwest of 
 Portland, is remarkable both for its sit- 
 uation and its history. The township, 
 in its extent of six square miles, embraces 
 a rich and beautiful valley, secluded on 
 every side by a wild and mountainous 
 range of country. The Saco river, ta- 
 king its rise on Mount Washington, and 
 flowing through the notch in the White 
 hills, passes down the valley to Conway, 
 where it finds the termination of the 
 southern range ; and then turning ab- 
 ruptly to the east, soon enters the charm- 
 ing meadows of Fryeburg, and performs 
 a serpentine course of no less than thir- 
 ty-six miles within the limits of the 
 township. 
 
 The Indian fort was on a gentle hill 
 at the western side of the village, which 
 commands a view of the Saco valley 
 six miles up its course, and six miles 
 down. 
 
 LoveVs Pond is on an isthmus, about 
 one mile southeast from the village, and 
 is memorable as the scene of one of the 
 most severe and disastrous battles in the 
 old partisan warfare against the Indians. 
 The Portland road passes along the 
 western side of the pond, and affords a 
 view of its north end. This was the 
 place of the action. Another road runs 
 very near the north shore ; and it is a 
 pleasant ride to the place. 
 
 LoveVs Expedition. — In 1725, Captain 
 Lovel undertook a secret expedition 
 through the wilderness against the Pick- 
 waket tribe of Indians. Instigated by 
 the French, they had committed many 
 depredations on the frontier, so that the 
 general court of Massachusetts had of- 
 fered one hundred pounds each for their 
 scalps. His company consisted of thir- 
 ty or forty men, many of them accus- 
 tomed to the life of hardy hunters and 
 settlers, with young Mr. Frye for their 
 chaplain, whose history was somewhat 
 romantic, and from whom this town re- 
 ceived its name. They passed up Win- 
 nipiseogee lake, Ossipee pond, the Saco, 
 and encamped at the mouth of Mill 
 brook, at the northwest corner of Lev- 
 el's pond. It happened that the Indians 
 had gone down the Saco river, and on 
 their return, discovering tracks, pursued 
 them toward Level's pond, and, having 
 
24 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MAINE 
 
 discovered the encampment, and the way 
 they had gone, removed then- packs, and, 
 forming an ambush around the place, 
 fired upon them, on their return, and 
 killed eight men. The white men re- 
 treated to the northeast corner of the 
 pond, where is a narrow strip of land, 
 and defended themselves till night ; and 
 the remains of the unfortunate expe- 
 dition returned through the forest, suf- 
 fering from hunger and fatigue, and 
 some of them from wounds. 
 
 Sehago Lake. — This is one of the 
 numerous bodies of water, of different 
 forms 'ind sizes, which spot the surface 
 of Ma DC, and cover so large a part of 
 it. It has been estimated that, including 
 lakes and rivers, one sixth part of the 
 surface of the state is water. Sebago 
 lake is in Cumberland county, and thir- 
 teen miles by twenty in extent, nearly 
 divided by a long cape, which extends 
 from the eastern side, in Raymond, in a 
 southwest direction. No less than five 
 townships lie upon its shores. It re- 
 ceives Crooked river from the north, 
 with the waters of Long lake, which 
 flow into that stream through its outlet. 
 Presumpscut river, which drains Sebago 
 lake from the south, falls into Casco 
 bay, and affords a channel of navigation 
 in boats to Portland. 
 
 Moosehcad Lake, in Kennebec coun- 
 ty, and the source of the east branch 
 of Kennebec river, is sixty miles in 
 lenafth, of an irres^ular form, and sur- 
 rounded by a tract of country but little 
 inhabited. 
 
 Mount Desei-t Lighthouse. — Off a part 
 of l;ho coast remarkable for its deso- 
 late and foi-bidding character, and upon 
 a small barren rock, is erected the tall 
 and fine lighthouse depicted in the vig- 
 nette at the head of this description. 
 One of the spots most dangerous to 
 passing ships, and most destitute of the 
 means of subsistence for shipwrecked 
 strangers, is thus provided with one of 
 those marks for jiavigators which now 
 occupy every important point along our 
 seaiDoard, from one extremity of the 
 country to the other. 
 
 Mount Desert island, which lies be- 
 tween Union river and Desert sovind, is 
 fifteen miles in length, and twelve in 
 
 breadth. It is in latitude forty-four 
 degiees twelve minutes, and comprises 
 a township of the same name. 
 
 With so large a surface as Maine 
 comprehends, such supplies of timber, 
 and such remarkable facilities for pro 
 curing, sawing, and transporting it ; 
 with so much valuable land cleared and 
 clearing as the forests are removed; to- 
 gether with a population of such ener- 
 getic character and intelligence, a more 
 rapid increase of numbers, wealth, and 
 power, might be anticipated, if more 
 genial climates and more luxuriant soils 
 did not attract the great masses of emi- 
 grants in other directions. In spite, 
 however, of the richness of the westeni 
 and southern lands, and the softness of 
 the climates in the new states and terri- 
 tories, Maine will probably continue to 
 improve, and to experience a more solid 
 and substantial growth than could be 
 produced by the introduction of a less 
 educated and hardy population. 
 
 According to the censuses, taken suc- 
 cessively, Maine contained 96,540 in- 
 habitants in 1790; 151,719 in 1800; 
 228,705 in 1810; 298,335 in 1820; 
 399,955 in 1830; 501,793 in 1840; and 
 583,088 in 1850. 
 
 Maine has a stringent law for the 
 suppression of traffic in intoxicating li- 
 quors. It allows the seizure and confis- 
 cation of liquor whei'ever found, with 
 the exceplion of places designated by 
 proper authority, where it may be sold 
 for mechanical or medicinal purposes. 
 Those who are discovered with this illicit 
 article of traffic in their possession, are 
 allowed no redress for the loss by the 
 confiscation of their property ; and the 
 attempt to try the matter judicially is 
 ineffectual, as the courts are forbidden 
 to entertain suits of this description. 
 
 The contrast presented in this state, 
 by a comparis(m between the present 
 and several past periods of its history, 
 is striking indeed. The most favorable 
 effects resulted from its separation from 
 Massachusetts and erection into a state. 
 Legislation, with the energies of the peo- 
 ple, has effected wonders ; while com- 
 merce, agriculture, manufactures, and 
 education, are annually making advances, 
 which bid fair to continue. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW HAMFSHIRE. 
 
 25 
 
 -A. 
 
 This state is bounded on the nortli 
 by Canada, east by Maine, south by 
 Massachusetts, and west by Vermont. 
 Connecticut river forms a part of the 
 northern boundary, and its western 
 shore the whole of the western, the 
 entire breadth of the stream belong- 
 ing to New Hampshire. Extending 
 from latitude forty-two to forty-five, 
 and having much mountainous sur- 
 face, the climate is cold, and in some 
 parts severe, although the southern 
 regions, being both low and nearer 
 the ocean, have milder seasons and 
 shorter winters. 
 
 The Allegany range, which crosses this state near the middle, though here 
 far distant from its broadest ranges, has its highest peaks in the White hills, 
 whose principal eminences tower above all other peaks this side of the Rocky 
 mountains. In that region are the sources of the principal rivers of the state. 
 The Merrimack rises from the outlet of Winnipiseogee lake, a broad and beauti- 
 ful sheet of water lying at th- foot of the southern eminences of that Alpine 
 region ; while the Ammonoosuc, pouring down the steep declivity of Mount 
 Washington, finds its way to the Connecticut; and the Saco, a direct tributary to 
 the Atlantic, after rising within n tew yards of the Ammonoosuc, is soon diverted 
 in an opposite channel, ami. flownig through the celebrated Notch in the moun- 
 tains, waters the most Alpine region of New England, before it reaches the 
 maiuifactories at its mouth, which are moved by its powei*. 
 
 The impediments offered to navigation ai'e not only, in a great measure, coun- 
 terbalanced by the abundance of valuable water-power afforded by nature, but 
 are obviated by science and art, in the construction of railroads as well as canals, 
 whicli have been multiplied within a few years, in proportion to the increasing 
 demands created by the numerous manufactories. In all these branches of 
 
26 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. 
 
 improvement, New Hampshire has dis- 
 played a degree of intelligence and en- 
 terprise unsurpassed by any other state, 
 in proportion to her extent and re- 
 sources, and promises to reap from them 
 long-continued benefits. 
 
 A large part of her territory is ren- 
 , derel iseless by lofty, wild, barren, and 
 almost inaccessible mountains. The 
 surface, soil, and climate there discoui'- 
 age almost any attempt at cultivation, 
 and in many places entirely refuse a 
 spot for the habitation of man. Im- 
 mense masses of stone, however, which 
 have been brought down from those re- 
 gions, by some ancient cause not easily 
 explained, are spread over the surface 
 for seventy or eighty miles south, and 
 have supplied the state with one of the 
 chief sources of its wealth. Blocks of 
 granite and sicnite have been cut up 
 for building, and transported to near 
 and many distant places, often at great 
 profit. The New Hampshire stones of 
 these kinds, like those from some of the 
 adjacent states, are known, used, and 
 highly valued, and form tlie materials in 
 constructing many of the finest edifices 
 in our cities, even to the southern ex- 
 tremities of our country. 
 
 The northern extremity of this state 
 is in latitude forty-five degrees eleven 
 minutes, and the southern in forty-two 
 degrees forty-one minutes. The area 
 IS 9,280 square miles ; and the popula- 
 tion in 1S50 was 317,864. New Hamp- 
 shire has the smallest extent of seacoast 
 of all the Atlantic states — only eighteen 
 miles. Thei'e is but one good harbor 
 in the state^^ — viz., Portsmouth where is 
 a navy-yard of the United States, Ly- 
 ing at the mouth of the Piscataqua river, 
 and living a great depth of water, this 
 port is deficient in one very important 
 respect. That river is navigable but a 
 short distance, when it is broken by a 
 fall. The Merrimac has a succession 
 of rapids, which have been canalled and 
 locked all along its course, and render 
 it useful for boat navigation. But its 
 principal value is for manufacturing, in 
 which respect, however, it is one of the 
 most valuable streams i-n the United 
 States. Tlie largest and most flourish- 
 ing manufacturing town in the Union, 
 
 Lowell, in Massachusetts, occupies the 
 most advantageous point on the Merri- 
 mac, on the south side, by which it is 
 supplied with abundant water-power. 
 
 Lakes. — Winnipiseogee lake is re- 
 markable for its picturesque shores, and 
 numerous and beautiful islands, as well 
 as for the fine scenery which here be- 
 gins to display itself, offering, to the 
 traveller from the south, the first and 
 distant introduction to the noble fea- 
 tures of the White mountains. It is 
 twenty-three miles in length and ten in 
 breadth, measured in the widest part. 
 The water is remarkably clear, and 
 abounds in fish. 
 
 Squam Lake, situated north of it, is 
 six miles long and three wide, and lies 
 at the bottom of a djeep and narrow val- 
 ley, surrounded by several mountainous 
 elevations, except on the side where it 
 sends an inlet into Winnipiseogee. Fine 
 trout abound here, which are taken in 
 considerable numbers, and salted for 
 market. 
 
 Above these lie Ossipee and Sunapee 
 lakes, which are of inferior size. 
 
 Connecticut River. — This is the 
 principal stream of New England, both 
 for size, the rich and populous country 
 through which it passes, and the large 
 meadows which it annually overflows 
 and fertilizes. It rises in the elevated 
 region between this state and Canada, 
 in a pond called Lake Connecticut ; and 
 its eastern branch marks the boundary 
 between the two countries, to a point 
 at the distance of one mile frdm the 
 forty-fifth degree of north latitude. The 
 course of the river is nearly south, and, 
 after separating New Hampshii'e and 
 Vei'mont, it flows on through Massachu- 
 setts and Connecticut, and falls into 
 Long Island sound at Saylirook. It 
 is navigable in sloops to Hartford, in 
 steamboats a few miles further, and in 
 flat-bottomed boats through Massachu- 
 setts to the middle of this state. 
 
 Short canals, with locks, are formed 
 round the falls at Enfield, Connecticut, 
 and South Hadley, Massachusetts ; but 
 the Farmington canal, with its extension 
 to Northampton in the last-mentioned 
 state, takes off a portion of the trade to 
 New Haven ; and much freight, as well 
 
28 
 
 DESCfllPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. 
 
 as most of the travellers, now pass more 
 swiftly along the banks of the stream 
 over the railroads. Several important 
 routes cross Connecticut river at diffei"- 
 ent points ; but the principal one is the 
 railroad route from Boston to Albany, 
 through Springfield. 
 
 Natural Cuiiiosities. — The Notch, 
 Flume, and several objects in the heart 
 cf the White mountains, may be termed 
 curiosities, and a remai'kable rock in 
 Franconia is noted as such. The pro- 
 file, when viewed from a particular 
 point, presents a considerable resem- 
 blance to the human profile, whence it 
 has received the name of The Old Man 
 of the Mountains. The peak rises about 
 one tho asand feet above the valley at its 
 base. 
 
 History. — The first settlements were 
 made as stated on page 42, at Dover and 
 Portsmouth, in 1623; and the people 
 voluntarily united themselves to Massa- 
 chusetts in 1641. But in 1679 the coun- 
 try was constituted a separate colony 
 by Charles XL For many years the 
 frontier villages suffered severely from 
 the hostile incursions of the Indians, 
 usually led or sent against them by the 
 French Jesuits in Canada. Many dwel- 
 lings were burned in the wars of Philip 
 and France, many lives were lost, and 
 many captives taken to Canada. 
 
 The people of New Hampshii'e bore 
 an active part in the war of the revolu- 
 tion. On the 21st of June, 1788, the 
 convention of the state adopted the con- 
 stitution of the United States by a vote 
 of fifty-seven to forty-six. 
 
 Portsmouth, the principal seaport in 
 New Hampshire, is the capital of Rock- 
 ingham county. It enjoys a pleasant 
 situation at the mouth of Piscataqua, 
 three miles from the ocean. The har- 
 bor, although perfectly shut in by land, 
 is never obstructed by ice. It is fifty- 
 four miles from Boston, and four hun- 
 dred and ninety-three from Washington. 
 It is connected with the town of Kittery, 
 in Maine, by two bridges, and a third 
 extends to Great island, where is a 
 lighthouse. The navy-yard is on Con- 
 tinental island, on the eastern side of 
 the harbor. There are eight churches, 
 ! seven banks, two markets, a custom- 
 
 house, an athenaeum, and an almshouse. 
 The population is about ten thousand. 
 The Boston and Portland railroad passes 
 through the town. 
 
 The Athenceum, incorporated in 1817, 
 has about five thousand volumes in its 
 library, a cabinet of minerals, and col- 
 lections in other branches of natural 
 history. 
 
 Concord. — This town, the capital of 
 New Hampshire, is located upon the 
 Merrimack river, with the principal vil- 
 lage upon the western side. It is forty- 
 five miles, west-northwest, from Ports- 
 mouth, and seventy-four miles, north- 
 north-west, from Boston by railroad, and 
 sixty-two by turnpike. It has communi- 
 cation, also, with Boston by the Merri- 
 mac river and the Middlesex canal, and 
 engrosses the chief trade from the north. 
 Main sti*eet, its principal thoroughfare, 
 on which are located most of the public 
 buildings, and the stores and principal 
 places of business, is about two miles 
 in length. A fine intervale lies between 
 the village and the river. Here are the 
 statehouse, state prison, lunatic asylum, 
 also a state institution, county court- 
 house, several banks, twelve churches, 
 and several other public buildings. Con- 
 cord has about eight hundred and fifty 
 dwelling-houses, and a population of 
 about nine thousand. 
 
 The Statehouse, a beautiful structure, 
 appropriately built of granite, is one 
 hundred and twenty-six feet in length, 
 and forty-nine in breadth. It occupies 
 a conspicuous situation, surrounded by 
 a fine park. The view from the cupola 
 is very extensive and ^picturesque. The 
 halls of the house of representatives and 
 the senate contain several works of art ; 
 among which are a portrait of Count 
 Rumford, the founder of the towr, after 
 whom it was originally named, and a 
 full-length likeness of Washington (after 
 Stuart) by Walter Ingalls, a native-artist 
 of the granite state, whose lifelike portraits 
 have, both in his own country and abroad, 
 given him a high rank in his profession. 
 
 A few years since, but a single rail- 
 road extended to Concord ; but several 
 roads now radiate fiom this busy town, 
 and the enterprise of the people, being 
 once awakened to their true interests, 
 
30 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. 
 
 will not rest till the iron bands, which 
 are drawing the extremes of our wide- 
 spread country nearer and nearer, shall 
 extend to every section of the state, 
 and even to the commercial metropolis 
 of Canada. 
 
 Manchester. — This city is one of the 
 youngest but most flourishing manu- 
 facturing places in the state. It was 
 commenced with activity, by a large 
 Boston company, about ten years ago, 
 at one of tlie best sites for water-power 
 on the Merrimac, and has rapidly in- 
 creased in business. Pop. 20,000. The 
 soil is sandy, and the situation favorable 
 only for the objects for which the town 
 has been built ; but the prospects are 
 flattering for pei'manent and increasing 
 prospei'ity. The good regulations es- 
 tablished in most of the other large 
 manufacturing places in New England, 
 have been, from the first, adopted here, 
 and the results are highly favorable. 
 Precautions are taken to secure com- 
 fortable, healthy, and respectable lodg- 
 ings and accommodations for the work 
 people, or " operatives," of both sexes. 
 Several churches, of different denomina- 
 tions, are erected ; schools are abun- 
 dant; and the agents of the manufacto- 
 ries are men of intelligence and public 
 spirit, who favor all measures for moral 
 and intellectual impi'ovement. A rail- 
 road, as in most other instances in towns 
 of this kind, affords its advantages. 
 
 Several other towns might be men- 
 tioned, in this part of the state, of a 
 similar character, though none of so 
 recent a date, and such rapid and re- 
 markable growth. The various and val- 
 uable products of manufacturing skill, 
 constantly yielded by the thousands of 
 industrious hands and busy wheels in 
 these places, find their way to Boston, 
 with but few exceptions ; the grand 
 route of transportation being the Lowell 
 railroad, with its extension and branches. 
 It is by this channel that the capital of 
 that wealthy city extends its influence 
 through this part of the country, and 
 brings its profitable returns to the 
 wharves, whence they are transported 
 to distant ports. 
 
 There are many agreeable interior 
 towns in the midst of pleasant agricul- 
 
 tural regions. The land varies from 
 valleys and level meadows, to swelling 
 and often elevated uplands ; but the soil 
 is generally well cultivated, situations 
 healthful and agreeable, and the state 
 of society, in different degrees, refined 
 and intelligent. Considerable diversity 
 is observable, in different parts of New 
 Hampshire, in the character of the pop- 
 ulation. Portsmouth was, for a time, a 
 seat of no little aristocratic pride, during 
 the period of its existence as a royal 
 colony ; and some remains of the feel- 
 ings of those days may still be found. 
 Large bands of emigrants, of the agri- 
 cultural classes, who came out from 
 Great Britain and occupied large tracts 
 in the interior, were for a long time 
 found slow in conforming to the habits 
 and institutions which have always char- 
 acterized those of puritan origin, who 
 constitute the third division of the pop- 
 ulation. 
 
 Charlestown. — This is a beautiful 
 village on the bank of Connecticut river, 
 and one of the first places occupied, in 
 early times, in the interior of the state. 
 It was included within " Township No. 
 4" (by which name it was long known), 
 being one of a range of settlements first 
 laid off" above the present line of Massa- 
 chusetts. For many years it was much 
 exposed to Indian depredations, and 
 was defended by a small fort, built of 
 logs, in a spot now crossed by the street, 
 in the southern part of the village. In- 
 significant as was this little place of de- 
 fence, it was held by a few men, against 
 a considerable body of savages, during 
 a long and persevering attack. 
 
 Walpole. — In full view of Connec- 
 ticut river, this town occupies a fine, 
 commanding situation, on a bold and 
 beautiful hill, which rises abruptly from 
 the shore, three or four miles south of 
 Bellows' Falls. The country in the vi- 
 cinity presents many striking scenes and 
 beautiful landscapes; the soil is strong 
 and well cultivated, and the village very 
 pleasant. Pop. 2,500. 
 
 Bellows' Falls. — Although the vil- 
 lage which bears this name is on the 
 western side of the Connecticut, the re- 
 markable descent of the stream from 
 which it has received its name is within 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE 
 
 the bounds of New Hampshire. There 
 is no other spot along its course which 
 bears so striking marks of the violent 
 operations of nature. An immense mass 
 of the hardest and most solid kind of 
 gray granite has been burst through, 
 and the masses have apparently been 
 torn away in some long passage, while 
 the smoothed surfaces of those which 
 remain indicate the slow but consider- 
 able effects of rushing streams, uninter- 
 mitted for ages. A little above the spot, 
 the water flows in a smooth and gentle 
 current, and spreads out to a consider- 
 able breadth ; while broad meadows on 
 both sides line its course, and show 
 marks of successive elevations which it 
 formerly maintained at different periods. 
 But just at the falls, the whole stream 
 is confined between two rocks only a few 
 feet apart ; while only a portion of the 
 intermediate space is filled by the water, 
 as large masses of granite lie between 
 and divide the current into several 
 parts. The rapidity and force of the 
 descent are extremely great, so that ex- 
 travagant reports have been made on 
 the subject, especially by a singular 
 writer of past days, Hugh Peters, who 
 gravely published that the water was 
 so much hardened by compression, that 
 a crowbar could not be forced into it ! 
 
 Salmon, however, used to pass the 
 spot in great numbers, so long as they 
 abounded in the river, and this, like 
 many other waterfalls, was the site of a 
 gi'eat Indian fishing-place. The deep 
 pools in the bed of the stream were 
 crowded with them at that season in the 
 spring, when they annually moved up 
 toward the shallow water to deposite 
 their spawn ; and large encampments of 
 savages wei'e at that time made upon the 
 banks. Marks still remain, especially 
 in several figures engraved on a smooth, 
 projecting piece of gi"anite, a little be- 
 low the cascade. 
 
 A short canal was commenced, many 
 years ago, to facilitate boat-navigation 
 around the falls. The scenery at the 
 spot is remarkably wild ; a mountain 
 rising abruptly from the eastern bank 
 of the river, covered with rocky and 
 forest trees, and casting a deep shadow 
 upon the roaring stream which rushes 
 
 by at its base. An elevated bridge, 
 which crosses it just below the falls, 
 and affords a near and almost terrific 
 view of the tumultuous scene, gives the 
 place a double interest in the eye of the 
 traveller. The effect of the whole is 
 greatly heightened, by the contrast it 
 forms with the rich and tranquil region 
 which opens to the view above. One 
 of the largest and most fertile tracts of 
 alluvion there spreads out on the river's 
 borders, through which its waters mean- 
 der in long and graceful curves ; and 
 well-tilled and productive fields, covered 
 with the deepest verdure, extend to the 
 borders of the rising grounds, which 
 swell to the wooded uplands. 
 
 Hanover. — This is a remarkably 
 pleasant village, occupying a high level 
 on the top of a considerable ridge of 
 land, in the midst of a wild and sterile 
 tract, which has but few inhabitants. 
 It presents a pleasing aspect ; for be- 
 sides having several streets with a num- 
 ber of neat houses, with court-yards and 
 gardens, there is a large, level public 
 square in the centre, well shaded with 
 trees, and ornamented with some of the 
 finest buildings in the place, especially 
 those connected with the principal lit- 
 erary institution of the state, viz. : — 
 
 Dartmouth College. — This was origin- 
 ally a school, founded by the Rev. Mr. 
 Wheelock, for the education of Indian 
 youth for the ministry of the gospel. 
 With a zeal and perseverance fitting 
 the enlightened and noble object, that de- 
 voted man surmounted obstacles which 
 it would be difficult to appreciate, to any 
 one not intimately acquainted with the 
 state of the country at the time. Like 
 almost every other attempt made for the 
 extensive and permanent benefit of that 
 unfortunate race, it ultimately failed of 
 success, so far as it related to them. In 
 the course of years, however, it proved 
 useful in an eminent degree ; and Dart- 
 mouth college has long maintained a 
 highly respectable rank among its kin- 
 dred institutions. Among its alumni 
 have been found many distinguished 
 men ; and its standing and usefulness 
 are likely to rise with the advance of 
 popidation. 
 
 The principal academical buildings 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. 
 
 Stand on the eastern site of the square, 
 wliile that of the medical department is 
 a little further north. The houses of 
 the president and professors are neat 
 and handsome structures, and add much 
 to the appearance of the village. 
 
 Dartmouth college is supported by- 
 funds contributed by individuals at dif- 
 ferent periods, and lands granted by this 
 state and Vermont. The library of the 
 institution contains about 4,500 volumes, 
 and those belonging to societies of stu- 
 dents about 9,000. The corporation 
 consists of the governor and chief jus- 
 tice of the state, the president, ten mem- 
 bers elected for the purpose, the coun- 
 cillors of the state, the president of the 
 senate, and the speaker of the house of 
 representatives. 
 
 Moore's charity school, a well-en- 
 dowed institution, is connected with the 
 college. 
 
 The following are the name? and 
 dates of the presidents of Dartmouth 
 college : Rev. E. Wheelock, D. D., 1769 
 to 1779 ; Jno. Wheelock, LL. D., 1779 
 to 1S15; Rev. Francis Brown, D. D., 
 1815 to 1820; Rev. Daniel Dana, D.D., 
 1S20 to 1821 ; Rev. Bennet Tyler, D. D., 
 1822 to 1828 ; Rev. Nathan Lord 1828. 
 
 The annual expense of tuition is 
 twenty-seven dollars ; rent, seven and 
 a half dollars ; board, from one dollar to 
 one dollar and a half per week. 
 
 Tiie course of lectures in the medical 
 college continues fourteen weeks. Four 
 or five lectures are delivered daily. The 
 fees are about fifty dollars. 
 
 Haverhill is a town extending along 
 the Connecticut, opposite the Great Ox- 
 j bow, one of the largest and most fertile 
 tracts of meadow-land on this part of its 
 course. The size of this stream is much 
 smaller here than in the lower part of 
 the state ; yet its source is still quite 
 distant ; and there are a few points con- 
 nected with it which may be adverted 
 to in this place. 
 
 Connecticut river in this state makes 
 a considerable part of its descent from 
 its headwaters to the ocean level. Lake 
 Connecticut is one thousand six hundred 
 feet higher than Long Island sound ; 
 but six hundred of this is reduced in 
 the first twenty-five miles, in which the 
 
 course is southwest. The next twenty 
 miles, where it runs more southwest, 
 it descends three hundred and fifty 
 feet more. Below this point are two 
 considerable falls, the first of which is 
 at the mouth of White river, and the 
 other is Bellows Falls, which has been 
 described. 
 
 The Passumpsic, a considerable branch 
 of the Connecticut, enters it at the foot 
 of Fifteen-mile falls. Nearly two hun- 
 dred small lakes, or ponds, are formed 
 in different parts of the valley of the 
 Connecticut, two of the largest of which 
 are in New Hampshire, viz., Mascony 
 and Sunapee. The former is seven 
 miles long, and the latter twelve. From 
 the superior elevations in this state, it 
 is not surprising that five of the princi- 
 pal rivers of New England should have 
 their sources within its limits. 
 
 The White mountains — those " Alps 
 of New England," as they have been, 
 not inappropriately, called — present nu- 
 merous attractions to every visiter of 
 taste and science, and are the annual 
 resort of numei'ous travellers. Winni- 
 piseogee lake, as we have before re- 
 marked, lies on the route from the south, 
 and at its outlet is situated one of the 
 most flourishing villages in the state. 
 
 Meredith. — This place has the ad- 
 vantage of the water-power of Winni- 
 piseogee river, and lies on the route of 
 the railroad line from Concord north- 
 ward, which is gradually extended as 
 the stock is taken up, and is designed 
 to extend to Canada. The town has 
 some twenty stores, and its population 
 is about 5,000. 
 
 Red Mountain. — This is a conspicu- 
 ous eminence, occupying a favorable 
 position as a point of view, at the north- 
 west cf)rner of Lake Winnipiseogee, 
 which is a favorite resort of travellers, 
 being easy of access, and commanding 
 a scene of the greatest variety and 
 beauty. The following description was 
 written on the spot : — 
 
 " North, the eastern end of Squam 
 lake, and part of a pond lying near it, 
 with the range of the Sandwich moun- 
 tains behind, stretching off toward the 
 east, with numerous dark-brown peaks, 
 partly cultivated about their bases, and 
 
DESCRIPTION OP THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. 
 
 enveloped above with forests, excepting 
 their summits, which are generally di- 
 vested of verdure. Far beyond these 
 appeal several loftier peaks, which 
 might be mistaken for the White moun- 
 tains, wer*^ they visible from this point. 
 An intermediate peak with rocky preci- 
 pices is White-faced mountain. 
 
 " East-northeast, the eye ranges up 
 the spacious valley through which lies 
 the way to the White mountains, and 
 the road which is to conduct the travel- 
 ler seems diminished to the dimensions 
 of a garden walk. Chocaway, or, as it 
 is familiarly called, Coroway peak, rises 
 on the left ; while the noble ridge of 
 the Ossipee mountains begins nearer at 
 hand on the right, and almost overshad- 
 ows the observer with its enormous size. 
 The sides of these mountains show a 
 beautiful display of farms, interspersed 
 with wood-lots and dwellings, which in 
 many places have encroached far towai'd 
 the summits, and in others pursue the 
 slope of the fertile uplands to the valley 
 at their feet. Numerous elevations ap- 
 pear at a greater distance, and range 
 themselves in lines to complete the per- 
 spective of a most magnificent vista, 
 which finally closes at a ridge, whose 
 shade is reduced by its remoteness to 
 the color of a cloud. A pi'ominent and 
 remarkable mountain, which appears 
 scarcely less distant, is called Pickwaket 
 mountain, and rises by the Saco river, 
 near the place where Captain Lovel 
 fought his well-known battle with the 
 Indians ; and the fine valley between is 
 the country passed over in that fatal ex- 
 pedition, in both the approach and the 
 retreat. 
 
 "East, the view abuts upon the Ossi- 
 pee mountains, and no variety is afforded 
 until we turn to the south-southeast. In 
 that direction, and further to the right, 
 the whole surface of Winnipiseogee lake 
 lies charmingly spread out to view, va- 
 ried by numerous points and headlands, 
 and interspersed with beautiful islands 
 which man despairs to number. Sev- 
 eral distant elevations appear, on this 
 side of which the sloping land just men- 
 tioned extends for several miles along 
 the shoi'e, with a well-cultivated surface 
 spotted in all directions with large barns 
 
 and farmhouses, to the very margin of 
 the lake. There numerous points run 
 out far into the water, to complete the 
 labyrinths formed by the islands. Gun- 
 stock mountain rises one point east of 
 south, just on the left of which opens the 
 entrance of Merry-meeting bay. The 
 elevated island on the right of that is 
 Rattlesnake island, named from the ven- 
 omous reptiles with which it abounds ; 
 over this the distant land appears high. 
 South by west rises a high hill resem- 
 bling the Ossipee in the richness of its 
 slopes. 
 
 " The southwest and west is agree- 
 ably varied with wood-lots and cleared 
 fields, scattered over an undulated sur- 
 face, which extends for many miles, in 
 some places quite to the horizon, and 
 in others to the broken boundary of tall 
 but distant mountains. In the south- 
 west appear two or three peaks, so far 
 removed that they are almost lost in the 
 blue of the sky. Nearly west are seen 
 several ridfjes of inferior maafnitude, 
 which, approaching as the eye slowly 
 moves toward the left, at length come 
 near the lake, and disappear behind the 
 neighboring mountains. 
 
 " Long pond may be distinguished by 
 its shining surface between the west 
 and south, with several other little sheets 
 of water, which lie in tranquillity under 
 the shelter of the hills. 
 
 " Winnipiseogee lake is nineteen miles 
 in length, from Centre Harbor to Alton, 
 at the southeastern extremity. Merry- 
 meeting bay lies beyond. Several of 
 the islands are large, and contain good 
 farms and wealthy inhabitants, although 
 only two or three belong to any town, 
 or pay any taxes. Some of their names 
 are Rattlesnake, Cow, Bear, and Moon 
 islands ; also, Half-Mile, One-Mile, Two- 
 Mile islands, &c., &c. None of them 
 contain churches ; and although they 
 have few school-houses, yet sufficient at- 
 tention is paid to the rudiments of edu- 
 cation to render the children intelligent. 
 Winnipiseogee lake, according to sur- 
 veys made by Mr. Baldwin in 1825, is 
 five hundred and one feet above the 
 ocean. 
 
 " Squam lake lies west from Red 
 mountain, and, like Winnipiseogee lake, 
 
34 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. 
 
 abounds not only in islands, but in fish 
 of the finest descriptions." 
 
 Centre Harbor. — This is a village 
 situated at the northwest extremity of 
 the lake, in the midst of interesting 
 scenery. The inhabitants are engaged 
 in fishing as well as agriculture, and the 
 place is a favorite stopping-place for 
 travellers. At a short distance rises 
 Red mountain, just spoken of 
 
 Conway, six miles. — The view of the 
 White mountains is very fine from this 
 place, presenting a succession of lofty 
 rido-es, the most distant of which are the 
 peaks of Mounts Washington, Adams, 
 Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and Q,uin- 
 cy. The most prominent elevation on 
 the right, with two summits, is Kear- 
 sarge, or Pickwaket ; a level meadow 
 lies in the foreground, with an isolated 
 woody hill in the middle, and the Saco 
 river, which rises on Mount Washing- 
 ton, and flows down a narrow valley, 
 with many meanderings. 
 
 The Chalybeate Spring, in Conway, 
 is in a valley, with mountains on every 
 side except the southeast. Fi'om near 
 the church, the White mountains are in 
 sight. Two or three miles above, the 
 Saco valley bends to the left, and Ellis's 
 river comes down a narrow vale in front. 
 
 A tremendous catastrophe occurred 
 among the White mountains on- the 
 night of August 28, 1826. A storm of 
 rain, unprecedented within the memory 
 of the okhjst inhabitants, deluged the 
 principal peaks of the mountains, and 
 poured such an inundation upon the val- 
 leys and plains below, that it is com- 
 monly attributed to the " bursting of a 
 cloud ;" although that expression is a 
 very ill-dofined one. The effects pro- 
 duced by the flood will remain for cen- 
 turies. 
 
 The inundation was so great and so 
 sudden, that the channels of the stream 
 were totally insufficient to admit of 
 the passage of the water, which, conse- 
 quently, overflowed the little level val- 
 leys at the feet of the mountains. In- 
 numerable torrents immediately formed 
 on all sides ; and such deep trenches 
 were cut by the rushing water, that vast 
 bodies of earth and stones fell from the 
 mountains, benrino: with them the for- 
 
 ests that had covered them for ages. 
 Some of these " slides," as they are here 
 popularly denominated (known among 
 the Alps as " avalanches de terre"), are 
 supposed to have been half a mile in 
 breadth, and from one to five miles in 
 length. Scarcely any natural occur- 
 rence can be imagined more sublime ; 
 and among the devastation which it has 
 left to testify the povrer of the elements, 
 the traveller will be filled with awe at 
 the thought of that Being by whom they 
 are controlled and directed. 
 
 The streams brought away with them 
 immense quantities of earth and sand, 
 which the turbid water deposited, when 
 any obstacle threw it back, in tempo- 
 rary ponds and lakes. The forest-trees 
 were also floated down, frequently, sev- 
 eral miles from the places where they 
 were rooted up. The timber was often 
 marked with deep grooves and trenches, 
 made by the rocks which passed over 
 them, during their descent from the 
 mountains ; and great heaps of ti'ees 
 were deposited in some places, while in 
 others the soil of the little meadows was 
 buried with earth, sand, or rocks, to the 
 depth of several feet. 
 
 The turnpike-road leading through 
 this romantic country was twenty miles 
 in length, but was almost entirely de- 
 stroyed. Twenty-one of the twenty- 
 three bridges upon it were demolished ; 
 one of them, built Avith stone, cost one 
 thousand dollars. In some places, the 
 Saco river ran along the road, and cut 
 down deep channels. 
 
 The Willey house was the scene of a 
 most melancholy tragedy on the night 
 above mentioned, when this inundation 
 occurred. Several days previously, a 
 large " slide" came down from the 
 mountains behind it, and passed so near 
 as to cause great alarm, without any in- 
 jury to the inmates. The house was 
 occupied by Mr. Calvin Willey, whose 
 wife was a young woman of a very in- 
 teresting character, and of an education 
 not to be looked for in so wild a region. 
 They had a number of young children, 
 and their family, at the time, included 
 several other persons, amounting in all 
 to eleven. They were waked in the 
 night by the noise of the storm, or more 
 
probably by the second descent of ava- 
 lanches from the neighboring mountains, 
 and fled in their night-clothes from the 
 house to seek their safety, but thus threw 
 themselves in the way of destruction. 
 One of the slides, a hundred feet high, 
 stopped within three feet of the house. 
 Another took away the barn, and over- 
 whelmed the family ; i othing was found 
 of them for some time; their clothes 
 were found lying at their bedsides. The 
 house had been started on its foundation 
 by an immense heap of earth and tim- 
 ber, which had slid down and stopped 
 as soon as it touched it ; and they had 
 all been crushed on leaving the door, or 
 borne away with the water that over- 
 flowed the meadow. The bodies of sev- 
 eral of them were never found. The 
 last remains discovered were those of a 
 child found in 1846. A catastrophe so 
 melancholy, and at the same time so 
 singular in its circumstances, has hardly 
 ever occurred. It will always furnish 
 the traveller with a melancholy subject 
 of reflection. 
 
 Bartlett is a village situated in a 
 rich valley, or intervale, of about three 
 hundred acres, where the view is bound- 
 ed on every side by near and lofty moun- 
 tains. There is another intervale among 
 the mountains westward, which, although 
 it contains as much good cleared land, 
 has been converted into a common, in 
 consequence of the difficulty of m iking 
 a good road to it. Pursuing still the 
 course of the narrow valley, against the 
 current of the Saco, the country is found 
 uncleared, except two oi three pretty 
 little meadows, and destitute of inhab- 
 itants, excepting only three or four poor 
 families, until arriving at Crawford's 
 farm, seven and a half miles south of 
 the Notch. The water rose in this 
 house two feet in the flood of 1826. 
 This is the place from which visiters 
 formerly began their excursions to the 
 mountains. 
 
 Prospect Mountain, one of the pi'inci- 
 pal peaks, presents itself to view a 
 little before arriving at the first Craw- 
 ford's, with its smooth rounded sum- 
 mit of brown moss, rising several hun- 
 dred feet above the region of vegeta- 
 tion, and offering an aspect which 
 
 distinguishes these from the other ele- 
 vations. 
 
 The climate in this naiTow valley is 
 still so warm as to favor the growth of 
 various trees, which are scarcely to be 
 found a few miles further north. The 
 forests are here formed of spruce, ash, 
 beech, maple, and sugar-maple ; and In- 
 dian corn grows well, which will not 
 come to maturity beyond. The orchard 
 contains hundreds of apple-trees. This 
 is one of the principal stopping-places 
 for the sleighs, which pass the moun- 
 tains in great numbers, during the win- 
 ter, for Portland, Boston, &c. 
 
 Nanci/s Hill is a small elevation a 
 few miles north of this place. In 1773 
 a young woman of respectable connex- 
 ions, who accompanied a family of set- 
 tlers to Dai'tmouth (now Jefferson), set 
 out in the winter to return to Ports- 
 mouth, alone and on foot, her lover hav- 
 ing promised to meet her there and 
 marry her. There was then no house 
 nearer than Bartlett, thirty miles. Nancy 
 was found by some travellers in this 
 spot, frozen and covered with ice, un- 
 der a shelter formed of branches of 
 trees, which was the only shelter to be 
 found on the way. 
 
 TJiere is a place near the Notch, 
 where the road suffered severe injury. 
 It had been built up against the side of 
 a mountain, on a wall forty or fifty feet 
 high, and about thirty yards in extent, 
 at the expense of five hundred dollars. 
 This whole fabi'ic was swept away by a 
 mass of earth, rocks, and trees, which 
 came from a half a mile up the side of 
 the mountain, rushing down at an angle 
 of forty-five degrees, and precipitated 
 itself into the bed of the Saco, which is 
 nearly three hundred feet below. 
 
 The road rises with a steep ascent 
 for a considerable distance before it 
 reaches the Notch, and the traveller ob- 
 serves two cataracts, one pouring down 
 a precipitous mountain at a distance on 
 the west side of the valley, and the 
 other, which is called the Flume, rush- 
 ing down on the right hand, and cross- 
 ing the road under a bridge. The 
 scenery is sublime and impressive be- 
 yond descriotion. There is also another 
 flume just beyond. 
 
38 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. 
 
 The Notch is so narrow as to allow 
 only room enough for the path, and the 
 Saco, which is here a mere brook, only- 
 four feet in breadth. It is remarkable 
 that the Saco and the Ammonoosuc 
 spring from fountains on Mount Wash- 
 ington, within perhaps sixty yards of 
 each other, though the former empties 
 into the Atlantic, and the latter j*)ins 
 Connecticut river. Another branch of 
 the Ammonoosuc approaches the Saco, 
 in one place, within about six hundred 
 yards. They are both crossed beyond 
 the Notch. The head-waters of the 
 JNIerrimac rise within about a mile and 
 a half of this place, and run down a 
 long ravine, little less remarkable than 
 that of the Saco. 
 
 A road was first made through the 
 Notch in 1785. It was fifty or sixty 
 feet higher than the present turnpike, 
 and so steep that it was necessary to 
 draw horses and wagons up with ropes. 
 The assessment for the turnpike was 
 made in 1806. 
 
 Two rocks stand at the sides of this 
 remarkable passage, one twenty, and 
 the other about thirty feet, in perpen- 
 dicular height. They are about twenty 
 feet asunder, at six or seven yards from 
 the north end, where they open to thirty 
 feet. The part which appears to have 
 been cut through is about one hundred 
 and twenty feet long. A little meadow 
 opens beyond, where is an inn. 
 
 Mount Washington. — The ascent of 
 the mountain was formerly a most ar- 
 duous undertaking, and was very rarely 
 performed ; but many ladies are now 
 enumerated among those who have 
 gained the summit. The whole way 
 lies through a perfect forest. The first 
 four miles are over a surface compara- 
 tively level; but the last two miles and 
 a quarter are up an ascent not differing 
 much from an angle of forty-five degrees. 
 
 The streams of the Ammonoosuc river, 
 which are to be crossed several times, 
 show the ravages of the inundation of 
 1826. 
 
 The ascent of Mount Washington is 
 laborious, and the most arduous exer- 
 tion will be necessary to attain the 
 summit, which seems to fly before the 
 stranger when he deems it just attained, 
 
 and to look down in derision from a 
 new and more hopeless height. The 
 first part of the way is through a thick 
 forest of heavy timber, which is sud- 
 denly succeeded by a girdle of dwarf 
 and gnarled fir-trees, ten or fifteen feet 
 high, and eighty rods, or about four 
 hundred and fifty yards, broad ; which, 
 ending as suddenly as they began, give 
 place to a kind of short bushes, and 
 finally a thin bed of moss, not half suf- 
 ficient to conceal the immense granite 
 rocks which deform the suiface. For 
 more than a mile, the surface is entirely 
 destitute of trees. A few straggling 
 spiders, and several species of little 
 flowering plants, are the only objects 
 that attract the attention under the feet. 
 
 The followinof heio^hts are stated to 
 be those of the diflerent peaks, above 
 the level of the Connecticut river at 
 Lancaster : Washington, 5,350 feet ; 
 Jefferson, 5,261 ; Adams, 5,183 i Mad- 
 ison, 5,030 ; Monroe, 4,932 ; Quincy, 
 4,470. Mount Washington is believed 
 to be more than 6,400 feet above the 
 ocean. 
 
 In a clear atmos])here (says the 
 " Northern Traveller"), the view is sub- 
 lime, and almost boundless. The finest 
 part of it is toward the southeast and 
 south. Looking down the valley, through 
 which the road has conducted us, a fine 
 succession of mountainous summits ap- 
 pears for many miles, extending below 
 the bright surface of Winnipiseogee 
 lake. 
 
 Toward the southeast, also, the eye 
 ranges over an extent of surface which 
 quite bewilders the mind. Mountains, 
 hills, and valleys, farmhouses, villages, 
 and towns, add their variety to the nat- 
 ural features of the country ; and the 
 ocean may be discovered at the horizon 
 with the help of a telescope, although 
 the sharpest sight, perhaps, has never 
 been able to distinguish it without such 
 assistance. In that direction lies Port- 
 land, the capital of Maine, and nearer 
 is Lovel's pond. 
 
 On the northeast is seen the valley of 
 the Androscoggin river, which abounds 
 in wild and romantic scenery, and was 
 the usual passage by which the Indians, 
 in their hostile incursions from Canada, 
 
 J 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. 
 
 39 
 
 used to approach the eastern frontier 
 
 settlements of Massachusetts and New- 
 Hampshire. Beyond are the Ktardin 
 hills, near the extremity of Maine. 
 
 North, the country is more wild and 
 uncultivated ; and Umbagog lake is seen, 
 from which flows the Androscoggin. 
 
 West, the nearer view is over a moun- 
 tainous region, covered with a thick for- 
 est, through which an occasional opening 
 is perceived, formed by the farms (or 
 clearings) of the hardy inhabitants. Be- 
 yond, the hills are seen to rise from the 
 opposite shore of Connecticut river, the 
 surface of which is everywhere hid- 
 den from view, and the summits, rising 
 higher and higher, terminate in the 
 ridges of the Green mountains in Ver- 
 mont. 
 
 Southwesterly is seen the Grand Mo- 
 nadnock. 
 
 The Indians knew the White moun- 
 tains by the name of Agiocochook, and 
 regarded them as inaccessible, or at 
 least represented them as such to white 
 men. 
 
 The Lake of the Clouds is a little 
 pond, near the summit of Mount Mon- 
 roe, of beautiful clear water; it supplies 
 the head stream of the Ammonoosuc 
 river. This little current immediately 
 begins its descent, and dashes in a head- 
 long course of several thousand feet, in- 
 to the valley near the encampment. 
 
 Loose fragments of granite are every- 
 where scattered over the mountain, with 
 some specimens of gneiss. The granite 
 is generally gray, and at first fine-grained, 
 but grows coarser as we ascend, and is 
 occasionally sprinkled with small gar- 
 nets. At the summit it frequently con- 
 tains a little black tourmaline, sometimes 
 in crossing crystals. On the summit, 
 also, some of the granite is tinged with 
 red, although much of it is colored 
 bright-green by lichens, dampened by 
 the humidity of the clouds, and inter- 
 spersed with thick and soft gray moss. 
 The grain of the coarse granite is elon- 
 gated ; and what strikes the visiter as 
 very singular, is that not a single rock 
 is to be found in its original place — 
 everything beai's the mark of removal ; 
 and this, taken into view with the preci- 
 pice on the northern side, seems to in- 
 
 dicate that the summit of the mountain 
 has fallen down and disappeared. 
 
 The general opinion seems to be that 
 the lofty peak above us is the highest 
 elevation in North America, except Mex- 
 ico, and some of the Rocky mountains. 
 The inhospitable nature of the climate 
 is such as to forbid all hopes of future 
 improvement ; so that the feeling of sub- 
 limity, produced by the lonely and des- 
 olate character of this desei't region, is 
 increased by the reflection that it is des- 
 tined to be a wilderness for ever. 
 
 The only places susceptible of culti- 
 vation in the heart of the mountains are 
 the little meadows inhabited by single 
 families, and that at the Notch house ; 
 and there the interval of warm weather 
 is so short in the year that ^ew vegeta- 
 bles can arrive at maturity, with all the 
 rapidity of growth which distinguishes 
 such cold regions. Indeed, the short- 
 ness and uncertainty of crops, with the 
 expense of keeping stock, &c., would 
 scarcely allow the farmer a support, 
 without the advantages afforded by the 
 thoroughfare, which is particularly great 
 during the winter season. Population, 
 therefore, may extend to the borders of 
 these regions, and increase, as it does, 
 on every side ; but it can not pass the 
 limit, because it can not contend with 
 their coldness and sterility. 
 
 Various kinds of wild bii'ds and game 
 are to be found in the woods, besides 
 bears, wild-cats, and deer. The moose 
 and the buffalo were formerly abundant 
 among the mountains ; and it is scarcely 
 forty yeaz's since they were killed in 
 great numbers, merely for their hides 
 and tallow, as the latter still are in the 
 regions beyond the Mississippi. Deer 
 are common in the woods, and frequently 
 are killed by the hunters. Black bears 
 are occasionally seen in the more unfre- 
 quented places, but they will always 
 endeavor to avoid a man. A laige spe- 
 cies of reindeer, known here by the 
 name of the Cariboo, has made its ap- 
 pearance in the White mountains. 
 
 The weather is liable to frequent 
 changes in the mountainous region, 
 which is pax'tly owing to the vicinity of 
 the Notch, through which the wind 
 blows almost without ceasing, even when 
 
40 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE 
 
 the air is perfectly still at only a short 
 distance from it. From the situation 
 of the mountains, it is impossible that 
 the direction of the wind should vary 
 materially in the valley, and it is there- 
 fore, of course, always north or south. 
 During the winter it is often very vio- 
 lent ; so that not only the snow is pre- 
 vented from lying on the path at the 
 Notch, but the surface is swept of every- 
 thing that a strong wind can remove. 
 
 The summits of the mountains are 
 frequently invested with mist when the 
 sky is clear, and those only who inhabit 
 the vicinity are able to tell whether the 
 day is to be favorable for the ascent. 
 The mists sometimes collect in the val- 
 leys, and then present some of the most 
 singular and beautiful appearances. 
 
 The Shaker Village at Canterbury. — 
 The accompanying engraving affords a 
 view of this settlement of a small and 
 very peculiar sect — the Shakers, or Sha- 
 king Quakers, as they are sometimes 
 called. Like their other villages, or 
 "families," as ihey call their settle- 
 ments, it consists of a few dwelling- 
 houses and offices, or shops, in which 
 their wares are manufactured, and their 
 seeds and herbs prepared, stored, and 
 sold. Separate habitations, of large 
 size, are appropriated to the different 
 sexes, as their doctrines condemn mat- 
 rimony, separate man and wife, and 
 break up the real family state from its 
 foundation. Their moral and theologi- 
 cal opinions it would be difficult to ascer- 
 tain, as they keep much aloof and pub- 
 lish but little, while few avow much that 
 is consistent with one another, or even 
 with themselves. The writer speaks 
 from personal knowledge, having held 
 a conference with the leading men of a 
 Shaker village in this part of the coun- 
 try, and tried in vain to learn their 
 whole creed. They only intimated a 
 rejection of some of the doctrines held 
 as fundamental by most American Chris- 
 tian denominations. 
 
 Ann Lee, an Englishwoman, the found- 
 er of their sect, they regard as a divine 
 person, but differ in their representations 
 of her. She formed the first Shaker set- 
 tlement at Niskayuna, near Albany, N.Y. 
 She came from En2:land in 1774. 
 
 The Shakers first took up their resi 
 dence in Canterbury in 1782, and formed 
 a society in 1792, under the direction 
 of " Elder" Job Bishop, who died in 
 1831, aged seventy-one, and was suc- 
 ceeded by Benjamin Whittier. Their 
 religious exercises consist, chiefly, of a 
 peculiar dance, in which both sexes 
 move, in a regular but awkward man- 
 ner, about a large hall, sometimes whirl- 
 ing round, and uttering inarticulate 
 sounds. Some of them preteiul to speak 
 in " unknown tongues," to which no in- 
 terpreter has ever yet been found. We 
 add the following particulars, relating to 
 this settlement, from a published de- 
 scription : — 
 
 This village is located in the north- 
 easterly part of the county of Merrimack, 
 on the main road from Concord to Con 
 way, twelve miles from Concord, on an 
 eminence ; at the foot of which, as you 
 approach the village, is a spacious gran- 
 ite watering-trough, from the bottom of 
 which boils a bountiful and never-failing 
 spring, furnished by the society for the 
 accommodation of travellei's. 
 
 As you approach the village, the first 
 object is the meetinghouse on the right, 
 the only white building in the village, 
 which stands a few rods from the road, 
 at the head of a large open lawn. 
 
 On the left stands the trustees' office, 
 a new, spacious, and elegant building 
 of hewn granite and pressed brick, sev- 
 enty-two by forty feet in size. In this 
 the trustees reside, and transact all the 
 regular business of the family. To this 
 office customers, strangers, and visiters, 
 are to apply, who wish to buy or sell, or 
 for the transaction of any business with 
 the society whatever. 
 
 All sales and purchases are made by 
 the trustees, who are the general accents 
 of the society for transacting all their 
 secular matters, and in whom the fee of 
 all the real estate in trust is held. 
 
 The total number of dwellinghouses 
 in the society is ten, mostly of wood, 
 painted yellow. Thei'e are also many 
 other large and convenient wooden and 
 h "ick buildings, occupied as workshops; 
 also storehouses and granaries, wood- 
 houses, barns, &c., which are spacious 
 and convenient. 
 
Si ^#''M 
 
42 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW HAMrSHIRE. 
 
 The wliole number of buildings in 
 the village is about one hundred, many 
 of which are very valuable, composed 
 of the best materials, and built in a 
 faithful and durable manner. Among 
 these are a convenient schoolhouse, one 
 spacious gristmill, two sawmills, three 
 carding-machines, one fullingmill, one 
 triphammer, five mills for sawing fire- 
 wood, three turningmills, and two tan- 
 neries, besides various other machinery. 
 These buildings are all laid out and 
 constructed in a regular, plain, and ele- 
 gant manner, which gives the village a 
 very fine appearance. 
 
 The society own and occupy upward 
 of 2,500 acres of land, which, though 
 stony, is a good deep soil, about 2,000 
 of which lie in one body, enclosed with 
 good stone wall and cross-fenced with 
 the same materials. Grass, corn, grain, 
 and potatoes, are raised in abundance. 
 
 They are industrious, fiugal, and tem- 
 perate. They manufacture many use- 
 ful articles for sale, which are very neat 
 and durable; such as leather, whips, 
 sieves, tubs, pails, churns, measures, 
 rakes, brooms, trusses, snaths, &c., &c. 
 Their gardens are large, and perhaps 
 the most productive of any in the coun- 
 try. They raise and vend a general 
 assortment of garden-seeds, and spare 
 no pains to furnish those of the best 
 kind. They also collect and prepare a 
 variety of botanical herbs, barks, roots, 
 and extracts, which are prepared in the 
 most faithful manner ; the herbs and 
 I'oots are neatly pressed in packages of 
 a pound, and papered and labelled. All 
 the medicines pre[)ared by them being 
 pure, and gathered in proper season, 
 insure them a very ready sale. 
 
 They usually keep about twenty 
 horses, eighty cows, fifteen yoke of oxen, 
 five to six hundred sheep, and other 
 stock in proportion, and cut sufficient hay 
 on their premises for their own con- 
 sumption. They also annually slaugh- 
 ter forty or fifty swine. 
 
 They freely pay their jiroportion of 
 taxes, and share all the burdens of gov- 
 ernment, except the bearing of arms, 
 which they deem incompatible with 
 genuine Christianity, being, as they be- 
 lieve, directly contrary to the precepts 
 
 and spirit of the gospel. So tenacious 
 are they of this fact, that they not only 
 refuse to bear arms, but decline even to 
 receive pensions for their former mili- 
 tai-y services, to which some of them are 
 legally entitled. 
 
 Their school will compare well with 
 any in the country. The English lan- 
 guage is taught, and partly on the Lan- 
 casterian system. They are careful to 
 fui-nish the school with good books, sta- 
 tionery, i;:c., so that their scholars, who 
 are disposed, may acquire a good edu- 
 cation. 
 
 They entirely discard the use of ar- 
 dent spirits, except occasionally in med- 
 ical preparations, but drink some cider. 
 
 They are temperate and regular in 
 all theii habits ; their food is plain and 
 wholesome, avoiding all luxuries. The^ 
 allow eight hours in twenty-four for 
 sleeping. 
 
 The society, from its commencement, 
 has gradually increased in numlier, as 
 well as in good order. At present it 
 consists of about two hundred and forty 
 members. 
 
 History. — In 1621 the English Plym- 
 outh company granted to John Mason, 
 one of its members, the country between 
 Naumkeag, or Salem, and the Merri- 
 mack ; and soon after, in the same year, 
 to Mason and Gorges all the lands be- 
 tween the Merrimack and the Sagada- 
 hock, extending back to the rivers of 
 Canada. The latter tract was called 
 Laconia. Two years later, two parties 
 of settlers were sent out by " the La- 
 conia company," who began settlements 
 at Portsmouth and Dover. In 1629, 
 Mason took out a new patent for the 
 territory between the Merrimack and 
 the Piscataqua, under the name of New 
 Hampshire. In 1635, the Plymouth 
 company divided New England among 
 their members, before they gave up 
 their charter to the king, and the terri- 
 tory between Naumkeag and Piscat- 
 aqua rivers fell to Mason. 
 
 The first church formed within the 
 present limits of the state dates in 1641. 
 Coos county, including the northern 
 parts of the valley of the Connecticut, 
 was occupied by a few scattei-ed fam- 
 ilies before 1775 ; but at the commence- 
 
DESCRIPTION OP THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. 
 
 43 
 
 ment of the revolutionary war, the fear 
 of invasion from Canada drove them all 
 back, and only the return of peace could 
 induce a second and permanent occupa- 
 tion of that region, then a perfect wilder- 
 ness, difficult of access. 
 
 Railroads. — The people of this state 
 liave entered with commendable zeal 
 ujion several railroad enterprises, which 
 promise to be of permanent advantage 
 to the slate. 
 
 The Northern Railroad, fiomConcori 
 to Lebanon, a distance of fifty miles, has 
 been completed the entire distance, and 
 firms, in conjunction with the Vermfint 
 Central railroad, a continuous line to Bur- 
 lington, hy way of Montpelier, the capital 
 of Vermont, 210 miles from Boston. 
 
 The Boston, Concord, and Montreal 
 Railroad, already incidenially alluded 
 to on page 32, is, as its name implies, 
 intended ultimately to connect the com- 
 mercial capitals of Canada and New 
 England. It has been opened as far as 
 Warren, and is being rapidly pressed to 
 completion. This road furnishes an easy 
 and rapid conveyance tf) the White mount- 
 ains ; while the whole line of the route 
 from Meredith village lies through a re- 
 gion so replete with that splendid lake 
 and hill scenery which has given such a 
 woilv4- wide celebrity to New Hampshire, 
 as to render it, for that alone, a desirable 
 rouie for the admirer of the beauties of 
 natuie. 
 
 Portsmouth and Concord Railroad. — 
 This is another and most important rail- 
 road enteiprise. Concord, as indicated 
 by its being the point at which so many 
 railiuads meet, is destined to become the 
 great inland freight-depot of New Eng- 
 land. This renders it important that the 
 commercial capital of the state should pos- 
 sess l.ioie facilities of communicalion with 
 Concord which other sections of country 
 hr^ve, pai ticularly as it shortens the com- 
 municalion by railroad with the Atlantic 
 al)out thirty miles. Tiiis road, wliich is 
 now neaily completed, will make Ports- 
 mouth the second port in New England. 
 
 There are several other railroads in 
 
 proct'ss of construction, but our limits 
 
 will not admit afui ther reference to them. 
 
 Education. — Common schools are 
 
 universal in New Hampshre, as in other 
 
 parts of New England. Each township 
 is divided into school-districts, which are 
 empowered to build schoolhouses. An 
 annual tax is assessed on the town by 
 the selectmen, and with the avails of it 
 is distributed the income of the literary 
 funds, which is raised by a tax on the 
 capital of banks. 
 
 Academies, or high-schools, are scat- 
 tered all over the slate. The oldest are 
 those founded at Exeter in 1781, at Ches- 
 terfield in 1790, at Atkinson in 1791, and 
 at Gilmanton and Haverhill in 1794. 
 
 PhilUjJs Academy has its name from 
 its liberal founder, John Phillips, LL.D., 
 and has an income of $70,000, with a 
 library of six hundred volumes. The 
 number of pupils is limited to sixty. 
 
 The Congregational Theological Sem- 
 inary at Gilmanton, and the Baptist Ac- 
 ademical and Theological Institution at 
 New Hampton, are wf)rthy of particular 
 notice. The latter has had above three 
 hundred pupils at one time. 
 
 Learned Societies. — The iV. Hamp- 
 shire Medical Society was incorpoiated 
 in 1791, and holds an annual meeting 
 in Concord on the Tuesday preceding 
 the stale election. 
 
 The Neio Hampshire Historical So- 
 ciety was incorporated in 1823, and has 
 published several volumes of collections. 
 The animal meeting is on June 17th. 
 
 Government. — The legislaiive power 
 is vested, by the constitution, in a senate 
 and house of representatives, which, to- 
 gether, are styled the General Court of 
 New Hampshire. Every town or incor- 
 porated township having one hundred 
 and fifiy ratable polls may send one rep- 
 resentative ; and every three hundred 
 additional polls, one. The senate, coji- 
 sisting of twelve members, is elected by 
 the people in districts. The executive 
 power is vested in a governor, and a 
 council of five members. The governor, 
 council, senators, and representatives, are 
 elected annually by the people on the 
 second Tuesday of March. The gen- 
 eral court meets annually (at Concord) 
 on the first Wednesday of June. The 
 right of suffrage is granted to every male 
 inhabitant of age, except paupers, &c. 
 The judiciary [)ower is vested in a supe- 
 rior court and court of common pkas. 
 
This stite is distinguished among 
 the olliei New England states by 
 scveial maiked pecuhaiities In 
 situation, It boidei'5, on one side, a 
 foieigii countiv, and on anothei the 
 grand loutc of northern invasion, in 
 consequence of which its soil has 
 been exposed to hostile incuisions, 
 in the succc-^sive \\ai& with the In 
 dians, the Fiench, and the Englibh. 
 Its climate is so cold and healthful 
 as to give hardihood and vigor to 
 the inhabitants ; while it possesses 
 so much rich soil, and such abundant 
 water-power and facilities for navigation, as to encourage all the arts of life. 
 Although circumstances retarded the settlement of the country, and led to unfor- 
 tunate dissensions and conflicting claims for the possession, yet the happy adjust- 
 ment of all, with New York on one side and New Hampshire on the other, and 
 tte erection of Vermont into an independent state, gave an impulse to improve- 
 ments of every kind, which has produced most extensive and important i-esults. 
 
 Extending from forty-two degrees forty-four minutes to forty-five degrees 
 north latitude, and near several lakes, the climate of Vermont would have been 
 riforous in the winter, even if its surface had not been elevated much above the 
 ocean level ; but the Green mountain ridge is of such, extent and elevation as 
 to render the cold season very long and quite severe. The longitude is between 
 three degrees thirty-one minutes and five degrees east; the greatest length of the 
 state is one hundred and fifty-seven and a half miles, and the greatest breadth 
 ninety miles. The whole area comprehended within the boundaries is 10,200 
 square miles. 
 
 The Green mountain ridge forms a marked and natural dividing line between 
 the counties of Windham, Windsor, and Orange, on the one side, and Bennington, 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VERMONT. 
 
 45 
 
 Rutland, and Addison, on the other. Tin 
 all that part of it there is not a single 
 passage to be found wide enough for a 
 ro'j-d, nor is its long and uniform eleva- 
 tion so much as interrupted by the bed 
 of any stream. Five turnpike I'oads, in- 
 deed, pass it in different places, but they 
 havfi been constructed at considerable 
 30St and labor, and are very laborious 
 to travel, as they rise and descend the 
 htMgh,t of the ridge. 
 
 In the southern part of Washington 
 county it divides into two ridges, the 
 principal of which borders the counties 
 of Chittenden and Franklin on the east, 
 and the other, known by the name of 
 " The height of lands," strikes off'^in a 
 northeast diiection into the county of 
 Calodonia. This keeps a remarkably 
 uniform elevation, and forms the dividing 
 line between the waters of the Connec- 
 ticut and the two lakes, Champlain and 
 Memphremagog. The western ridge is 
 cut thi'ough by Onion and Lamoille riv- 
 ers, although its principal summits are 
 the highest in the state. Among these 
 is the Camel's Hump ; this ridge con- 
 stitutes the grandeur of the scenery so 
 much admired along the northeastern 
 side of Lake Champlain. 
 
 Mount Ascutney is one of the emi- 
 nences most celebrated in Vermont, more 
 on account of the beautiful scenery upon 
 which it looks down, and its vicinity to 
 Windsor, one of the principal and most 
 beautiful towns in the state. An excur- 
 sion to its summit affords many fine 
 views, as it rises abruptly from the bor- 
 ders of the valley of the C(mnecticut, 
 and the path, in its gradual ascent, opens 
 to the eye many varying landscapes. 
 
 Not less than twenty-one rivers have 
 their sources in the Green mountains, 
 of which twelve flow into the Connec- 
 ticut, and nine into the two principal 
 lakes. From the nature of the country, 
 these sti-eams are necessarily short and 
 small ; though in the season of floods, 
 some of them drain off great quantities 
 of water through their rocky channels. 
 No counti-y is better supplied with abun- 
 dant and pure springs. The water of 
 Vermont is generally good, except along 
 the shore of Lake Champlain, where 
 the rocks are of limestone. 
 
 Mineral springs of different kinds are 
 found in several counties. Some are 
 chalybeate, others sulphurous ; and some 
 are resorted to by invalids for the im- 
 provement of their health. 
 
 Lakes. — Lake Champlain extends 
 along nearly the whole western bound- 
 ary of the state, and forms an important 
 feature in several respects. Tt affords 
 invaluable advantages of navigation, for 
 it is of sufficient uniform depth for 
 vessels of considerable size, and forms 
 several good harbors ; while the canal 
 which connects it with Hudson river 
 offers a direct, safe, and cheap channel 
 of commerce to the city of New York. 
 At the same time, fine steamboats of the 
 largest class daily traverse the lake 
 through its whole extent, on the grand 
 route between the United States and 
 Canada, touching at the principal towns 
 along the shore. 
 
 Lake Memphremagog, lying on the 
 boundary line of the United States, has 
 four or five miles of its southern part in 
 Orleans county, Vermont, but its north- 
 ern and larger portion in Canada. It 
 is about thirty miles long from north to 
 south, and three or four miles wide from 
 east to west. It is about midway be- 
 tween Lake Champlain and Connecticut 
 river. Three small rivers — the Clyde, 
 Black, and Barton — enter the south part 
 of the lake from Vermont. On an island 
 two miles above the line are obtained 
 the celebrated oilstones, for sharpening 
 tools, which are well known throughout 
 our country, and highly prized, being 
 worth half a dollar a pound. Whet- 
 stones, for scythes, &c., are obtained in 
 the vicinity of the lake, at the place 
 where the gneiss-rocks pass into mica- 
 slate. 
 
 In Lake Champlain are a number of 
 islands, the largest of which are North 
 Hero and South Hero, in the northern 
 part and near the shore of Vermont, to 
 which they belong. 
 
 North Hero forms a township of the 
 same name, in the county of Grand 
 Isle. It is twenty-six miles north of 
 Burlington, six west of St. Albans, and 
 contains 6,272 acres. The first settle- 
 ment was made on this island in 1783. 
 In 1793 the British erected a block- 
 
46 
 
 DESCRIPTION OP THE STATE OF VERMONT. 
 
 house on it, which was given up to the 
 United States in 1796. The soil is 
 good, and there is a small village, four 
 school districts, a courthouse, and a jail, 
 built of stone. The rocks are of lime- 
 stone. 
 
 South Hero is a small island, of 
 9,055 acres, twelve miles northwest of 
 Burlington, and sixteen southwest of 
 St. Albans. The first settlement was 
 made here in 1784. In the summer 
 season, when the water in the lake is 
 low, a passage can often be made by 
 fording to Chittenden, on the mainland, 
 a sandbar extending the whole distance. 
 The surface is level and the soil good, 
 being formed of limestone, like that of 
 the adjacent shores and islands. Many 
 marks remain in them all of the numer- 
 ous Indians who formerly resorted to 
 them. 
 
 Rivers. — Two or three of the rivers 
 of Vermont, viz., those which cross the 
 Green mountains, being of considerable 
 size, are navigable through most of their 
 course in canoes, and communicating, 
 by a short carrying-place, with the 
 navigable waters of Lake Champlain, 
 were as many principal routes of traffic 
 and of war for the Canadian Indians, 
 on their way to the Connecticut river. 
 When the English first visited the latter 
 stream, they found the savages on its 
 banks, as low down as Hai'tford, had a 
 trade in furs, &c., with those who in- 
 habited the shores of Lake Champlain 
 and the St. Lawrence, which was car- 
 ried on by the channels just indicated. 
 At later periods, when the Jesuits, who 
 occupied Montreal and other places in 
 Canada, as lords of the manor, incited 
 and directed the fanaticism of the In- 
 dians against the eastern colonies, these 
 same routes were used in the secret, 
 and often unexpected and l)lof)dy, incur- 
 sions which were so numerous in the 
 French wars. 
 
 Onion River is seventy miles long. 
 Rising in Cabot, Caledonia county, it 
 runs south, then southwest, and finally 
 northwest, falling into Lake Champlain, 
 passing through Washington and Chit- 
 tenden counties, five miles below Bur- 
 lington. The principal branches are 
 Dog, Steven's, North, Mad, Waterbury, 
 
 and Huntington I'ivers. Many scenes 
 along the course of the Onion and some 
 of its tributaries are peculiarly wild and 
 romantic. Its highest branch has a fall 
 of five hundred feet,. almost perpendic- 
 ular; and at Bolton is a remarkable 
 chasm, cut by the stream into the solid 
 rocks, sixty feet wide, thirty feet deep, 
 and two hundred and seventy yards 
 long, where the descent is so rapid that 
 the stream rushes through with, great 
 rapidity. Four miles below Waterbury 
 is a spot, where a wall of rock rises on 
 one side to the height of one hundred 
 feet, and large fragments have fallen 
 down, and lie in such a manner as to 
 form a bridge. Three quaiters of a. 
 mile above the falls, an artificial bridge 
 commands a striking view, upon a place 
 where the channel of the river is sev- 
 enty feet wide and sixty-five feet deep, 
 A fine turnpike-road now leads through 
 the mountains from this stream to White 
 river and Royalton, 
 
 This was the principal Indian route 
 to the Connecticut; and many captives, 
 as well as loads of plunder, were in for- 
 mer times carried by this route, from 
 the New England frontier villages, by 
 war parties returning to Canada. The 
 water-power on this river is very great. 
 It is mostly of little depth, as might be 
 expected from its shortness and its small 
 supply of watei'. It is, however, use- 
 ful in navigation. Lake vessels can en- 
 ter the river and sail up five miles, and 
 boats foity. 
 
 Two of the earliest and most spirited 
 military measures taken in the revolu- 
 tionary war Avere performed by a few 
 men from Vermont, at important points 
 just beyond the bounds of this state. 
 We allude to the surprise of the two 
 great foitresses on Lake Champlain, 
 Ticonderoga and Crown Point. These 
 positions are very peculiar. The lake 
 at these two points, about twelve miles 
 apart, is very narow and crooked ; and 
 the two fortresses were so placed as 
 to completely command the passage. 
 The guns, which were numerous and 
 heavy, were mounted on strong walls, 
 scientifically planned by accomplished 
 British engineers, and constructed with 
 great strength, of the limestone abound- 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VERMONT. 
 
 47 
 
 ing along the shores '; while deep ditches, 
 in some places cut far down into solid 
 rocks, offered almost insurmountable 
 obstacles to an approach. Lying on 
 the very borders of this state, with some 
 of their outworks actually erected upon 
 the Vermont side of the lake, and owing 
 their capture, as they did, chiefly to 
 Vermont men, a brief description of 
 Ticonderoga and Crown Point may with 
 pT'opriety be here introduced, being ex- 
 tremely interesting to all interested in 
 the war for independence. 
 
 Mount Independence is a hill on the 
 Vermont side, of comparatively small 
 elevation east of Mount Defiance, and 
 separated from it by the lake, which has 
 here redi'ced its size to that of a small 
 river. Oti a bank just above the water 
 are the remains of a zigzag battery for 
 about forty or fifty guns, running across 
 a little cornfield behind a house, and 
 making five or six angles. The Horse- 
 shoe battery is traceable on an elevation 
 about a quarter of a mile in the rear. 
 A bridofe once connected Ticonderosra 
 with Mount Defiance, the buttresses of 
 which are remaining, to the great an- 
 noyance of the navigators of the lake. 
 On the west shore (near the stone store- 
 house), Arnold, when pursued by the 
 British, caused his flotilla to be run on 
 shore. These hulks remain almost as 
 sound as when first stranded. A f()rty- 
 two pounder is said to have ranged from 
 the Horse-shoe over this channel (now 
 marked by a buoy) and the fortress. 
 
 After the revolutionary war, about 
 five hundred cannon were lying about 
 the fortress, lines, &c., many of them as 
 left by the English, with their trunnions 
 knocked off. A twenty-four pounder 
 was taken to the forge at Fairhaven, 
 some years ago, and discharged by the 
 heat, after lying loaded for above twenty 
 years, and a considerable time at the 
 bottom of the lake. 
 
 The view from Ticonderoga down 
 Lake Champlam is very pleasant. It 
 abounds, the greater part of the way to 
 Canada, with fine natural scenes. 
 
 The Fortress of Ticonderoga. — This 
 famous old fortress, or rather its re- 
 mains, are overlooked from Mount In- 
 dependence. An elevated piece of land, 
 
 gently sloping toward the south, and 
 ending abruptly over a bend of the lake, 
 appears partially covered with trees, 
 and crowned near its extremity with a 
 cluster of bi'oken walls and chimneys. 
 
 The old French Lines, where General 
 Abercrombie was defeated in 1758, are 
 the only part of the fortification which 
 was ever the scene of a battle. They 
 commenced on the east side, at a battery 
 of heavy cannon on the shore, about a 
 quarter of a mile south of the ferry. 
 The remains of the breastwork can yet 
 be seen. The lines were di-awn in a 
 zigzag; first stretching off to the right, 
 along the side of marshy ground, to a 
 cluster of bushes where was a battery; 
 and then to the left to the verge of a 
 wood, where was another. 
 
 Their course may be distinctly traced 
 in this manner across the ridge of land 
 at its highest elevation, over to the brow 
 of a steep bank, looking toward the out- 
 let of Lake George. The woods which 
 now so much inteiTupt the sight have 
 grown since the evacuation of the for- 
 tress, after the revolutionary war. 
 
 The fortress is of an angular form, 
 and embraces a large tract of ground, 
 being divided into parts by deep ditches. 
 The walls were originally much higher 
 than at present, being raised by super- 
 structures of logs filled in with earth. 
 
 The Barracks formed an oblong, and 
 the walls still remain of all except those 
 on the eastern side ; their form is plaiidy 
 distinguishable. The parade is fifty- 
 two and a half yards long, and eight in 
 breadth. The barracks, &c., the walls 
 of which remain en the north, south, 
 and west sides, are built of the rough 
 blue limestone of which the neijrhbor- 
 
 , o 
 
 mg rocks are formed, two stories high ; 
 and these with the chimneys, several of 
 which are standing, are the principal 
 objects seen from a distance. The en- 
 trances to this courtyard, or parade, are 
 between the buildings, and quite nar- 
 row. By the southern entrance, Ethan i 
 Allen entered with his eighty-thi'ee raw 
 soldiers when he surprised the fortress 
 on the ISth May, 1775; and on reach- 
 ing the courtyard and calling on the 
 commander to surrender, the Bi'itish 
 officer, Captain Deplace, made his ap- 
 
48 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VERMONT. 
 
 pearance at a window and submitted, 
 delivering up three officers and forty- 
 four rank and file. In consequence of 
 this coup-de-mnin, this rmportant place 
 was in the hands of the Americans until 
 the arrival of Burgoyne in 1777. 
 
 The troops in tlie garrison had be- 
 come loose disciplinarians. A body of 
 men had been despatched from Con- 
 •-lecticut to surprise the place, and ap- 
 proached upon the opposite shore, but 
 were unprovided with a conveyance to 
 the intended point of their enterprise. 
 A countryman, who had been in the 
 habit of frequently visiting the fort, 
 was made acquainted with their views, 
 crossed the lake by daylight, went care- 
 fully into the fort, and observed in what 
 part of the parade-ground the arras 
 were stacked. Being almost domicil- 
 iated by the frequency of his previous 
 visits, ho lounged away his time until 
 night approached. He then possessed 
 himself of a large bateau owned by the 
 garrison, and recrossed the lake. Allen, 
 having joined the band, embarked, ef- 
 fected a landing about one mile north 
 of the fort, and proceeded across the 
 meadows, shrouded by the night, and 
 made good their daring enterprise, by 
 threatening the sentry, and taking im- 
 mediate possession of the firearms, as 
 pointed out by their avant-courier. 
 
 The battlements of Ticonderega first 
 bore the flag of independence. This 
 circumstance should, of itself, render 
 this ruin, so fine in other associations, 
 interesting to the traveller. 
 
 At each coi'ner was a bastion or a 
 demi-bastion ; and under that in the 
 northeastern one is a subterranean mag- 
 azine. The cellars south of this, which 
 belonged to the demolished buildings, 
 and are almost filled up, have a room or 
 two with fireplaces still distinguishable. 
 
 The Grenadiers' battery is situated 
 on a rocky point toward the east from 
 the main fortress. They wei'e connected 
 by a covered way, the traces of which 
 are distinctly visible. 
 
 On a spot formerly occupied as the 
 king's garden Mr. Pell has a fine gar- 
 den, abounding in the choicest fruits 
 imported from Europe, and transported 
 from the celebrated nurseries of Long 
 
 Island. Mr. Pell has been a very sur 
 cessful propagator of the locust-tre" 
 [rohinia pseudo acacia of Linnaeus), 
 thousands of which are growing on these 
 grounds in the most flourishing manner; 
 here is also the magnolia grandiflora, 
 never before cultivated in so high a lat- 
 itude; the horse-chestnut {castanea cqui- 
 nus) ; and upward of seventy varieties 
 of the gooseberry from Europe, Here, 
 also, we find the beautiful catalpa, and 
 the liriodcndron Udipifera. 
 
 On the neighboring Vermont shore, 
 there are still some slight remains of 
 Burgoyne's intrenchments. 
 
 From Mount Independence the vis- 
 iter enjoys, in fine weather, a delightful 
 view of "the lake and the suj rounding 
 country. On the left is the outlet of 
 Lake George, winding through a dark 
 and narrow valley, and spreading out to 
 embrace an island of the brightest ver- 
 dure ; while more immediately under 
 the eye lies the fortress of Ticonderoga, 
 and the lake, stretching far away to the 
 north. 
 
 Mount Defiance rises on the left, 
 about eight hundred feet high, on the 
 summit of which General Burgoyne's 
 troops showed themselves on the morn- 
 ing of July 4th, 1777, with a battery of 
 heavy cannon, which they had drawn up 
 along the ridge by night, and planted 
 in that commanding position, whence 
 they could count the men in the fort. 
 The distance to the summit in a straight 
 line is about a mile, so that the defence 
 of Ticonderoga Avonld have been im- 
 possible ; and on the firing of a few 
 shots by the British upon a vessel in 
 the lake, which proved the range of 
 their guns, the Americans made prep- 
 arations to evacuate the place, and ef- 
 fected their retreat to the shore bolow 
 durinfj the night. 
 
 The shores are in this part strewed 
 with the fragments of blue limestone- 
 rock with organic remains. 
 
 The immediate shores are generally 
 low all the way to Crown Point, where 
 the lake suddenly turns to the west at a 
 risrht angle, and, at the distance of a 
 mile, as suddenly to the norih again. 
 A low stretch of land covered with a 
 young forest, on the left, conceals the 
 
approach to this ancient fortress, which, 
 for position as well as appearance and 
 history, may be called the twin sister 
 of Ticonderoga. 
 
 Chimney point is on the north side 
 of the lake, opposite Crown Point, to 
 which is a ferry three quarters of a mile 
 The Fortress of Crown Point. — There 
 ai"e several old works thrown up along 
 the shore, with little bays between them. 
 The easternmost one is called the Gren- 
 adiers' battery ; the middle one is the 
 original old French fort of 1731, and 
 now encloses a garden ; and that fur- 
 ther west is an outwork to a bastion of 
 the fortress. The fortress is situated 
 about a quarter of a mile back from the 
 shore, and appears much like Ticonder- 
 oara from a distance, showing- the walls 
 and chimneys of the old barracks, and 
 walls of earth surrounding them. In 
 regard to its plan, however, it is mate- 
 rially different. The fortress of Crown 
 Point was a star work, being in the 
 form of a pentagon, with bastions at the 
 ansfles, and a stroncf redoubt at the dis- 
 tance of two hundred and fifty or three 
 hundred yards in advance of each of 
 them. The fortress is surrounded by a 
 ditch walled in with stone, except where 
 it has been blasted into the solid rock 
 of blue limestone (as is the case in many 
 parts, from five to twenty-five feet), and 
 even into quartz-rock which underlays 
 it. Univalve shells are found in the 
 limestone-rock, frequently four inches in 
 diameter. The walls are about twenty 
 or twenty-five feet high, and there is a 
 convenient path running entirely round 
 upon the top, interrupted only by the 
 gates at the north and south sides. Al- 
 though much shaded by tall sumacs, 
 some fine views are enjoyed in making 
 the circuit, which is not far short of 
 half a mile. 
 
 Opposite the north gate is a small 
 ledge of rocks, and, close by, the remains 
 of a covered way to the lake shore. On 
 entering the fortress, the stranger finds 
 himself in a level, spacious area, bound- 
 ed on the left and in front by long ruin- 
 ous buildings of stone, two stories high, 
 and the first two hundred and twenty 
 feet long, while the ruins of similar 
 ones are seen on two sides on the right. 
 
 This parade is about five hundred feet 
 in length. The place W£,s surprised by 
 Colonel Warner in 1775. 
 
 The view from the walls toward the 
 north is very fine : looking down the 
 lake, which widens at the distance of 
 two or three miles, you have Chimney 
 point on the right, and two other points 
 projecting beyond the distant peak, called 
 Camel's Hump, Ranges of mountains 
 on the western shore, beginning at the 
 distance of eighteen miles, including 
 Bald peak, gradually approach till they 
 form a near and bold boundary to the 
 lake on the left, scattered with cleared 
 farms and houses, and then stretchino- 
 away to the south, terminate in the 
 mountain behind. This elevation, al- 
 though it seems almost as well calcu- 
 lated to command Crown Point as Mount 
 Defiance does Ticonderoga, is not less 
 than four miles distant. 
 
 Everything about this old foi'tress 
 bears the marks of ruin. Two masfa- 
 zmes were blown up ; the timbers in 
 the south barracks are burnt black ; a 
 portion of the shingled roof which re- 
 mains serves to cover a little hay-mow 
 and the nests of robins ; while some of 
 the entrances and other parts are fenced 
 up for a sheepfold. The ground around 
 it is much covered with fragments of 
 blasted rocks, and, particularly at the 
 south, with the ruins of old buildings. 
 The trees which ai'e seen have grown 
 since the evacuation of the place ; and 
 on one of the angles is an inscription 
 of the date of the fortress, 1756, when 
 it was constructed on a greatly-enlarged 
 plan, by General Amherst, at an expense 
 of c£2,000,000 steriing. 
 
 Naval Action on Lake Champlain, in 
 1776. — After the unfortunate termina- 
 tion of the expedition against Quebec, 
 and retreat of the American troops to 
 Crown Point and Ticonderoga, the Brit- 
 ish forces under General Carleton began 
 to collect a formidable flotilla at St. 
 John, for the purpose of making their 
 way over the lake. Some of these ves- 
 sels were constructed at Quebec, or 
 Montreal, in such a manner that they 
 could be taken to pieces, transported 
 over land to the lake, and the parts 
 there united and soon made ready for 
 
^ 
 
 50 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VERMONT. 
 
 service. Active preparations were im- 
 mediately commenced on the part of 
 the Americans to put afloat a sufficient 
 force to meet the enemy, and baffle their 
 movements. General Arnold, who, as 
 is well known, had been a sailor in his 
 youth, was appointed to the command ; 
 and, under his direction, a squadron — 
 consisting of two sloops, three schoon- 
 ers, three galleys, and eight gondolas — 
 was in a short time ready to sail. The 
 sloops carried twelve guns, the schoon- 
 ers from eight to twelve, and the galleys 
 and gondolas from three to twelve each. 
 
 Having received his instructions from 
 General Gates, who had command of the 
 army in that quarter, he sailed down the 
 lake, and, when within a few miles of the 
 Isle-aux-Tetes, discovered it to be occu- 
 pied by the enemy. At Windmill point 
 he moored his vessels across the lake, 
 so as to prevent the enemy from pas- 
 sing. The decks of his vessels being 
 very low, Arnold sent a party of men 
 on shore to cut fascines, for the purpose 
 of erecting around them baiTicades,to 
 prevent their being boarded by superior 
 numbers in small craft. While engaged 
 in this service, they were fired upon by 
 the Indians, and three of their number 
 killed and six wounded. Finding his 
 position too much exposed, he returned 
 eight or ten miles to Isle-la-Motte, and 
 took a more advantageous station. He 
 here received information of the formi- 
 dable fleet fitting out at St. John ; and, 
 deeming it unadvisable to hazard an ac- 
 tion where he would be compelled to 
 engage a superior force under great 
 disadvantage, he withdrew still further 
 back, and anchored the fleet in a line 
 between Valcour island and the western 
 shore of the lake. 
 
 Early in the morning of the 11th of 
 October, the guard boats gave notice that 
 the enemy's fleet was in sight, off" Cum- 
 berland head, moving up the lake. It 
 soon appeared advancing around the 
 southern point of Valcour island, and 
 presented a formidable aspect, there 
 being one ship with three masts, two 
 schooners, aradeau, one gondola, twenty 
 gunboats, four longboats, and forty-four 
 boats with provisions and troops. The 
 armed vessels were manned by several 
 
 hundred chosen seamen. Such an array 
 was enough to convince the Americans 
 that they must rely mainly on their 
 bravery and the advantages of their po- 
 sition. The wind was likewise in their 
 favor, as some of the larger vessels could 
 not beat up sufficiently near to engage 
 in the attack. While the enemy's fleet 
 was coming round the island, Arnold 
 had ordered his three galleys, and a 
 schooner called the Royal Savage, to 
 get under way and advance upon the 
 enemy. On their return to the line, the 
 schooner grounded and was afterward 
 destroyed, but the men were saved. 
 
 At half-past twelve o'clock the action 
 became general and very warm, the 
 British having brought all their gun- 
 boats and one schooner within musket- 
 shot of the American line. They kept 
 up a heavy fire of round and grapeshot, 
 till five o'clock, when they withdrew 
 from the contest, and joined the ship 
 and schooner, which a head wind had 
 prevented from coming into action. 
 
 During the contest, Arnold was on 
 board the Congress galley, which suf- 
 fered severely. It received seven shot 
 between wind and water, was hi.lled 
 twelve times, the mainmast was wound- 
 ed in two places, the rigging cut in 
 pieces, and the proportion of killed and 
 wounded was unusually great. So de- 
 ficient was the fleet in gunners, that 
 Arnold himself pointed almost every 
 gun that was fired from his vessel. The 
 Washington galley was equally shat- 
 tered, the fii'st lieutenant was killed, 
 and the captain and master wounded. 
 All the oflficers of one of the gondolas, 
 except the captain, were lost, and an- 
 other gondola sunk soon after the en- 
 gagement. The whole number of killed 
 and wounded was about sixty. The 
 enemy landed a large body of Indians, 
 who kept up an incessant fire of mus- 
 ketry from the island and the opposite 
 shore, but without effecting much in- 
 jury. 
 
 A consultation was held by the officers 
 as soon as the engagement was over, 
 and they agreed, that, considering the 
 exhausted state of their ammunition, and 
 the great superiority of the enemy's 
 force both in ships and men, prudence 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VERMONT. 
 
 51 
 
 required them to retui'n to Crown Point, 
 and if possible without risking another 
 attack. The British had anchored their 
 vessels in a line within a few hundred 
 yards of the Americans, stretching from 
 the island to the main, apparently to 
 frustrate any such design. The night 
 was dark, but a favoring breeze blew 
 from the north, and before morning 
 Arnold had passed with his whole fleet 
 through the British line entirely undis- 
 covered. This manoeuvre was not less 
 bold in its execution than extraordinary 
 in its success. Arnold himself brought 
 up the rear in his crippled galley, and, 
 before their departure was known to 
 the enemy, they had ascended the lake 
 ten or twelve miles to Schuyler's island. 
 Here they were obliged to cast anchor 
 for half a day, in order to stop the leaks 
 and repair their sails. Two of the gon- 
 dolas were abandoned and sunk. In 
 the afternoon they set sail again ; but 
 the wind had died away in the morning, 
 and it now sprung up from the south, 
 equally retarding the pursuit of the en- 
 emy and their own progress. 
 
 On the morning of the second day 
 the scene was changed. The Congress 
 and Washington galleys, with four gon- 
 dolas, had fallen in the rear, all being 
 too much disabled to sail freely. The 
 advanced ships of the enemy's fleet, in 
 one of which was General Carleton, 
 were found to be gaining upon them, 
 under a press of sail, and in a short 
 time were alongside. After receiving a 
 few broadsides, the Washington struck, 
 having been extremely weakened by 
 the loss of men and injury received in 
 the first engagement. The whole force 
 of the attack now fell upon Arnold in 
 the Congress galley. A ship of eighteen 
 guns, a schooner of fourteen, and another 
 of twelve, poured forth an unceasing fire 
 within musket-shot. The contest was 
 kept up with unparalleled resolution for 
 four hours, when the gf Hey was reduced 
 almost to a wreck, and was surrounded 
 by seven sail of the enemy. In this 
 situation, Arnold ran the galley and the 
 four gondolas into a small creek, on the 
 east side of the lake, about ten miles 
 from Crown Point ; and as soon as they 
 were aground and wei'e set on fire, he 
 
 ordered the marines to leap into the 
 water armed with muskets, wade to the 
 beach, and station themselves in such a 
 manner on the bank as to prevent the 
 approach of the enemy's small boats. 
 He was the last man that remained on 
 board, nor did he leave his galley till 
 the fire had made such progress that it I 
 could not be extinguished. The flags 
 were kept flying, and he maintained his 
 attitude of defence on the shore till lie 
 saw them consumed, and the whole of 
 his flotilla enveloped in flames. There 
 are few instances on record of more 
 deliberate courage and gallantry than 
 were displayed by him, from the begin- 
 ning to the end of this action. 
 
 Being no longer in a condition to op- 
 pose the enemy, he proceeded imme- 
 diately through the woods with his men 
 to Crown Point, and fortunately escaped 
 an attack from the Indians, who waylaid 
 the path two hours after he had passed. 
 The same night he ari'ived at Ticon- 
 deroga. All his clothes, papers, and 
 baggage, had been burned in the Royal 
 Savage at Valcour island. He found 
 at Ticonderoga the remnant of his fleet, 
 being two schooners, two galleys, one 
 sloop, and one gondola. General Water- 
 bury, who commanded the Washington 
 galley, and one hundred and ten prison- 
 ers, were returned on parole by General 
 Carleton the day after the last action. 
 The whole American loss in killed and 
 wounded was between eighty and ninety. 
 The enemy reported theirs to be about 
 forty. 
 
 Notwithstanding the signal failure of 
 this enterprise, the valor and good con- 
 duct of the commander and his officers 
 were themes of applause throughout 
 the country, 
 
 Rutland. — This is the capital of 
 Rutland county, and is fifty miles south- 
 west of Montpelier, sixty south of Bur- 
 lington, and fifty-two northeast of Ben- 
 nington, The first settlement was made 
 in this township about the year 1770 ; 
 and in the revolutionary war two small 
 picket forts were built, one near the 
 present courthouse in the east village. 
 Otter creek flows through the township 
 from south to north, and it receives two 
 of its tributaries here, West river and 
 
52 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VERMONT. 
 
 East creek, on which are several manu- 
 factories. Iron, limestone, and clay, are 
 found in different places, the rocks being 
 partly primitive, and partly secondary. 
 Quarries of blue and black marble are 
 wrought in the limestone range which 
 passes from Berkshire county, Massa- 
 chusetts, through a great part of Ver- 
 mont. The principal village is in the 
 eastern part, and contains several public 
 buildings, particularly a courthouse. 
 
 Burlington. — This town, the capital 
 of Chittenden county, and the chief 
 ])lace of trade in the state, enjoys a fine 
 situation on an excellent harbor of Lake 
 Champlain, from the level of which it 
 rises, up a bold and considerable emi- 
 nence, making a beautiful display toward 
 the water. The streets present a pleas- 
 ant aspect, containing many neat and 
 elegant residences, with fine gai'dens, 
 abounding with flowers and fruits in 
 their season. The inhabitants are dis- 
 tinguished by intelligence, taste, and 
 enterprise, and are extensively engaged 
 in trade, manufactures, and navigation, 
 which is carried on both in steamboats, 
 schooners, and vessels adapted to pass 
 through the Champlain canal to Albany. 
 
 The county buildings, academy, bank, 
 and various churches, are the principal 
 public buildings in the town ; while the 
 edifices of the Vermont university crown 
 the summit (jf the eminence. Pop. 5,500. 
 
 A manufaclurincj village, of consider- 
 able size, lies one mile and a half north- 
 east from the town, on the bank of 
 Onion river, about five miles from its 
 mouth. 
 
 The settlement of Burlington, which 
 was commenced a little before- the rev- 
 olution, was interrupted and delayed by 
 the war, since which, and especially 
 since the opening of the Champlain ca- 
 nal and the establishment of steam nav- 
 igation on the lake, its increase has been 
 rapid. Limestone and iron ore are ob- 
 tained in the vicinity, but the soil is gen- 
 erally poor, excepting a rich alluvial 
 tract of land below the falls of Onion 
 river. Southwest of the t(»\vn hard tim- 
 ber abounds, and pine prevails in a 
 region lying on the northeast. Among 
 the branches of manufacture is that of 
 arlass. 
 
 The University of Vermont. — This 
 institution, situated at Burlington, was 
 incorporated in the year 1791, but did 
 not go into operation until 1800. The 
 thi'ee college buildings are situated on 
 a fine elevation about a mile from the 
 lake, east of the town, commanding a 
 very extensive and agreeable view of 
 both, two hundred and forty-five feet 
 above the water. The first edifice, which 
 was built in 1801, was destroyed by fire 
 in 1824. Two of the present buildings 
 are devoted to the accommodation of 
 students, and the third is used as the 
 chapel and for other public purposes. 
 
 The institution is endowed with lands 
 reserved in all the townships, except 
 those granted by New Hampshire, the 
 income of which is increasing, and must 
 hereafter become very large. Money 
 has been furnished by the legislature 
 and by liberal subscriptions. 
 
 The corporation consists of seventeen 
 members, including the governor, the 
 speaker of the house of i^epresentatives, 
 and the president of the university. 
 
 Rev. Daniel C. Sanders was appointed 
 president in 1800, Rev. Samuel Austin 
 in 1816, Rev. Daniel Haskell in 1821, 
 Rev. Willard Preston in 1824, Rev. Jas. 
 Marsh in 1826. 
 
 Commencement is held on the first 
 Wednesday in August, and the vaca- 
 tions, one four weeks from that time, 
 and the other eight weeks from the first 
 Wednesday in Jaimary. The annual 
 expense for room, rent, and tuition, is 
 twenty- five dollars. 
 
 The Medical Department of the insti- 
 tution affords lectures during fourteen 
 weeks from the first Monday after com- 
 mencent, the fees fi)r which are twenty- 
 five dollars, contingent bill three dollars, 
 and graduation fee fifteen dollars. 
 
 MoNTPELiER, the capital of Vermont 
 and seat of justice of Washington county, 
 is thirty-six miles southeast of Burling- 
 ton, one hundred and forty northwest of 
 Boston, five hundred and twenty-four 
 north by east of Washington, and one 
 hundred and twenty southeast of Mon- 
 treal. It stands at the confluence of the 
 two branches of Onion river, and ha^ a 
 remarkably wild and romantic situation, 
 in the midst of hish and rustred hills. 
 
miM 
 
54 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VERMONT. 
 
 It contains the statehouse, a courthouse, 
 the jail, academy, bank, several churches, 
 and a variety of manufactories. 
 
 The Statehouse is in a fine situation, 
 fronting or. State street, from w^hich it 
 is distant three hundred and twenty-five 
 feet. A spacious gateway opens into 
 an ample courtyard, across which leads 
 a pathway of pounded granite, seventy- 
 two feet wide, to three successive ter- 
 races, the ascent to which, by a few 
 steps, gradually surmounts the elevation 
 of thirty-two feet above the street. The 
 main building has a front of seventy-two 
 feet, with two wings thirty-nine feet 
 each ; making an entire front of one 
 hundred and fifty feet. The main build- 
 ing, including the portico, is one hun- 
 dred feet deep, and the wings fifty. Six 
 granite Doric columns, thirty-six feet 
 high, and six feet in diameter at the base, 
 support the portico. The walls of gran- 
 ite, from Barre, nine miles distant, are 
 well cut ; the roof and dome are cov- 
 ered with copper. The entrance hall 
 is thirty-two by thirty-eight feet, four- 
 teen feet high, with six Ionic granite 
 columns. 
 
 The representatives' hall is sixty-sev- 
 en feet by fifty-seven, and thirty-one feet 
 high. The senate-chamber is oval, forty- 
 four feet by thirty, and twenty-two feet 
 hiffh. The governor's room and other 
 apartments are commodious and in good 
 taste. 
 
 The expense of the whole, including 
 the iron railing around the yard, was 
 $132,000, of which the citizens contrib- 
 uted $15,000. Pop. 4,500. 
 
 Windsor, of which we have spoken 
 before, is one of the most important 
 towns in the state, as well as one of the 
 most beautiful, both in appearance and 
 situation. It occupies a fine piece of 
 ground, which rises, by two graceful 
 swells, from the western bank of Con- 
 Tiecticut river, shut in on all sides by su- 
 perior eminences, especially on the New 
 Hampshire side, where the shore is 
 steep and mountainous, and on the west, 
 where the noble Ascutney, or the Two 
 Brothers, 3,320 feet higher than the 
 ocean, forms the background of the pic- 
 ture. Though about four miles distant, 
 its sides and peak appear near at hand, 
 
 and add a feature to the scenery which 
 few landscapes can boast. 
 
 Windsor is fifty-five miles south of 
 Montpelier, fifty-five northeast of Bur- 
 lington, ninety-five northwest of Boston, 
 and four hundred and twenty nearly 
 north of Washington. The surface of 
 the township, though hilly, is rich and 
 well cultivated. The first settlement 
 was made here in 1764. The principal 
 street is crooked, but adorned with sev- 
 eral handsome public and private build- 
 ings, the stateprison in the south part ; 
 and a bridge crosses the Connecticut. 
 
 Bennington. — This is a frontier town, 
 on the borders of New York, with a 
 hilly surface, rich in iron mines, which 
 supply considerable furnaces and forges. 
 The village stands upon a conspicuous 
 eminence, and contains a court and an 
 academy. The place derives its name 
 from Governor Benning Wentworth, 
 from whom it received its charter in 
 1749. The settlement was commenced 
 in 1761, by separatists, under Samuel 
 Robinson. They were the first of the 
 inhabitants who resisted the authorities 
 of New Yoi'k, and drove them from the 
 soil, denying her jurisdiction. 
 
 A range of limestone crosses Ben- 
 nington county, which has been worked 
 for some years, and yields good marble 
 of several different colors and qualities. 
 Some lead is also found. 
 
 The Battle of Bennington was an ac- 
 tion of considerable importance, though 
 fought by a detachment of the British 
 army on the one side, and the militia of 
 Vermont and the neighboring counties 
 of Massachusetts on the other. It was 
 brought about in consequence of Gen- 
 eral Burgoyne's despatching a strong 
 body of Hessians, under Colonel Baum, 
 to seize a large supply of American pro- 
 visions collected at Bennington. Bur- 
 goyne was at that time — viz., in the 
 summer of 1777— preparing to move 
 down the Hudson for Albany, and was 
 occupied, from July 28 to August 15, in 
 transporting bateaux, provisions, artil- 
 lery, and baggage, from Whitehall (then 
 called Skeenesbourgh) and Fort George 
 to the Hudson. Many obstacles were 
 in his way. General Schuyler, while on 
 his retreat from Ticonderoga, having 
 
tlirown trees into Wood creek, and left 
 much to be done in cleai'ing the chan- 
 nel of that stream, and in constructing 
 a log road across the sandy region, for 
 the ti-ausportation of the British artil- 
 lery ; while the European troops showed 
 great want of skill in operations so for- 
 eign to their habits. 
 
 Colonel Baum set off for Bennington 
 with five hundred regular troops, a num- 
 ber of Canadians, above one hundred 
 Indians, and a few tories ; while Lieu- 
 tenant Colonel Bz'ayman took post at 
 Battenkill, with his Brunswick grena- 
 diers, light infantry, and chasseurs, to 
 suppoit him if necessary. 
 
 General Stark first received informa- 
 tion of the enemy's approach on the 
 13th of August ; but at first was aware 
 only of the small body of Indians, and 
 sent an equal number of Americans to 
 meet them, under the command of 
 Colonel Greg. Near night, however, 
 he was apprized that the force was 
 large, when he called out his whole 
 brigade, and sent an express to Man- 
 chester to inform Colonel Warner of 
 the danger, while he ordered the news 
 to be spread in all directions. The 
 next morning he marched, and soon met 
 his advance on their retreat, pursued 
 by the enemy, then only a mile in the 
 rear. The Americans were immediately 
 drawn up for battle ; on seeing which, 
 the enemy halted at a commanding po- 
 sition, but made no demonstration of a 
 further advance, thinking it prudent to 
 send back for a I'einforcement. Eager 
 for the contest, the American sharp- 
 shooters pressed the enemy with skir- 
 mishes, and succeeded in killing and 
 wounding about thirty, including two 
 Indian chiefs, without suffering any loss 
 themselves. 
 
 To secui'e a better position, General 
 Stark retired to more favorable ground, 
 about a mile in his rear ; and the fol- 
 lowing day, which was stoi'my, was 
 spent in skirmishing. The battle be- 
 gan the following afternoon. Colonel 
 Symonds having arrived with some 
 militia from Berkshire county, Mass. 
 The enemy had by this time fortified 
 themselves on a branch of Hoosick river, 
 and were attacked according to a plan 
 
 adopted by a council of war, which was 
 designed to take them in the rear of 
 both flanks, while an advance was made 
 on their front to occupy their attention. 
 Colonel Nichols, with two hundred men, 
 marched for their left — Colonel Herrick, 
 with three hundred, for their right ; 
 while one hundred men marched toward 
 the centre of their line, and two hun- 
 dred more, under Colonels Hubbard 
 and Stickney, marched against the right. 
 The first two detachments were to unite 
 in the enemy's rear, and then fall upon 
 them togethei-. The Indians fled at the 
 onset, but the rest of the enemy's troops 
 stood their ground for two hours, when, 
 after an unsuccessful attempt by the Ger- 
 man dragoons to cut their way thi'ough 
 with their swords, all their works were 
 carried, and the whole body, with but 
 few exceptions, were either killed or 
 taken prisoners. Baum received a mor- 
 tal wound. 
 
 The victory was so complete, that the 
 Americans, supposing all was over, be- 
 gan to disperse, when General Stark 
 was apprized of a!iother large force ap- 
 proaching in front. Happily, Colonel 
 Warner arrived at the moment with a 
 reinfoixement of Vermont regulars, who, 
 without loss of time, pressed on to en- 
 counter the enemy ; General Stark soon 
 followed, with all the militia he could 
 muster; and an obstinate engagement 
 ensued, which terminated at sunset, by 
 the rout and pursuit of the invaders. 
 The appi'oach of darkness alone saved 
 the greater part of the fugitives, who 
 left behind two cannon and many wound- 
 ed and prisoners. 
 
 The whole amount of the enemy's 
 loss in these actions was two hundred 
 and seven killed, an unknown number 
 wounded, and about seven hundred pris- 
 oners ; four brass fieldpieces, twelve base- 
 drums, two hundred and fifty dragoon 
 swords, and four ammunition wagons. 
 The American loss was only thirty killed 
 and forty wounded. 
 
 The principal advantage secured by 
 this victory, however, was in the cour- 
 age with which it inspired the army and 
 the people, who had been exceedingly 
 depressed by the evacuation of the for- 
 tress of Ticonderoga, and the undis- I 
 
 i: J 
 
56 
 
 1\ 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VERMONT. 
 
 puted progress of Burgoyne onward 
 toward Albany. The resistance which 
 he met with, a few days after, at Bemis's 
 heights, on the west bank of the Hud- 
 son, is supposed to have been rendered 
 more spirited and successful by this 
 great advantage, gained by the Vermont 
 regulars and irregular troops, assisted 
 by their bold and hardy neighbors. 
 
 The supreme court has five judges, 
 annual ly chosen by the legislature. The 
 county courts, likewise, have the same 
 number, two being chosen by the legis- 
 lature every year in each county, the 
 third and chief being one of the su- 
 preme judges on the circuit. The coun- 
 ty courts are held twice a year. The 
 justices of the peace, also, are appoint- 
 ed by the legislature. 
 
 The first newspaper in Vermont was 
 the *' Vermont Gazette, or Green Moun- 
 tain Newsboy," published at Westmin- 
 ster in 1781 by Judah Paddock Spooner 
 and Timothy Green. Two years after, 
 their press was removed to Windsor. 
 In 1810, the number of newspapers in 
 the state was ten ; in 1828, twenty-one ; 
 and in 1834, twenty-six. 
 
 T/ie Battle of Piatt shurgh. — This was 
 one of the most decisive and important 
 engagements in the war of 1812 ; and 
 like several others which we have no- 
 ticed, although not fought on the soil of 
 Vermont, was one in which many of the 
 people of this state were engaged, and 
 in the results of which multitudes of 
 them were personally and most deeply 
 interested. Having given the particu- 
 lars of the naval battle of the same date 
 in our description of New York, and 
 not having had space for the following 
 account of the battle on land, we may 
 with propriety introduce it in this place. 
 
 Three points of our extensive country 
 appeared to the English to be fatally 
 vulnerable. First, the outlet of the Mis- 
 sissippi, against which Pakenham was 
 to lead an army of veterans ; second, 
 Washington — the seat of government — 
 where in August, 1814, General Ross, 
 at the head of his victorious legions, 
 spread fire and sword; and lastly. Lake 
 Champlain — the great highway of in- 
 vasion to the most densely-popolated 
 portion of the Union — where Sir George 
 
 Provost, renowned for skill and valor on 
 many a battle-field, was to lead the 
 largest division of the formidable troops 
 of Wellington. 
 
 On the 4th September, 14,000 troops, 
 with their splendid uniform, and fault- 
 less discipline, and admirable bands, 
 and waving banners, and formidable 
 trains of artillei'y, having crossed the 
 lines and marshalled at Champlain, took 
 up their line of march for Plattsburgh. 
 There was one regiment of these veter- 
 ans, in which there was scarcely a man 
 who did not bear a wound, and their 
 disfigured faces, and ferocious and de- 
 termined aspect, reminded one of the 
 hundred desperate charges of the san- 
 guinary conflicts of the peninsular war. 
 
 At Plattsburgh about one thousand 
 regular soldiers under the command of 
 General M'Comb, and some seven hun- 
 dred militia under General Moore, were 
 prepared to oppose the enemy. The 
 nation, saddened and oppressed by the 
 then recent sackinsr of VVashinsfton, and 
 aware of the tremendous force of her 
 formidable foe, looked with deep anx- 
 iety and alarm to the issue of the con- 
 test at this important point. 
 
 On Monday, September 5, 1814, the 
 British army having advanced to Chazy 
 and found the state-road guarded by 
 Colonel Appling's rifle corps intrenched 
 at Dead creek, aided by a troop of horse 
 commanded by Captain Safford and 
 Lieutenant Standish, they crossed to the 
 Beekmantown road, and encamped du- 
 ring the night three or four miles north 
 of the Burdick house at Beekmantown. 
 The militia commanded by Genersil 
 Moore, and composed of Colon si Miller's 
 regiment, a part of Colonel Joiner's regi- 
 ment. Major Sanford's battalion, and ciie 
 thirty-seventh regiment, from Essex, 
 spent the night at Beekmantown. Ba 
 tween 9 and 10 o'clock at night. Gen 
 eral Moore sent Major R. H. Walwoitii 
 to the quarters of General M'Comb, 
 who commanded at the forts, with a 
 request that he would send a small body 
 of infantry and a couple of pieces of 
 light artillery, to support the militia in 
 the attack which he intended to make 
 on the British forces on their advance 
 in the morning. Major Walworth ar- 
 
lived at General M'Comb's quarters 
 about midnight, and the general imme- 
 diately ordered a detachment of two 
 Imndred and fifty infantry under Major 
 John E. Wool, who had previously and 
 urgently requested such a command, and 
 two pieces of light artillery under Cap- 
 tain Luther Leonard, to be ready by 
 daylight to start for Beekmantown. 
 
 Major Walworth took a party of vol- 
 unteers from Captain Atwood's company 
 and those of Captains Cochran and 
 Manley, marched rapidly on the bridge, 
 and had just commenced taking off the 
 plank, when the advanced guard of the 
 enemy emerged from the woods within 
 half musket-shot, and fired upon the 
 party taking up the bridge, two of whom, 
 belonging to Atwood's company, were 
 severely wounded and taken prisoners. 
 
 Major Walworth and his detachment 
 immediately fell back to the position 
 occupied by Major Wool, who, forming 
 in the highway and flanked by the militia, 
 opened a deadly fire upon the head of 
 the British column, then just in front of 
 Ira Howe's house, and momentarily ar- 
 rested its progress. Hei'e several of 
 the enemy were killed, and Lieutenant 
 West, of the Buffs, and twenty privates, 
 severely wounded. Very soon the mi- 
 litia broke and mostly retreated in con- 
 fusion. Many, however, remained with 
 the regulars to contest the ground, inch 
 by inch, and retreat in order. 
 
 Meanwhile, General INIoore, with the 
 aid of other officers, had succeeded in 
 rallying a portion of the militia, which, 
 being ordered to join Major Wool with 
 his detachment, awaited the approach 
 of the enemy at Culver's hill, about 
 four miles from Plattsburgh. This com- 
 manding position was maintained with 
 so much obstinacy as to compel the 
 enemy, after attaining the summit of 
 the hill, to retire to its base with the 
 loss of Lieutenant-Colonel Wellington, 
 who fell while gallantly leading the 
 Third Buffs to the charge. Here, also, 
 Ensign Chapman fell, and Captain West- 
 roff, of the thirty-eighth British regi- 
 ment, was severely wounded ; and here 
 several of Major Wool's men, and Pat- 
 ridge of the Essex militia, were killed. 
 Nor was this position abandoned by 
 
 Major Wool, until after he had received 
 notice from General Moore that a col- 
 umn of 2,000 of the enemy, advancing 
 on the west Beekmantown road, was 
 gaining on his rear ; when the Vermont 
 troops fell back within two miles of 
 Plattsburg. Here Captain Leonard, 
 with two pieces of light artillery, des- 
 patched by General M'Comb, arrived to 
 take part in the action ; and the fire of 
 the artillery, the regular infantry, and 
 a portion of the militia, literally mowed 
 down the enemy's advancing column. 
 
 In front of an overwhelming force, 
 platoon after platoon delivered their fire, 
 and fell back to load and form, in reg- 
 ular succession, contesting every inch 
 of ground, and seizing every favorable 
 point to unlimber their artillery and 
 pour a deadly shower of grape upon the 
 advancing enemy. After repeated con- 
 tests they were driven across the river, 
 the bridges were taken up in the retreat, 
 a final stand was made on the southern 
 bank of the Saraiiac, and the enemy 
 driven back beyond the reach of our 
 guns. Forty-five of our men were killed 
 in the retreat ; the British had one lieu- 
 tenant-colonel, two captains, four lieu- 
 tenants, and more than two hundred 
 men, killed or wounded. Next morn- 
 ing the British, in attempting to cross 
 the river a few miles west of the village, 
 were repulsed by Capt. Vaughan. The 
 enemy were occupied, the four succeed- 
 ing days, in erecting batteries to play 
 upon the forts, during which there were 
 frequent skirmishes along the river ; the 
 gallant Green mountain boys, under the 
 patriotic General Strong, were wafted to 
 our aid by every eastern breeze, swelling 
 our force to upward of three thousand. 
 On the evening of the 9th, one hundred 
 and fifty of our men crossed the Saranac, 
 stormed and took, at the point of the 
 bayonet, a battery defended by four hun- 
 dred of the enemy, spiked the guns, and 
 made good their retreat, without the 
 loss of a single man. The battle of 
 Beekmantown, the spirited resistance to 
 the enemy's advance, and the burning of 
 the courthouse, &c., north of the river by 
 the hot shot from our batteries, prevent- 
 ed an immediate attack upon the forts, to 
 resist which would have been fruitless. 
 
nilillh::! 
 
Landing of the Pilgrims. 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 This state, occupying a leading 
 position among the six eastern 
 members of the Union, in extent, 
 commerce, manufactures, wealth, 
 and population, borders on Maine, 
 New Hampshire, and Vermont, on 
 the north, and Rhode Island and 
 Connecticut on the south; while 
 It is bounded on the east by the 
 Atlantic, and on the west by Nev/ 
 York. With the exception of the 
 seacoast, the boundaries of Massa- 
 chusetts are almost entirely art- 
 ificial; and, when we cast our eyes 
 over the map, we can discover 
 none of those natural advantages which distinguish most other countries re- 
 markable for prosperity. Massachusetts is a portion of the western continent 
 containing no mines of gold, no long navigable rivers, no broad and fertile 
 plains, not even an accessible supply of timber ; and a person unacquainted with 
 the true source of her power and wealth would be at a loss in seeking for it. 
 " A land of hills, and valleys, and fountains of water," as the early explorers 
 represented her, in their favorite sci'ipture language, they had little else to say 
 in praise of the natural features of the country. The coast presents a line of 
 inhospitable rocks and reaches of sterile sand, and the approach is rendered 
 difficult and dangerous by a bi-oad tract of shoals, through which a ship can find 
 its way only by pursuing narrow and intricate channels, by careful sounding. 
 
 Harbors. — Massachusetts is distinguished by the number and excellence of 
 her harbors, which will very naturally secure to her a large part of the entire 
 commerce of New England, with the exception of Maine, Rhode Island, and 
 Connecticut. 
 
 L 
 
60 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 Shoals. — Nantucket shoals line the 
 coast for fifty miles, and are forty-five 
 miles in breadth. They are very dan- 
 gerous, being cut through by numerous 
 channels of different depths, discover- 
 able only by sounding. 
 
 Islands. — Several islands of consid- 
 erable size belong to this state, so situ- 
 ated, and so well piovided with head- 
 lands for lighthouses, and with harbors 
 for shelter in storms, as to be of impor- 
 tant service to the extensive coasting 
 and foreign trade — e.specially^such as 
 are in the vicinity of the shoals. 
 
 Nantucket Island is fifteen miles by 
 eleven, and forms, wiih five smaller 
 islands, a county of the same name. 
 It contains nearly thirty thousand acres. 
 Its inhabitants have long been prover- 
 bial for their skill in whalefishing, which 
 was formerly carried on in boats in sight 
 of the shore. They are equally distin- 
 guished by their skill and boldness as 
 pilots, many of them spending a consid- 
 erable part of their lives in sailing about 
 the shoals to pilot ships. The island is 
 thirty miles south of the mainland, sixty 
 southeast of New Bedfoi'd, and one hun- 
 dred south-southeast of Boston. Lat- 
 itude 41° 15' 22", longitude 70^ T 56". 
 
 Martha's Vineyard is twenty miles 
 long and from two to five miles broad 
 and lies west of Nantucket. Duke's 
 county is formed of this island and sev- 
 eral small ones in its vicinity. 
 
 The first settlements were made at 
 Plymouth by the passengers in the May- 
 Flower, the first band of English dis- 
 senters, called puritans, who arrived in 
 America. They reached Cape Cod on 
 the 22d of December, 1620, and, after a 
 few days, fixed on Plymouth for their 
 residence, which received its name from 
 the last port in England from which 
 they had sailed. The important conse- 
 quences which resulted from the arrival 
 of this little band of exiles have invested 
 it with peculiar interest ; and the event 
 and its concomitants have been com- 
 memorated in numerous writings. 
 
 The puritans received this title in 
 derision. They had long been the chief 
 advocates of principles which have since 
 become extensively adopted in this coun- 
 try and elsewhere, particularly civil and 
 
 religious freedom, and the universal dif- 
 fusion of learning. Numbers of them 
 had taken refuge in Holland from the 
 persecution they were exposed to in 
 their native land, from the laws which 
 then forbade them to worship God in 
 their chosen manner. But, although 
 treated with kindness by the Dutch i rot- 
 estants, they at length determined to 
 seek a country in which they might 
 rear their children, without exposing 
 them to evil influences or to the loss of 
 their native language. A band of them 
 at length proceeded to England, accom- 
 panied by their pastor, the Rev. Mr. 
 Robinson, where, arrangements having 
 been made, after some delay they sailed 
 for America. The part of the coast on 
 which they were landed was faither 
 north than they had intended to reach ; 
 but this was probably, in the end, more 
 favorable for their success. The In- 
 dians had been almost all destroyed by 
 a fatal disease, so that they found but 
 little opposition among the natives for 
 some years. 
 
 The Plymouth colony was followed 
 by several others. Salem was planted 
 in 1628, and Boston in 1630. Most of 
 the settlers being of the same class, a 
 uniform system of laws and habits was 
 established, which was gradually ex- 
 tended, and most of the peculiarities of 
 New England still retain the same char- 
 acter. 
 
 These first colonies were the sources 
 or the channels from which the settle- 
 tlements on the Connecticut, and many 
 of those in New Hampshire and Ver- 
 mont, derived their impulse and their 
 population, and there we find a general 
 identity of sentiment and society. 
 
 The first period in the history of Mas- 
 sachusetts is that between the first set- 
 tlement and the PequOd war, in 1636, 
 when Rhode Island and Connecticut 
 river had been occupied and exposed to 
 powerful tribes of savages, against whom 
 Massachusetts afforded them aid. Then 
 commenced that active system of mutual 
 support, which often secured the safety 
 of the eastern colonies, and gradually 
 extended to all the colonies from Eng- 
 land, and resulted in forming the United 
 States. 
 
62 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 The second period extends to Philip's 
 war, in 1675, when Massachusetts had 
 several towns on Connecticut river, and 
 had an extensive region to protect at 
 home from a powerful savage combina- 
 tion. The third period may be limited 
 by the close of the last French war, in 
 1759, when the capture of Canada by 
 the Bi'itish put an end to the long and 
 disastrous hostilities of France upon the 
 frontiers of the colonies. The fourth 
 period extends to the close of the rev- 
 olution, and the fifth to the present day. 
 
 Early Missions among the Indians. — 
 Rev. John Eliot began to preach to the 
 Indians near Boston in 1646. In 1650 
 the English " society for the propaga- 
 tion of the gospel in foreign parts," 
 opened a coi'respondence with the com- 
 missioners of the United colonies, and 
 appointed them their agents. Eliot 
 (the apostle to the Indians, as he is often 
 called) had, ere this, been so far suc- 
 cessful in his exertions as to feel encour- 
 agement, and to inspire the benevolent 
 with hope. He continued his labors 
 sevei'al years without reward or expec- 
 tation of payment ; but afterward re- 
 ceiving contributions from gentlemen in 
 England, he was enabled to extend his 
 operations, and to educate his sons at 
 college, the eldest of whom afterward 
 preached to the natives. By his exam- 
 ple several other clergymen in the coun- 
 try were encouraged to adopt similar 
 measures. Mr. Bourne and Mr. Cotton 
 acquired the Indian language to qualify 
 them for the task, and preached at Mar- 
 tha's Vineyard, &c. ; Mr. Mayhew and 
 his son preached at that island and at 
 Nantucket ; while Messrs. Pierson and 
 Fitch followed their example in Con- 
 necticut. 
 
 Eliot published his Indian translation 
 of tho New Testament in 1661, and the 
 whole Bible soon after. The printing 
 was done at the expense of the society 
 for the propagation of the gospel. He 
 prepared also translations of Baxtei''s 
 Call, psalms, hymns, &;c., and composed 
 several works for use in the schools 
 which he established in the Indian vil- 
 lages. Some of the youth were sent to 
 learn Latin and Greek. Several Indian 
 towns were constituted by Massachu- 
 
 setts, and courts established in them, 
 each with one English judge, while other 
 officers were all chosen by the natives. 
 
 The first Indian church was formed 
 in 1670, at Natick; the second at Pak- 
 emit, now Stoughton, whose first native 
 teacher was named Ahawton. The other 
 Christian or praying towns in the Indian 
 country were the following : Okomma- 
 kummessit, now Marlborough ; Wam- 
 esit, now Tewksbury ; Nashobah, now 
 Littleton ; Mungunkook, now Hopkin- 
 ton ; and there were others in Oxford, 
 Dudley, Worcester, and Uxbridge, and 
 three in AVoodstock. 
 
 The gospel was thus early made known 
 to the Indians ; many of them received 
 it, and it immediately began to produce 
 its natural effects, by introducing civil- 
 ization with many of its advantages. 
 The people became fixed in their hab- 
 its and residences, attended to agricul- 
 ture, began to acquire learning, erected 
 more substantial habitations, and pur- 
 sued the arts. 
 
 In Plymouth colony the success of 
 the early efforts of missionaries among 
 the natives was still more remarkable. 
 About five hundred Indians on Cape Cod, 
 under the care of the Rev. Mr. Bourne, 
 made rapid improvement. About two 
 hundred soon learned to read, and more 
 than seventy to write, and thei'e was a 
 church with twenty-seven communi- 
 cants, with the Mayhews, at Martha's 
 Vineyard. 
 
 Printing. — The Rev. Jesse Glover, 
 an English dissenting clergymen, has 
 been called the father of the American 
 press. He embarked for New England 
 in 1638, with his family, and a printing- 
 press which he had purchased with 
 money contributed by himself and his 
 friends, accompanied by a printer, Ste- 
 phen Daye, whom he had hired. Mr. 
 Glover died on the passage; but the 
 magistrates and elders of Massachusetts 
 encouraged Daye to put the press in 
 operation at Cambi'idge, where the 
 new-comers took up their residences. 
 In January, 1639, he piinted the Free- 
 man's Oath, an almanac, and the Psalms 
 in metre. His first successor, Samuel 
 Green, began to print in 1649, and died 
 in 1702. He had nineteen children, 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 63 
 
 and many of his descendants have been 
 printers. 
 
 Government, — The legislative power 
 is vested in a senate and house of repre- 
 sentatives, which together are styled the 
 General Court of Massachusetts. 
 
 The senate consists of forty members, 
 who are chosen annually by the people, 
 by districts, according to population. 
 
 The house of representatives consists 
 of members chosen annually by the cities 
 and towns, according to population, ev- 
 ery town having 300 ratable polls elect- 
 ing a representative, and for every 450 
 more, one additional representative. Any 
 town having less than 300 polls, to be 
 represented as many years within ten 
 years, as 300 is contained in the product 
 of the number of polls in said town, 
 multiplied by ten. 
 
 The governor is elected annually by 
 the people, and at the same time a lieu- 
 tenant-governor is chosen. 
 
 The governor is assisted in the execu- 
 tive department, particularly in appoint- 
 ments to office, by a council of nine 
 members, who are chosen by the joint 
 ballot of the senators and lepresenta- 
 tives, from the people. 
 
 The judiciary is vested in a supreme 
 court, a court of common pleas, and such 
 other courts as the legislature may es- 
 tablish. The judges are appointed by 
 the governor, by and with the advice 
 and consent of the council, and hold their 
 offices during good behavior. 
 
 The right of suffi'age is granted to ev- 
 ery male citizen twenty-one years of age 
 and upward (excepting paupers and per- 
 sons under guardianship), who has resi- 
 ded within the commonwealth one year, 
 and within the town or district in which 
 he may claim a right to vote, six months 
 preceding any election, and who has 
 paid a state or county tax. 
 
 Railroads. — There are completed and 
 in full operation wit.iin the borders of 
 the state of Massachusetts more than 
 twelve hundred miles of railroads. Dur- 
 ing the year 1850, nearly ten millions 
 of passengers passed over these roads 
 which also transported two and a half 
 millions of tons of freights. — But these 
 many lines of railroad have more than 
 an interior benefit for the state. In 
 
 conjunction with other railroads beyond 
 the state limits and steam navigation, 
 the city of Boston is connected with 
 thirteen states of the Union, thus intro- 
 ducing the metropolis of the state to a 
 commercial sphere of the utmost im- 
 portance. The people of Massachusetts 
 have shown a remarkable foresight, en- 
 ergy, and perseverance, in the pi'ojection 
 and construction of roads within their 
 own, and in the subsci"iption to the stock 
 of others, in contiguous states, the ulti- 
 mate benefit of which can scarcely be 
 over-estimated. The money thus ap- 
 propriated amounts, in the aggregate, to 
 over fifty millions of dollars. 
 
 Education. — Common schools were 
 established by law very soon after the 
 foundation of the colony of Massachu- 
 setts Bay ; and parents, guardians, &c., 
 were required to have their children 
 and wards instructed. Every larger 
 village and town was to have a gram- 
 mar-school. Education, at least in the 
 rudiments of learning, has always been 
 universal in this state ; and the influence 
 of Massachusetts in extending and sus- 
 taining institutions of learning in other 
 parts of the country has been great, and 
 not less creditable to her citizens than 
 beneficial to their fellow-citizens of the 
 Union, In the recent impi-ovements in 
 common schools, and some other means 
 of diffusing knowledge, she has been 
 one of the most efficient states ; and 
 many of the measures appi'oved and 
 practised by the intelligent friends of 
 learning have been devised or brought 
 into use, or most early or eflectually 
 put into practice, within her boundaries. 
 Vet Massachusetts, until 1835, has never 
 had a school fund, and her common 
 schools were wholly supported by the 
 people, A fund was then provided for, 
 limited to one million of dollars. 
 
 Every town or district containing fifty 
 families is required to have a school 
 kept at least six months in the year; or, 
 if several schools exist, they shall be 
 kept long enough to equal one school 
 for six months. For those crntaining 
 one hundred families the requisition is 
 doubled ; and for those containing one 
 hundred and fifty families, eighteen 
 months are required. 
 
64 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSyVCHUSETTS. 
 
 Massachusetts is therefore justly enti- 
 tled to a large share of the credit of hav- 
 ing given an impulse to the cause of pop- 
 ular EDUCATION. The early settlers of 
 that section uf our country w^ere fully 
 sensible of the defects of the English in- 
 stitutions which they had forsaken. That 
 the schools of learning and religion were 
 corrupted, and the fairest hopes over- 
 thrown by licentious behavior in those 
 seminaries, was one among the many 
 causes of their emigration from the Old 
 World, and of pledging themselves to 
 the education of their children. In the 
 year 1G68, a document was published by 
 order of the government and council of 
 Massachusetts, and addressed to the el- 
 ders and ministers of every town, in 
 which paper was set forth an earnest 
 desire fo?the moral and religious instruc- 
 tion of the people, and an appeal to those 
 to whom the instrument was directed, to 
 examine whether the education of youth 
 in the Ensflish lans^uage was attended to. 
 From the time of the Winthrops and 
 their associates, who labored zealously 
 in this field of usefulness, to the pi'esent 
 period, New England has devoted her 
 attention to the promotion of knowledge ; 
 and in the industry, integrity, and fru- 
 gality of her children, now beholds the 
 brilliant results of her perseverance. 
 When we consider that the tide of im- 
 migration, which is sweeping before it 
 the forests of the west, takes its rise in 
 the eastern section of the United States, 
 and bears upon its bosom the elements 
 of enrichment — that it is composed, in a 
 great degree, of those who have been 
 enabled to obtain there the ludiments 
 of learning, the first principles of valua- 
 ble information — ought we not to be 
 grateful to those who have toiled and 
 ar-e still doing all that lies in their pow- 
 er to render the fountain pure and trans- 
 parent 1 
 
 Too much can not be done in arousing 
 public opinion on the subject of the ed- 
 ucation of children. Let the instruction 
 of a child be considered the paramount 
 duty of a good citizen, and then public 
 sentiment will act much more powerful- 
 ly to produce the results desired than 
 the staff" of the officer of police. Public 
 .)pinion is the best balance-wheel of the 
 
 machinery of a society constituted as 
 that is in which we live. It must be by 
 promulgating among the people the sen- 
 timent of the necessity of education — by 
 arousing their attention to its value — by 
 demonstrating its beneficial results, as 
 not only the best check on the increase 
 of crime, the prevention of pauperism, 
 but also the promoter of public order 
 and private happiness — that we can hope 
 to have education generally diffused. So 
 soon as the people are convinced, we 
 shall have the brilliant object which all 
 should desire to see effected. To pro- 
 duce great results, must be the work of 
 time. The past labors of the people are 
 the best evidences of their devotion to the 
 advancement of learning, and give great 
 hope that the system of education will 
 be laid with a broad and deep founda- 
 tion, on which the pyramid of the repub- 
 lic's glory and security may rise, and re- 
 main an imperishable monument of the 
 benevolence and wisdom of her citizens. 
 In connexion, however, with the above, 
 we most unhesitatingly assert that mere 
 intellectual improvement is not, or should 
 not be, the exclusive or even the prima- 
 ry object of EDUCATION. Moral and reli- 
 gious principles are infinitely more mo- 
 mentous to the character and interests 
 of the future man than the cultivation of 
 the mind alone, whether we look to the 
 individual himself, or to the influence 
 which he will hereafter exercise upon 
 society. The talented and accomplished' 
 scholar may shine in public and social 
 life — may astonish by the depth of his 
 erudition, charm by the graces of his el- 
 oquence, or dazzle by the coruscations 
 of his wit; but the truly moral and vir- 
 tuous man — the man of principle only 
 — is the centre around which domestic 
 felicity revolves ; he only contributes to 
 the real and enduring benefit of society, 
 and his own near and dear connexions. 
 Contemplated in this aspect (and few, 
 we think, will refuse thus to contemplate 
 it), the morality which may be learned 
 from any system of religious opinions 
 that proi'esses to take the Bible for its 
 basis, deserves to be estimated far more 
 highly than even the most extensive ac- 
 quirements and splendid abilities, if un- 
 controlled by those motives and principles 
 
of action which alone can direct them to 
 the production of solid and abiding advan- 
 tage. Devoid of these principles, they 
 have been almost invariably found, like 
 sharp and polished weapons in the hands 
 of a lunatic, to inflict a moi'tal wound up- 
 on the possessor, and strike deep at the 
 best interests of society. 
 
 " A people, to be truly free, must first 
 be wise and good." This is truly an 
 admirable maxim, and so evident as not 
 to admit of doubt, even if it had not been 
 long since fully demonstrated in the an- 
 nals of the past. Education is the ground- 
 work of national freedom and civilization 
 — the foundation on which have origina- 
 ted the great and essential improvements 
 of agriculture, the mechanical branches, 
 and the pursuits of science — the main 
 pillars which constitute a nation's power 
 and character. These and the fine arts, 
 which poUsh and adorn the whole — the 
 beauties of nature, eloquence, and sci- 
 ence, with all the social endearments, 
 which refine and embellish society — as 
 well as the higher and moi-e sublime 
 character of those moral and political in- 
 stitutions, which bind together and direct 
 the whole, — are all the effects of that 
 strength and intelligence which educa- 
 tion has imparted to the human mind. 
 And when we consider that ignorance is 
 the grand cause of vice and crime among 
 the poor — that it contributes to their mor- 
 al debasement and misery, excluding 
 them from the enjoyment of all rational 
 delight — confining their pastimes and 
 pleasures to mere feats of strength and 
 inebriating hilarity — and how it prevents 
 the mind from expanding for the recep- 
 tion of virtue and morality — we can not 
 but i-ejoice at the success of all plans for 
 illuminating this darkness, and respect 
 the names and memories of those great 
 and good men who have contributed so 
 largely and freely of their time, influ- 
 ence, and earthly substance, to extend 
 the blessing of a sound and religious ed- 
 ucation to every son and daughter within 
 the reach of their influence. 
 
 Many of the most eminent men of the 
 state and nation were natives or long citi- 
 zens of Boston. The early clergymen 
 were Cotton, Wilson, the Mathers, Oxen- 
 bridge, Norton, Allen, Davenport, Wil- 
 
 lard, Coleman, Prince, the Eliots, Byles, 
 Thacher, Wadsworth, Pemberton, Cal- 
 lender, Sewall, Cooper, Checkley, May- 
 hew, Gee, Waltei-, Condy, Stillman, 
 Chauncey, Lathrop, Howard, West, Bel- 
 knap, Parker, Everett, Kirkland, Emei-- 
 son, Buckminster, and Channing. They 
 were eminent scholars, as well as able 
 theologians. We have only room for a 
 few of the distinguished laymen of early 
 times. These were Winthrop, Belling- 
 ham, Leverett, Stoughton, Cheever, Bulk- 
 ley, Dummer, Cook, Brattle, the Sew- 
 alls. Belcher, Oliver ; and in later pe- 
 riods, Otis, Bowdoin, Samuel Adams, 
 Gridley, Joseph Warren, John Hancock, 
 Richard Dana, Governor Hutchinson, 
 Thacher, Sears, Quincy, Mason, &c. Of 
 these latter individuals especially, many 
 of them made great exertions, and suf- 
 fered much in various ways, during the 
 war of the Revolution. Several of them 
 were opulent merchants, and they loaned 
 largely of their money to the government 
 for its support. During that period not 
 only was the commerce of this ancient 
 metropolis long suspended and greatly 
 injured, but many of its public and pri- 
 vate buildings destroyed. It furnished 
 great numbers of men in various ways 
 in the service of the country ; they were 
 obliged to be constantly under arms in 
 times of danger and apprehension. The 
 citizens of all classes — the merchants and 
 mechanics, and the professional men — 
 were zealous advocates of the Federal 
 Constitution in 1788, and afterward the 
 firm supporters of the administrations of 
 Washington and Adams. We learn, from 
 a series of articles, prepared and pub- 
 lished by Edwin Williams, Esq., of 
 New York, that " the honor of origina- 
 ting a suggestion which afterward led to 
 the organization of the old Continental 
 Congress, and prepared the way for the 
 independence of these United States, 
 was due to the name of Sears."* 
 
 • Colonel Isaac Sears, the distinguished character 
 here alluded to, was the originator and leader of the 
 " Sons of Liberty'-' at the opening of the American 
 Revolution. He seems for a time to have represent- 
 ed the spirit of that revolution more fully than any 
 other person in the city and vicinity of New York. 
 His life has never l^en written, which, including the 
 doings of the "Liberty Boys," is an interesting and 
 unexplored province of our revolutionary annals. He 
 is often referred to in the correspondence of Wash- 
 ington, Gouverneur Morris, and Messrs. Adams, as 
 
66 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 These illustrious worthies of a past 
 age being dead, yet speak to us. We 
 do well to hallow their memories and 
 record their noble deeds. Interesting 
 associations cluster ai'ound these great 
 actors in the drama of the Past. They 
 belong to the nation ; for not the old 
 states merely, but those which sprang in- 
 to being but yesterday, look upon the 
 glory of the Revolution as a common 
 patrimony. This nation must ever be 
 sensible of the worth of its benefactors, 
 and real merit will soon dissipate the 
 mists of party prejudice. Its effect, like 
 that of a very strong sympathetic feeling 
 running through the people, must be to 
 knit more closely the bonds of national 
 union. It has given freshness to the 
 memory of common efforts in the great 
 national struggle, which must always 
 prove a powerful tie among men who 
 exult in the achievements of a common 
 ancestry. It may have furnished some 
 incense to the vanity imputed to our na- 
 tion ; but this is as dust in the balance 
 compared with the spirit which it indi- 
 cates and the feelings which it has awa- 
 kened. Here we may learn useful les- 
 sons for the future, from the history of 
 the past. 
 
 Let us follow these distinguished men 
 to "old age;" when Nature seemed to 
 demand repose, each had retired to the 
 spot from which the public exigencies 
 had first called him — his public labors 
 ended, his work accomplished, his be- 
 loved country prosperous and happy — 
 there to indulge in the blessed retrospect 
 of a well-spent life, and to await that pe- 
 riod which comes to all. Did they pass 
 their time in idleness and indifference 1 
 No. The same spirit of active benevo- 
 lence, which made the meridian of their 
 lives resplendent with glory, continued 
 to shed its lustre upon their evening path. 
 Still intent on doing good, still devoted 
 to the great cause of human happiness 
 and improvement, none of these illust^-i- 
 ous men relaxed in their exertions. They 
 seemed only to concentrate their energy 
 
 rendering important services to the colonies, and is 
 named in the journals of those times as a brave and 
 heroic character. The materials of his biography are 
 yet extant in public and private documents in the 
 city and state of New York, and ought to be collected 
 and preserved, as important sources of history. 
 
 as age and increasing infirmity contract- 
 ed the circle of action — bestowing, with- 
 out ostentation, their latest efforts upon 
 the state and neighborhood in which they 
 resided. There, with patriarchal sim- 
 plicity, they lived, the objects of a na- 
 tion's grateful remembrance and affec- 
 tion — the living records of a nation's his- 
 tory ; the charm of an age which they 
 delighted, adorned, and instructed, by 
 their deeds of benevolence, and vivid 
 sketches of times that are past; and, as 
 it wei'e, the embodied spirit of the Rev- 
 olution itself, in all its purity and force, 
 diffusing its wholesome influence through 
 the generations that have succeeded, re- 
 buking every sinister design, and invig- 
 orating every manly and virtuous resolu- 
 tion. 
 
 We can not set in too strong a light 
 their history. It awakens the public 
 gratitude for their services ; it tells their 
 countrymen to be faithful to their prin- 
 ciples, and vigilant in preserving those 
 institutions free and unimpaired, to at- 
 tain which they sacrificed their ease and 
 safety. These eulogies are in fact the 
 people's testimony to the excellence of 
 our form of government. The venera- 
 tion paid to such men as Adams and Jef- 
 ferson is an acknowledgment of the 
 worth of the political principles which 
 they labored to establish. And when 
 the kingdoms of the Old World are tot- 
 terhig to their foundations, what can be 
 more proper or grateful than the sight 
 of a whole people uniting to testify their 
 love for the government under which they 
 live? In other countries, one half of the 
 nation is employed in preventing the oth- 
 er fi-om pulling the political machine to 
 pieces. Here, all are united to up- 
 hold IT. 
 
 Of the present distinguished, patriotic, 
 and benevolent citizens of Boston, along 
 list might be here given, and then not all 
 be mentioned. It has been remarked, 
 and with great truthfulness, that the lib- 
 erality of her rich men is proverbial from 
 Maine to Missouri, and has secured for 
 that city a name which, we trust, future 
 generations will not only I'espect, but en- 
 deavor to add to its lustre, by imitating 
 such men as the Lawrences, David 
 Sears, the Appletons, Thomas H Per- 
 
68 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 KINS, and a host of others, whose coffers 
 are not closed, but who are constantly 
 contributing, by their princely individu- 
 al donations often and twenty thousand 
 dollars, to undertakings of philanthropy 
 and charity — encouraging talent, promo- 
 ting industry, and fostering the fine arts ; 
 thus setting a most noble example to the 
 wealthy of other cities which we could 
 wish more generally imitated. Since 
 the year 1800, over three millions 
 OF DOLLARS have been given in munifi- 
 cent gifts by the citizens of Boston to 
 the cause of education alone. 
 
 The first settlers of Nevi^ England were 
 exceedingly tenacious of their civil and 
 religious rights, and they well knew that 
 KNOWLEDGE was an all-powerful engine 
 to preserve those rights, and transmit 
 them to their posterity. They therefore 
 very early laid the foundation of those 
 FREE SCHOOLS of which all the sons and 
 daughters of New England are so justly 
 proud. Exclusive of infant and sabbath 
 school children, about a quarter part of 
 the population of Boston is kept at school 
 throughout the year, at an annual ex- 
 pense of about two hundred thousand 
 dollars. 
 
 Their successors have nobly imitated 
 their bright and patriotic example. Such 
 men are indeed the fathers of the nation, 
 and must ever live in the affections of 
 the people. When time has consigned 
 them to their honored graves, the good 
 they have done will live after them. Fu- 
 ture generations will rise up and call 
 them blessed. Their names will fill a 
 niche in the temple erected in every one's 
 memory, to commemorate those who, as 
 they passed along the pathway of life, 
 scattered the seeds of knowledge and 
 morality, which have taken root, sprung 
 up, bearing the most delectable fruits, 
 agreeable to the sight, and of pleasant 
 flavor. 
 
 Williams College, at Williamstuwn, 
 Berkshire county, in the northwest cor- 
 ner of the state, was a public school or 
 academy at its commencement, in 1791, 
 and was incorporated as a college in 
 1793. It derives its name from its found- 
 er. Colonel Ephraim Williams. Besides 
 donations from the state and several in- 
 dividuals, it has received a bequest of 
 
 fifty-seven thousand dollars from Mr. 
 Woodbridge Little. It is under the 
 charge of seventeen trustees. 
 
 The Newton Theological Seminary, 
 under the patronage of the baptist de- 
 nomination, was founded in Newton in 
 1825, and was incorporated by the legis- 
 lature the next year. In 1828, a brick 
 building, three stoi'ies in height, besides 
 a basement story, eighty-five feet long 
 and forty-nine wide, was erected, at an 
 expense of about ten thousand dollars. 
 Three convenient houses have been since 
 erected for the professors. In the man- 
 sion-house are accommodations for the 
 steward's family, a dining-hall, a chapel, 
 and recitation-i'ooms. The regular course 
 of study occupies three years. There 
 are two vacations of six weeks each — 
 one from the last Wednesday but one in 
 August, the other from the last Wednes- 
 day in March. The seminary is about 
 seven miles from Boston, in a very salu- 
 brious locality, being beautifully situated 
 on an elevated hill, which commands an 
 extensive prospect of Boston and of the 
 rich country around. 
 
 Cambridge University. — This insti- 
 tution, which is the oldest in the Union, 
 and the most liberally endowed, was 
 commenced in 1636 by the general court 
 of Massachusetts, who then appropriated 
 four hundi'ed pounds sterling toward the 
 establishment of a college, which was 
 incorporated in 1638, under the title of 
 "Harvard College," in consequence of a 
 legacy left it that year, by Rev. John 
 Harvard, of c£779 17*. 2d. The state 
 and different liberal donors have since 
 increased its funds to a large amount. 
 
 It is situated in the city of Cambridge, 
 three miles west from Boston, and com- 
 prises an academical department, as well 
 as those of law, theology, science, and 
 medicine. Each of these five depart- 
 ments is distinct in itself, with its own 
 particular government and body of in- 
 structors, each having its separate funds, 
 its own pupils, and its peculiar objects, 
 but all subject to one supreme head. 
 
 The buildings of the university are 
 fourteen in Cambridge and one in Bos- 
 ton. Four of the principal buildings are 
 of four stories, for the accommodation 
 of students ; two others contain the min- 
 
70 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS 
 
 eralogical cabinet, the library, the chap- 
 els, &:c. Besides these are the halls of 
 law, divinity, medicine, &c. It has an 
 excellent anatomical museum, and a bo- 
 tanical garden of eight acres, richly stored 
 with an extensive collection of trees, 
 shrubs, and plants, both native and for- 
 eign. The libraries contain above forty 
 thousand volumes, including those of the 
 several departments. Those belonging 
 to the studies contain about five thou- 
 sand volumes. The cabinets and appa- 
 ratus are very valuable. The annual 
 commencement is on the third Wednes- 
 day in July. 
 
 Camhridge Observatory. — This obser- 
 vatory is situated on a commanding emi- 
 nence called Summer-house hill, the sum- 
 mit of which is about fifty feet above the 
 plain on which are erected the buildings 
 of the university. This height is found 
 to give from the dome an horizon almost 
 uninterrupted to vviUiin two or tliree de- 
 grees of altitude. The grounds appro- 
 priated to the use of the observatory com- 
 prise about six and a half acres. It is 
 distant nearly three fourths of a mile 
 northwest from University hall, and three 
 nnd a half miles in the same direction 
 from the statehouse in Boston. 
 
 This observatory may be said to owe 
 its existence to the liberality of the Hon. 
 David Sears, who contributed five thou- 
 sand dollars for the ei'ectioii of an obser- 
 vatory tower, five hundred dollars tow- 
 ard the purchase of a telescope, and five 
 thousand dollars more to create a fund, 
 the income of which to be appropriated 
 to the support of the observers, and for 
 other purposes of science. 
 
 Sears Tower, so called in honor of 
 its founder, whose generous donation is 
 mentioned above, is built of brick, on a 
 foundation of granite, laid with cement. 
 It is thirty-two feet square on the out- 
 side, while on the inside the corners are 
 gradually brought to a circular form for 
 the better support of the dome, forming 
 a massive arch. This dome, covering 
 the grand equatorial, is a hemisphere of 
 thirty-two feet interior diameter, formed 
 with stout ribs of plank, and covered ex- 
 ternally with copper. There is an open- 
 inof five feet wide, and extending a few 
 degrees beyond the zenith,which is closed 
 
 by weather-proof shutters, and worked 
 by means of an endless chain and toothed 
 wheel. 
 
 On the lower side of this dome is af- 
 fixed a grooved iron rail, and on the gran- 
 ite cap of the wall is placed a similar 
 rail : between these grooves are placed 
 eight iron spheres, accurately turned, on 
 which the dome is revolved. The appa- 
 ratus for moving the dome consists of 
 toothed wheels, geared to a series of 
 toothed iron plates, fastened to its lower 
 section. By means of this, the whole 
 dome, weighing about fourteen tons, can 
 be turned through a whole revolution, 
 by a single person, in thirty-five seconds. 
 In this dome are placed the " Gi'and Re- 
 fractor," and one or two smaller instru- 
 ments. The comet-seeker, a small in- 
 strument of four inches' aperture, by 
 Merz, is used from the balconies of the 
 dome. This is the instrument with which 
 the younger Bond has discovered no less 
 than eleven telescopic comets before in- 
 telligence had reached him of their hav- 
 ing been seen by any other observer. 
 From these balconies a most extensive 
 and beautiful view of the neighboring 
 towns meets the eye — their numerous 
 hills, spires, &c. 
 
 On either side of the tower is a large 
 wing. Of these, the eastern is used as 
 a dwelling for the observer ; the west- 
 ern, on which is placed the smaller dome, 
 is used for magnetic and meteorological 
 observations. This wing was erected in 
 the years 1850-'51, and adds greatly to 
 tlie architectural beauty of the observa- 
 tory. In this dome is placed the smaller 
 equatorial, of five feet focal length, and 
 an object-glass of four and one eighth 
 inches, made by Merz, which is a re- 
 markably fine instrument. 
 
 The ♦• Grand Refractor," justly con- 
 sidered second to none in the world, has 
 already become celebrated in the hands 
 of the skilful and scientific director and 
 his assistant, from the many brilliant dis- 
 coveries which have been made with it. 
 Among these we may particularly men- 
 tion the new ring and satellite of the 
 planet Saturn, It has also enabled the 
 observers to resolve the principal nebulae, 
 particularly those in the constellations 
 Orion and Andromeda. The object-glass 
 
72 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OP MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 Grand Refractor, Cambridge Observatory. 
 
 was made at the celebi'ated manufactory 
 of Merz and Mahler, in Munich, Bavaria. 
 Its extreme diameter is fifieen and a half 
 inches, its focal length is twenty-two feet 
 six inches, and its total weight is nearly 
 three tons ; yet the friction is so success- 
 fuT-y relieved by the judicious arrange- 
 ment of wheels and counterpoises, that it 
 could be pointed to any quarter of the 
 heavens by the finger of a child. 
 
 A sidereal motion is communicated to 
 the telescope by clock-work, by means of 
 which an object may be constantly kept 
 in the field of view, which essentially 
 aids the observer in delicate examina- 
 tions of celestial objects. 
 
 Besides the grand refractor, the object- 
 glass, &c., the observatory is furnished 
 with many smaller instruments, and a 
 complete set of meteorolos^ical instru- 
 ments, an astronomical clock, and side- 
 real chronometers. 
 
 One of the most ingenious contrivan- 
 ces connected with the observatory is the 
 " observer's chair," invented by the di- 
 rector. By means of this chair, the ob- 
 server can transport himself to any part 
 of the dome without moving from his 
 seat. 
 
 The new method of finding the motion 
 of the earth, by means of a pendulum, 
 has been tried at the observatory, and 
 also by Professor Horsford, at the Law- 
 rence Scientific School. 
 
 Lawretice Scicntijic School. — Practical 
 instruction in the mathematical, physical, 
 and natural sciences, upon a more ex- 
 tended plan than that pursued in the un- 
 dergraduate department of Harvard, had 
 been a subject of discussion previous to 
 the time of President Everett. In his 
 inaugural address, however, the project 
 of a separate scientific school received 
 its first distinct announcement. About 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 73 
 
 Lawrence Scientific School, at Cambridge. 
 
 this time a vacancy occuri'ed in the Rum- 
 ford professorship by the resignation of 
 Professor Tread well. The situation was 
 filled by the election of Professor Hors- 
 ford, of New York, who soon after his 
 arrival in Cambridge submitted to the 
 corporation a plan for the erection and 
 furnishing of a laboratory for instruction 
 in chymistry and its applications to the 
 arts, contemplating an expense of fifty 
 thousand dollars. This plan, in an able 
 letter from the treasurer, Hon. Samuel 
 A. Eliot, was laid before Hon. Abbott 
 Lawrence. 
 
 To this appeal Mr. Lawrence respond- 
 ed in a spirit of munificence altogether 
 unexampled. Tlie gift (of fifty thousand 
 dollars) was accompanied by a letter, 
 proposing, in addition to the erection of 
 suitable buildings, including a laborato- 
 ry, to found two new professorships, one 
 of zoology and geology, and another of 
 engineering, wliich, with the Rumford 
 professorships, were to constitute the nu- 
 cleus of a school for the " acquisition, 
 illustration, and dissemination of the pi'ac- 
 tical sciences." 
 
 Soon after the receipt of the donation 
 of Mr. Lawrence, Professor Agassiz, of 
 Switzerland, was invited to the chair of 
 zoology and geology, and at a later pe- 
 riod Lieutenant Eustis (of the army) to 
 
 that of engineering. At the commence- 
 ment of 1848, the corporation conferred 
 upon the institution the name of " Law- 
 rence Scientific School." 
 
 In the summer and autumn of 1849, 
 a laboratory, unsurpassed even in Eu- 
 rope, in its conveniences for practical 
 instruction, was erected and furnished ; 
 and in the year following a building was 
 constructed for the temporary accommo- 
 dation of the departments of zoology, 
 geology, and engineering. 
 
 The Andover Theological Academy 
 was the first institution of the kind in 
 the country. It was commenced in 1808, 
 having been founded the year before. It 
 is situated in Andover, a pleasant village, j 
 in a fine, elevated tract of country, nine- 
 teen miles northwest of Boston. The 
 value of the property belonging to it has 
 been stated at four hundred thousand 
 dollars, for which it has been largely in- 
 debted to the liberality of its principal 
 donors, namely, John Norris, of Salem; 
 Samuel Abbott, of Andover ; and Moses 
 Brown and William Bartlett of Newbu- 
 ryport. 
 
 The buildings of the institution con- 
 sist of a dwelling-house for each of the 
 professors ; Phillips hall, of brick, nine- 
 ty feet by forty, four stories, containing 
 thirty-two rooms for students, built in 
 
74 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 1S08 ; Bartlet chapel, an elegant brick 
 building', ninety-four feet by forty, con- 
 taining a chapel, library, and tliree lec- 
 ture-rooms, built in ISIS ; and Bartlet 
 hall, a handsome brick edifice, one hun- 
 dred and four feet by forty, containing 
 thirty-two suiies of rooms furnished, pre- 
 sented by Mr. Bartlet in 1S21. The build- 
 ings stand on elevated ground, having a 
 commanding, variegated, and beautiful 
 prospecf. 
 
 The libraty of the seminary contains 
 about fifteen tlmusand volumes. Besides 
 this, there are two oiher libraries : one, 
 of the Porter Rhetorical Society, con- 
 taining from two to three thousand vol- 
 umes ; the other, belonging to the Soci- 
 ety of Inquiry respecting Missions, con- 
 taining from one to two thousand vol- 
 umes. There is an athenaeum and news- 
 room, supported by the students. An- 
 nexed to the institution is a commodious 
 mechanic's shop, where the students can 
 exercise themselves in carpentering or 
 cabinet-work. The leim is three years. 
 The principal study for the first year is 
 the B.ble in its original tongues. The 
 second year is occupied in the study of 
 systematic theology. The third year is 
 devoted to the study of ecclesiastical 
 history, and the composition of sermons. 
 There is also a Teachers'' Scininary near 
 the institution, which will accommodate 
 two hundred students. It is under the 
 trustees of Phillips Academy and four 
 visiieis. 
 
 Learned Societies. — The American 
 Academy of Arts and Sciences was in- 
 corporated in 17S0, and nas published 
 several quatto volumes. 
 
 The Massachusetts Medical Society 
 was incorporated in ] ,'81. 
 
 Tlie Massachusetts Historical Society 
 was es'ablished in 1791 and incorpora- 
 ted in 1794, and has published many vol- 
 umes of collections. 
 
 The A7nerican Antiquarian Society was 
 incorporated in 1S12. 
 
 The American Institute of Instruction 
 was founded in 1831. 
 
 Newspapers, &c. — The number of 
 newsjiapers published in this state before 
 the Revolution (in 1775) was seven, viz., 
 in Boston, the Boston News-Letter, the 
 Evening Post, the Gazette, the Massa- 
 
 chusetts Gazette and Postboy ; in Salem, 
 the Essex Gazette ; in Nevvburyport, the 
 Essex Journal ; and in Worcester (first 
 published at Boston), the Massachusetts 
 Spy. The first daily paper in Massa- 
 chusetts, was the Boston Daily Advei- 
 tiser, begun in 1813. 
 
 The earliest periodical pamphlets or 
 magazines printed in the stale were the 
 following: from 1789 to 1796, the Mas- 
 sachusetts Magazine, or Monthly Muse- 
 um, which extended to eight volumes ; 
 in ISOO, the Columbian Phoenix and Bos- 
 ton Review, which ceased after the eighth 
 number; in 1802, the New England Mag- 
 azine ; from 1803 to 1811, the Monthly 
 Anthology, or Boston Review, in ten vol- 
 umes, edited at first by Phineas Adams, 
 and afterward by Rev. William Emer- 
 son, W. S. Shaw, A. M. Walter, James 
 Savage, and others ; in 1803, the Ameri- 
 can Baptist Magazine was begun, which 
 continued under several editors; in 1S05, 
 the Missionary Magazine, by congrega- 
 tional clergymen ; in ISOG, the Panoplist, 
 by Rev. J. Morse and others : these two 
 were united in 1808, and edited by Rev. 
 Jeremiah Evarts from 1810 till 1820, 
 when the Missionary Herald took its 
 place, which is still continued, under the 
 American Board of Commissioners for 
 Foreign Missions. Literary, religious, 
 and scientific publications of this class 
 have since multiplied to such a degree, 
 that we have not room for any furlhei- 
 notice under this head. The North 
 American Review, however, must be 
 mentioned, as one of the oldest and most 
 influential publications of the kind in the 
 United States. It was commenced in 
 1815, forms two volumes atnm;illy, and 
 has been edited successively by William 
 Tudor, Jared Sparks, Edward T. Chan- 
 ning, Edward Everett, Alexander H. Ev- 
 erett, &c. 
 
 Boston, the capital of this state, is sit- 
 uated on a small peninsula at the head 
 of Massachusetts bay, at the mouth of 
 Charles rivei-, and is the principal city 
 and seaport of New England. The har- 
 bor is accessible, large, and well protect- 
 ed by both nature and art. This city 
 contains an uncommonly large propor- 
 tion of fine buildings, particularly private 
 residences. The finest buildinys are of 
 
l!|if'f^,(jM^^^^^ 
 
76 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 whitish granite, brought from the shores 
 of the Merrimack river and Q.uincy. 
 
 Boston, Uke many other large cities, 
 has been, by common consent, divided 
 into districts, with names indicating the 
 location of each. Thus there are Norlh 
 Boston, West Boston, East Boston, Souih 
 End, and South Boston. The first sec- 
 tion embraces the north end of the city, 
 or all that part lying north of Faneuil 
 hall, and what was the canal, or Mill- 
 creek. This is the oldest part, and for- 
 merly had the advantage of the principal 
 trade. The streets here are generally 
 narrow and crooked, and some of them 
 remain much as they were when first con- 
 structed, on the model of the old towns 
 in England. The buildings are mostly 
 old, and many are built of wood, and ex- 
 hibit tlie different styles of architecture 
 used for a period of more than a century 
 and a half. Except a portion of what 
 was formerly the Millpond, the only spot 
 of land not covered by buildings at pres- 
 ent is on Coppshill, and the greater part 
 of this is occupied f >r a burial-ground. 
 From this hill the British cannonaded 
 the town of Charlestown in 1775, during 
 the memorable battle of Bunker hill. 
 They left a small fort standing on this 
 hill, which remained a favorite resort for 
 the recreation of schoolboys until 1807. 
 The natural situation of this section of 
 the city gives it an advantage over any 
 other part, whether considered as a place 
 for comfortable and healthy residence, 
 or its convenience for trade. The chan- 
 nel of Charles river runs close to the 
 shore, and has depth and widlh sufficient 
 to accommodate ships of the greatest bur- 
 den. The spirit of impiovement recently 
 awakened in North Boston shows that 
 the citizens begin to appreciate its ad- 
 vantages. 
 
 West Boston lies between the com- 
 mon and Canal street, west of Hanover 
 and Tremont streets, and has been re- 
 cently built. The buildings are princi- 
 pally of brick, erected in a handsome 
 style, and are mostly used as dwellings. 
 The statehouse, hospital, national thea- 
 tre, courthouse, and jail, are located in 
 this section. 
 
 The South End comprises all the 
 peninsula south of Summer and Winter 
 
 streets, and extends to Roxbury. About 
 one fourth of the buildings in this section 
 are of wood. Those that have been most 
 recently erected are of brick and gran- 
 ite, exhibiting an improved style of ar- 
 chitecture. The buildings here, also, are 
 generally occupied for dwellings, except 
 the lower stories of those on Washington 
 street. 
 
 South Boston is that section of the 
 city which is separated from the penin- 
 sula, or the ancient town, by an arm of 
 the harbor reaching to Roxbury. It con- 
 tains about five hundred and sixty acres, 
 and, except East Boston, is the newest 
 and most unsettled part of the city. The 
 population has increased rapidly within 
 a few years, and a considerable number 
 of buildings has been erected, chiefly of 
 brick. This once was a part of Dorches- 
 ter, and embraces the hills known for- 
 merly as Dorchester heights, so famed 
 in the annals of the American Revolu- 
 tion, There are two free bridges that 
 connect this with the older part of the 
 city: one is at the South End, near the 
 Neck ; the other leads from Windmill 
 point, and was built in 1828. 
 
 East Boston is an island, formerly 
 known as Maverick's, Noddle's, and Wil- 
 liams' island. In 1814, the citizens of 
 Boston erected a fort on its eastern ex- 
 tremity, which was called Fort Strong. 
 In 1830, some eight or ten of the most 
 enterprising capitalists of Boston pur- 
 chased this island, and commenced lay- 
 ing it out into streets and lots, with a 
 view of making it an important part of 
 the city. Among the important improve- 
 ments in East Boston, we enumerate — 
 first, the introduction of the Cochituate 
 water by the city of Boston ; second, the 
 construction of the Grand Junction rail- 
 road; third, the construction of the sea- 
 wall across the basin, thus reclaiming a 
 large quantity of low lands which were 
 hitherto partially covered by the tide- 
 waters. These lands consist of marsh 
 and flats to the extent of about ninety- 
 five acres, lying between ^Westwood is- 
 land and the Eastern railroad. The pop- 
 ulation of East Boston is about twelve or 
 fifteen thousand. It has a deep-water 
 frontage of seventeen thousand feet, and 
 the Cunard steamers have here a wharf 
 
78 
 
 DESCRIPTIOJ^ OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 The Boston Common. — This is a 
 large and beautiful public square, in the 
 western part of the city, lighted by gas, 
 encircled by an iron fence, and extend- 
 ing down the long and gentle slope of 
 Beacon hill It contains about forty- 
 three acres, exclusive of the malls which 
 surround it, and the botanic garden west 
 of it, the whole comprehending at least 
 seventy-five acies of open land dedicated 
 to the public. In spring and summer, 
 when covered with a coat of verdant 
 grass, and while the numerous fine trees 
 which shade it are in full foliage, the 
 sight is remarkably striking, and can not 
 be contemplated without admiration, as 
 one of the largest and most beautiful 
 public grounds in America. Beingslight- 
 ly relieved by several swells and depres- 
 sions, it is remarkably well adapted to the 
 manoeuvring and encampment of troops, 
 to which it is devoted on days of military 
 display. In the centi-e of this park there 
 is a beautiful piece of water, known by 
 the name of '^ Frog-pond,''^ of about half 
 an acre in extent, and enclosed by edge- 
 stones of hammered granite. It is now 
 ornamented with a beautiful fountain. 
 
 Near this pond, and south of it, stands 
 the celebrated old elm, which for nearly 
 two centuries has triumphed over the 
 heats of summer and the blasts of win- 
 ter, and under whose shade were fi)r- 
 merly held the drumhead courts-martial 
 and the parades of military executiorfs. 
 
 Before 1733, rows of trees had been 
 planted on some parts of the common, 
 as, in that year, it was resolved that more 
 should be planted. Since that time the 
 trees have been greai ly multiplied, so that 
 the common is at present surrounded with 
 broad and shady avenues, where, on the 
 smooth gravel- walks, thousands of citi- 
 zens find a favorite retreat from heat, and 
 the enjoyment of a cool breeze, on the 
 summer evenings. The number of elms 
 now exceeds seven hundred ; and these 
 are, in some parts, tastefully intermin- 
 gled with other kinds of trees, lining the 
 numerous shady paths which lead across 
 the grounds around their circuit, or by 
 winding courses up and down the gentle 
 declivities. 
 
 On three sides the common is bordered 
 by long ranges of stately mansions, being 
 
 a favorite part of the city on account of 
 its fine scenery, free air, and retirement. 
 On the west it looks down on Charles 
 river, there spreading out into a wide 
 bay. 
 
 The Statehouse. — Overlooking the 
 common from the summit of Beacon hill, 
 on its northern side, stands the statehouse. 
 This elegant and spacious edifice was 
 erected in 1795. The building is seen 
 at a great distance in all directions, and 
 is the principal object visible when the 
 city is first seen by those who visit it. 
 The form is oblong, being one hundred 
 and seventy-three feet in fi'ont, and sixty- 
 one feet deep. The height of the build- 
 ing, including the dome, is one hundred 
 and ten feet ; and the foundation is about 
 that height above the level of the water 
 of the bay. It consists externally of a 
 basement story twenty feet high, and a 
 principal story thirty feet high. This, in 
 the centre of the front, is covered with 
 an attic sixty feet wide, and twenty feet 
 high, which is covered with a pediment. 
 Immediately above rises the dome, fifty 
 feet in diameter, and thirty in height — 
 the whole terminating with an elegant 
 circular lantern, which supports a pine 
 cone. The basement story is finished in 
 a plain style on the wings, with square 
 windows. The centre is ninety-four feet 
 in length, and formed of arches which 
 project fourteen feet, and make a cov- 
 ered walk below, and support a colon- 
 nade of Corinthian columns of the same 
 extent above. 
 
 A beautiful statue of Washington, by 
 Chantrey, was procured by private sub- 
 scription, and placed in the statehouse in 
 the year 1828. ' The costume is a mili- 
 tary cloak, which displays the figure to 
 advantage. The effect is imposing and 
 good; but, instead of confining himself 
 to a close delineation of features, the 
 sculptor, like Canova, has allowed some 
 latitude to his genius in expressing his 
 idea of the character of the subject. 
 
 The view from the top of the state- 
 house is very extensive and variegated; 
 peihaps nothing in the country is supe- 
 rior to it. To the east appears the bay 
 and harbor of Boston, interspersed with 
 beautiful islands ; and the distance be- 
 yond, the wide-extended ocean. To the 
 
I 
 
so 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 north ihe eye is met by Charlestown, 
 with its interesting and memorable heights 
 and the navy-yard of the United States; 
 the towns of Chelsea, Maiden, and Med- 
 ford, and other villages, and the natural 
 forests mingling in the distant horizon. 
 To the west, is a fine view of the Chailes 
 river and bay; the ancient town of Cam- 
 bridge, rendered venerable for the uni- 
 versity, now above two hundred years 
 old ; of the flourishing villages of Cam- 
 bridgeport and East Cambridge, in the 
 latter of which is a large glass manufac- 
 turing establishment ; of the highly culti- 
 vated towns of Brighton, Brookline, and 
 Newton : and to the south is Roxbury, 
 which seems to be only a continuation 
 of Boston, and which is rapidly increas- 
 incr ; Dorchester, a fine, rich, agricultural 
 town, with Milton and Quincy beyond ; 
 and still farther south, the Blue hills, at 
 the distance of eight or nine miles, which 
 seem to bound the prospect. 
 
 Near the capitol, on the west, is the 
 mansion-house of the eminent patriot the 
 late John Hancock, now exhibiting quite 
 an ancient appearance. On the same 
 side, and farther west, rising from the 
 I'ich foliage which surrounds the specta- 
 tor in the common, conspicuous among 
 many fine edifices, stands the mansion 
 of the Hon. David Sears — a gentleman 
 of large landed property, distinguished 
 among those remarkable men of Boston 
 to whom the literature and charities of 
 the country owe so much. 
 
 The plan proposed by Mr. Sears for 
 the enlargement and improvement of Bos- 
 ton, by reclaiming the waste spot of ter- 
 ritory back of the public garden, is one 
 so intimately connected with the welfare 
 and growth of that city, that our descrip- 
 tion of the metropolis of New England 
 would be imperfect without a brief no- 
 tice of it. We have, when visiting Bos- 
 ton, and realizing its rapid growth and 
 crowded streets, looked upon this im- 
 mense basin, which, save as a daily re- 
 cipient of the offal and impurities of 
 streets and dwelling-houses, has long 
 been lying idle (the water-power created 
 by it being a failure, and now disused, 
 and the Water-power Company turning 
 their power into a land-speculation), with 
 a feeling of regret that it could not be 
 
 handsomely improved, and made to min- 
 ister to the health, the pleasure, and the 
 comfort of the residents of that beautiful 
 city. 
 
 During the year 1849, Mr. Sears ad- 
 dressed a letter to the mayor and alder- 
 men of Boston, suggesting a plan of im- 
 provement of this waste spot, to be effect- 
 ed through an amicable adjustment of 
 the several proprietary interests therein. 
 This pi'oposition of Mr. Sears led to the 
 appointment of a commission, on the 
 part of the state, to examine into " the 
 tenure of the property, and the rights of 
 individuals, of towns, and of the state 
 therein ;" and which may be looked upon 
 as an initiatory or preparatory step to its 
 future improvement. The plan of Mr. 
 Sears for rendering available and beau- 
 tifying this basin, can be seen in the 
 diagram on page S3 ; and its details will 
 be found in the following letter to the 
 state commissioners, which we publish en- 
 tire, as it embraces extracts from the let- 
 ter to the mayor and aldermen referred 
 to above, and will give a clearer idea of 
 the proposed improvement than any ex- 
 planations from us could possibly do : — 
 
 "Boston, December 16, 1850. 
 " To the Honorable ihe Commissioners, <Slrc. 
 
 " Gentlemen : Among the questions 
 which may fairly come within your ex- 
 amination, under warrant from the legis- 
 lature, is the following, viz. : the best 
 plan, having reference to the public, for 
 filling up the Back bay, and making that 
 waste of waters available for useful pur- 
 poses. 
 
 " This subject is distinct from the rights 
 of property, and does not implicate any 
 of those questions which have been so 
 ably argued before you. Yet it is of 
 importance to us all, since it may serve 
 as a starting-point from which the par 
 ties interested may hereafter more easily 
 advance to an amicable adjustment ; and 
 it is of especial value at this stage of the 
 matter, because the rights of all to the 
 area of land lying between the bounda- 
 ries of the riparian proprietors of the 
 city of Roxbury and the boundary of the 
 city of Boston being as yet unsettled, a 
 common plan of improvement can be 
 more readily adopted than if said area 
 
82 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 was definitively adjudged to be the prop- 
 erty of either. 
 
 " In addition to the above, it seems to 
 me that the pecuhar tenure of this land 
 — if the original interest of the state is 
 doubtfully merged ny specific grants and 
 easements to various parties — renders it 
 proper that the commonwealth, as sov- 
 ereign, should still extend over it a pro- 
 tecting arm, and so regulate its future oc- 
 cupation as to make it, as far as is prac- 
 ticable, an ornament to the metropolis, a 
 pi'ide to the city of Roxbury, and a scheme 
 worthy the name and reputation of the 
 state which grants it. 
 
 " Under this view of the subject, I have 
 the honor to present to your board, and 
 to make part of your report, a plan simi- 
 lar to that I lately offered for the exami- 
 nation of the mayor and aldermen of the 
 city of Boston, and which I beg you to 
 regard as suggestive only, and as the 
 basis of a moie detailed draught, to be 
 worked out by others, for this valuable 
 improvement. 
 
 *' The principal features of the reser- 
 vations proposed, and to be ordered by 
 the state whenever the parties in interest 
 — the Boston Water-power Company or 
 others — shall apply for the right to fill up 
 and u«e for building purposes the above- 
 named area of land, are the following, 
 namely : That a pond or lake of water, 
 of not iess than twenty-five acres of sur- 
 face, be for ever kept open for public 
 use and ornament, beginning at a point 
 in the city of Boston where Boylston 
 street, continued, terminates at the boun- 
 dary line of the city in the receiving- 
 basin of the Boston Water-power Com- 
 pany, and extending in a westerly direc- 
 tion until it reaches the western boundary 
 of the flats claimed by the city of Roxbu- 
 ry ; that not less than four public squares, 
 lying within the receiving-basin, and east- 
 erly of the boundaries of the above-named 
 riparian proprietors, and southerly and 
 westerly of the Neck-lots and other lands 
 near the boundaries of the city of Boston, 
 of at least six hundred feet by four hun- 
 dred, be laid out and for ever kept open 
 for ornament and air : that all the piin- 
 cipal streets shall be fifty feet wide : that 
 no street shall be less than thirty feet 
 wide : and that the whole shall be drained 
 
 in a manner to be approved of by the 
 cities of Roxbury and Boston. 
 
 " In my letter on the above subject, 
 addressed to the mayor and aldermen 
 of the city of Boston, and dated June 
 11, 1849, the following suggestions were 
 made, viz. : * That the Botanic (or pub- 
 lic) Garden should be extended some 
 hundreds of feet until it reaches a broad 
 and circular avenue, enclosing within its 
 area from fifiy to seventy-five acres of 
 water: the avenue to be at least one 
 hundred feet wide on the top, and bor- 
 dered on both sides by elms and other 
 ornamental trees : the water of the lake 
 to be supplied by an aqueduct from the 
 flour and other mills on the cross-dam, 
 and emptied into Charles river by a suf- 
 ficient raceway : the depth of the lake 
 to be three feet below low-water mark, 
 and with a gravelled bottom : the flats 
 to be filled up to a level with Charles 
 street, and laid out with public squares 
 and other ornamental places, as shown 
 on the plan. 
 
 " ' This project, if ever carried into 
 effect, will give to the city, at a small 
 comparative cost, a large amount of tax- 
 able property ; an extensive and beauti- 
 ful Botanic Garden, terminated by a lake 
 of pure water, equal in size, or larger, 
 than the present Common; and a broad 
 and splendid promenade, not to be sur- 
 passed by any in the world. 
 
 " • The lake will be in itself an end- 
 less source of amusement to the public — 
 a fit place for evening music, for boat- 
 races and aquatic sports in the summer, 
 for ska'ing exhibitions in the winter, and 
 for fireworks and other public displays 
 on the 4ih of July and holydays. 
 
 " ' In the hope that these suggestions 
 may be of service, and if of no other use, 
 perhaps the means of eliciting a more 
 advisable mode of relieving the city of a 
 nuisance, and preparing the way for a 
 more desirable embellishment of her pub- 
 lic grounds, I have the honor of laying 
 the plan before you.' 
 
 " The same purpose which called forth 
 this letter still exists, and the same wish 
 remains to see this improvement carried 
 out. 
 
 " Should the state, as is believed, not 
 contemplate a beneficiary interest in the 
 
84 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 matter, but regard its right — be it more 
 or less — only as a means of seeing jus- 
 lice done to the public, then I can not 
 doubt that it will readily approve the 
 principles I have laid down in reference 
 to a g'neral plan; and even if it should 
 determine othei'wise, still the advantages 
 of a preliminary movement of the kind 
 herein suarsfested must be obvious to ev- 
 ery thinking person who examines it, 
 
 " With great respect, I have the honor 
 to be your obedient servant, 
 
 " David Sears. 
 
 "Hon. Simon Greenleaf, Chairman of Commissioners 
 concerning Boston Harbor and Back Bay." 
 
 The advantages which will result from 
 this improvement are incalculable. One 
 benefit to the city will be, the creation 
 of a large amount of taxable property at 
 little or no expense to it, except drains 
 and streets, while it will also benefit indi- 
 vidually every real-estate owner, trader, 
 and resident, in Boston. Whatever tends 
 to beautify the city and render it more 
 healthy, has the additional tendency to 
 an increase of population and of busi- 
 ness, thereby enabling all to share in the 
 advantages of such a scheme as is now 
 proposed. The water-works which have 
 recently been completed at an immense 
 cost, to furnish an unfailing supply of that 
 important article to the whole popula- 
 tion, present a strong inducement to fam- 
 ilies to move into the city, and will be 
 the means of keeping multitudes from 
 seeking residences in the suburban towns 
 and villages, in preference to the city, as 
 was formerly the case on account of the 
 difficulty of obtaining wholesome water 
 in the latter. 
 
 It is characteristic of the Bostonian to 
 feel a just pride in the success of any 
 measure which is designed to adorn his 
 city, and make it more and more truly 
 " the pride of New England." And this 
 project is one that meets with so much 
 favor, that it will undoubtedly at no dis- 
 tant day be adopted, and thus place Bos- 
 ton in the front rank of her sister-cities 
 in point of health and beauty. 
 
 The mansion of Mr. Sears, before re- 
 ferred to, a view of which is on the oppo- 
 site page, is in a plain, massive style of 
 architecture, but has a light and pleasing 
 eftect, being constructed of white gran- 
 
 ite, and having the front broken by two 
 semi-circular projections, like round tow- 
 el's, extending from the ground to the 
 roof, and aifcnding to the three stories 
 abundant light, and commanding views 
 of the beautiful and extensive scenery 
 spread out around. 
 
 In this vicinity are numerous fine and 
 costly dwellings, the residences of dis- 
 tinguished gentlemen — of the princely 
 merchants, the Lawrences and Apple- 
 tons — of the eminent lawyers, Choate, 
 Otis, and Mason — of the historian Pres- 
 cott; and many others. Costly build- 
 ings may likewise be seen on the several 
 streets which have, chiefly within the last 
 twenty years, been built up parallel and 
 at right angles with the north line of the 
 common, on the upper slope of Beacon 
 hill ; but none surpass, in size or effect, 
 the fine mansion depicted and described. 
 
 There are several other edifices on dif- 
 ferent sides of the common which merit 
 more particular notice than we have room 
 to give them. Park-street church stands 
 on the eastern side, and is one of the old- 
 est churches in the city. The Gothic ma- 
 sonic temple and St. Paul's church, on 
 the south, and other places of worsliip 
 of different denominations, are seen in 
 the neighborhood, adding variety by their 
 different forms and styles of architecture. 
 
 The Massachicsetts General Hospital, 
 with its two departments — its hospital 
 for the sick and its asylum for the insane 
 — is one of the largest and most impor- 
 tant of the charitable institutions of the 
 state. It was incorporated in 1811. Il 
 was designed to afford relief to invalids, 
 to i-each the necessities of every class of 
 persons, and to yield its benefits at the 
 lowest possible rate. The act of incor- 
 poration granted to the hospital a fee 
 simple in the old Provitice-house estate, 
 on the condition that one hundred thou- 
 sand dollars was raised within ten years. 
 Special donations for this object, amount- 
 ing to over one hundred and f )rty thou- 
 sand dollars, were made in 1816, and the 
 estates were purchased where the two 
 departments of the institution have been 
 located. Its endowments now amount to 
 about one million of dollars. The hospi- 
 tal for the sick, erected in a spacious en- 
 closure of four acres in Allen street, is 
 
86 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 one of the most imposing edifices in Bos- 
 ton. The asylum for the insane is beau- 
 tifully situated on a rising ground within 
 the quiet precincts of the adjoining town 
 of SomervilJe. Nearly fourteen thousand 
 patients have received the benefits of the 
 former department of the institution, and 
 more than thirty-three hundred have been 
 inmates of the latter. The greatest dis- 
 covery of the age — the power of produ- 
 cing insensibility to pain — has gone forth 
 from the one ; while the humane treat- 
 ment, and the high professional skill, 
 evinced in the other, have extended its 
 reputation throughout the length and the 
 breadth of the land, and gathered within 
 its walls sufferers alike from ihe frozen 
 north and the sunny south. One of its 
 earliest and most active advocates was 
 Dr. John C. Warren. He was appoint- 
 ed acting surgeon on its first organiza- 
 tion in 1817; and down to the present 
 time, a period of thirty-four years, he has 
 continued assiduously at his arduous post 
 of duty and of honor. 
 
 The New England Institution for the 
 Education of the Blind is one of the 
 laro-est and most prosperous establish- 
 ments of the kind in the Union, and very 
 liberally endowed by public and private 
 donations. It was incorporated in 1829, 
 and in 1833 was presented, by Thomas 
 H. Perkins, with his valuable mansion- 
 house in Pearl street, worth thirty thou- 
 sand dollars, and by individuals with fifty 
 thousand dollars. The Perkins mansion 
 was subsequently exchanged for the pres- 
 ent edifice on Mount Washington, South 
 Boston. Later donations have increased 
 the funds of the institution. 
 
 The Customhouse. — This building is 
 located at the foot of State street, be- 
 tween the heads of Long and Cential 
 wharves, fronting east on the dock be- 
 tween them, and on the west fronting 
 India street, which is its principal front. 
 The building is in the form of a cross ; 
 the extreme length is one hundred and 
 forty feet, extreme breadth ninety-five ; 
 the longest arms of the cross are seven- 
 ty-five feet wide, and the shortest sixty- 
 seven feet. The base of the building 
 is nine feet high, the columns ihirty-two 
 feet, entablature ten and two thirds feet, 
 pediment eight and one third feet, and 
 
 dome at the intersection of the cross 
 twenty-nine feet above that ; — making 
 the whole height, from the sidewalk to 
 the top of the dome, ninety feet. The 
 style of architecture is the pure Gre- 
 cian Doric. Each front has a portico 
 of six fluted Doric columns, thirty-two 
 feet high and five feet four inches in di- 
 ameter, approached by a flight of four- 
 teen steps, which are equal in height to 
 the base of the building. The walls of 
 the building are composed of sixteen 
 three-quarter columns, four nearly full 
 columns at the corner, all of the same 
 height and diameter as those of the por- 
 ticoes ; and four antae, thirty-two feet in 
 height, five feet one inch by three feet 
 eight inches at the intersection of the 
 cioss. The columns ai"e each in one 
 piece, of highly-wrought granite, costing 
 about five thousand dollars. 
 
 The building is founded on about three 
 thousand piles, driven in the most thor- 
 ough manner ; immediately on the heads 
 of these is laid a platform of granite, in 
 the best hydraulic-cement mortar. The 
 large central business-room is sixty-five 
 by sixty-eight feet, and six^y feet high to 
 the skylight of the dome, and is finished 
 in a very elaborate manner in the Cor- 
 inthian order. There are twelve fluted 
 marble columns, three feet in diameter 
 by twenty-nine feet high, highly wrought 
 out of Egremont marble, having capitals 
 of Italian marble, designed and wrought 
 here, of the most chaste and classic char- 
 acter. The rest of the interior is finished 
 in a plain and simple style, and fireproof 
 throughout, having mostly stone floors, 
 iron doors, &c. 
 
 The building is warmed and ventilated 
 by an apparatus, the heating being com- 
 bined with the ventilation, and effected 
 in part by mechanical means. 
 
 Faneuil-Hall Market. — This market 
 is of granite, and has a centre building, 
 seventy-four and a half by fifty-five feet, 
 with wings, extending in all five hundred 
 and thirty-six feet, with a fine facade at 
 each end, with granite columns of single 
 pieces, twenty-one feet high, and weigh- 
 ing each fourteen or fifieen tons, A row 
 of granite buildings on each side, fiiur 
 stories high, for stores, is more than five 
 hundred feet in lenfjth. 
 
 rJj 
 
88 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 Sons of Liberty 1766. 
 Independence of their Country, 1776. 
 
 Faneul Hall. — This old building, 
 so intimately associated with our revolu- 
 tionary history, was erected in 1742, by 
 Peter Faneuil, Esq., who presented it 
 to the town of Boston. It was consider- 
 ably enlarged in 1805, and the following 
 are its present dimensions : length, one 
 hundred feet; breadth, eighty feet; height, 
 three stories ; great hall in the second 
 story, used for public meelings, seventy- 
 six feet square, and twenty-eight high ; 
 hall for military trainings, in the third 
 story, seventy-eight feet by tliiity. The 
 basement story is devoted to stores. A 
 broad staircase, entered from the east 
 front, leads to the second and third sto- 
 ries. The great hall has galleries on 
 three sides, supported by Doric columns ; 
 two rows of Ionic columns support the 
 ceiling. Stuart's portrait of Washing- 
 ton, and a portrait of its founder, orna- 
 ment this fine hall. 
 
 The Liberty-Tree. — The above en- 
 graving of the Liberty-Tree, so famous 
 in the revolutionary annals of Boston, as 
 it appeared just previous to its destruc- 
 
 tion by the British troops and tories du- 
 ring the siege of that town, in August, 
 1775, is copied from a bas-relief repre- 
 sentation, placed, by the Hon. David 
 Sears, in a niche of a block of fine build- 
 ings which he has recently erected up- 
 on the site of an old grove of elms, of 
 which this tree was one. This sculptured 
 representation is placed exactly over the 
 spot where the Liberty-Tree stood. Why 
 can not the patriotic feeling and the prov- 
 ident care, which prompted this act on 
 the part of Mr. Sears, be followed in 
 rescuing from oblivion others of the ma- 
 ny localities so interesting and so worthy 
 of being held in perpetual remembrance, 
 from their association with events dui-ing 
 the most trying period of our country's 
 history ? The silent though no less cer- 
 tainly destructive hand of decay, and the 
 improvements required by the rapid in- 
 crease of population and settlement, in 
 both country and city, are fast sweeping 
 away every vestige by which the locali- 
 ties so reverenced are recognised ; and 
 he who sets up any landmarks by which 
 
90 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 they may be known, as Mr. Sears lias 
 done on the site of the Liberty-Tree, 
 deserves and will receive the grateful 
 thanks of posterity. 
 
 The following letter frf)m Mr. Sears 
 to the mayor and city council of Boston, 
 is so replete wiih interesting incidents 
 connected with the history of this tree, 
 that we can not repress the inclination 
 to place it on record in the pages of this 
 volume. We take it from a copy piint- 
 ed by order of the city council of Bos- 
 ton, for the use of the members of the 
 city government : — 
 
 "Beacon Street, Boston, ? 
 Sept 29, 1849. \ 
 " To the Honorable the M'lyor 
 
 and Aldermen of the City of Boston : — 
 
 "Gentlemen: I have the honor to 
 inform you that the old buildings at the 
 corner of Essex and Washington streets 
 have been removed, and that an exten- 
 sive block of warehouses is being erected 
 in their places, to cover the whole front 
 of my estate on these two streets. 
 
 " As this site is somewhat remarkable 
 in the history of B<iston — it having sus- 
 tained, and for more than a century nour- 
 ished, a splendid American elm, known 
 and venerated as ' Lihertij-Tree'' — the 
 present seems a fit occasion to bring it 
 to your notice. 
 
 " The tree was supposed to have been 
 planted in 1646, and was cut down by 
 the British in 1775. La Fayette, in his 
 visit to Boston, said, • The world should 
 never foiget the spot where once stood 
 Libei ty-Tree, sn famous in your annals.' 
 
 " In accordance with this sentiment, 
 I have ventured to address this letter to 
 you — to make record of certain facts, 
 and to note the changes connected with 
 this historic corner. And, believing that 
 I shall respond to the general feeling of 
 my fellow-citizens on this subject, I have 
 caused to be sculptured, in bas-relief, a 
 representation of this celebrated tree, 
 with appropriate inscriptions, and have 
 inserted it in that part of the building 
 which fronts on Washington street, and 
 directly over the spot where the tree it- 
 self formerly stood, 
 
 " The folhnving facts and reminiscen- 
 ces 1 have gleaned from various authori- 
 ties — principally from Snow's ' History 
 
 of Boston,' and from the public records 
 of 1775. 
 
 "On the 22d of March, in 1765, the 
 king of Great Britain gave his assent to 
 the stamp-act. This act was extremely 
 odious to the people, and the colonies 
 regarding it as ' taxation without repre- 
 sentation,' and therefore ' tyranny,' were 
 determined to oppose it. The citizens 
 of Boston had some time before (in 1761) 
 resisted, upon the same principle, anoth- 
 er tyrannous act, called ' writs of assist- 
 ance;' and the feeling, though somewhat 
 allayed, was still warm in their bosoms, 
 and ready to be brought into action. 
 
 " The colonies had earnestly and sep- 
 arately remonstrated against the stamp- 
 act. They looked upon it as the brass 
 collar of servitude to be riveted on their 
 necks, to mark them for tlie born serfs 
 of George IIL ; and this they would not 
 submit to. Boston, in particular, showed 
 a strong opposition to the act, and re- 
 solved at all hazards to maintain her lib- 
 erties and the privileges of the charter 
 of Massachusetts ; though she well knew 
 that, being no favorite in England, the 
 vengeance of that mighty power would 
 be chiefly turned against her in any con- 
 test that might ensue. Her citizens, how- 
 ever, undismayed in their purpose, while 
 they felt that in the coming struggle were 
 staked their propeity and their lives, did 
 not hesitate to venture both against un- 
 lawful oppression. In this sentiment the 
 whole population were united; and the 
 talents, the property, and the religi<in 
 of Boston stood shoulder to shoulder in 
 the subsequent terrific struggle between 
 mis:ht and liffht. No boastful threaten- 
 ings marked their course, but on they 
 went as men — cool, determined, and in- 
 flexible, straightforward to their end — 
 the independence of their country. 
 
 " In the early history of iJoston, it ap- 
 pears that * near the head of Essex street 
 formerly stood a grove of those majestic 
 elms, of the American species, which 
 form one of the greatest oin;iments in 
 the landscapes of our countiy. This 
 grove had obtained the name of Hano- 
 ver square, or neighborhood of the elms.' 
 
 " Under one of these trees, and nearly 
 opposite to the present Boylston market, 
 the people of Boston assembled on the 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 91 
 
 14lh day of August, 1765, and exhibited 
 the first plain evidence of resistance to 
 the oppressive course of their misguided 
 fatherland. A single act of riot — the 
 pulling down of a shed, suj^posed to 
 have been erected for a stamp-office — 
 marked this meeting, and for a time over- 
 shadowed the holiness of their purpose. 
 It proved, however, to be but the intoxi- 
 j cation of a moment, and was never re- 
 peated.* The building was afterward, 
 with an apology, paid for. The name 
 of' Liberty-Tree' was then given to this 
 noble elm, and from that time it became 
 ' a sort of idol to the people.' Law and 
 order, charter rights and ])roperty, wei e 
 nourished at its roots, and liberty ripened 
 under its spreading branches. On the 
 14th of February, 1766, it was pruned 
 in the best mannei', agreeably to a vote 
 passed by the ' Sons of Liberty,' an as- 
 sociation long before known as a club 
 of gentlemen, united fir mutual protec- 
 tion, and to resist oppression, and which 
 first assumed that name, and called upon 
 the patriotic citizens of Boston to join 
 them, in the early part of the preceding 
 December. 
 
 ♦' The 20th of February of this 1766 
 had been agreed upon for burning one 
 of the stamped papers in the principal 
 towns in each of the colonies ; and in Bos- 
 ton the ceremony was conducted with 
 great decency and order. It also is I'e- 
 corded that, on the 24th, a vessel having 
 arrived from Jamaica with stamped clear- 
 ances, the ' Sons of Liberty' immediately 
 ■*t'nt an order to one of their members to 
 go and demand in their names those marks 
 of Creole slavery. The person to whom 
 it was directed went to the vessel, and, 
 being told that the master had gone to 
 the customhouse, followed him there — 
 • when, upon the above order being 
 shown, the stamped clearance was given 
 up. It was then carried to King (now 
 State) street, and publicly burned, a Son 
 of Liberty standing by the paper while 
 
 " The Sons of Liberty had no part in the destruc- 
 tion of property at Lieutenaut-Governor Hutchinson's 
 house. Their rallying cries were ' Liberty and Prop- 
 erty" — " Law and Order" — but in tliis case they were 
 overpowered by a mob of misguided men, led on by 
 a rabble of boys and thieves. They always lamented 
 the act as a disgrace cast upon the cause of freedom. 
 —Ed. 
 
 it was burning, and shouting to the crowd 
 these words : " Behold the smoke ascends 
 to heaven to witness between the isle of 
 Britain and an injured people!" Three 
 cheers were then given, and in a few 
 minutes every man, woman, and child, 
 retired from the street wiihout the least 
 disorder and in silence.' 
 
 ♦'On the 15th of the following May, 
 news was received of the repeal of the 
 stamp-act. The joy of the inhabitants 
 of Boston was great. The bells were 
 rung from every church, and a cannon 
 was fired under ' Liberty-Tree.' The 
 19th was appointed a day of general re- 
 joicing; 'Liberty-Tree' was decorated 
 wih flags and colois, and at the windows 
 of the houses near it were clustered the 
 daughters of oui- distinguished citizens, 
 dressed in gay attire, and adorned with 
 garlands of flowers. In the evening 'fire- 
 works were everywhere played ofl^ — the 
 air was filled with rockets, the ground 
 with beehives and serpents. The gentry 
 gave elegant entertaiimients, and Mr. 
 Hancock treated the people with a pipe 
 of Madeira.' On the common, the Sons 
 of Liberty erected a magnificent pyra- 
 mid, illuminated with vaiiegated lamps, 
 and all was bright and joyous. At about 
 midnight, at a signal given, and by beat 
 of druin, the inhabitants quietly retired 
 to their respective dwellings, the lights 
 were put out, and the town was hushed 
 in its usual silence. 
 
 " These rejoicings had been ushered 
 in by a subscription for liberating all the 
 poor persons confined in jail for debt, 
 and thus enable ihem freely to partake 
 of the general joy. 
 
 " The ministers of religion also bore 
 their part in these scenes ; and the ser- 
 mons of Drs. Mayhew, Chauncey, and 
 others, were printed. 
 
 " In the month of August, 1776, tl*is 
 celebrated tree was cut down ' by the 
 enemies of Uherty and America, headed 
 by General Gage.' A party, ai med with 
 axes, made an attack upon it, and, after 
 much labor, levelled it with the ground. 
 A Son of Liberty, at Cambridge, ijave 
 public notice of its fall, and added these 
 prophetic words : ' But, be it known to 
 this infamous band of traitors, that tlie 
 grand American tree of liberty, planted 
 
 -J 
 
92 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 in the centre of the united colonies of 
 North America, now flourishes with un- 
 rivalled beauty, and bids fair, in a short 
 time, to afford under its wide-spreading 
 branches a safe and happy retreat for all 
 the sons of liberty, however numerous 
 and dispersed.' 
 
 " What was then prophecy, has now 
 become history. 
 
 " Very respectfully, 
 
 "Your obedient, humble servant, 
 " David Sears." 
 
 The AthencEum, in Beacon street, is 
 open daily to strangers introduced by 
 members, and contains a valuable libra- 
 ry of about forty thousand volumes, and 
 about fourteen iboiisand coins and med- 
 als. In the rear is the gallery of fine 
 aits, with a collection of statues, paint- 
 incrs, &c. The Massachusetts Historical 
 Society's library is in Tremont street. 
 
 Theatres. — The theatres of Boston 
 are limited in number, and rather ordi- 
 nary in appearance. They are as fol- 
 lows : 1. The National theatre, corner 
 of Portland and Travels streets. 2. The 
 Boston theatre, formerly known as the 
 Odeon, in Federal street. 3. The How- 
 ard Aihena3um,in Howard street. Kim- 
 ball's museum, in Tremont street, is also 
 open f )r theatrical performances. 
 
 Boston Water- Works. — The Co- 
 chituate aqueduct for the introduction 
 of pure and wholesome water into the 
 city was completed in 1S4S. The cost 
 of construction was over three millions 
 of dollars. The water is brought in an 
 oval brick aqueduct, above six feet in 
 height, about fourteen and a half miles 
 from the Cochituate lake to Brookline, 
 where it discharges itself into a reservoir 
 of more than twenty acres in extent. 
 From Brookline the water is forced by 
 iis own pressure through pipes of thirty 
 and thirty-five inches in diameter, to the 
 two reservoirs in the city. The one on 
 Mount Washingtt>n, at South Boston, has 
 a superfices of seventy thousand, and the 
 other on Beacon hill of thirty-eight thou- 
 sand feet. The latter contains, when full, 
 three millions of gallons. This reservoir 
 enables them to have a fountain on the 
 common, which throws a jet to a great 
 height. The two reservoirs will delivc 
 
 to the city of Boston ten millions of gal- 
 lons a day, of the purest and best water, 
 decided by chymists to be equal to that 
 of the Croton of New York. , 
 
 Public Schools. — The educational 
 system of Massachusetts has been no- 
 ticed on a previous page. The sums 
 spent in the city of Boston alone foi pub- 
 lic instruction — larger than in all Great 
 Britain — are almost entirely a voluntary 
 offering. The laws of the commonwealth, 
 even as early as 1647, it is true, require 
 the support of public schools in all the 
 towns within its jurisdiction; but a sin- 
 gle school will meet the demands of the 
 law in most tov/ns ; and in Boston itself, 
 three schools and three teachers only 
 would meet the intent of the statute : tw^o 
 of these must be teachers " competent to 
 instruct children in orthography, reading, 
 wrilin":,En<Tlish grammar, arithmetic, and 
 good behavior;" and the other must be 
 " a master f)f competent ability and good 
 morals, who shall, in addition to the 
 branches of learning before mentioned, 
 give instruction in the history of the fjni- 
 ted States, book-keeping, surveying, ge- 
 ometry, and algebra ; the Latin and Greek 
 languages, genei'al history, rhetoric, and 
 logic." These three teachers might cost 
 the city, at the present rate of salaiies, 
 about four thousand five hundred dollars, 
 with the expense of interest for houses 
 added ; in all, perhaps, seven thousand 
 dollars. Instead, however, of being sat- 
 isfied to fulfil the letter of the excellent 
 law, the citizens of Boston take pride in 
 supportingaLatin school, an English high 
 school, twenty-two grammar-sclnjols, and 
 some two hundred pi imary schools, with a 
 corps of three hundred and seventy teach- 
 ers, whose combined salaries amount to 
 a hundred and seventy-five thousand dol- 
 lars. Add to this a million dollars vested 
 in schoolhouses, besides apparatus and 
 incidental expenses of superintendence, 
 fuel, &c., and the sacrifice of property for 
 the good of posterity stands forth without 
 a parallel in the Union. 
 
 Boston Asylum and Farm-School. — 
 In 1813 several gentlemen formed a soci- 
 ety for the relief and education of such 
 boys as might be found destitute of pa- 
 rental and friendly superintendence. In 
 February, 1814, an act of incorporation 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 93 
 
 was granted them, and the society was 
 organized, with the title of the " Boston 
 Asylum for Indigent Boys." For many 
 years it was located at the corner of Sa- 
 lem and Charter streets, in the house for- 
 merly occupied by Governor Phips. On 
 the 9th of June, 1835, the boys, fifty-two 
 in number, were removed to Thompson's 
 island, which is within the limits of the 
 city, about four miles from the city-hall. 
 A number of gentlemen in Boston were 
 desirous that an institution should be es- 
 tablished there, to which children either 
 already corrupted, or beyond parental 
 control, misfht be sent without the inter- 
 vention of a legal conviction and sen- 
 tence ; and in which such employments 
 might be pursued by the children as 
 would make the institution, in the strict- 
 est sense, a school of industry. A plan 
 for this object was submitted to a few 
 gentlemen, by whom it was appi'oved 
 and matured ; and a meeting was held 
 in the hall of the Tremont bank on the 
 27th of January, 1832, when a board of 
 directors was chosen. Subscription pa- 
 pers were opened, and twenty-three thcni- 
 sand dollars were soon (jbtained. In the 
 summer of 1833 following, Thompson's 
 island, containing one hundred and forty 
 acres, was purchased for the objects of 
 the institution ; and a building is now 
 completed there, which, besides ample 
 accommodations for the officers of the 
 establishment, is quite sufficient for the 
 charge of more than three hundred chil- 
 dren, A suggestion having been made 
 of the expediency of connecting ihe pro- 
 posed faim-school with the asylum for 
 indigent boys, conferences were held be- 
 tween the directors of these institutions ; 
 and in March, 1835, they were united 
 under the style of the '♦ Boston Asylum 
 and Farm-School." 
 
 The objects of the present institution 
 are to rescue from the ills and the temp- 
 tations of poverty and neglect, those who 
 have been left without a parent's care ; 
 to reclaim from moral exposure those 
 who are treading the paths of danger ; 
 and to offer to those whose only training 
 would otlierwise have been in the walks 
 of vice, if not of crime, the greatest bles- 
 sing which New England can bestow 
 upon her most favored sons. The occu- 
 
 pations and employments of the boys va- 
 ry with the season. In spring, summer, 
 and autumn, the larger boys work upon 
 the garden and farm. The younger boys 
 have small gardens of their own, which 
 afford them recreation when released 
 from school. In the winter, most of them 
 attend school. Their library contains 
 about five hundred volumes. 
 
 Bridges. — Some of the most striking 
 objects in the neighborhood of Boston 
 are the bridges which lead from it to 
 various points. There are no less than 
 seven princijial ones, besides several 
 branches. The expense at which ihey 
 have been constructed, and are kept in 
 repair, is very great ; and they furnish 
 great facilities for strangei'S desirous of 
 makinff excursions to the surronndinsf 
 country. The Milldam bridge, or West- 
 ern avenue, leading to Brookline, is one 
 and a half miles long, and a part of the 
 way one hundred feet wide. 
 
 Charlestown was settled in the year 
 1628. It is the oldest town in Middlesex 
 county, and one of the oldest in the state. 
 Il derives its name from King Charles 1., 
 the reigning sovereign of England at that 
 time. The Indian name of the settlement 
 was Mishawam. 
 
 Charlestown is situated on a peninsula, 
 with the harbor on the east ; the Mystic 
 river and Chelsea on the north ; Charles 
 river on the south ; and on the west Som- 
 erville, with which it is connected by a 
 narrow strip of land called " The Neck." 
 With Maiden on the northwest, Charles- 
 town is connected by a bridge 2,420 feet 
 in length, opened for travel on the 23d 
 of September, 1788. A bridge one mile 
 in length leads from the nnvy-yard due 
 jioith to Chelsea This was foimerly the 
 great thoroughfare from Boston to Sa- 
 lem, via Chelsea and Lynn. Now the 
 bridge is used for local travel only, the 
 Eastern railroad being the usual means 
 of conveyance to Lynn, Salem, Newbu- 
 ryport, Nahant, thence to Portsmouth, 
 Portland, &c. 
 
 At Charlestown are the stateprison, 
 conducted on the improved plan ; Bun- 
 ker-hill monument ; the United States 
 navy-yard, with dry-dock, ship-houses, 
 &c. ; and the M'Lean insane asylum. 
 Bunker-Hill Monument. — On the 17th 
 
94 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 of June, 1825, I lie fiftieth anniversary of 
 the memorable ha tie of Bunker's hill, 
 the corner-stone of this monument was 
 laid in an angle of the old redoubt on 
 Breed's hill, an inferior eminence behind 
 Charlestovvn. The base, a mass of four- 
 teen thousand tons' weight, is laid thir- 
 teen feet deep, and has six courses of 
 stone to the surface, the first of which is 
 fifty feet on each side. Above this a pyr- 
 amidal obelisk, thirty feet square, rises 
 tapering, two hundred and thirteen feet 
 four inches on the ground, and fifteen 
 feet at the top. It is composed of eighty 
 courses of stone, each two feet eight inch- 
 es thick. A winding stone staircase in the 
 inside leads to the summit, whence the 
 view is fine and highly interesting. The 
 whole is built of Quincy granite. The 
 largest block in it is said to be eleven 
 feet long, two broad, and two feet eight 
 inches high, with a weight of ten tons. 
 
 After the battle of Bunker's hill, the 
 continental troops were drawn in a more 
 complete line around the town of Boston, 
 which was still in possession of the Brit- 
 ish, and numerous intrenchments may 
 yet be traced out on most of the hills in 
 the vicinity; but it was not till General 
 Washington had succeeded in occupy- 
 ing Dorchester heights, which command 
 the harbor and town from the southeast, 
 that the British forces embarked in their 
 ships and evacuated the place. 
 
 Dorchester heights were occupied on 
 the night of March 4, 1776. Eight hun- 
 dred men formed the van ; then followed 
 carriages, and twelve hundred pioneers 
 under General Thomas, three hundred 
 carts of fascines and gabions, and guns 
 in the rear. Two forts were foi'med by 
 ten o'clock at night — one toward the 
 city, and the other toward Castle island. 
 Preparations were made for an attack 
 i by the British, and for defence by the 
 Americans ; but the weather prevented 
 the designs of the former, consisting of 
 ten thousand men, who, after pillaging 
 the town, and providing for the removal 
 of fifteen hundred resident loyalists, em- 
 barked for New York, March 17, leaving 
 behind a quantity of ammunition, &c. 
 
 Villages. — The vicinity of Boston 
 presents a succession of villages, prob- 
 ably not to be paralleled for beauty in 
 
 the United States. They are generally 
 the residences of a number of the most 
 opulent citizens during the pleasant sea- 
 sons, and many of the buildings are fine 
 and expensive. The grounds are also 
 frequently laid out with great taste and 
 highly cultivated ; so that no stranger 
 who has leisure should fail to take a 
 circuit through them for a few miles. 
 There are several manufacturing estab- 
 lishments in this vicinity, among which 
 Waltham is conspicuous. 
 
 Naliant, fourteen miles northeast ft-om 
 Boston, is a very pleasant and favorite 
 resort during the warm months, being 
 a fine situation, open to the sea, of easy 
 access by land and water, and furnished 
 with several houses for the accommoda- 
 tion of visiters, particularly a large ho- 
 tel. A steamboat runs thither in the 
 summer, and there is a fine road which 
 passes round the bay, through the town 
 of Lynn (celebrated for the manufacture 
 of shoes), along Lynn beach, and then 
 turns off to the promontory of Nahant, 
 which is a point of rough rocks of con- 
 siderable elevation. 
 
 The passage in the steamboat affords 
 a fine view of Boston bay, with the city; 
 Dorchester heights on the south ; Bun- 
 ker's and Breed's hills on the northwest ; 
 and many other very interesting objects. 
 Among the islands which form the de- 
 fence of the harbor, is that which con- 
 tains Castle William, besides one or two 
 other fortified ones — Rainsford island, 
 which has the marine hospital, part of 
 it quite elevated, but containing only a 
 few acres ; and another on which is the 
 farm-school, an interesting institution 
 for boys. Salt is made in Boston bay, 
 and windmills are sometimes used to 
 pump the water. 
 
 The ground near the hotel at Nahant 
 has been laid out and ornamented with 
 taste. The cupola on the top commands 
 a fine water scene; and during the prev- 
 alence of a strong wind from the sea, 
 the waves are high and magnificent, 
 breaking wildly against the rocks. 
 
 The baths are at a short distance fi'om 
 the hotel, and are quite commodious, 
 furnishing one of the chief attractions 
 of the place. 
 
 The Si/ren's Grotto is a remarkable 
 
96 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 cavity in the rjcks, about a quarter of 
 a mile from the hotel; it has been cu- 
 riously worn out by the waves. There 
 are several other caverns of a similar 
 character, produced in the course of 
 ao-es by the constant attrition of the 
 water. The Spouting Horn is a hole in 
 the rocks, on the opposite side, where 
 the water is thrown up in the air at pai"- 
 ticular times of tide. The rocks are of 
 granite, porphyry, epidote, &c., and fur- 
 nish pebbles of jasper. Pulpit rock, on 
 the south, is a singular object; its top 
 is almost inaccessible. The rude shores 
 and the smooth beach can be best exam- 
 ined at lowtide ; but those who are fond 
 of sublime scenes should omit no oppor- 
 tunity to visit them when the wind is 
 high, particularly in a moonlight night, 
 
 Plymouth. — This place is thirty-six 
 miles south-southeast from Boston. It 
 is highly interesting on account of its 
 history, being the site of the first set- 
 tlement made by the New England pil- 
 grims, on the 22d December, 1620. A 
 mass of granite rock is still shown, on 
 which those who first landed stepped ; 
 it has been divided, and a part of it re- 
 mains buried near the shore in its nat- 
 ural location, while the upper part is 
 removed into the centre of the village. 
 
 A handsome building was erected here 
 in 1820, in which the New England so- 
 ciety hold their annual celebrations of 
 that interesting era in the history of the 
 country. Burying hill, which rises near 
 at hand, is the spot where a small fort 
 was erected by the settlers, and where 
 the graves of several of them are still to 
 be found. The banks of the brook south 
 of the hill were the scene of the first 
 conference with Massasoit, a friendly 
 and faithful Indian chief, from whom 
 the name of the bay, and subsequently 
 that of the state, was derived. Manumet 
 point is a promontory on the south side 
 of the harbor ; and a small island on the 
 opposite side of it was the spot where 
 the pilgrims fii'st placed their feet on 
 shore in this vicinity, after having pre- 
 viously landed on Cape Cod. 
 
 The young and feeble colony suffered 
 extreme distresses here from the severity 
 of the climate (against which they were 
 unprepared, as they had 9 -tiled for a 
 
 more southern region) and the want of 
 provisions. Nothing but the assistance 
 of Massasoit, under the providence of 
 God, preserved them fi'on: extinction. 
 
 The Boston and Lowell Railroad, 
 is twenty-six and a half miles in length. 
 The cars start from North Boston, 
 and pass in view of the ruins of the 
 Charlestown nunnery, on Mount Ben- 
 edict, which was burned by a mob some 
 years ago on a charge of the ill treat- 
 ment of some of the nuns. Summit of 
 the i"oad, one hundred and twenty-five 
 feet; maximum grade, ten feet per mile ; 
 least radius, three thousand feet. More 
 than one half is straight. It was opened 
 in June, 1835. 
 
 This road extends to Concord, from 
 which place, also, several roads, now in 
 process of construction, are to extend to 
 Portsmouth and north into Canada. 
 
 Lowell. — Like many other towns in 
 this vicinity, this place has grown fi'om 
 a very small beginning. Thousands of 
 persons now living in the city and sur- 
 rounding country, well remember when 
 there were not ten men in it. The main 
 canal, which supplies water for turning 
 the machinery of numerous mills on the 
 banks of the Merrimack, was constructed 
 in 1793, simply as a boat and raft chan- 
 nel ai-ound the falls. The finest timber 
 in New England was then brought down 
 the Concord and Merrimack, the junc- 
 tion of which rivers takes place at Low- 
 ell ; and thence, to the ocean, they go 
 by the name of the Merrimack. The 
 construction of this canal soon attracted 
 the attention of capitalists, the result of 
 which was, that one mill after another 
 was erected ; and from a little, meager 
 village, Lowell has grown into a pow- 
 erful city, with vast ranges of magnifi- 
 cent granite and brick factories stretch- 
 ing from river to river, and from street 
 to street, resembling huge towers, and 
 striking the stranger with wonder, sur- 
 prise, and admiration. The population 
 is about forty thousand. 
 
 The value of raw cotton used up 
 here annually is about four hundred 
 thousand dollars ; wool, about one hun- 
 dred thousand dollars. The value of 
 the articles manufactured in all the fac- 
 tories, large and small, is about thirteen 
 
nl 
 
 98 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 millions of dollars per annum. The 
 amount of money annually paid out to 
 the operatives is one million, eight hun- 
 dred thousand dollars. The operatives, 
 both male and female, get higher w^ages 
 than any other persons of their class in 
 the United States, or perhaps in the 
 world. Their intelligence is also great- 
 er, and their morals are better. They 
 have tw^o hundred and fifty thousand 
 dollars' worth of stock in the various 
 companies, which ihey have purchased 
 with their earnings in the mills : thirty 
 thousand dollars in railroad stock, a 
 pretty lai'ge amount in bank stock, and 
 two hundred thousand dollars deposited 
 in the savings bank. This money they 
 have made by their industry. Many of 
 them have fine houses. A large num- 
 ber of families are dependent on the 
 earnings of their daughters in these fac- 
 tories. Two nieces of Daniel Webster, 
 and two of Edward Everett, are grad- 
 uates of these palaces of the poor. The 
 girls publish a periodical of original 
 matter, written entirely by the opera- 
 tives. Over two hundred young ladies, 
 who labored in these factories and thus 
 earned the money with which they ed- 
 ucated themselves, are now instructors 
 of youth, and some of them in the high- 
 est female seminaries. 
 
 The Boston and Worcester Railroad, 
 forty-four and a half miles, extends from 
 the shore of Boston harbor, under Wash- 
 ington street, across the city by a via- 
 duct ; over Charles river, on an embank- 
 ment six hundred and eighty feet long, 
 and through a cut in granite five hun- 
 dred feet long and thirty feet deep ; 
 along Charles river ; through Brighton 
 to Needham ; and through Natick, Fra- 
 mingham, Westborough, and Grafton, 
 to Worcester, five miles east of which 
 is the summit, five hundred and fifty feet 
 above tide. There is a cut through slate 
 thirty-seven feet deep. Less than one 
 third of a mile on this route is level ; 
 maximum grade, thirty feet ; least rad- 
 ius, nine hundred and fifty-four feet. 
 
 The Great Western Railroad (a con- 
 tinuation of the above road) leads from 
 Worcester to Springfield, fifty-four miles, 
 through Charlton, South Brookfield, Pal- 
 mer, and Wilbraham, and on to West 
 
 Stockbridge, on the New York line, six- 
 ty-two miles further; and thence on to 
 Albany. 
 
 The Boston and P-ortsmouth or East- 
 ern Railroad extends from East Boston 
 through Lynn, Salem (where is a tunnel 
 under part of the town), Ipswich, and 
 Newburyport (forty miles), to Ports- 
 mouth, N. H., fifteen and a half miles. 
 It is continued to Portland, Me., through 
 Wells, Kennebunkport, and Saco ; and 
 thence to Bangor, one hundred and thir- 
 ty-two miles further. 
 
 Mount Auburn Cemetery. — This is 
 the first of the large rural burying- 
 grounds which have since become so 
 common in this country. It occupies a 
 large extent of uneven land, well adapt- 
 ed in form, as well as in the nature of 
 its soil and the abundant and varied 
 growth of forest-trees which it bears, to 
 the solemn and interesting object to 
 which it is devoted. It is surrounded 
 by a strong and high fence, and the front 
 presents a high wall, with a fine gateway 
 of granite. At the entrance, avenues 
 lead off", on either side, through shady 
 groves ; and here several of the prin- 
 cipal monuments ai*e first presented to 
 view, particularly that of the distin- 
 guished phrenologist, Spurzheim, who 
 died at Boston on his visit to the United 
 States. The first interment made at 
 Mount Aubui'n was that of Hannah 
 Adams, the celebrated writer of the his- 
 tory of the Jews. 
 
 The grounds are laid out with great 
 taste, and are gi'adually filling up with 
 tombs and graves. Many private tombs 
 are seen on every side, constructed in a 
 great variety of styles ; and the avenues, 
 roads, and paths, which branch out in 
 all directions, lead the visiter through 
 scenes of great variety, among hills of 
 various elevations, and by the borders 
 of ponds, every step bringing to view 
 some new and sad but appropriate object. 
 Flowers are often mingled with the 
 foliage and shade of funereal trees and 
 shrubs ; and many touching emblems and 
 inscriptions are interspersed, on which 
 the mind may dwell with affecting and 
 profitable reflections. 
 
 Lexington, Worcester county, is re- 
 mai-kable as the place where the fii'st 
 
100 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 1 
 
 blood was shed in the revolutionary war. 
 On the 19th of April, 1776, General 
 Crage sent a body of troops from Bos- 
 ton to seize a powderhouse at Concord 
 belonging to the colony ; and the inhab- 
 itants were warned of his design by an 
 express drspntched by the Hon. Joseph 
 Wairen. Tlie miHtia were called out, 
 but, the alarm subsiding, they were dis- 
 missed, with orders, however, to hold 
 themselves in readiness. The enemy 
 unexpectedly made their appearance at 
 half-past 4 o'clock, coming on at a quick 
 step, within a mile and a quarter of the 
 cliurch. The alarm-guns were fired, 
 drums beat, and fifty or sixty militiamen 
 assembled on the ]>arade. The British 
 brigade halted about one hundred and 
 twenty yards from the church to load, 
 and tlien passing the east end of the 
 building, discovered the Americans, who 
 Avere ordered at the moment by their 
 commander. Captain Parker, to disperse 
 and take care of themselves, but not to 
 fire. As some of them loitered, the 
 British troops rushed toward them, huz- 
 zaing. Major Pitcairn fired a pistol at 
 them when about tliiity yards distant, 
 after they had been called "rebels," and 
 ordered them to lay down their arms 
 and disperse. Another officer, who was 
 within a few yards <»f ihem, then bran- 
 dished his sword and ordered the ti-oops 
 to " fire," which was obeyed at the sec- 
 ond order; and the fire being returned, 
 it was kept up on the dispersing men 
 until they had all disappeared. Eight 
 were killed and ten wounded. (Gen- 
 eral Gage falsely stated tliat the British 
 were first fired upon.) 
 
 After the regulars had fired a volley 
 from the green behind the church, and 
 given three cheers, they proceeded to 
 Concord. On their return, being hard 
 pressed by sharpshooters, they burned 
 three houses, a shop, and a barn, killed 
 three more men and wounded one. 
 
 Andovp.r is a small village, situated 
 on high ground, twenty miles from Bos- 
 ton. It is remarkable for the Phillips 
 academy and the theologicMl siMninary, 
 whicli are throe fourtlis <»f a mile east 
 fr(»m it, on the summit of the ascent. 
 Tiie buildings belonging to the semin- 
 ary (which we have before described) 
 
 make a conspicuous figure from different 
 parts of the surrounding country, and 
 command a view of great extent, bound- 
 ed on the west by the Temple hills in 
 New Hampshire, backed by the Mo- 
 nadnoc about sixty miles off', and on the 
 south by the Blue hills. A small el- 
 evation near by affords a view of the 
 Atlantic ocean, from about Newbury- 
 port to Cape Ann, with part of Salem ; 
 and in the northwest is a distant peak, 
 which is supposed to be Ascutney, in 
 Vermont. 
 
 The academical buildings are distin- 
 guished by the names of Phillips hall, 
 Bartlett hall, and the chapel. In the 
 upper part of the latter is a library. 
 The profijssors' houses are opposite, 
 with a spacious green intervening be- 
 tween the seminary and the street ; and 
 there is also a large inn. Tlie academy 
 is not connected with the seminary. 
 
 BiiooKFiKLD. — This was one of the 
 most early settled towns in this part of 
 the country, dating as far back as No- 
 vember 10, 1G65 ; and for several years 
 the only towns in the west were Hadley, 
 Northampton, &c., while there was no 
 white settlement between it and Can- 
 ada. The stagecoach passes over a hnig 
 hill in West Brookfiold, which commands 
 an extensive prospect, and this is the 
 place where the settlement began. A 
 few yards west of a white house on the 
 north side of the road was a house built 
 for defence, which, though of but little 
 strength, was called the fi)rt. In August, 
 1675, this jilace was suddenly beset by 
 several hundred savages. The inhab- 
 itants had been imjiosed upon by the 
 appearance of friendliness shown by 
 the Hasseneniesit Indians, and wliile 
 on their way to their fort, a few miles 
 distant, were ambushed and pursued, so 
 that they barely escaped. The house 
 in which they all assembled was besieged 
 and several times in imminent danger. 
 On one occasion a cart loaded with hemp, 
 &ZC., and set on fire, was pushed up to 
 the house with long poles, when a sud- 
 den shower of rnin came up in time to 
 extinguish the flames. The fortunate 
 arrival of Captain Mosely with a small 
 troop of horsemen delivered the iidiab- 
 itants, and drove away the savages. A 11 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 101 
 
 the houses having been burned, and the 
 war soon beginning to rage with vio- 
 lence, the settlement was evacuated. 
 
 The old well still leraains which be- 
 longed to the fort or Vilockhouse ; and 
 there is a rock in a wall, r)n the oppo- 
 site side of the mad, from behind which 
 an Indian shot (Jiie of the men wiio had 
 come out to draw water daring the 
 siege. 
 
 The present village is at the bottom 
 t.f the hill, and is pleasantly situated, 
 with sever;il ponds in the neighborhood, 
 which, with the fish and fowl they fur- 
 nished, were the principal attraction of 
 the savages, who were very numerous 
 in this tract of country. These ponds 
 give rise to the Quabaug river, which, 
 after a course of some miles, takes the 
 name of Chicopee, and joins the Con- 
 necticut at Springfield. 
 
 WoRCESTKii is one of the pleasantest 
 cities in New England. The country 
 around it is rich and variegated, and the 
 dwellings have an air of elegance which 
 does great credit to the taste as well as 
 the wealth of its inhabitants. Brick is 
 extensively used in building. The court- 
 house, bank, &c., stand on the princi- 
 pal street, and east of it the county- 
 house, and the building of the American 
 Historical society ; this institution was 
 formed for the purpose of preserving 
 everything relating to the history, tra- 
 ditions, &c., of the country. The state 
 lunatic asylum, conducted on the hu- 
 mane system of moral treatment, is very 
 successful. 
 
 WatchuHctt hills, sixteen miles west- 
 northwest of Worcester, and fifty-two 
 west by north of Boston, are estimated 
 at nearly three thousand feet above the 
 sea, and ascended by an easy path. The 
 spectator looks down on a surrounding 
 scene of wooded mountains, with ponds 
 and farms below them, and a view over 
 cultivated and inhabittul regions. 
 
 SpiirNGFiELu is a llourisliing town, 
 standing at the foot of a high hill, the 
 side of which is cn'namented with fine 
 buildings, the residences of some of the 
 wealthier inhabitants, and the top occu- 
 pied by the United States armory. This 
 establishment occupies a large space of 
 ground, and commands a fine view. The 
 
 buildings containing the workshops for 
 manufactUiing small arras, the arsenal, 
 the barracks, &:c., are surrounded by a 
 high wall. The number of workmen 
 required, which is about two hundred 
 and sixty, has a favorable effect on the 
 business and prosperity of the place. 
 Al)out eighteen thousand muskets are 
 made here annually, or sixty a day. 
 The manufactories on Mill river, a little 
 south of the armory, are various, and 
 well worthy of observation. 
 
 The town is ornamented with many 
 fine elms and other trees ; and there are 
 two very handsome churches. It was 
 originally considered within the limits 
 of Connecticut colony, but at length in- 
 corporated with Massachusetts. A tribe 
 of Indians lived for some years on Fort 
 hill ; but, being won over to King Phil- 
 ip's party, in 1675, they assumed a hos- 
 tile air, fired upon some of the inhabit- 
 i ants who were going to their fort, and 
 burned a part of the town. 
 
 In 1786, during the rebellion of Shays, 
 he attacked the armory, at the head of 
 a strong party of undisciplined men. 
 General Shepard, who had command at 
 the place, attempted to dissuade them 
 from the attempt, and finally drove them 
 off' by firing twice. The first shot over 
 their heads dispei'sed the raw troops, 
 and the second drove off" the remainder 
 (about two hundred revolutionary sol- 
 diers), who did not desist until they had 
 lost a few of their men. This was the 
 first check the insurrection received, 
 which was put down without much sub- 
 sequent troulde. 
 
 Wilbraham, seven or eight miles west 
 from Springfield, co'itains a Wesleyan 
 academy. 
 
 West Springfield has a fine street, 
 shaded with large elms, and containing 
 some handsome houses. It is twenty- 
 six miles from Hartford, and about sev- 
 enteen from Northampton. There is 
 a fine view from the road on the brow 
 of a hill a little north of the town, near 
 a church, which overlooks the river and 
 an extent of country on each side, with 
 Mount Tom and Mount Holyoke in 
 front. 
 
 South Hadley Falls. — The village and 
 locks are on the east side of the river. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 103 
 
 The whole fall of the river at South 
 Hadley is fifty-two feet, but at the lower 
 falls only thirty-two. There is a canal 
 two and a half miles long on the east 
 side of the river, cut through a slate- 
 rock for a considerable distance, and in 
 some places very deep. There is a fer- 
 ry here, which is safe, but the water 
 runs veiy swifily. 
 
 The Mount Holyoke Female Semina- 
 ry, at South Hadley, combines a practi- 
 cal domestic education with intellectual 
 instruction. 
 
 For several miles before reaching 
 Mount Tom from the south, the road 
 runs along the banks of the river ; the 
 river makes an abrupt turn some miles 
 above, running between Mount Tom on 
 the south and Mount Holyoke on the 
 north ; and when the scene opens again, 
 it discloses a charming and extensive 
 plain, formed of the meadows on the 
 river's bank, and evidently once the site 
 of a large lake, when the water was 
 restrained by the barrier between the 
 mountains. This plain is one of the 
 richest, and by far the most extensive 
 and beautiful, on the river. 
 
 Northampton is situated at the west- 
 ern side of the plain, a mile from the 
 river, and is a favorite place of resort 
 for travellers. It is one of the most 
 beautiful of the New England villages, 
 and is surrounded by a charming coun- 
 try, and lies near to Mount Holyoke, 
 which commands a view of the whole. 
 The streets are irregular, but some of 
 them shady and delightful in summer, 
 being also ornamented with many neat 
 houses. It is a place of much business, 
 and the soil makes valuable farms. 
 
 Round Hill is a beautiful eminence 
 just west of the town. On the eastern 
 declivity of the hill stands the house of 
 the Stoddard family, an ancestor of which 
 was a man of talent and influence. In 
 King street, toward the northeast from 
 that spot, stood the house in which Pres- 
 ident Edwards, senior, lived — President 
 Edwards, junior, and Dr. Dwight were 
 born — and David Bruineid died : his 
 grave is in the burying-ground. 
 
 Mount Holyoke fs about eight hundred 
 feet hiorh, and there is a gfood carrias^e- 
 road for the greater part of the way up. 
 
 The country southeast, seen from its sum- 
 mit, is undulating, and the soil generally 
 poor ; yet several villages are discovered 
 at a distance, particularly South Hadley, 
 which lies immediately below. South- 
 wardly is seen Connecticut river, retiring 
 under the shade of Mount Tom, whi- 
 tened below by the South Hadley falls, 
 beyond which is the hill at Springfield 
 the river makes several turns, and on 
 the horizon are two very distant peaks, 
 which are supposed to be East and West 
 rocks at New Haven, about seventy miles 
 distant. Northeast is seen Monadnock 
 mountain, in New Hampshire. North, 
 the view is up the charming valley of the 
 Connecticut, bordered by distant ranges 
 of hills and mountains, varied by a few 
 isolated peaks, covered with the richest 
 coat of vegetation, and scattered with vil- 
 lages and innumerable farmhouses. The 
 river makes a beautiful serpentine course 
 from where it first appears at the foot of 
 Sugarloaf mountain and Mount Toby, un- 
 til it I'eaches the village of Hadley, which 
 lies in full view ; and then taking a bold 
 sweep to the west, and flowing four and 
 a half miles, it returns to the end of that 
 village, only a mile distant from where 
 it first meets it ! The whole peninsula 
 is rich and fertile, and covei'ed with cul- 
 tivated fields of wheat, corn, grass, &c., 
 without being disfigured by fences — and 
 is the richest sight upon the river, pai'- 
 ticularly when viewed in connexion with 
 the scene immediately below, where the 
 I'iver flows on almost under our feet, and 
 the western shore presents the extensive 
 Northampton meadows, a mile wide ; fol- 
 lowing the current with the eye in the 
 west-southwest, it forms a still more re- 
 markable peninsula, although one of in- 
 ferior size — the Hockanum bend, being 
 a turn measuring three miles in circuit, 
 while the isthmus was only forty-six rods 
 across. This has been cut through by a 
 flood. In the compass of this view, nu- 
 merous village spires are seen, with level 
 fields, orchards, and gardens, almost num- 
 berless, and the whole scene is bounded 
 with mountainous ridges. 
 
 Northampton is seen about west-north- 
 west, with Round hill ; and, toward the 
 \"ight, the top of Saddle mountain, in the 
 distance. There are also others, still 
 
104 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 farther north, particularly Haystack niul 
 Bare mountains. More iliaii ihiity church 
 steeples may be counted here at one view 
 by taking advantage of different kinds of 
 wen the r. 
 
 In point of history, that part of the 
 Connecticut valley immediately under 
 the eye belongs lo the third division of 
 setilements, calling Plymouth and Mas- 
 sachusetts bay ihe first, and Windsor, 
 Hartford, VVethersfield, &c., the second. 
 
 Norlhampion, Hadley, and Hatfield, 
 were settled in 1653, and remained the 
 fr:)ntier posts in this direction till af er 
 Philip's war, during which lime they 
 suffered severely from constant alarm , 
 and the loss of inhabitants. The Indians 
 who had sold the lands on which the 
 towns were built, had each a s|)(>t as- 
 sio^nt^d them within a short distance of 
 the palisades with which the new t^etth-- 
 menis were sunounded, and lived in 
 peace and good faith until excited by 
 Philip ; after which all the towns were 
 at ditferent times attacked by them, and 
 some of them repeatedly. During the 
 French wars, on May 13, 1701, the In- 
 dians fell upon a little settlement at the 
 foot of Mount Tom, and killed twenty 
 persons, more than half of whom were 
 children; and a tradition states, though 
 without designating the precise time, that 
 a captive woman was once taken lo the 
 top of this mountain and there scalped. 
 
 Hadley was attacked by the Indians 
 while the inhabitants were at chur<h, 
 and was near falling into their hands, 
 when a stranger — a venerable old man — 
 made his appearance, and by his active 
 re>istance encouraged them lo repel the 
 enemy. It was not known at the time 
 who he was, or whither he went; but 
 there is now little doubt that he was 
 Goffe, one of Charles the First's judges, 
 who was secreted for a length of time 
 in this town. The remains of his colhn, 
 it is believed, were discovered a few 
 years since in the cellar-wall of a house 
 (near the present academy) which was 
 formerly inhabited by one of his fiiends. 
 
 HvTi'iELD, one mile from Hadley, on 
 the west side of the river, is much de- 
 voted to the winteiing of cattle raised 
 on the neighboring hilly country. The 
 grass is very fine, and the barns are 
 
 large ; which, with the appearance of the 
 houses, gives the place an air of substan- 
 tial agricultural wealth. The cattle are 
 bought, stabled, and fatted, whence they 
 are chiefly sent by railroad to Brighton. 
 AiMHr.RST, situ'i'^ed on elevated ground, 
 is five miles from Hadley, and off the riv- 
 er toward the northeast. 
 
 Amherst College, in this town, ranks 
 among the most respectable in New Eng- 
 land. The situation occupied by the 
 buildings is pleasant, commanding a rich, 
 extetrsive, and varied view, partly over 
 the meadows of Connecticut river, with 
 mountains seen in different directions. 
 The reiiied situation is highly favorable 
 to study and g<iod f)rder, as its elevation 
 and pure air are conducive to health. 
 
 The three college buildings, one of 
 which is seen, in all its length, on the 
 right side of our print, are fine, substan- 
 tial edifices. That which is most dis- 
 tinctly visible is four stories high, with a 
 Doric portico projecting from the mid- 
 dle, and a dome rising from the centre 
 of the roof. Toward the left are the 
 new buildings, lately erected for the 
 cabinet of natural history and the astro- 
 nomical observatory; while a cluster of 
 dwellings, with a church in the mid>t, 
 and a number f»f scattering houses, show 
 the elevated and agreeable situati(m of 
 the southern part of the village. 
 
 Amlierst college was founded in 1S21, 
 and incorporated in Iy25, by act of the 
 legislature of Massachusetts. The Rev. 
 Edward Hitchcock, long distiirguished 
 as the professor of geology, &c., was 
 el 'Cted in 1843 as the successor of the 
 president. Dr. Humphrey, and ably oc- 
 cupi s his station. 
 
 There are professors of rhetoric and 
 English literature ; mathematics and nat- 
 ural philoso{)hy; chymistry and natural 
 history; Greek and Hebrew; zoology 
 and astronomy ; intellectual and moral 
 philosophy ; and Latin and French. 
 There are also three tutors, a preceptor 
 in German and French, and a lecturer 
 on political economy. 
 
 The libraries of the college and liter- 
 ary societies contain about 15,000 vol- 
 umes. The college library is accessible 
 to all the students. The north, middle, 
 and south college buildings are capa- 
 
^';'';"||}|j|ij||| 
 
 liMli! 
 
106 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 cious!, convenient, and situated in a man- 
 ner highly favorable to appearance. 
 
 At the dedication of the new cabinet 
 and observatory, on the 2Sth of June, 
 1848, a large number of distinguished 
 men attended, on which occasion due 
 acknowledgments were made to the lib- 
 eral patrons of the institution, who at 
 different periods had j-endered it essen- 
 tial aid from their estates ; and gratify- 
 ing evidence was afforded by a recapit- 
 ulation of contributions and donations 
 received within a few months, that its 
 character and usefulness are more highly 
 appreciated than ever. The president 
 paid a most appropriate and well-merited 
 compliment to one of the principal bene- 
 factors, in the following words : " In 
 the astronomical observatoiy at Cam- 
 bridge is a massive tower, called the 
 ' Sears Tower,' which sustains one of" 
 the most splendid telescopes in the world. 
 But in the ' Sears Foundation of Liter- 
 ature and Benevolence'* in Amherst col- 
 lege, we have a more enduring structure." 
 A letter from the Hon. David Sears 
 was read, containing the following para- 
 graphs : — 
 
 " It is the peculiar characteristic of 
 Massachusetts to give encouragement to 
 learning, and to cherish her literaiy in- 
 stitutions. It is a sentiment which has 
 grown with her growth and strength- 
 ened with her strength, and almost marks 
 her as a distinct people. From the land- 
 ing of their forefathers, in 1620, to the 
 present day, her sons — while differing on 
 other subjects — have thought alike on 
 this, and they have reason to be proud 
 of the result. 
 
 " The colleges of Massachusetts are 
 aptly called seminaries of learning, foi- 
 by them the seeds of knowledge, of vir- 
 tue, of morality, and religion, are sown 
 broadcast through our land. Go where 
 you will, from Maine to Mexico, from 
 Ohio to the Pacific ocean, and much of 
 
 * It appears tliat a most liberal individual donation 
 to Anitierst college has been made by the Hon. David 
 Seaks, of Boston, consisting of real estate in that city, 
 which is estimated by the donor to be of the value 
 of $12,000. This, with $10,000 formerly bestowed 
 by liini, is to con.stilute the " Setirs Foiindrttioa of 
 Literutine and Benevolence." which, although for ll'ie 
 present it does not yield a large income, yet such arc 
 the terms on which it is bestowed, that it must ulti- 
 mately become of great value to the college. 
 
 what you find among the people that is 
 ffood and honest, intelligent and success- 
 ful, owes its origin to the loins or edaca- 
 tion of New England — and principally 
 of Massachusetts. In my humble opin- 
 ion, our colleges are the great conserva- 
 tives of the Union, and we ai"e deeply 
 indebted to them for whatever of honest 
 principle and integrity of character exists 
 among us. 
 
 ** Especially permit me to notice the 
 observatory, and the liberal and enlight- 
 ened gentleman whose name stands the 
 first on the list of patrons.* I trust that 
 the foundation thus laid by him will here- 
 after sustain the instruments of modern 
 science to draw from the skies a knowl- 
 edge of the stars — to demonstrate to men 
 the glory of God, and the magnificence 
 of his works — and show to their won- 
 dering minds that ' the thousand brilliant 
 worlds which circle round Him are gov- 
 erned by one law,' and that ' in wisdom 
 he has made them all.' 
 
 " I venture to conclude my answer to 
 you, reverend sir, with the following sen- 
 timent : Literarv talent and pecuniary 
 ability — may their zeal be ever found 
 united in building up the halls of learn- 
 ing, and extending the altarsof religion." 
 
 The Wood Cabinet is of brick, of an 
 octagonal form, and forty-five feet in di- 
 ameter, with two lofty stories. It is stuc- 
 coed without as well as within, and the 
 two halls which it contains are orna- 
 mented with fresco painting. Great care 
 has been taken to render this building 
 secure from fire. The floors are fire- 
 proof; the upper one is supported by 
 four strong ii on pillars; and the doois 
 are of iron, weighing nearly half a ton 
 each. 
 
 The Lawrence Ohserratory is an or- 
 tanonal tower, forty-four feet high and 
 eighteen feet in diameter. It is sni- 
 mounled by a dome ten feet high, which 
 is so made as to be easily moved round 
 to the right or the lefl, for the conveni- 
 ence of observers using the telescope. 
 As in the observatory at West Point, 
 &c., the dome rests upon seveial can- 
 non-balls, placed between large iron 
 hoops, or circular track-ways, which per- 
 form the part of wheels. 
 
 * Hon. Abbott Lawrence. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 107 
 
 The Su^arloaf is an isolated hill, of 
 a conical torm, about three miles south 
 of Deerfiekl, The way by which we 
 approach it lies nearly along the old 
 road which led thilher tlirough the wil- 
 derness in 1675 when it was deserted 
 by the settlers, and Captain Lothrop 
 \va^ despatched, with a body of eighty 
 soldiers and wagoners, to bring off the 
 grain. At the foot of this mountain is 
 die small village of Bloody Brook ; and, 
 near the spot where a bridge crosses 
 the stream, Captain Lothrop was am- 
 bushed by about eight hundred Indians. 
 The place was a mat shy piece of ground ; 
 and some traces of the road, which was 
 formed of logs, are still to bo seen, run- 
 ning through the fields without crossing 
 at ihe bridge. The convoy halted at 
 this place, anil I he soldiers were gener- 
 ally engaged in gathering grapes from 
 the vines which ran on the trees, having 
 left their muskets on the o-round, when 
 the .Indians fired upon ihem. Captain 
 Lolhnjp gave orders that the men should 
 disperse, and fire from behind the trees ; 
 but they were all cut off except eight or 
 ten. This massacre was one of the most 
 calamitous which ever occurred in New 
 England, taken into view with the small 
 number of inhabitanis at the time ; as 
 tlie company consisted of young men, 
 from the principal families in the eastern 
 towns. 
 
 Deerfiei.d. — The meadovvnear Deer- 
 field was the scene of several skirmishes 
 with the Indians at different times, as the 
 place was a frontier for many years, al- 
 though it was twice burnt and deserted. 
 In 1704, the period of its last destruc- 
 tion, a large body of Indians, led on by 
 a ^nw Fjenchmen from Canada, came 
 upon the town befoie dayliglit, and after 
 massacring many of its inhabitants and 
 buri;ing their dwellings, relrealed, taking 
 Mrs. Williams a capiive to Canada. 
 
 TJic Landing of the Pilgrims at Plym- 
 outh, which is represented in the vignette 
 at the head of this description of Massa- 
 chusetts, is ju'^tly regarded as one of the 
 most important events which ever hap- 
 pened on the western continent. 
 
 New England was settled by puritans, 
 and SI ill retains much of the spirit and 
 principles of its founders. The puritans 
 
 were the same men to whom England 
 owed her first emancipation from the 
 tyranny of the Stuai t family — the same 
 men whose political principles, sternly 
 asserted, led to the Revolution of 1688, 
 and thus gave to our transatlantic pro- 
 genitors whatever civil freedom th.py 
 now enjoy — the same men whose de 
 scendants led in the American Revolu- 
 tion of 1776, and thus set an example 
 whose influence, after overtuining many 
 ancient dynasties and changing the whole 
 political aspect of Europe, is still felt in 
 the more silent but certain progress of 
 liberal principles, and the wider diffusion 
 of equal rights. John Robinson maybe 
 justly regarded as the founder of the 
 sect of independents or (as called in New 
 England) congregationalists. The most 
 important feature of their ecclesiastical 
 system is the independence of each church 
 or congregation, of all bishops, synods, or 
 councils, and its direct dependence on 
 the Head of the Christian church himself 
 The preaching of such a doctrine could 
 not but offend the government of Eng- 
 land. It drew upon the devoted heads 
 of its disciples the determined persecu- 
 tion of Elizabeth and James, and exas- 
 perated the civil war, which, terminating 
 in the dethronement of Charles I., finally 
 gave the ascendency to the puritans. 
 
 It v/as to avoid the persecuticni of 
 James that the English exiles composing 
 Mr. Robinson's congregation remained 
 for ten years at Leyden. But the same 
 pious views incited them to undertake 
 a more distant migration. They at first 
 cast their eyes upon Gniana, of which 
 Raleigh had given a glowing description, 
 but subsequently decided to seek an es- 
 tablishment in Virginia. Agents weie 
 despatched to England, to obtain per- 
 mission from the king. James, although 
 desirous to promote the increase of the 
 colony which had been planted under 
 his auspices, was unwilling to sanction 
 their religious opinions by tak' ng them 
 under his protection. The utmost he 
 would promise was, to connive at their 
 practices, and refrain from molesting 
 them. After accepting this precarious 
 security, they procured from the Plym- 
 outh company a grant of a tract of land, 
 lying, as was supposed, within the limits 
 
108 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 of its patent ; a paifnership or joint-stock 
 company was formed, on disaclvanta^eous 
 toims, with ceiiain mcrrhants in Lnndfm, 
 in order to raise ihe funds necessary to 
 defray the expenses of emigration and 
 settlement. Two vessels were obtained 
 — the Speedwell, of sixty, and the M:iy- 
 Flower, of one liundied and eighty tons , 
 burden — in which one hundred and twen- | 
 ty of their number were appointed to 
 embaik from an English port for Amer- 
 ica. These were to act as the pioneers 
 of the whole congregation. They were 
 destined to figure in the woild's histfiry 
 as the celebrated pilgrims of New Eng- 
 land. 
 
 They sought retirement, isolation, and 
 an opportunity of founding a sm^ll com- 
 muni.y cif puritans, where, apart from all 
 the woild, their peculiar dottrines could 
 be transmitted from father to son, with- 
 out atti'acting the notice of kinjr or bish- 
 op. But they had a higher desiiny : tliey 
 were, in fact, to become the most efficient 
 among the founders of a great empire, in 
 vyhich iheii' own principles should flour- 
 ish for ages afier, and a more liberal 
 system of religious freedom should be 
 learned and taught by their descendants. 
 
 Robinson and bis people devoted their 
 lasi mee ing in Europe to an act of sol- 
 emn and social worship, intended to im- 
 plore a blessing from Heaven upon the 
 enterprise in which they were about to 
 engage ; and on July 22, 1620, sailed 
 from Dellt haven for Southampton — 
 whence, after remaining a fortnight, they 
 sailed for America : but they were com- 
 pelled by the bad condition of the Speed- 
 well, ant! the treachery of its captain, to 
 put l)ack twice before their final depart- 
 ure. The Speedwell was abandoned ; 
 a portion of the company, who were dis- 
 mayed at the evident dangers of the voy- 
 aare, were dismissed, reducinaf their num- 
 ber to one hundred and one, including 
 women and children. This company 
 weie all crowded into the May-Flower, 
 which set sail from Plymouth, Septem- 
 ber 6, 1620, bearing the founders of 
 New England across the Atlantic. 
 
 December 22d, after imploring the 
 Divine guidance and protection, the peo- 
 ple laiided and commenced a settlement. 
 This day is si ill celebrated by the de- 
 
 scendants of the pilgrims as the anniver- 
 sary of New England's biith. They 
 gave the town the name of Plymouth, in 
 remembrance of the hospitalities tiiey 
 had leceived at the last port in England 
 from which tney had sailed. Their first 
 operations consisted in measuring out the 
 land to the different families, laying a 
 platform for their ordnance, and erect- 
 ing habitations. It was not till Decem- 
 ber 31st that they were able to celebrate 
 the sabbath, with its appropriate exer- 
 cises, in a house on shore. 
 
 The hardships undergone by the peo- 
 ple, in exploiing the bay and effecting 
 a landing, sowed the seeds of fatal dis- 
 ease ; their provisions were scanty ; the 
 winter was extremely severe ; and the In- 
 dians, remembering the kidnapping ex- 
 ploits of Hunt and olheis, were hostile. 
 More than half the colonists died before 
 spring ; and those who retained their 
 sti-ength were hardly oufficient to admin- 
 ister to the urgent wants of the sick and 
 dying. In this employment, no one dis- 
 tinguished himself more than Jolm Car- 
 ver, the governor. He was a man of 
 fortune, who had spent all in the service 
 of the colony, and readily sacrificed his 
 lifb in discharging the humblest offices 
 of kindness to the sick. He was suc- 
 ceeded by William Bradford, who was 
 reelected for many successive years. 
 
 Previous to the arrival of the pilgrims 
 in New England, a sweeping pestilence 
 had carried off whole tribes of natives, 
 in the region where they had now set- 
 tled. The traces of former habitations 
 were apparent, but no Indians were 
 found residing in their immediate vicin- 
 ity. The spring, which restored health 
 to the colonis's, brought them also an 
 agreeable surprise, in the visit of some 
 friendly Indians. The visit of Samoset, 
 whose previous intercourse with theEng- 
 lish fishermen enabled him to s:dnte them 
 with " Welcome, welcome Englishmen !" 
 was followed by that of Massasoit. the 
 principal sachem of the country, with 
 whom the celebrated treaty was con- 
 cluded, wliich was inviolably obsei'ved 
 for more than fifty years, and contrib- 
 uted during that period, more than any 
 other circumstance, to secure New Eng- 
 land from the horrors of Indian warfare. 
 
 L=iJ 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 109 
 
 We can not close our description of 
 Massachusetts more appropriately, than 
 by giving biographical sketches of two 
 of her most eminent statesmen. Occupy- 
 ing as they did exalted stations at the ex- 
 treime points in her history, the impress 
 of their characters has been so strongly 
 marked on the institutions of the state 
 that it will never be effaced. We refer 
 to John Winthrop, the father of the 
 Massachusetts colony, and John Quincy 
 Adams, whose life, from early youth 
 to a ripe old age, was devoted to the 
 service of his country, in its most im- 
 portant offices. 
 
 JoHxV Winthrop, first Governor of 
 Massachusetts. — We know of nothing 
 in the history of colonies marked with so 
 many peculiarities, as the first settlement 
 of New England. No otliers were ever 
 founded for purposes strictly religious. 
 Christian faith gave a tone to society that 
 is still felt throughout the community. 
 The belief of a special Providence di- 
 recting all matters of government, and 
 ordering its changes, visiting vice with 
 temporal calamities, and giving peculiar 
 aid to right motives, seemed to bring 
 man int(» more immediate communica- 
 tion with his Maker, and to inspii-e him 
 with high resolves.* It was in this way 
 that the colonists sustained themselves 
 through the difficulties and dangers which 
 met them at every step, and which it was 
 the daily, constant occuj)ation of their 
 lives to surmount. But ibr this princi- 
 ple, it would not be easy to understand 
 fully the prevailing character of the early 
 period of their history, and to judge 
 aright of the principles which supported 
 
 * Our Pilgrim Fathers. — When our fathers fled 
 from persecution in England, and sought an asylum 
 ill this country, they at first depended much upon the 
 supplies of iood from the mother country. A coin- 
 piiny of them having at one time gone to the sea- 
 shore, after lookuig anxiously for a vessel which was 
 to bring them corn, and being disappointed, hunger 
 induced them to search amont; the pebbles for some- 
 thing to satisfy the craving demaiids of nature. — And 
 sincere was their gratitude to Him who '• openeth his 
 hand and satislieth the desire of every living thing," 
 when they found in the sand a kind of mussel, of 
 which they partook, and found to be wholesome and 
 nulricious. One day, after they had finished a hearty 
 meal cf this kind, a venerable old man stood up and 
 returned thanks, by blessing God that he had ful- 
 filled to thera the promise made to Zebulon, Deut. 
 xxxiii , 19 : •• They shall otfer sacrifices of righteous- 
 ness, for ihey shall suck of the abundance of the seas, 
 and of treasures hid in the sand." 
 
 L 
 
 the fathers of New England in their strug- 
 gles, situated as we are in the midst of 
 ease and prosperity. Indeed the whole 
 character of those who influenced and 
 directed their councils, has never been 
 correctly estimated. By some it has 
 been viewed as a model for the present 
 generation, possessed of every virtue, 
 without blemish or reproach. Others 
 have seen nothing but bigotry, hypocri- 
 sy, a spirit of persecution, gloomy super- 
 stition, and an absence of the social graces 
 and virtues. Both of these views do vio- 
 lence to human nature, history, and truth. 
 There is a manifest want of justice in 
 deciding upon any portion of history in 
 the abstract, or by views which are ob- 
 tained in a more refined and cultivated 
 state of society, where questions of nat- 
 ural right are better understood. A more 
 correct judgment may be formed by ta- 
 king into the estimate the general state 
 of society at the time, and any peculiar- 
 ities in the combination of circumstances 
 that go to form the aggregate. If we 
 apply this rule to the early settlers of 
 New England, we may lament the se- 
 verities with which they visited differing 
 shades of opinion and disi-espect of au- 
 thority, the readiness which they mani- 
 fested to believe that the calamities which 
 befell the erring, and their enemies, were 
 instances of the Divine indignation. We 
 could wish that some things had been 
 otherwise, some we would blot otit ; but 
 we can not join with those who tread with 
 contempt upon their ashes, and condemn 
 the principal features of their character. 
 They were no common men who guided 
 the sufferers from the vengeance of pov/- 
 er to these shores. Virtue was strong ; 
 religion found her votaries, who were 
 willing to quit the hearths and altars, the 
 refinement and luxuries of the old woi'ld, 
 to erect temples to the Most High iu the 
 deep silence of our forests. We .an 
 not join in a general condemnatioi of 
 those who fostered the good institutions 
 that have descended to us; strengthened 
 them against the violence of opposition ; 
 planted the seeds of liberty, now in full 
 fruit; and cherished religion, till it be- 
 came an essential element in the c<:)nsti- 
 tution of society. Surely it is some praise 
 that they planted churches in every vil- 
 
I 
 
 ^^^^^^- VJ^nli^U:^ 
 
 !3I(DIHIM WUMf ]M®IP, 
 
 FOUNDER OP THE CITY OF BOSTON, AND FIRST GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 HI 
 
 lage; that, by the system of free schools, 
 established in many towns so early as 
 1645, and by law in 164S, they sent the 
 kindly influences of learning to the fire- 
 side of the humblest citizen ; and, to 
 crown all, founded that venerable uni- 
 vei'sity, which for two centuries has been 
 the direct source of incalculable good to 
 the people, and may bo regarded as, in 
 an important sense, the parent of many 
 of the similar institutions in our land ; 
 and all this at a time when the people 
 were few, and, by reason of their pover- 
 ty, were obliged, for one year, to forbear 
 laying the usual tax. 
 
 From a general view of our early his- 
 tory, we are satisfied, that the fathers of 
 New England were upright, intelligent, 
 and pious men, whose main endeavor 
 was to strengthen the colonies they had 
 planted, according to their ability ; and 
 that even their errors, in most instances, 
 were the result of good motives, and an 
 ardent desire to promote religion, learn- 
 ing, purity, and all the best interests of 
 the community. 
 
 Governor Winthrop, the subject of 
 this biography, was born at Groton, in 
 Suflfolk, England, June 12, 1587; and 
 was descended from an ancient and hon- 
 orable family. His grandfather was an 
 eminent lawyer, in the reign of Henry 
 Vni., and attached to the reformation. 
 His father was of the same profession, 
 and the governor himself was bred a 
 lawyer, in which character he was em- 
 inent for both integrity and abilities. In- 
 deed, he must have had the fairest rep- 
 utation, for he was appointed a justice 
 of the peace at eighteen years of age. 
 
 When the design of settling a colony 
 in New England was undertaken, Mr. 
 Winthrop was chosen, with general con- 
 sent, to conduct the enterprise. His 
 estate, amounting to the value of six or 
 seven hundred pounds sterling a year, 
 he converted into money, and embarked 
 his all to promote the settlement of New 
 England. When he left Groton he was 
 in the forty-third year of his age. He 
 arrived at Salem with the Massachusetts 
 chai'tei', June 12, 1630. 
 
 To no one are we more indebted than 
 to WiNTiirjop, not only for the manifold 
 good which he did in his own day, but 
 
 also for the history he has left us of the 
 early transactions in chui'ch and state in 
 New England, and especially in Massa- 
 chusetts. His work, which, as we gath- 
 er from him, was intended for publication 
 and for posterity, was left, by him. in 
 manuscript, in three parts. These had 
 all been in the hands of Hubbard, INIather, 
 and Prince, who it seems had derived 
 more assistance from them than they 
 would acknowledge. The first two parts, 
 bringing the history down to 1644, were 
 published at Hartford in Connecticut, in 
 1790. The third part was discovered in 
 the tower of the old South church in 
 Boston, in 1816. On collating the man- 
 uscript of the first two parts with the 
 printed volume, the latter was found to 
 contain many errors ; and the whole 
 work has been published by the Massa- 
 chusetts Historical Society, with the as- 
 sistance of the legislature of that state; 
 the third part had never before been 
 published. It continues the history down 
 to the time of his death. Much inter- 
 esting matter, and many important facts, 
 are contained in this part. Of these, are 
 relations of the various discussions be- 
 tween the magistrates and deputies rela- 
 tive to their respective powers ; an ac- 
 count of the synod that met at Cambridge 
 to establish the platform of church dis- 
 ciple and government; a defence against 
 the charges which were raised to the 
 prejudice of the colonists, by their ene- 
 mies, and preferred before the commis- 
 sioners in England. These all serve to 
 fill up the delineation of the character of 
 the fathers of New England to the mid- 
 dle of the seventeenth century. 
 
 The contents of Winthrop's "History 
 of New England," are so vai"ious, that 
 it is difficult to make an extract that will 
 do justice to the author. But we select 
 at a venture his " little speech," as he 
 terms it. In 1645, when he was deputy 
 governor, he was singled out from the 
 rest of the magistrates, who had acted 
 with him, to defend the legality of his 
 proceedings, in committing to prison 
 certain persons in Hingham, who had 
 been concerned in some disturbance of 
 the peace, and who refused to find sure- 
 ties for their appearance at court. The 
 day of Winthrop's trial came, and he 
 
112 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 declined taking his seat upon the bench. | 
 Speaking of himself, as he does through- 
 out, in the third person, he says : " The 
 day appcjinted being come, the court as- 
 setnbled in the meetinghouse at Boston. 
 Divers (jf tiie elders were present, and 
 a great assembly of the people. The 
 deputy governor, coming in with the 
 rest of the magistrates, placed himself 
 beneath, within the bar, and so sate un- 
 covered. Some questi(jn was in court 
 about his being in that place (for many 
 of both the court and assembly were 
 grieved at it). But the deputy telling 
 them, that, being criminally accused, he 
 might not sit as a judge in that cause, 
 and if he were upon the bench, it >»ipuld 
 be a great disadvantage to him, for he 
 could not take that liberty to plead the 
 cause, which he ought to be allowed at 
 the bar ; upon this the court was satis- 
 fied." 
 
 Winthrop was fully and honorably ac- 
 quitted of ail the charges brought against 
 him. The governor (Dudley) read the 
 sentence of the court. "Then was the 
 deputy governor desired by the court to 
 go up and take his place again upon the 
 bench, which he did accordingly, and 
 the court being about to arise, he desired 
 leave for a little speech, which was to 
 this effect : — 
 
 " 1 suppose something may be expect- 
 ed from me, upon this charge that is be- 
 fallen me, which moves me to speak now 
 to you ; yet I intend not to intermeddle 
 in the proceedings of the court, or with 
 any of the persons concerned therein. 
 Only I bless God, that I see an issue of 
 this troublesome business. I also ac- 
 knowledge the justice of the court, and, 
 for mine own part, I am well satisfied. 
 I was publicly charged, and I am pub- 
 licly and legally acquitted, which is all 
 1 did expect or desire. And though this 
 be sufficient for my justification before 
 men, yet not so before the God, who 
 hath seen so much amiss in my dispen- 
 sations (and even in this affair) as calls 
 me to be humble. For to be pubhcly 
 and criminally charged in this court, is 
 matter of humiliation (and 1 desire to 
 make a right use of it), notwithstanding 
 1 be thus acquitted. If her father had 
 
 lit in her fac" ' -^ith tin Lord concern- 
 
 ing Miriam), should she not have been 
 ashamed seven days ? Shame had lien 
 upon her, whatever the occasion had 
 been. 1 am unwilling to stay you from 
 your urgent affairs, yet give me leave 
 (upon this special occasion) to speak a 
 little more to this assembly. It may be 
 of some good use, to inform and rectify 
 the judgment of some of the people, and 
 may prevent such distempers as have 
 arisen a»nongst us. The great questions 
 that have troubled the country, are about 
 the authority of the magistrates and the 
 liberty of the people. It is yourselves 
 who have called us to this office, and be- 
 ing called by you, we have our authority 
 from God, in way of an ordinance, such 
 as hath the image of God eminently 
 stamped upon it, the contempt and vio- 
 lation whereof hath been vindicated with 
 examples of divine vengeance. I en- 
 treat you to consider, that, when you 
 choose magistrates, you take them from 
 among yourselves, men subject to like 
 passions as you are. Therefore when 
 you see infirmities in us, you should re- 
 flect upon your own, and that would 
 make you bear the more with us, and 
 not be severe censurers of the failings of 
 your magistrates, when you have contin- 
 ual experience of the like infirmities in 
 yourselves and others. We account him 
 a good servant, who breaks not his cov- 
 enant. The covenant between you and 
 us is the oath you have taken of us, which 
 is to this puT'pose, that we shall govern 
 you, and judge your causes by the rules 
 of God's laws and f»ur own, according to 
 our best skill. When you agree with a 
 workman to build you a ship or house, 
 &c., he undertakes as well for his skill 
 as for his faithfulness, for it is his pro- 
 fession, and you pay him for both. But 
 when you call one to be a magistrate, 
 he doth not profess nor undertake to have 
 sufficient skill for that office, nor can you 
 furnish him with gifts, &c., therefore 
 you must run the hazard of his skill and 
 ability. But if he fail in faithfulness, 
 which by his oath he is bound unto, that 
 he must answer for. If it fall out that 
 the case be clear to common apprehen- 
 sion, and the rule clear also, if he trans- 
 gress here, the error is not in the skill, 
 but in the evil of the will ; it must be re- 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 lis 
 
 quired of him. But if the cause be 
 doubtful, or the rule doubtful, to men 
 of such understanding and parts as your 
 magistrates are, if your magistrates 
 should err here, yourself must bear it. 
 
 " For the other point concerning lib- 
 erty, I observe a great mistake in the 
 country about that. There is a twofold 
 liberty, natural (I mean as our nature is 
 now corrupt) and civil or federal. The 
 first is common to man with beasts and 
 other creatures. By this, man, as he 
 stands in relation to man simply, hath 
 liberty to do what he lists ; it is a liberty 
 to evil as well as to good. This liberty 
 is incompatible and inconsistent with 
 authority, and can not endure the least 
 restraint of the most just authority. The 
 exercise and maintaining of this liberty 
 make men grow more evil, and in time 
 to be worse than brute beasts : omnes 
 sumus licentia deterioi'es. This is that 
 great enemy of truth and peace, that wild 
 beast, which all the ordinances of God 
 are bent against, to restrain and subdue 
 it. The other kind of liberty I call civil 
 or federal, it may also be termed moral, 
 in reference to the covenant between God 
 and man, in the moral law, and the pol- 
 itic covenants and constitutions, amongst 
 men themselves. This liberty is the 
 proper end and object of authority, and 
 can not subsist without it : and it is lib- 
 eity, to that only which is good, just, and 
 honest. This liberty you are to stand 
 for, with the hazard (not only of your 
 goods, but) of your lives, if need be. 
 Whatsoever crosseth this, is not author- 
 ity, but a distemjier thereof This liber- 
 ty is maintained and exercised in a way of i 
 subjection to authority; it is of the same i 
 kind of liberty wherewith Christ hath ! 
 made us free. The woman's own choice j 
 makos such a man her husband ; yet being | 
 so chosen, he is her lord, and she is to be 
 subject to him, yet in a way of liberty, ! 
 not of bondage ; and a true wife accounts 
 her subjection her honor and freedom, 
 ana would not think her condition safe 
 and free, but in her subjection to her 
 husband's authority. Such is the liberty i 
 of the church under the authority of 
 Christ, her king and husband ; his yoke | 
 is so easy and sweet to her as a bride's i 
 ornaments ; and if, though fi'owardness, | 
 
 or wantonness, &c., she shake it off, at 
 any time, she is at no rest in her spirit, 
 until she take it up again ; and, whether 
 her lord smiles upon her, and embraceth 
 her in his arms, or whether he frowns, 
 or rebukes, or smites her, she apprehends 
 the sweetness of his love in all, and is 
 refreshed, supported, and instructed, by 
 every such dispensation of his authority 
 over her. On the other side, ye know 
 who they ai'e that complain of this yoke, i 
 and say, ' Let us break their bands, &c., 
 we will not have this man to rule over 
 us.' Even so, brethren, it will be be- 
 tween you and your magistrates. If you 
 stand for your natural corrupt liberties, 
 and will do what is good in your own 
 eyes, you will not endure the least weight 
 of authority, but will murmur, and op- 
 pose, and be always striving to shake 
 off that yoke; but if you will be satisfied 
 to enjoy such civil and lawful liberties, 
 such as Christ allows you, then will you 
 quietly and cheerfully submit unto that 
 authority which is set over you, in all 
 the administrations of it, for your good. 
 Wherein, if we fail at any time, we hope 
 we shall be willing (by God's assistance) 
 to hearken to good advice from any of 
 you, or in any other way of God; so 
 shall your liberties Lo preserved, in up- 
 holding the honor and the power of au- 
 thority amongst you." 
 
 It is a very full evidence of the esteem 
 in which he was held, that, when many 
 gentlemen of character, some of them 
 of noble alliance, were concerned in the 
 same undertaking with him, he, by a 
 general voice, was placed at their head. 
 He says himself, in his excellent journal, 
 which is indeed a treasure to all who 
 revere the memory of their ancestors : 
 " I was first chosen to be governor with- 
 out my seeking or expectation, there be- 
 ing then divers other gentlemen, who, 
 for their abilities, every way were far 
 more fit." 
 
 He was eleven times chosen governor, 
 and spent his whole estate in the public 
 service. His son John, and his grand- 
 son, Fitz-John (who was a captain in 
 Col. Reed's reofiment at the Restoration 
 in 1660), were successively governors 
 of Connecticut colony, and Wait-Still 
 another grandson, was chief justice of 
 
 8 
 
114 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASdACHUSETTS. 
 
 The Death Bed of Winthrop. 
 
 Massachusetts. Stephen, another son 
 of the elder Winthrop, went to England 
 in 1645 or 1646, had the command of a 
 regiment, and succeeded Harrison in his 
 major-generalship, was a member of 
 parliament for Scotland in 1656, and 
 was much trusted by the Protector. 
 The family, in every generation, have 
 occupied high stations, and been deser- 
 vedly held in great respect. Its charac- 
 ter is now most worthily sustained by 
 Hon. Robert C Winthrop, the late 
 distinguished and eloquent speaker of 
 the house of representatives, in the Uni- 
 ted States' Congress ; and the Hon. 
 David Scars, of Boston. This latter 
 gentleman has been repeatedly a mem- 
 ber of the legislature of Massachusetts, 
 as both representative and senator, be- 
 tween the years 1816 and 1851. 
 
 Governor Winthrop died March 26, 
 1649, in the 62d year of his age, and 
 was buried April 3d, in the northern 
 coi'ner of the King's chapel burying- 
 ground. We may truly say of him, as 
 he finely said of the husband of Lady 
 Arabella Johnson, "He was a holy man 
 and wise, and died in sweet peace." He 
 
 conducted himself with such address and 
 unshaken I'ectitude, as to render his char- 
 acter universally respected among his 
 contemporaries, and his memory dear to 
 posterity. In his magnanimity, disin- 
 terestedness, modei'ation, and harmoni- 
 ous character, the father of Massachu- 
 setts reminds us of the great "father of 
 his country," and is the only name in 
 our history worthy to stand as a parallel 
 to Washington. 
 
 •' His was the upright deed, 
 His the uiisweiving course, 
 'Mid every thwarting current's force, 
 Unchanged by venal aim, or flattery's hollow reed: 
 The holy truth walked ever by his side. 
 And in his bosona dwelt, companion, judge, and 
 But when disease revealed [guide. 
 
 To his unclouiied eye, 
 The stern destroyer standing nigh, 
 "Wheie turned he for a shield 1 
 Wrapt he the robe of stainless rectitude 
 Around his heart, to meet cold Jordan's flood T 
 Grasped he the staff of pride, 
 His steps, through death's dark vale to guide 7 
 Ah, no ! self righteousness he cast aside. 
 Clasping, with firm and fearless faith, the cross of 
 Him who died, 
 Serene, serene, 
 He passed the crumbling verge of this terrestrial 
 Breathed soft, in childlike trust, [scene, 
 
 The parting groan, 
 Gave back to dust its dust — 
 To Heaven its own." 
 
DESCRIinON OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 115 
 
 THE WINTHROP FAMILY TOMB, IN KING'S CHAPEL BURYING-GROUND, 
 
 TREMONT STREET, BOSTON. 
 
 This ancient Monument originally had inscribed on it the Epitaph which is given 
 below ; but it is said that the letters having become nearly obliterated by time, or injured 
 by accident or design, during the Revolution, the stone was replaced by another, wh ch 
 bears the names and ages of the members of the family as follows : — 
 
 JOHN WINTHROP, 
 
 GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS, 
 
 Died 1649. 
 
 Major- General 
 
 WAIT STILL WINTHROP, 
 
 Died September 7th, 1717. Aged 76 Years. 
 
 ANN WINTHROP SEARS, 
 
 The Wife of David Sears, 
 Died Oct. 2d, 17S9. Aged 33 Years. 
 
 Here also rest the remains of John Winthrop, first Governor of Connecticut, 
 [eldest son of John, the Founder of Boston, and first Governor of Massachusetts.] 
 He died at Boston, 5th April, 1676. 
 
 FiTz-JoHN Winthrop, his son, Governor of Connecticut, died at Boston, 27th 
 November, 1707. 
 
 Thomas L. Winthrop, Lieutenant-Governor of Massachusetts, died 22d 
 Feb. 1840. 
 
 STAND TRAVELLER, 
 
 And admire ye Tomb, 
 
 And to ye Puljlic Tears add your own. 
 
 Bewail ye public Loss, 
 
 If of ye publick you are part 
 
 This place is a Prince's Court 
 
 Rather than a Tomb. 
 
 This marble covers dust 
 
 Worthy to be enclosed in Gold. 
 
 Four WINTHROPS lie buried in this Tomb, 
 
 Who were sufficient to enrich ev'n ye four quarters of 
 
 ye Earth. 
 
 He is unacquainted with ye history of New England 
 
 Who is ignorant of this Family, 
 
 And he has no regard for Universal Virtue 
 
 That does not highly value it 
 
 The last of these 
 
 here Interr'd 
 
 Was Wait Winthrop, Esqr 
 
 Whose last Honour was this, 
 
 That he was Govemour of New England, 
 
 He was, alas ! he was 
 
 Of New England, ye glory & Defence, 
 
 The Light and Stay. 
 
 Major-General of Massachusett's Colony, 
 
 Of a noble yet peaceful disposition, 
 
 And who for his Country and for Peace could diet 
 
 President of ye Council for ye Province, 
 
 Whose chiefest care it always was 
 
 That ye Commonwealth might receive no damage; 
 
 And in whom many died. 
 
 Chief Judge, 
 
 Who paid an equal regard to Justice & Clemency. 
 
 He went thro' ye most honourable 
 
 Stations in ye Government, 
 
 And adom'd ye Honours w'ch he here. 
 
 Deserving those he bore not 
 
 A person of ye most undissembled piety 
 
 And unspotted probity, 
 
 Of an exalted yet a modest Genius. 
 
 He placed all things beneath himself. 
 
 Himself beneath all men. 
 
 Benevolent tow'rds all. 
 
 And most so tow'ds ye poor & needy. 
 
 Injurious to none not even to enemies; 
 
 An enemy to none, 
 
 Ev'n tho' highly provok'd. 
 
 No unhappy person was by him rejected, 
 
 Nor poor one refus'd admittance. 
 
 Nor did any go away displeas'd. 
 
 He was skillfull in physick, 
 
 And being possessed of Golden Secrets, 
 
 Indeed more valuable than Gold itself, 
 
 And having obtained Universal Remedies, 
 
 Which Hippocrates & Helmont never knew. 
 
 All that were sick where e'er he came 
 
 He freely restor'd to health. 
 
 And made almost his whole study of Nature 
 
 Subservient to Medicine. 
 
 He that under this stone now sleeps in death. 
 
 Still lives in ye hearts of thousands 
 
 Whose lives he has prolonged. 
 
 The merits of Winthkop with Him 
 
 Oblivion shall not bury. 
 
 He was born ye 27th day of December 1641, 
 
 Died ye 7th day of September 1717, 
 
 In ye 76xth year of his age. 
 
 They who value Life & still enjoy H 
 
 Wish'd him a Thousand years continuance here, 
 
 An age exceeding that of Methusalem. 
 
116 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 John Quincy Adams was born in 
 that part of Braintree, now Quincy, near 
 Boston, July 11, 1767 — in the midst of 
 that deep, wide, stormy excitement which 
 preceded the separation of the then col- 
 onies from the British empire. In the 
 agitation of that period, his father John 
 Adams, bore a leading part ; and his 
 j mother, a strong-minded woman, worthy 
 ! of that heroic age, had no thought or 
 feeling that did not sympathize with her 
 husband and her country. The lessons 
 of his infancy were lessons of patriotism 
 and of resistance to wrong. The blood 
 that circled in his veins was alive with 
 the spirit of inflexible opposition to ar- 
 bitrary power. He was nine years old 
 at the date of the declaration of inde- 
 pendence. 
 
 Early in 1778, his father, who had been 
 appointed commissioner with Franklin 
 and Arthur Lee, at the court of Ver- 
 sailles, took him to France. Thus early 
 did he become cognizant of public affairs, 
 and particularly of diplomatic business. 
 The elder Ade.ms was training his son for 
 a life of patriotic statesmanship. A treaty 
 having been signed by which France rec- 
 ognised the United States as an inde- 
 pendent power, Mr. Adams returned with 
 his son in the same vessel which brought 
 to our shores the first ambassador from 
 France — the first that ever came to us 
 f)om any foreign power. 
 
 Near the close of 1779, John Adams 
 was again sent abroad by Congress, as 
 minister plenipotentiary to negotiate a 
 peace with Great Britain ; and again his 
 son John Quincy, then in his thirteenth 
 year, accompanied him to Paris, and 
 thence, a few months afterward, to Hol- 
 land. The son was placed in school first 
 at Paris, then at Amsterdam. After- 
 ward, while his father continued in Hol- 
 land, he pursued his studies at the uni- 
 versity of Leyden. In July, 1781, Mr. 
 Dana, of Massachusetts, who had acco'T\- 
 panied John Adams as secretary of lega- 
 tion, went as minister plenipotentiary 
 from Congress to the empress of Rus- 
 sia ; and jfohn Quincy Adams, then just 
 fourteen years old, went with him as his 
 private secretary. A few months after- 
 ward he returned to his father in Hol- 
 land. With his father he went to Paris, 
 
 where he was present at the signing of 
 the treaty of peace with Great Britain — 
 the act by which the independence of 
 his country was consummated. 
 
 At the age of eighteen, his father per- 
 mitted him to return to this country. He 
 immediately became a student in Har- 
 vard college, where he graduated with 
 distinguished honor. He pursued the 
 study of law for three years, having the 
 celebrated Theophilus Parsons for his 
 instructor; and then having been admit- 
 ted to the bar, he commenced the prac- 
 tice of that profession in Boston. 
 
 In 1794, when he was just twenty- 
 seven years of age, he received from 
 President Washington the appointment 
 of minister to the Netherlands. From 
 that time to 1801, he was in Europe, em- 
 ployed by his country in various dip- 
 lomatic services. Just as General Wash- 
 ington was retiring from office, he ap- 
 pointed Mr. Adams minister plenipoten- 
 tiary to the court of Portugal. While on 
 his way to Lisbon he received a new 
 commission, changing his destination to 
 Berlin. During his residence of about 
 three years and a half in Berlin, he con- 
 cluded an important commercial treaty 
 with Prussia — thus accomplishing the 
 object of his mission. He was recalled 
 near the close of his father's administra- 
 tion, and arrived in his native country in 
 September, 1801. 
 
 In 1802, he was chosen by the Boston 
 district to the senate of Massachusetts, 
 and soon after was elected by the legis- 
 lature a senator in Congress for six years, 
 from March 3, 1803. He remained in 
 the senate of the United States, until 
 1808, when he resigned. While in the 
 senate he received the appointment of 
 professor of rhetoric in Harvard Univer- 
 sity, an office which he filled with dis- 
 tinguished ability. 
 
 In 1809, he was appointed by Presi- 
 dent Madison, envoy extraordinary and 
 minister plenipotentiary to the court of 
 Russia, where he rendered the most im- 
 ])ortant services to his country. By his 
 influence with that court he induced 
 Russia to offer her mediation between 
 Great Britain and the United States, in 
 the war of 1812, and when the proper 
 time had arrived, he was placed by 
 
118 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 President Madison at the head of five 
 distinguished commissioners to negotiate 
 a treaty of peace, which was concluded 
 at Ghent, in 1814. Mr. Adams was then 
 associated with Mr. Clay, and Mr. Gal- 
 latin, to negotiate a commerical conven- 
 tion with Great Britain, and was foith- 
 with appointed minister plenipotentiary 
 to the court of St. James. While in 
 Europe, in 1811, he was appointed as- 
 sociate justice of the supreme court of 
 the United States, which he declined. 
 
 Peace being restored, he resided for 
 two years as the representative of his 
 country at the couit of Great Britain. 
 At the commencement of Mr. Moni-oe's 
 administration, in 1817, he was called 
 home to be secretary of state. For eight 
 yoara in the department of state, he was 
 the guiding mind of that wise, peaceful, 
 and prosperous administration. That 
 memorable administration was perhaps 
 as much the administration of John 
 Quincy Adams as it was that of James 
 Monroe. 
 
 In 182-0, Mr. Adams was elected pres- 
 ident by the votes of the states in the 
 house of representatives, the voting in 
 the electoral collecres havinof resulted in 
 no choice. Of the measures and policy 
 of his administration, we may not speak 
 particularly. In general they were the 
 same with those which had characterized 
 the administration of Monroe. 
 
 Two years after his retirement from 
 the presidency, the people of the con- 
 gressional district in which he resided, 
 elected him to represent them in Con- 
 gress. At the commencement of the 
 session in 1S31, he took his seat in the 
 hall of the house of representatives, and 
 in that place of honor and of duty, the 
 representative of Plymf)uth Rock, with 
 generous blood from the May-Flower in 
 his veins, was continued by nine succes- 
 sive elections. It is believed to have 
 benn the eai'nest wish of his heart to di ^ 
 like Chatham in the midst of his labors. 
 It was a sublime thought that where he 
 had toiled in the house of the nation, in 
 hours of the day devoted to its service, 
 the stroke of death should reach him, and 
 there severthe ties of love and patriotism 
 which bound him to the earth. He fell 
 in his seat, on the 2 1st of February, 1848, 
 
 attacked by paralysis, of which he had 
 before been a victim. He was removed 
 to the apartment of the speaker, where 
 he remained surrounded by aflflicted 
 friends, till the weaiy clay resigned its 
 immortal spirit two days afterward. 
 " This is the end of earth !" Bnef but 
 emphatic words. They were the last 
 uttered by the dying Christian. 
 
 In this long career of public ser\ice, 
 Mr. Adams was distinguished by faith- 
 ful attention not only to all the great du- 
 ties of his stations, but to all their less 
 and minor duties. He was not the Sala- 
 minian galley, to be launched only on 
 extraordinary occasions, but he was the 
 ready vessel, always launched when the 
 duties of his station required it, be the 
 occasion great or small. As president, 
 as cabinet minister, as minister abroad, 
 he examined all questions that came be- 
 fore him, and examined all, in all their 
 parts, in all the minutiae of their detail, 
 as well as in all thevastness of their com- 
 prehension. As senator, and as a mem- 
 ber of the house of representatives, the 
 obscure c(jmmittee-room was as much 
 the witness of his laborious application 
 to the drudgery of legislation as the halls 
 of the two houses were to the ever-ready 
 speech, replete with knowledge, which 
 instructed all hearers, enlightened all 
 subjects, and gave dignity and ornament 
 to debate. 
 
 In the observance of all the proprie- 
 ties of life, Mr. Adams was a most noble 
 and impressive example. He cultivated 
 the minor as well as the greater virtues. 
 Wherever his presence could give aid and 
 countenance to what was useful and hon- 
 orable to man, there he was. In the 
 exercises of the school and of the college 
 — in the meritorious meetings of the 
 agricultural, mechanical, andcomniercial 
 societies — in attendance upon Divine 
 worship — he gave the punctual attend- 
 ance rarely seen but in those who are 
 free from the weight of public cares. Ho 
 has been gathered to his fathers, leaving 
 behind him the memory of public ser- 
 vices which are the history of his country 
 for half a century, and the example of a 
 life, public, and private, which should be 
 the study ai)d the model of the genera- 
 tions of his countrymen. 
 
This is one of the small states 
 of the Union, but it has performed 
 a part of much importance to the 
 general interests of the country, in 
 different ways and at different pe- 
 riods. It was not only one of the 
 original states, but contained two 
 of the oldest colonies, having been 
 settled in 1636, sixteen years after 
 the landing at Plymouth. 
 
 The boundaries were long un- 
 settled, and, on all its four sides, 
 contesting claims caused ag^itation 
 and difficulty for years : on the east, with Rhode Island ; on the north, with 
 Massachusetts ; and on the west, with New York : which three states are now 
 separated from Connecticut chiefly by artificial limits. Having settled several 
 towns on Long Island, Connecticut long extended her jurisdiction across the 
 sound ; and the beautiful valley of Wyoming, in Pennsylvania, was once occupied 
 by her, as part of her territory, being included in the royal patent of the colony, 
 which extended to the Pacific ocean. 
 
 The limits of the state, as long since finally settled, extend from -latitude 
 40^ 2' to 41° north, and l)etween longitude 71° 20' and 73° 15' west. It con- 
 tains 4,674 square miles. 
 
 The soil is generally poor, with some remarkable exceptions, especially Dn the 
 fertile meadows of Connecticut river. 
 
 By a glance at the map, the reader will see that this state is crossed by three 
 jirincipal ranges of high land, from south to north, which give their general direc- 
 tion to the three chief streams — the Connecticut in the middle; the Thames, or 
 Shetucket, in the east; ai>d the Housatonic in the west. Some parts of the hills 
 are rough and of considerable elevation, but scarcely deserve the name of moun- 
 tains. Most of them consist of granite and other primitive rocks ; and to that 
 formation most of the country belongs, except the meadows, which are a ricli 
 
120 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT. 
 
 alluvial soil, annually increased by par- 
 ticles left by the floods, and washed 
 down from the high land by the rains. 
 These lowlands are generally of great 
 fertility — those of the Connecticut, es- 
 pecially, being considered as the best 
 in New England, and equal to almost 
 any other in the United States. The 
 uplands, however, have a soil of but 
 middling quality; yet being divided intcj 
 small farms, and cultivated by an indus- 
 trious and intelligent people, they are 
 made more productive than some better 
 lands in less favorable circumstances. 
 
 In some parts of the state are small 
 tracts, quite unfit for cultivation ; but in 
 many of the roughest and wildest regions 
 are found valuable quarries and mines, 
 many of which are profitably wrought ; 
 and the discriminating eye of science 
 has recently recognised some of the rare 
 minerals before discovered in only a few 
 localities in the world.* The greatest 
 treasure of the hilly regions, however, 
 is an immense amount of water-power, 
 afforded by the numerous streams which 
 rush down their declivities, and now 
 give motion to hundreds of mills and 
 thousands of curious machines, which 
 the intelligence of the inhabitants has 
 introduced, or their ingenuity invented. 
 These produce in great numbers the 
 great variety of articles annually man- 
 ufactured both for home use and for dis- 
 tant markets. Most of these find their 
 way first to the steamboats, or railroad 
 cars, which now keep up an active inter- 
 course with the city of New York, and 
 ax"e thence despatched in different di- 
 rections, repaying, many times over, 
 the cost of such raw materials as are 
 brought from other regions. 
 
 Large steamboats run daily between 
 ; New York and New Haven, Hartford, 
 i Norwich, and Stonington, each commu- 
 nicating with a railroad, and thus aff'ord- 
 ing frequent, rapid, and commodious 
 means of travelling and exportation, 
 scarcely to be exceeded, and highly ad- 
 vantageous to commerce as well as to 
 numerous travellers who are attracted 
 by the beauty of the country. Steam- 
 boats of smaller size ply daily between 
 
 * See the Geological Survey of Connecticut, pnb- 
 litiheJ ia 1839. 
 
 New York and the towns lying along 
 the western pai't of the sound ; while 
 numerous sloops still find employment 
 in the coasting trade. Foreign com- 
 merce is carried on to a limited extent ; 
 and several vessels from Stonington are 
 engaged in sealing, and more from New 
 London in whaling. 
 
 The aspect of Connecticut is gener- 
 ally pleasing to the eye. Its small terri- 
 tory embraces a great variety of natural 
 scenery, everywhere embellished by art, 
 and displaying the evidences of a numer- 
 ous, intelligent, industrious, ingenious, 
 and prosperous people. The surface is 
 marked by roads running in all direc- 
 tions, and subdivided into thousands of 
 farms of small size ; while the flourish- 
 ing towns and villages which meet the 
 view in great numbers, consist of taste- 
 ful and comfortable dwellings, as far 
 removed from splendor on the one hand, 
 as fl"om meanness and poverty on the 
 other. These are evidences of the gen- 
 eral degree of comfort and equality, which 
 prevails among the people ; while the 
 churches and schoolhouses, distributed 
 at short intervals all over the surface, 
 indicate the attachment which the peo- 
 ple have always shown for learning and 
 religion. 
 
 The facilities and accommodations 
 here offered to travellers, aie such as are 
 afforded by the most advanced state of 
 the arts and comforts of life. 
 
 In 1818, the state adopted the present 
 constitution, in place of the old charter 
 granted to the colony by King Charles I. 
 
 The history of Connecticut under the 
 charter presents a remarkable example 
 of stability and uniformity in govern- 
 ment, a parallel to which it would be 
 diflftcult to find in any country. All the 
 legislative oflScers, except representa- 
 tives, were chosen every year by the 
 whole body of freemen, as were the 
 governor, deputy-governor, secretary, 
 and treasurer. The representatives were 
 chosen twice a year by the towns. Many 
 of these various officers, even the higher, 
 held their places till death or advanced 
 age. General VVyllys was elected sec- 
 retary sixty-three years in succession, 
 including the agitated periods of the 
 stamp-act and the revolution. All ju- 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT. 
 
 121 
 
 dicial officers were appointed annually by 
 the general assembly, and the members 
 of congress by general ticket. Within 
 a period of more than twenty years pre- 
 ceding the adoption of the constitution 
 in 1818, the number of men who lost 
 their places in the assembly and coun- 
 cil, in consequence of a loss of popular- 
 ity, was only two ; yet this was a time 
 marked by excitement and violent polit- 
 ical parties, embracing the wars of Eu- 
 rope and the last American war. 
 
 At the time when the constitution was 
 adopted in the place of the charter, a 
 change took place in the political opin- 
 ions of the majority of the people; and 
 some of the conflicting views which have 
 since existed in the country, have by 
 turns prevailed in Connecticut. In the 
 meantime, almost every kind of business 
 for which the state is adapted has been 
 carried on with activity, and gi'eat ex- 
 ertion made to improve the natural re- 
 sources ; while commerce, the carrying- 
 trade, and the settlement of near and 
 distant regions, have drawn away, either 
 temporarily or permanently, thousands 
 of the people, leaving but a small in- 
 crease of population to be shown by the 
 census tables. 
 
 Exertions were made in different ways 
 for the good of the Indians. For the 
 security of their rights of property, a 
 law was early passed by the legislature 
 in their favor, prohibiting private pui*- 
 chases of land, «&c. 
 
 The influence of this law was, as may 
 be supposed, most favorable to the In- 
 dians. No man being permitted to hold 
 land purchased of them without the au- 
 thority of the government, all inducement 
 was cut off from unpiincipled persons 
 to overreach them, to abuse, destroy, or 
 to drive them away. When land was 
 purchased of the natives, they were gen- 
 erally secured in the possession and 
 permanent enjoyment of such tracts as 
 they wished to reserve ; and some of 
 these are still held by their descendants, 
 unalienable without the express consent 
 of the legislature. Officers, called su- 
 perintendents, are intrusted with the 
 oversight of them, and reports are made 
 by these at every session of the legis- 
 lature. 
 
 Attempts to introduce Christianity 
 among several of the principal tribes 
 were made, in early times, under the 
 authority of the legislature, but with lit- 
 tle effect. Their chiefs and head men 
 were generally attached to their pagan 
 systems. Several of the Indians, how- 
 ever, were converts, among whom was 
 Samson Occum, long a distinguished 
 preacher of the gospel. But it appears 
 that no man was found with the zeal and 
 perseverance of Eliot, called the Apos- 
 tle to the Indians, who displayed such 
 an unconquerable spirit in his prolonged 
 exertions for the instruction and civil- 
 ization of the Massachu'^etts Indians. 
 Eliot hiniself felt so much the duly of 
 having something done for the Indians 
 in Connecticut, that lie applied to the 
 legislature and obtained a call for a 
 meeting of the piincipal men of some of 
 the tribes ; but they rejected his offers, 
 and never accepted Christianity as a 
 people. 
 
 The history of Connecticut impresses 
 important reflections on the considerate 
 mind. 
 
 We have here an authentic account 
 of the foundation of a state on principles 
 of the highest nature, and for the most 
 valuable objects that ever were proposed 
 by any set of men. In this respect the 
 history of all the kingdoms and empires 
 of antiquity sinks into insignificance, 
 and appears deficient in interest, as their 
 origin was owing only to motives of ne- 
 cessity, or the desire of profit or power. 
 The Spaniards, it is true, pretended to 
 have in view the introduction of Chris- 
 tianity into South America : but their 
 real object was conquest, and the history 
 as well as the results of their policy too 
 sti'ongly attests the fact. 
 
 The objects and plans of the New 
 England colonies would have been well 
 worthy of our high estimation, even if 
 their experimont had failed or had not 
 been tiied. But now, when the proofs 
 of their success are laid before us, and 
 it so far exceeds all anticipation, the mind 
 perceives powerful reasons fur attend- 
 ing to this unexampled branch of human 
 history. And the study is recommended 
 by higher considerations than those of 
 mere amusement. The charactei's de- 
 
122 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT. 
 
 velopedby the good and intelligent men 
 who are presented, are useful subjects 
 of contemplation ; the high value which 
 they set on religion and learning, on pri- 
 vate virtue and public faith, lead us more 
 justly to appreciate and more warmly to 
 admire them ; while the disinterested- 
 ness of their lives tends to make us bet- 
 ter, wiser, more active, and more useful, 
 in every sphere and in all situations in 
 life. 
 
 Considerable improvement has been 
 made in agriculture in this state within 
 a few years. Agricultural societies have 
 diffused knowledge, encouraged experi- 
 ments, and favored the introduction of 
 improved implements and methods. 
 Trade, manufactures, and the learned 
 professions (as they are perhaps improp- 
 erly called), have diverted attention too 
 much from that business which is so 
 highly honorable and affords ample room 
 for the application of science. Improve- 
 ments might probably be introduced in 
 agriculture, which would furnish the 
 state with a larger supply of grain than 
 it now raises, and prevent the necessity 
 of making the present large annual im- 
 portations. Wheat has suffered greatly 
 ever since the year 1777 from the Hes- 
 sian fly, which derives its name from the 
 fact that it first commenced its ravages 
 on that important crop during the year 
 when the Hessian troops came to the 
 country. 
 
 Silk has been made with success in 
 Connecticut for many years, though on 
 a limited scale. The cultivation of the 
 white mulberry-tree was introduced into 
 Mansfield in 1760. In 178.3 the assem- 
 bly offered for ten years a bounty often 
 shillings, lawful money, for every hun- 
 dred white mulberry-trees planted, and 
 threepence for every ounce of silk man- 
 ufactured. In 17.35 the American silk 
 I company was formed in New Haven, and 
 ' a large number of mulberry-trees were 
 planted there and elsewhere. In Mans- 
 field, in 1793, three hunch-ed and sixty- 
 two pounds ot raw silk were made. In 
 1832 a bounty /tf one dollar was offered 
 f()r every hundred trees three years old, 
 and fifty cents a pound for silk reeled 
 and fit for manufacture. In 1834 the 
 bounty was extended to the Chinese mul- 
 
 berry, and a company was incorporated 
 with a donation of fifteen thousand dol- 
 lars, thirteen and one third per cent, of 
 which was to be paid to ^Iessrs. Gray 
 and Bolton, the inventors of improve- 
 ments in silk-machinery, for the use of 
 them in the state. The speculation in 
 mulberry-trees which prevailed in 1839, 
 and the subsequent revulsion, caused 
 much loss in this state. 
 
 In 1832 the paper made in Coi nee- 
 ticut was valued at $564,000. This is 
 connected with the manufactui'e of books, 
 which was lately carried on to such an 
 extent, that the number of volumes print- 
 ed at Hartford was for several years 
 greater than in any other place in the 
 United States, excepting only Boston, 
 New York, and Philadelphia. 
 
 New Haven. — -This city is celebrated 
 for its beauty, being laid out in squares 
 four hundred feet in size, divided by 
 fine broad and straight avenues, planted 
 with large shady elms and other trees, 
 and well built with edifices in good taste, 
 adorned with gardens, and inhabited by 
 an intelligent and refined population. 
 
 This is the largest town in the state, 
 and one of its capitals. It is chiefly dis- 
 tinguished, however, as one of the first 
 colonies, and the site of Yale College. 
 The oldest edifice belonging to this ven- 
 erable and flourishing institution was of 
 wood, and stood nt^ar the corner of Col- 
 lege and Chapel streets. There are four 
 buildings for students, each containing 
 thirty-two rooms, a chapel, with a philo- 
 sophical chamber and apparatus, and a 
 lyceum, with recitation-rooms and the 
 lilirary. In the rear are the Trumbull 
 picture-gallery, the common's hall, in a 
 small building with the splendid miner- 
 alogical cabinet above, purchased from 
 the late Colonel Gibbs, of New York. 
 A new building has lately been erected 
 for the accommodation of the literary so- 
 cieties of the college. In another build- 
 ing is the chemical laboratory, where 
 Professor Silliman delivers his lectures. 
 The institution has above five hundred 
 scholars. 
 
 Next north of the college is the house 
 of the president, and the professor? 
 have pleasant residences in the town. 
 
 The medical institution is at the nortli 
 
124 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT. 
 
 end of College street, ami the theologi- 
 cal seminary on the green. 
 
 The burying-ground is situated oppo- 
 site the medical institution, and occu- 
 pies a large extent of land, planted with 
 trees, and containing a gi-eat number of 
 beautiful monuments of different designs. 
 
 The old burying-ground was in the 
 ' middle of the green, in the rear of the 
 ■ Centre church ; and there are to be seen 
 two ancient stone monuments, of a small 
 size, which are supposed to mark the 
 graves of two of the regicide judges, 
 Whalley and Dixwell. 
 
 The Farmington and 'Nortlmmpton 
 Canal, commencing near the head of the 
 wharf in this city, is crossed by the 
 traveller, in going up from the steam- 
 boat, neai the market. The basin is 
 large and commodious ; and the canal, 
 passing through a part of the city and 
 bending round along the outskirts on the 
 north side, intersects several sti-eets, by 
 which it is crossed on handsome bridges. 
 It extends to Northampton, Massachu- 
 setts. 
 
 There are pleasant rides in various 
 directions from New Haven, the roads 
 being numerous, and the face of the 
 country favorable. 
 
 The Judges' Cave is on the summit of 
 West rock, about a mile north of the 
 bluff. It is formed by the crevices be- 
 tween seven large rocks, apparently 
 thrown together by some convulsion. It 
 is small, and entirely above ground, with 
 a rude I'ock, like a column, on each hand. 
 That on the right has this inscription : — 
 
 " Opposition to tyrants is obedience to God !" 
 
 to remind the visiter that the place once 
 afforded shelter to Goffe and Whalley, 
 two of the judges of King Charles the 
 First, who escaped to the colonies and 
 secreted themselves for some time in this 
 solitary place. They were supplied with 
 food by a family which resided near the 
 foot of the mountain, and a little boy was 
 despatched for them every day, who left 
 a basket of provisions on a I'ock, with- 
 out knowing what cause he was sub- 
 serving. The place commands an ex- 
 tensive view upon the country below, 
 with a large tract of Long island and the 
 sound. 
 
 The manufactoi'y of muskets is two 
 miles north of New Haven, on the road 
 to Hai'tford by Meriden, and at the foot 
 of East rock. It was established by 
 Mr. Whitney, the well-known inventor 
 of the cotton-jin. 
 
 The Neiv Haven and Hartford Rail- 
 road, forty miles long, begins at the 
 steamboat wharf, crosses Quinnepiack 
 river, and passes through the townships 
 of North Haven, Wallingford, Meriden, 
 Berlin, and Wethersfield. 
 
 It pursues the general course of the 
 " old colonial road," the route taken in 
 early times between New Haven and 
 Hartford, which were independent col- 
 onies. It was originally an Indian trail. 
 
 Beyond New Haven, in Long Island 
 sound, lies a cluster of islands called the 
 Thimbles, famous in the traditions of 
 the neighboring Connecticut coast, as 
 the ancient resort of Captain Kidd, the 
 notable pirate, whose treasures of solid 
 gold, it is still believed by some, are 
 concealed somewhere hereabouts. 
 
 Saybrook. — At this place was the first 
 settlement made by Europeans on Con- 
 necticut river. It was undertaken at the 
 earnest solicitation of many of the right- 
 ful proprietors of the country on its 
 banks, who had been despoiled of their 
 possessions by their formidable enemies, 
 the Pequods. The River Indians twice 
 made application to the English at Ply- 
 mouth and at Boston to obtain settlers 
 from their native soil, offering to give 
 them land enough, and to pay two hun- 
 dred beaverskins annually for the bene- 
 fit of their society. But the undertaking 
 was considered too hazardous ; and it 
 was not until the year 1635, when the 
 Dutch at New York showed a deter- 
 mination to seize upon the country, 
 which they claimed as their own, that a 
 small detachment of men was sent from 
 ! Boston to prepare for opening a trade 
 with the Indians, and to build a fort at 
 the mouth of the river. Their haste was 
 soon justified by events ; for immediately 
 after their landing, a Dutch vessel en- 
 tered, and, proceeding up to Hartford, 
 landed a body of men, who soon estab- 
 lished themselves in a fort they called 
 Good Hope, on a spot they obtained 
 I from Pequod usurpers. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT. 
 
 125 
 
 The settlement of Sayb'-ook was be- 
 gun under a grant made to Lord Say 
 and Sea?, Lord Brook, and others, by 
 Geoi'ge Fenwick, esquire, who fled to 
 this country with his family. The old 
 fort stood near the present fort hill, upon 
 an eminence which has since been de- 
 stroyed by the waves ; and the ground 
 iininediately behind it was afterward oc- 
 cupied by the fields and habitations of 
 the colonists. It was expected from the 
 first that the situation would render the 
 place a great city ; and after the fear of 
 the Indians had subsided, the whole pen- 
 insula, which bears the name of Say- 
 brook point, was laid out with the great- 
 est regularity into fields of an equal size, 
 except such parts as were reserved for 
 the erection of public buildings. 
 
 Many emigrants were once collected 
 in England, and prepai'ed for a voyage 
 to this place. Some persons of high 
 rank and importance were among them; 
 and it is a well-authenticated fact that 
 Oliver Cromwell had determined to em- 
 hark in the enterprise, and was once on 
 the very eve of quitting England for 
 ever, when some unforeseen occurrence 
 prevented him. 
 
 The want of a harbor, and the obsta- 
 cles presented to a free navigation by a 
 large sandbar at the mouth of the river, 
 have eifectually prevented the expecta- 
 tions of the settlers of Saybrook from 
 being realized ; and no remains of their 
 works can now be discovered, except in 
 the rectangular forms of the fields, and 
 the cellars of some of their dwellings, 
 just beyond the burying-ground, the 
 foundation-stones of which have since 
 been employed in building the neigh- 
 ])oring fences. One of the largest exca- 
 vations is said to have been the cellar of 
 the old college building. The soldiers 
 were frequently attacked within a short 
 distance of the fort by the Pequods, but 
 they afterward ran a palisade across the 
 isthmus which leads from the mainland. 
 Yale college was placed here for a 
 time. 
 
 Connecticut River . — The shores of this 
 principal stream of New England pre- 
 sent a continued succession of hilly and 
 picturesque country, with few interrup- 
 tions of level land, from a little above 
 
 Saybrook as far as Middletown. The 
 roughness and rocky nature of the soil 
 prevent the cultivation of many moun- 
 tainous tracts, yet there are farms enough 
 to give a considerable degree of softness 
 to the scenery. The variety of rocky 
 and wooded banks, mingling with little 
 patches of cultivated ground, and the 
 habitations scattered along the river, is 
 very agreeable, and often affords scenes 
 highly picturesque and delightful. 
 
 Essex. — This is a small village, situ- 
 ated on the ascent and summit of a hand- 
 some elevation, seven miles from Say- 
 brook. During the late war with Great 
 Britain, this place was taken by the en- 
 emy, who came up the river in launches, 
 and, taking the inhahitants by surprise, 
 occupied the town for a ^e\v hours. 
 
 East Haddam. — The landing-place 
 here is rocky, mountainous, and wild, 
 and a good specimen of a large portion 
 of the town to which it belongs. This 
 region is famous for a kind of earth- 
 quakes and subterranean sounds, which 
 were formerly common for a short dis- 
 tance round. They gave occasion to 
 many superstitious reports, but have 
 ceased within a few years. They were 
 called Moodus noises, after the Indian 
 name of the place. Large beryls and 
 many other rare minerals are found in 
 the neighborhood. 
 
 Haddam is built on an eminence fifty 
 or sixty feet high, which appears like 
 the remains of an <jld bank of the river, 
 descending to a little meadow which is 
 covered with orchards, grazing ground, 
 Src, while a range of '•ommandin"- hills 
 rise beyond. 
 
 The Narroics. — Here the river turns 
 abruptly to the east, and flows between 
 two lofty hills, which it has divided at 
 some long past period, btjfore which, 
 there is every reason to believe, the 
 country for a great distance above was 
 covered by a lake. 
 
 Fort Hill is the last elevated part of 
 the southern bank. It was formerly a 
 little fortress belonging to Sowheag, an 
 Indian chief, whose dominion extended 
 over the present towns of Middletown, 
 Chatham, and Wethersfield. 
 
 Middletown is beautifully situated 
 on the western bank of the Connecticut 
 
126 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STAl E OF CONNECTICUT. 
 
 fiver, where the water is spread out to 
 a considerable breadth, and disappears 
 60 suddenly at the Narrows, that, from 
 many points of view, it has the appear- 
 ance of a small lake, with high, sloping, 
 and cultivated shores. This is a most 
 agreeable residence. 
 
 The Wesleyan university has a build- 
 ing one hundred and fifty feet long, fifty 
 broad, and four stories high, with rooms 
 for scholars ; a chapel, with recitation- 
 rooms above, both of stone ; and an eat- 
 ing-hall of brick, one hundred and twenty 
 feet long, with a piaz-za. 
 
 The quarries of freestone on the op- 
 posite shore, in Chatham, have furnished 
 a valuable building material for some 
 years, and have been worked to a con- 
 siderable extent. 
 
 The Lead Mine is about two miles 
 below the town, on the south shore of 
 the river, where are several old shafts, 
 which were sunk in the revolutionary 
 war, in a slate rock. The ore is sul- 
 phuret of lead, in veins of quartz, partly 
 crystallized, and affording a few speci- 
 mens of fluate of lime, and other min- 
 erals. 
 
 The Cobalt Mine is about five miles 
 east, in Chatham, at the foot of Rattle- 
 snake hill. It is not worth working, at 
 the usual price of the metal. Just south 
 of it is a very pretty waterfall, about 
 thirty feet high. 
 
 Wethersfield. — This place is three 
 miles from Hartford, and has a fine light 
 soil, on an extensive level, probably once 
 the bottom of a lake since drained by the 
 deepening of the river's channel. It is 
 peculiarly favorable to the culture of 
 onions, which are exported in great 
 quantities to various parts of the coun- 
 try, the West Indies, &c. 
 
 Wethersfield was the second settle- 
 ment made by white men in ^onnec- 
 ti -ut. In 1G35, three or four men came 
 to this place and spent the winter. 
 
 The Connecticut Statcprison. — The 
 situation of this institution is healthy, 
 retired, and convenient to the water and 
 the great road. It was completed in 
 1817. What have heretofore been re- 
 garded as the necessary evils of prisons 
 will be found in this prison to be greatly 
 reduced, and in many respects, even with 
 
 regard to the pnsoners, converted into 
 benefits. 
 
 Here the Auburn system has been 
 established with some few deviations. 
 
 The whole is under the direction of 
 the superintendent — a man of firmness, 
 judgment, and humanity. The men are 
 brought out to their work at signals 
 given by the bell. They lodge in sol- 
 itary cells, and are not permitted to con- 
 verse together while at work. They 
 take their food in their cells, and when 
 going to and from work or prayers, are 
 obliged to march with the lock step. 
 No blows are allowed to be given by 
 the officers except in self-defence. 
 
 The smiths' fires are supplied with 
 Lehigh (Pennsylvania) coal for fuel, and 
 part of the heat is conducted away in 
 pipes to warm the apartments. The 
 cells are furnished with comfortable beds 
 and bedclothes, and a bible for each. 
 They are ranged in rows, and the keep- 
 ers can look into them through grated 
 doors ; at the same time the prisoners 
 are not able to converse with each other. 
 The effects of evil communication, so 
 much and so banefully cherished in our 
 old prisons, are thus effectually pre- 
 vented. Neither officei's nor convicts 
 are allowed to use ardent spirits. 
 
 Hartford, one of the capitals of the 
 state, is on Connecticut river, thirty-four 
 miles north of New Haven. It is a place 
 of considerable business. There are 
 the City hotel, coffeehouse and other 
 inns, several fine churches, &c. 
 
 The Charter Oak. — In the lower part 
 of the town, in the street which runs east 
 from the south church, is the ancient and 
 respectable seat of the Wyllis family, 
 who were among the early settlers of 
 Hartford, and have made a conspicuous 
 fitrure in the history of the state, as well 
 as of the town, by holding the secretary's 
 office for a long course of time. The 
 principal object of curiosity here, the 
 fine old oak, stands on the street in front. 
 It is said to have been a forest-tree be- 
 fore ihe land was cleared, yet it appears 
 as firm and vigorous as ever. In a hole 
 in its trunk was hidden the charter of 
 the colony, when Sir Edmund Andross 
 sent to demand it in 1G87; and there it 
 remaineii for some years. This inter- 
 
esting document is still preserved in the 
 office of the secretary of the state. 
 
 Tlte AsyVinn for the Education of the 
 Deaf and Dumb, is about a mile west 
 of the town, on Tower hill. It was the 
 earliest institution of the kind in Amer- 
 ica. The principal building is large, or- 
 namented with pilasters, and surrounded 
 by a garden and pleasant grounds. The 
 hoase of the superintendent is near by, 
 and the whole enjoys a fine situation, 
 with a very commanding prospect and 
 a healthy neighborhood. 
 
 The number of scholars is about two 
 hundred. Some of them are supported 
 by a fund belonging to the institution, 
 and others by the states of Massachu- 
 setts, New Hampshire, &:c. Ten sim- 
 ilar institutions now exist in New York, 
 Philadelphia, Kentucky, &:c. 
 
 The Hctrcat for the Insane, a little 
 south of the city, makes a handsome ap- 
 pearance, being a stone building one 
 hundred and fifty feet long and fifty feet 
 wide, the wings having three stories, and 
 the main building four. It is capable 
 of containing about fifty patients, and is 
 warmed by flues. The grounds con- 
 nected with the institution include about 
 seventeen acres. A young lady who 
 had been severely afflicted with deep 
 melancholy, but recovered at this insti- 
 tution, wrote the following lines, which 
 were handed to the excellent matron on 
 leaving the place : — 
 
 "Farewell, Retreat; I will rempmber tliee, 
 Fnr thou hast been a hidiug plnco to ine : 
 When, on the waves of sorrow, hither driven, 
 I found this refuge to the help'ess iriven. 
 Oh, what an hour of darkness and despair. 
 When not a ray of hope was shining there, 
 But one continued storm my sky o'erspread, 
 And poured its waters on my weary head ! 
 Then did thy gentle form, amid the gloom. 
 Appear like Mercy smiling o'er the tomb ; 
 With tender accents sooth my fears to rest. 
 And smooth the anxious billows in m}" breast; 
 With generous feeliug, stiil each want supply — 
 Now seem to sympathize in every sigh. 
 How dear the hand that wipes the tear a'way. 
 And kindnes!<, doubly sweet i.'i such a day! 
 Here memory, too, stiall trace thy love sincere, 
 And oft, in fancy, hear thy footsteps near. 
 Deep in my heart shall this remembrance be — 
 The sorrows I iiave known, thy love to me. 
 And, though divided by Time's Hying hour, 
 Yet may we bow befoie the Might}" Power 
 Which bids us live and strive to share his love, 
 That we may meet in brighter worlds above." 
 
 New London is fifty-four miles east 
 of New Haven, and one hundred and 
 
 twenty east-northeast of New York. It 
 is situated irregularly, principally at the 
 foot of a hill facing the east, and wears 
 an appearance of decline ; but some of 
 the houses are handsome, and there are 
 several fine situations near the top. 
 
 The harbor is one of the most ac- 
 cessible, safe, and commodious, in the 
 United States, lying near the ocean and 
 the sound, almost surrounded by high 
 land, and having water enough for sliips- 
 of-war quite up to the wharves, with a 
 fine sandy bottom near the shores. 
 
 Fort Griswold, opposite New I on- 
 don, waxS garrisoned by a few continen- 
 tal troops in the year 1781, dujing the 
 revolution, when Benedict Arnold, after 
 his desertion of the American cause, 
 appeared off" the harbor with a British 
 force on the 6th of September ; and land- 
 ing eight hundred men on each point of 
 the harbor, marched up and took Fort 
 Trumbull, and burned the town. Col. 
 Eyre, who commanded the troops on 
 the eastern shore, proceeded toward 
 Fort Griswold, and sending in a flag of 
 truce, demanded a surrender. 
 
 But, before this time. Colonel Led- 
 yard had entered the fort and garrisoned 
 it with one hundred and twenty men, 
 chiefly militia volunteers from the neigh- 
 borhood. The British troops had ad- 
 vanced under cover of a wood, and in- 
 vested the fort; but the Americans, after 
 defending themselves for some time, and 
 beating off" their enemies once, finally 
 surrendered when resistance would have 
 been entirely useless. The enemy had 
 lost forty-one officers and men, who were 
 buried near the spot; with Colonel Eyre, 
 the commander, wounded, and Major j 
 Montgomery killed. Aftei' the surren- | 
 der, however, a massacre of the prison • , 
 ers took place, which cast the deepest 
 disgrace on the expedition ; seventy of- 
 ficers and men being the victims, most 
 of whom were heads of families. 
 
 Fort Hill is a commanding eminence 
 about foui miles east from New Lon- 
 don, and derives its name from a Pequod 
 fort which formerly occupied its summit. 
 The road crosses it near the southern 
 limit of the fort, and a small church 
 stands a quarter of a mile above, within 
 the extensive space once enclosed by 
 
128 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICLTT. 
 
 that palisaded work. It was the great 
 foKtress of the terrible Pequod nation, 
 which makes a very conspicuous figure 
 in the early history of the eastern col- 
 onies. They had fought their way from 
 the interior, and seated themselves in 
 the present limits of Groton, where the 
 few poor remains of their descendants 
 still are found. On the arrival of the 
 English, they had extended their con- 
 quests a considerable distance up Con- 
 necticut river, and the eastern and west- 
 ern Nehantics were subject to them. 
 
 In consequence of the murders they 
 had committed, and the attack with which 
 they had threatened the infant settle- 
 ments at Hartford, Windsor, and Weth- 
 ersfield, the inhabitants formed an ex- 
 pedition in the spring of 1637, led by 
 Captain Mason, and attacked their other 
 fort on the Mystic, burning it, and kill- 
 ing about six hundred persons ; after 
 which the natives fled from their coun- 
 try, and having suffered another terrible 
 slaughter in the swamp at Fairfield, were 
 reduced to slavery, and ceased from that 
 time to be an object of terror. 
 
 This hill commands an extensive and. 
 delightful view, being almost entirely 
 clear of obstructions, and superior in 
 height to the neighboring hills. A con- 
 siderable extent of Long island and the 
 sound are overlooked from the summit, 
 with various islands, bays, and points, 
 on the Coimecticut coast. At the time 
 of the burning of Mystic fort, it was 
 occupied by the chief sachem, Sassacus, 
 who hastened to the relief of his sub- 
 jects, but arrived too late to render them 
 any assistance. On his return here, 
 he burned the wigwams and palisades, 
 and immediately fled for refuge to the 
 Mohawks, by whom he was beheaded. 
 
 Stonington. — This is a small but 
 busy town on the coast, long engaged in 
 whaling and sealing. Steamboats run 
 daily hence to New York. 
 
 The Providence and Stonington Rail- 
 road, forty-seven miles, leaves the shore 
 of Long Island sound, at the steamboat 
 wharf in Stonington ; passes through the 
 town ; crosses Pawcatuck river into 
 Rhode Island; up Charles River valley to 
 Sherman's pond, South Kingston ; north 
 to East Greenwich ; and across a bridge 
 
 to Providence, connecting with the Boston 
 and Providence railroad. It was finished 
 in 1S37, and cost two millions of dollars. 
 Summit, three hundred and two feet ; 
 maximum grade, thirty-three feet ; foui-- 
 teen miles nearly level ; minimum rad- 
 ius, one thousand six hundred and thir- 
 ty-seven feet, in one spot four hundred 
 and eighty. 
 
 On descending the hill which leads 
 into Stonington, Porter's rock, thirty or 
 forty feet high, is seen a little off" the 
 road on the right hand. Utider the shel 
 ter of it, it is said, Captain Mason en- 
 camped with his little army on the night 
 of xHay 26, 1637 (old style), a few hours 
 before his successful attack on the sec- 
 ond Pequod fort, which was on the top 
 of a hill about two miles south of this 
 place. 
 
 The Mohegan Tribe op Indians. — 
 The Pequods lived near New Lon- 
 don, and the Mohegans in and around 
 Norwich. 
 
 Uncas, the sachem of Mohegan, was 
 believed to be of Pequod descent, but 
 in a state of successful revolt at the 
 time the English became acquainted 
 with him. His chief residence was near 
 Trading cove, now the centre of the 
 Indian reservation ; but the burying- 
 ground of the royal family was near Nor- 
 wich landing. He had conquered the 
 country as far north as about the present 
 Massachusetts line, but became an early 
 friend of the whites, and rendered them 
 important services, particularly in war, 
 as well as his successors, the later Mo- 
 hegan chiefs. 
 
 Befoi'e this part of the state was set- 
 tled, Uncas was once so closely besieged 
 by his enemies the Pequods, that he 
 suffered extremely from a scarcity of 
 provisions, and was lelieved only by the 
 care of a man named Leffingvvell, who 
 was despatched from Connecticut with 
 a boat loaded with provisions. In grat- 
 itude, Uncas gave him a large part of 
 the present town of Norwich for this 
 important service. There is a rock still 
 pointed out on the shore, called Uncas's 
 chair, where the sachem is said to have 
 sat watching the arrival of his friends. 
 
 The poor remains of this tribe reside 
 on the lands secured to them by the state 
 
._ J 
 
130 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT. 
 
 government, and live in all the ignor- 
 ance, idleness, and thriftlessness, com- 
 mon to the Indians in this part of the 
 country — melancholy testimonies of the 
 degradation to which the most active 
 human minds may sink when every cus- 
 tomary impulse to exertion has been 
 stifled, and no new incitement extended. 
 
 Norwich is in New London county, 
 at the head of navigation on the Thames. 
 It is eighty miles southwest of Boston, 
 and has two villages, of which Chelsea 
 landing is the principaL The city is 
 remarkable for its singular situation, 
 which is peculiai'ly beautiful and roman- 
 tic — most of the buildings being on the 
 declivity of a hill, and the streets rising 
 one above another, ornamented with 
 handsome churches, atownhall, an acad- 
 emy, and many elegant dwellinghouses. 
 It is equally remarkable for its appear- 
 ance of business, which is much favored 
 by the numerous manufactories in the 
 neighboring country. In the rear of the 
 hill, about a mile north, is a beautiful 
 plain, on which are laid out several hand- 
 some streets, shaded with ancient trees, 
 which render it a very pleasant place. 
 
 On the way thither is seen the cove, 
 at the upper end of which are the falls 
 of Yantic, a stream which pours over a 
 ledge of granite about forty feet high, 
 and supplies several manufactories with 
 water. The place is highly picturesque. 
 A rock, seventy or eighty feet in height, 
 overhangs the stream, whence a number 
 of Narraganset Indians, pursued by the 
 Mohegans, pi-ecipitated themselves. 
 
 The Burijing-Ground of the Uncases. — 
 This is on the elevated bank north of 
 the cove. There are stones marking 
 the graves of numerous members of the 
 royal family of the Mohegans, and a few 
 of them bear English inscriptions. The 
 family is now extinct. 
 
 Uncas, the old friend of the pilgrims, 
 is buried here. He and his nation were 
 the only steady allies they ever found 
 among the Indians, firm and powerful 
 enough to render them very essential 
 service. He was a man of extraordinary 
 talent, and withal extremely politic ; but 
 he refused to join the Indians against 
 the English, and died a friend of the 
 white men. 
 
 The Bridge. — The accompanying en- 
 graving I'epresents the high bridge across 
 the Thames, just below the falls. The 
 rocks are high and precipitous, and the 
 violence and roaring of the stream, es- 
 pecially at high floods, strike the trav- 
 eller with awe and fear. The stream 
 here makes a rapid descent down a 
 rough and rocky channel, over which 
 the passenger seems hanging in the air, 
 and about to be borne away by the im- 
 petuous and irresistible current. A short 
 distance below, the bed of the river be- 
 comes level, and soon the water spreads 
 over a wide surface, forming a broad 
 and beautiful cove, which looks like a 
 small, resplendent lake, with varied and 
 pleasing scenery displayed along its 
 margin. 
 
 The Worcester and Norwich Railroad, 
 fifty-eight and a half miles long, passes 
 up the valley of the Quinnebaug, near 
 Jewett's city, and many manufactories, 
 through Westfield, Pomfret, Oxford, &c., 
 to Worcester, where it meets the rail- 
 roads to Boston and to New York. It 
 was opened in 1840 ; cost one million ; 
 the maxium grade, twenty feet. 
 
 Sachem's Field, one mile and a half 
 from Norwich, is a small elevated plain, 
 on which a battle was fought, in 1643, 
 between about nine hundred Narragan- 
 sets, inhabiting Rhode Island, and five 
 or six hundred Mohegans. The sachem 
 of the former, Miantonimo, intending to 
 chastise Uncas for his adherence to the 
 English, secretly advanced into his coun- 
 try with an army. Uncas, aware of his 
 approach, met him on this plain, where 
 both parties halted ; he then resorted to 
 this stratagem : stepping forward, he 
 challenged Miantonimo to decide the 
 quarrel single-handed. This, as he ex- 
 pected was refused ; and while his ene- 
 mies were unprepared, he gave a signal 
 by falling down, when his men set up a 
 yell, discharged their arrows, and rushed 
 forward. The Narragansets fled, and 
 many were killed. Uncas himself cap- 
 tured Miantonimo, who was too haughty 
 to ask for quarter or speak a word ; lie 
 was taken to Haitford, tried, and given 
 to Uncas for execution ; he was brought 
 back, and, while marching across the 
 field, tomahawked near the road. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT. 
 
 131 
 
 First Governor of Connecticut. 
 
 John WiNTHROP, FIRST Governor of 
 Connecticut. — This distintjuisbed ^en- 
 tleman, for many years the governor of 
 Connecticut, was the eldest son of John 
 Winthrop, the first governor of Massa- 
 chusetts, and founder of the city of Bos- 
 ton — that famous pattern of piety and 
 justice, as he is called in the early 
 chronicles of New England — who emi- 
 grated to Amei'ica in 1630, and brought 
 with him the confidence and respect of 
 the government he had left, and the 
 most exalted and upright faculty for the 
 duties he came to assume. Graham, 
 adopting the thought of a classic histo- 
 rian, says of him that he not only per- 
 formed actions worthy to be written, 
 but produced writings worthy to be 
 read. His son John — the subject of 
 
 this brief memoir — was scai'cely less 
 distinguished. He was the heir of all 
 his father's talent, prudence, and virtues, 
 with a superior share of human learn- 
 ing — much addicted to philosophical 
 study, and especially to physical science. 
 He was one of the early patrons of 
 the London Royal Society. Sir Hans 
 Sloane, and three other members of that 
 society, some fifty years afterward, in 
 commending the grandson of this gen- 
 tleman to the notice of their associates, 
 bear honorable testimony to the good 
 repute in which the ancestor was held. 
 They speak of the learned John Win- 
 throp as " one of the first members of 
 this society, and who in conjunction 
 with others did greatly contribute to the 
 obtaining of our charter ; to whom the 
 
132 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT 
 
 ^ 
 
 Royal Society in its early days was not 
 only indebted for various ingenious com- 
 munications, but their museum still con- 
 tains many testimonies of his generosity, 
 especially of things relating to the nat- 
 ural history of New England." 
 
 John Winthrop was elected govern- 
 or of Connecticut for several years, in 
 which station his many valuable quali- 
 ties as a gentleman, a philosopher, and 
 a public ruler, procured him the univer 
 sal respect of the people under his gov- 
 ernment ; and his unwearied attention 
 to the public business and great under- 
 standing in the art of government, were 
 of unspeakable advantage to them. 
 
 He was twice married, his second 
 wife being the daughter of the cele- 
 brated Hugh Peters. By this marriage 
 he had several children, two of whom 
 were sons. The elder, Fitz-John, fol- 
 lowed in the footsteps of his father — 
 Avas elected governor of Connecticut, 
 and held that post for nine years, com- 
 mencing in 169S, and continuing till the 
 day of his death. Thus father, son, and 
 grandson, died in the highest office to 
 which the affections of the people could 
 exalt them. The youwger son was a 
 member of the Massachusetts council, 
 under the new charter granted by Wil- 
 liam and Mary, and afterward chief jus- 
 tice of the superior court of that state. 
 His name was Wait Still, a compound 
 of two family names — the middle name 
 being derived from the inteimarriage of 
 Adam, his great-grandfather, with the 
 family of Still. 
 
 Wait Still Winthrop, the chief-justice, 
 appears to have left but two children, 
 of whom John, the only son reseml)led 
 his grandfather in an ardent devotion to 
 science, and like him became a dis- 
 tinguished member of the Royal So- 
 ciety ; his introduction to that body be- 
 ing greatly facilitated by the respect in 
 which the memory of his ancestor was 
 yet l/eld. Attracted by the love of his 
 favorite studies, and his attachment to 
 the society of learned men, he removed 
 to England, and died in 1747. He had 
 seven children, of whom two were sons, 
 John Still and Basil. On the 4th of 
 Sept., 1750, the former married Jane 
 Borland, of Boston, whose daugliler Ann 
 
 married the late David Sears, Esq.,* 
 of that place. 
 
 The name of Winthrop shall be re- 
 membered so long as nations exist. It 
 will rank with Newton, Boyle, and Locke, 
 and those philanthropists of every age, 
 who are an ornament to human nature, 
 and whose lives have been devoted to the 
 cultivation of the moral graces, and the 
 advancement of social and religious hap- 
 piness ; enlarging the circle of the human 
 mind, and adorning the principles of phi- 
 losophy with the precepts of piety. Their 
 fame is identified with the progress of 
 knowledge and the diffusion of virtue. 
 The history of such men sheds a bright 
 and undyinglustre upon their country, and 
 will call forth the grateful recollections of 
 unborn generations, so long as truth shall 
 triumph over error, and the influence of 
 Christianity be felt in removing vice and 
 superstition from the hearts of men. 
 
 * Of this gentleman a note will hardly allow ns 
 the proper space to speak of his character and vir- 
 tues. He was born on the 12th of August, 1752. 
 He removed from Chatham to Boston in 1770, and 
 visited England in 1774. He became acquainted 
 with Dr. Franklin in London, and took letters to iiis 
 friends in France and Holland. He remained on the 
 continent nearly two years, and with difficulty made 
 his way back to Boston. In various modes his ser- 
 vice.'? were useful to his country. During the presi- 
 dency of the elder Adams he was one of a commit- 
 tee of the citizens of Boston for building a frigate 
 (tlie Boston), towards which lie subscribed three 
 thousand dollars, and presenting it to government. 
 He was largely interested in tiie India and China 
 trade, and added much to his fortune. He was dis- 
 tinguished as an intelligent and able financier — a di- 
 rector in the first" bank of the United States," from 
 its commencement to its termination — often a ref- 
 eree in intricate cases of mercantile equity ; and 
 his whole career ■wa.s marked by the most incorrupt- 
 tible integrity, which never for .the sake of a paltry 
 advantage violated that punctilious delicacy which 
 is iudi.«pensable to the character of a gentleman. 
 
 " An easy mien, engaging in address. 
 Looks which at once each winning grace express, 
 A life where love and truth were ever joined, 
 A nature ever good and ever kind, 
 A wisdom solid and a judginent clear, 
 The smile indulgent, and a soul sincere." 
 Mr. Sears was the proprietor of a large estate in 
 Waldo county, in Maine, the settlers and tenantry- of 
 which honored and revered him. and as they became 
 proprietors of the soil testified their gratitude for 
 hie patriaichal treatment by naming their towns in 
 his honor. He was generous and charitable — the 
 founder of the widows' fund in Trinity church — and 
 a contributor to numerous charities. He died in 
 front of hit" house in Beacon-street, struck instantly 
 dead by a stroke of apoplexy, as he was getting into 
 his carriage to make an afternoon visit, on the 19th 
 of October, 1816. " By this affecting event, this town 
 [Boston] has lost an eminent merchant and excellent 
 citizen; an only cliild, an nUectionate parent; this 
 church [Trinity], a distingui; hed benefactor ; society 
 at large, a well bred and hospitable gentleman. ' 
 
This state, the smallest in the 
 Union, is bounded on the north 
 and east by Massachusetts, south 
 by the Atlantic ocean, and west by 
 Connecticut. It is about forty- 
 nine miles long and twenty-nine 
 wide, and contains one thousand 
 three hundred and sixty square 
 miles, of which one hundred and 
 thirty are embraced in Narragan- 
 set bay. The population in 1850 
 was 147,654. 
 
 The northern portion of the 
 state is hilly, and that near the 
 coast is low and level, but healthy, being tempered by the Seabreeze. There are 
 several islands in and near Narraganset bay, the principal of which, Rhode 
 Island (called after the isle of Rhodes in the Mediterranean), has given name to 
 the state. 
 
 There are several rivers of great value for manufacturing, which is carried on 
 in various branches, but chiefly in cotton, to the great benefit of the state. The 
 principal rivers are as follows : Pawtucket, Providence, Wood, Pawtuxet, and 
 Pawcatuck ; and several manufacturing villages, of considerable size, are built en 
 their banks. 
 
 The commerce of the state has long been considerable ; but of late years it 
 has been transferred from Newport to Providence, where it now centres. Un- 
 happily the slave-trade was formerly carried on extensively from Rhode Island ; 
 but that inhuman traffic has ceased. 
 
 Rhode Island presents several strong contrasts, when viewed in different 
 aspects. Although the smallest state in the Union, and containing but a small 
 number of inhabitants, yet it has a very lai'ge proportion of persons engaged in 
 
134 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND. 
 
 manufactures, and was the first in which 
 the manfacture of cotton was effected 
 by machinery. Although the first of the 
 colonies in which general religious tol- 
 eration, or rather equality, was estab- 
 lished, contrary to the general impres- 
 sion, that system was allowed to exist but 
 two years ; for Roman catholics were 
 then denied the liberty allowed to others. 
 
 The history of this state is interest- 
 ing for important events which occurred 
 within its territory at different epochs. 
 It was the scene of some of the first and 
 the latest events of the eventful war of 
 King Philip, or Metacom, who was a 
 native of its soil, and fell at the foot of 
 Mount Hope. The Narragansets, one 
 of the most powerful Indian tribes in 
 New England, were reduced by a war 
 carried on in this territory. 
 
 This tribe is now reduced to three or 
 four hundred, composing about fifty fam- 
 ilies, who reside on the Indian lands. 
 Individuals of the tribe were lately in 
 possession of three or four thousand 
 acres of land, about one third of which 
 was cultivated. The tribe own twenty 
 or thirty acres of woodland, seventy acres 
 of swamp, and nineteen acres on Shoit 
 Neck ; they have a church, with a reg- 
 ular baptist clergyman (an Indian) ; and 
 a schoolhouse, in which school is kept 
 in winter by the Indians, and in sum- 
 mer by the missionary society : it con- 
 sists of forty or fifty scholars. 
 
 In the revolution, Newport was taken 
 and occupied by the British forces until 
 relieved by a French fleet, cooperating 
 with the American army. 
 
 The following extract is from a letter 
 written by a distinguished historian : — 
 
 " Rhode Island was foremost in the 
 following events : — 
 
 " Mai/ 17, 1744. The delegates from 
 the town of Providence were instructed 
 to prevail on the assembly to use their 
 influence with the other colonies to pro- 
 mote the convening of a continental con- 
 gress — a few days earlier than the action 
 of any other public body on the subject. 
 
 '■^ June 15, 1774. The assembly chose 
 delegates to the congress two days be- 
 fore Massachusetts, which I believe has 
 hitherto been considered the first to elect 
 delegates. 
 
 " August, 1775. The assembly recom- 
 mended to the congress to build and 
 equip a continental navy ; the first rec- 
 ommendation of this sort by any public 
 body. 
 
 " Maij, 1776. Act of abjuration on in- 
 dependence was passed ; the only step 
 of this description, as far as I know, 
 taken by any assembly, or colonial con- 
 vention, before the declaration of con- 
 gress. The resolves of Mecklenburg 
 county, in North Carolina, were of the 
 same tenor, but the meeting consisted 
 of delegates from one county only, and 
 these seem not to have been chosen upon 
 the usual principles of representation. 
 
 " There are passages in the colonial 
 history of Rhode Island most honorable 
 to tlie patriotic spirit of the people. The 
 assembly petitioned against the famous 
 ' sugar act' of 1773. 
 
 " The petition was rejected by par- 
 liament. A curious debate on the sub- 
 ject may be seen in Hassard's Pai'lia- 
 mentary History, vol. viii., p. 1261." 
 
 Newport. — This place possesses one 
 of the best harbors in the United States. 
 The entrance is protected by Fort Adams, 
 on Brenton's point. It embraces an ex- 
 tent of about 130 acres. A range of 
 guns lines the shore toward the west, 
 and the casemates, &c., are very strong. 
 
 Newport extends about a mile along 
 the shore, and itp natural beauties pass 
 quite beyond any seaside resort in this 
 country. It has become very popular 
 as a place of summer residence. In the 
 hottest weather, and at all hours of the 
 day, a cool sea-breeze can be enjoyed 
 here. The range of the thermometer, 
 in fact, at all seasons of the year, is less 
 than at almost any other place in the 
 United States. The romantic variety 
 and picturesque elegance of its coast 
 scenery, where the salt spray, foaming 
 asainst the rocks, momently dashes it- 
 self into rainbows, present the most en- 
 chanting splendors of impression that 
 land, and sea, and sunshine, in- their 
 combinations, can produce. A walk 
 along the cliffs is like a ramble thjough 
 a select gallery of Birch's marine views. 
 To sit on high upon some " coin of van- 
 taore" in the rock, and gaze uj)on the 
 white waters wrestling in undying wrath 
 
136 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND. 
 
 with the eternal bases of the earth, while 
 the spirit of beauty, prevailing over both, 
 transmutes the terror into glory, and 
 spreads out before the imagination an 
 exhaiisiless banquet of visionary delight, 
 is a pleasure that invests that region in 
 a spiritual lustre, and consecrates it to 
 the enthusiasms of the poet as much as 
 to the enjoyments of the gay. The drives 
 in the neighborhood of the town, are 
 varied and beautiful. 
 
 The beach behind the town, like the 
 whole circuit of the city on the land 
 side, was defended by a line of troops, 
 batteries, &c., during the possession of 
 it by the English in the revolutionary j 
 war ; and the opposite high grounds i 
 were occupied by the American army, i 
 whose headquarters were on Taumony j 
 hill, about a mile and a half from the 
 town — an elevation which affords an ex- j 
 tensive view on every side. General 
 Prescott was taken here during the war 
 by a bold party of men under Colonel 
 Barton, who landed secretly from a boat 
 in the night, went to the British head- 
 quarters, and conveyed their captive 
 away, before the land or naval forces, 
 then in the harbor, could prevent them. 
 The place was blockaded by the British 
 fleet. 
 
 During the possession of the place by 
 the enemy, the trees were cut down for 
 fuel ; and although the soil is admirably 
 calculated for the growth of fruit-trees, 
 and was before that period quite covered 
 with the finest oi'chards, it is now so 
 divested of trees of every description, 
 as to appear remarkably naked and mo- 
 notonous for an American scene. The 
 fertility of the gi-ound, and the excel- 
 lence of the crops, as well as the neat- 
 ness and precision with which the fields 
 aie cultivated and regularly divided by 
 fine stone walls, present, however, a pic- 
 ture of agricultural beauty rarely paral- 
 leled in the United States. The island, 
 fourteen miles long and not three miles 
 wide, contained in 1827 more than thirty 
 thousand sheep. 
 
 Mount Hope, famous as the ancient 
 royal residence of the Narraganset In- 
 dians, and particularly as the abode of 
 King Philip, and the scene of his death, 
 is seen from a few miles beyond New- 
 
 port, toward the northwest. It rises in 
 Warren, on the shore of an arm of the 
 bay. Prudence island is about five miles 
 in length, and presents the same fertile 
 soil and gently-swelling surface as that 
 of Rhode Island. The inhabitants are 
 few, as are those of Patience and Hope, 
 islands of a much smaller size. Des- 
 pair is a cluster of rocks on the left, near 
 the island of Hope, the north end of 
 which is twenty miles from Providence. 
 
 Coal Mine. — An extensive mine of 
 anthracite or incombustible coal was 
 opened a few years since near the end 
 of the island, in Portsmouth, about two 
 miles from Bristol ferry ; it was not ex- 
 tensively used, and the work was soon 
 abandoned. 
 
 Providence is the second city in New 
 England. Population in 1851, about 
 45,000. It is beautifully as well as ad- 
 vantageously situated at the head of navi- 
 gation, on the river Providence. 
 
 The town was settled in the year 1636 
 by Roger Williams, who left the old 
 colonies in consequence of a disagree- 
 ment in religious doctrines. He built 
 his house on the shore, near the present 
 episcopal church. Many of the society 
 of quakers, or friends, afterward jf)ined 
 him, whose descendants form a large 
 share of the population of the state. 
 
 Brown University, the principal in- 
 stitution of learning in the state, is built 
 on the summit of a high hill, decorated 
 with some of the finvst houses in this 
 part of the country, dispersed among 
 spacious gardens, and mingling the de- 
 lights of the country with the splendor 
 of a city. It was founded in 1764; has 
 about one hundred and fifty students ; 
 and its library contains twenty-five thou- 
 sand volumes. 
 
 The academy, near the college, is a 
 large institut.on, and was established by 
 the friends, or quakers. 
 
 A man in boring for water, a few years 
 ago, at the end of a wharf, many yards 
 distant from the original land, bored 
 through a stream of mud ; then through 
 a bog meadow, containing good peat ; 
 then through a sand and quartz gravel. 
 At this point, water impregnated with 
 copperas and arsenic broke forth ; but, 
 determining to proceed further, he next 
 
138 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND. 
 
 Struck a vineyard and drew up vines, 
 grapes, grape-seeds, leaves, acorns, ha- 
 zelnuts, pinenuts, and the seeds of un- 
 know^n fruits, together vv^ith pure water. 
 This was thirty-five feet below the bed 
 of the river. 
 
 The Boston and Providence Railroad, 
 forty-one miles in length, begins at India 
 wharf, in Providence, near the steamboat 
 landing, and, passing through the town, 
 leads through Foxboro', Walpole, Ded- 
 ham, Roxbury, and other towns. It 
 was opened in 1835, and cost nearly two 
 millions of dollars ; the curvatures are 
 gentle ; least radius, five thousand seven 
 hundred and thirty feet ; highest grade, 
 thirty-seven and a half feet ; summit in 
 Sharon, two hundred and fifty-six feet 
 above tide. There is a viaduct of gran- 
 ite in Canton, seven hundred feet long, 
 and above sixty fe«t high, over Nepon- 
 set valley. Thei'e are many embank- 
 ments and excavations in rock. 
 
 Blachstone Canal. — This canal, v/hich 
 reaches from Providence to Worcester, 
 Massachusetts, runs along the course of 
 the Blackstone river for several miles. 
 It is forty-five miles long, eighteen feet 
 wide at the bottom, and thirty-four feet 
 at the surface. There are forty-eight 
 locks, all built of stone, which overcome 
 a rise and fall of four hundred and fifty 
 feet. The size of the locks is eighty- 
 two feet in length, and ten in breadth ; 
 and the cost of the whole work was about 
 half a million of dollars. The water 
 is chiefly derived from Blackstone river, 
 but there are large ponds at different 
 parts of the route which can be drawn 
 upon at any time. The whole work was 
 completed about 1828. 
 
 Pawtucket is one of the largest man- 
 ufacturing places in this part of the coun- 
 try. The banks of the river are varied 
 and somewhat I'omantic ; while the fall, 
 which is under the bridge, furnishes a 
 most valuable water-power. Cotton is 
 principally manufactured here, though 
 there is machinery devoted to other pur- 
 poses. The village is divided by the 
 Blackstone or Pawtucket river. The 
 residents of the left bank call it " Paw- 
 tucket, Massachusetts" — those of the 
 rig 'thank, " Pawtucket, Rhode Island." 
 T' population is over seven thousand. 
 
 There is quite a number of handsome 
 edifices for public worship, banks, tav- 
 erns, &c. There are three distinct falls, 
 on which manufactories have been erect- 
 ed. The upper or Valley falls are about 
 a mile from the main part of the village. 
 Here there are five large mills. About 
 half a mile lower down are the Central 
 falls. Here are four large factories. 
 
 Early History of Cotton Manufactures 
 in America. — As Rhode Island was the 
 state into which the manufacture of cot- 
 ton by machinery was first introduced, 
 the following brief sketch of its history 
 may be appropriately introduced here. 
 
 Looking back to the incipient state 
 of our manufactures, we can not but be 
 impressed with absolute astonishment 
 at the rapid strides they have made 
 toward perfection. In 1727, the only 
 spinning-machine in the whole extent 
 of our country was one spinning-jenny, 
 with twenty-eight spindles, worked by 
 hand. At the present time, millions of 
 capital are employed in spinning and 
 weaving, every sloping stream is con- 
 verted into a mill seat ; and by the in- 
 dustry of our own hands, with the aid 
 of labor-saving machinery, we manufac- 
 ture not only what is necessary for our 
 own consumption, but also for exporta- 
 tion. We copy from a Providence pa- 
 per the following facts in the early his- 
 tory of cotton-spinning in the state, by 
 Mr.William Anthony, of Coventry; they 
 can not be uninteresting to our readei'S : 
 
 " In 1786, Daniel Anthony, Andrew 
 Dexter, and Lewis Peck, of Providence, 
 formed a copartnership for the manufac- 
 turing of what was then emphatically 
 cdA\e(\.homespun cloth. They commenced 
 spinning by hand, and manufactured 
 ja)ie from linen-warp with cotton-fillin;::;'. 
 About that time machinery was imported 
 from England by Major Orr, of Bridge- 
 water, Massachusetts ; and this comjjany 
 sent Mr. Anthony to Bridgewater for the 
 purpose of obtaining a draft of the ma- 
 chinery, if practicable. The machinery 
 was not in operation, nor was that the 
 intention of Major Orr ; he kept it mere- 
 ly for the purpose of being inspected by 
 the curious, and others willing to hazard 
 the experiment of establishing a manu- 
 factory. From a draft of the machinery 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND. 
 
 139 
 
 a jenny was constructed The spindles 
 (twenty-eight in number) and brass work 
 were made by Daniel Jackson, of this 
 town, an ingenious coppersmith. This 
 jenny, probably the first ever put in 
 motion in the United States, was placed 
 in the chambers of the raarkethouse in 
 Providence, and there worked by hand. 
 
 "Joshua Linclley, about that period, 
 built a carding-machine from Major 
 Orr's pattern. It was something sim- 
 ilar to those used at the present day 
 for carding' of wool, the cotton being- 
 taken off the machine in rolls and roped 
 by hand. The company caused to be 
 built from Major Orr's pattern a spin- 
 ning-frame, somewhat similar to our 
 water-frames, but very imperfect. It 
 consisted of eight heads of four spindles 
 each, and was carried by a crank turned 
 by hand. The fii'st head was made by 
 John Baily, a very ingenious clockmaker 
 of Pembroke, Massachusetts ; and the 
 other seven, with the brasswork and 
 spindles, by our townsman, Daniel Jack- 
 son. The lad who then turned the wheel 
 has ever since devoted his attention to 
 the manufacturing of cotton, and it af- 
 fords us pleasure at this time to number 
 him among the wealthy and most respec- 
 table portion of our community. 
 
 " In 1788, Joseph Alexander and Jas. 
 M'Kerris, from Scotland, came to Provi- 
 dence, and understanding the use of the 
 flyshuttle, they undertook to weave cor- 
 deroy ; a loom was built, agreeably to the 
 direction of Mr. Alexander, and placed 
 in the chambers of the markethouse ; it 
 used the flyshuttle, which was probably 
 the first ever introduced into this coun- 
 try. The corderoy was wove with linen 
 «arp and cotton filling; but the manu- 
 facture of that description of cloth was 
 abandoned, in consequence of no person 
 being found who could cut the corderoy, 
 an " raise the pile which formed the ribs 
 an - gave it the finish. 
 
 " The spinning-frame, after being used 
 some time at Pi'ovidence, was sent to 
 Pawtucket, and there attached to awheel 
 and propelled by water-power. This 
 machine was very imperfect ; all the card- 
 ing and roping was done by hand. It 
 was used a short time and then sold to 
 Moses Brown, esquire. 
 
 I " Manufacturing was in this infant and 
 imperfect state when Samuel Slater, es- 
 quire, arrived from England. He was 
 a manufacturer, and could both build 
 and use machinery. The old machinery 
 was all thrown aside, and that built 
 under the direction of Mr. Slater sub- 
 stituted in its place. 
 
 " But few had then sufficient faith in 
 the experiment to hazard their capital 
 in so doubtful an enterprise as the man- 
 ufacture of cotton. The manufacturers 
 at that season had everything to con- 
 tend against. By the policy of England, 
 the exportation of machinery was pro- 
 hibited. Our artisans, like our manufac- 
 turers, were in their infancy ; our iron, 
 steel, and brass workers were few, and 
 they of course entirely unacquainted with 
 any kind of millwork, for we find that 
 the head to the first spinning-frame was 
 made by a clockmaker. There also ex- 
 isted a prejudice against manufacturing, 
 both at home and abroad. Every argu- 
 ment which ingenuity could devise was 
 urged against the measure. It was rep- 
 resented as demoralizing to society, as 
 repugnant to republican principles, as 
 ruinous to those engaged in it, and to 
 the very liberties of the country. We 
 were then a commercial people, and 
 the commercial part of our community 
 viewed with no little jealousy the estab- 
 lishment of manufactures. England, and 
 Englishmen in tliis country, opposed it, 
 knowing that our i-eal advantages were 
 so great, that, if once established, we 
 would become a powerful and success- 
 ful rival. But arguments, and remon- 
 strances, and opposition of every kind, 
 proved unavailing. The enterprise of 
 a few individuals overcame every ob- 
 stacle, and within forty years from the 
 establishment of a single hand spinning- 
 frame, with no great assistance from 
 government, we find our manufactures 
 in their present flourishing and enviable 
 situation. We can not dismiss the sub- 
 ject without expressing a feeling of 
 exultation, that our town was the first in 
 the country to establish and patronize 
 this invaluable branch of national in- 
 dustry, and our markethouse the reposi- 
 tory of the first spinning-frame ever set 
 in motion in the United States." 
 
Block Island. — This most southern 
 part of the state is a lone and desolate 
 little island, lying far distant from the 
 mainland, with but an irregular and pre- 
 carious connexion with any other part 
 of the country. 
 
 No class of citizens of the United 
 States — says a writer — are less under- 
 stood in Rhode Island, than the inhab- 
 itants of Block island. Shut out from 
 the world by the barrier of the ocean, 
 all communication cut off except when 
 the waters are tranquil enough to per- 
 mit their boats to float upon their bosom, 
 this island appears to be a little world 
 by itself, apart from everything but the 
 white-crested billow, and the dense blue 
 sea-fog. The island lies high in the 
 water, on an average ten feet higher than 
 Montaug point, which is the nearest 
 land. It is nearly destitute of a harbor, 
 even for its fishing-smacks, as a north- 
 west wind sweeps down Long Island 
 sound on the one hand, and a south wind 
 dilves in from the Atlantic on the other, 
 rendering insecure any position that 
 might be taken around her fated land. 
 
 Many is the fine ship that has laid her 
 bones upon the rocks that stud the ex- 
 treme points of this no-man's-land, and 
 many more have but just escaped a sim- 
 ilar fate; and scarce a mariner comes 
 in view of it that does not call to mind 
 some shipmate who made his last splice 
 in that neighborhood, and died within 
 view of his destined haven. Block island 
 is a beacon of joy to thousands who 
 come in from the "sheep-pasture," as 
 the Yankees term the Atlantic, and who 
 from a foreign land seek that of their 
 nativity ; it is the point whence they take 
 their departure, and the first land they 
 i make on their return, and for that rea- 
 son is greeted by the returning seaman 
 as the first glimpse of his much-loved 
 home. But when they make it a " lee- 
 shore," with a stiff" breeze, it is more an 
 object of terror than anything else, for 
 ten to one are the chances of escape 
 from destruction. 
 
 But from the island we turn to that 
 singular race who inhabit it. A Block- 
 islander has been the same, without a 
 shadow of change, since his island was 
 first inhabited. One would know him 
 
 by his look alone — his weather-beaten 
 face, and an eye that, to all appearance, 
 has been bleached while penetrating the 
 fog that hangs above and around the 
 island like a canopy. One would know 
 him by his form : built for strength 
 rather than for beauty, and that natural 
 strength increased by constant hardships 
 and exposure to water and to sun, the 
 frame is spread to a degree that could 
 not fail to be ever known after havino 
 been known at all. But, most of all, he 
 would be known by his dress. Having 
 seen the costume of one Block-islander, 
 you have seen tliem all — it is a curious 
 mixture of the New England farmer and 
 the seaman. There is the homespun 
 pepper-and-salt, or black broadcloth, and 
 upon its surface a huge patch of Russia 
 duck ; the tarpaulin hat which marks the 
 seaman, and the cotton bandanna hand- 
 kerchief that tells of him from the Green 
 mountains ; but most of all have we 
 looked at what covers his legs from one 
 extremity to the other, and are denom- 
 inated boots : these are known wherever 
 they are seen — from one extremity of 
 the continent to the other; they could 
 have been modelled at no other place, 
 and an attempt to imitate them would 
 be as fruitless as unprofitable; water 
 could not penetrate, and fire could hard- 
 ly consume, this part of their wardrobe, 
 and they will stand for ages, as monu- 
 ments of the taste of the people who 
 invented them. They are worn by all 
 classes, from young to old. 
 
 The females of Block island, too, can 
 face the gale, and defy rains, or snows, 
 or freezing winters. They are almost 
 as hardy as their husbands, and not un- 
 frequently venture so far upon the sea 
 that the sail of their clipper-boats are 
 seen only as specks on the horizon. 
 
 Rhode Island, small as it is, has been 
 as fruitful in eminent men as any other 
 state in the Union, however large. As 
 early as 1723, it was the residence of the 
 celebrated divine and philosopher. Dean 
 Berkley, afterward bishop of Cloyne. 
 It is said that he wrote his Minute 
 Philosopher while there. 
 
 The first anatomical and surgical lec- 
 tures ever delivered in America were 
 given at Newport, about the year 1760, 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND. 
 
 141 
 
 by Dr. William Hunter. A year or two 
 aftei% lectui-es on electricity, with the 
 Franklinian experiments, were given by 
 Solomon Southwick, the father of the 
 gentleman of the same name in Albany. 
 From about 17.56, there was more gen- 
 eral literature in Newport, and through 
 the island, than perhaps any other part 
 of America, which was owing to a very 
 well-selected public library given by 
 Abraham Redwood, esquire, a very op- 
 ulent and generous person belonging to 
 the society of friends. He gave five 
 hundred pounds sterling for the books 
 in London. These were selected with 
 great judgment by the colony agent, and 
 some were added by private donations. 
 President Styles was its librarian be- 
 tween twenty and thirty years. After 
 a British army took possession of the 
 island, this valuable selection of books 
 was despoiled of a great portion of the 
 English classics, histories, voyages, and 
 travels, and whatever came under the 
 head of entertaining books. The li- 
 brary is still respectable. 
 
 Among military men, Rhode Island 
 gave to the nation Geneial Greene and 
 Commodore Perry. The once very 
 beautiful scenery which embellished the 
 island, and its character for healthful- 
 ness, drew to it every summer numbers 
 of opulent invalids, with not a few men 
 of property, who sought pleasure and 
 agreeable residence. It was the perma- 
 nent I'esidence of many men of inde- 
 pendent fortune, past the meridian of 
 life, from different parts of Europe and 
 the West India islands, and who chose 
 that spot in which to spend their days. 
 This accounts for the large number of 
 tories, or gentlemen who wished for no 
 alteration in government and the habit- 
 ual order of things. 
 
 Besides very handsome country-seats, 
 that island contained three gardens that 
 raeiited, in some measure, the name of 
 botanical gardens, having greenhouses 
 and hothouses, with curious foreign 
 plants. Those belonging to Malborne, 
 Redwood, and Bowler, were the most 
 distinguished. The most elegant and 
 costly dwellinghouse in the twelve col- 
 onies was the counti'y-seat of Colonel 
 Malborne, which was accidentally de- 
 
 stroyed by fire previous to the revolu- 
 tionary war. The beautiful spot now 
 belongs to another family. 
 
 Before the revolution, Rhode Island 
 with its capital (Newport) was the most 
 agreeable spot on the Atlantic shores. 
 It enjoyed a very considerable com- 
 merce : the most lucrative, although not 
 the most moral, was the uade to Africa. 
 Newport was then, from the causes al- 
 ready mentioned, a lively, genteel, and 
 literary town, and Providence was com- 
 paratively small. But after the British 
 took possession of it, the town of Prov- 
 idence rose rapidly on the ruins of the 
 capital. Upward of nine hundred build- 
 ings, of all desciiptions, were destroyed 
 by the British, principally for fuel ; and 
 what was equally, if not more, to be la- 
 mented, they also desti'oyed, through 
 necessity, all the beautiful woods and 
 ornamental ti'ees on that fine island. 
 During these calamities, Providence, 
 Bristol, Warren, and several towns on 
 the Narraganset shore, increased in size 
 and consequence, leaving the island, like 
 an old battered shield, held up against 
 the enemy. If the general government 
 can do anything to recover it to a con 
 dition in any respect equal to its formei 
 consequence, they ought, in gratitude, 
 so to do ; for where is the spot in the 
 United States that has suffered so much 
 as Newport on Rhode Island 1 
 
 While we are disposed to eulogize 
 Rhode Island, there is one thing we 
 have always regretted, and that is its 
 penal code. In point of health and pro- 
 priety, her prisons were far behind those 
 of other states ; and the severity of their 
 juinishments far more rigorous than in 
 most of the other colonies and states. 
 Their whipping at the cart's-tail fell but 
 little short of the Russian knot ; and 
 their ear-croppings and brandings long 
 continued after other states had me- 
 liorated their punishments for theft ard 
 forgery. 
 
 The following shows the populatum 
 of the state at different periods : — 
 In 1730, 17,935 In 1800, 69,122 
 1748, 34,128 1810, 76,931 
 
 1774, 59,678 1820, 83,059 
 
 1783, 51,809 1830, 97,199 
 
 1790, 68,825 1840, 108,830 
 
 In 1850, 147,654. 
 
No state in tlie Union occupies, at the 
 piesent tin e, a more prominent position 
 than New Yoik, or, in many points of 
 view, a more interesting. One of the 
 earliest in the history of the colonial 
 settlements, occupying one of the largest 
 territories among the original thirteen 
 states, touching, with its extensive arms, 
 the ocean, and two of the larger lakes, 
 inclutling for a century the most power- 
 ful body of Indians within our borders, 
 and some of the principal paths of for- 
 eign invasion, her scenes of early enter- 
 prises and military operations, often dis- 
 tinguished by the bold and beautiful 
 traits of nature, have been in turn the 
 witnesses of extending civilization, and 
 the triumphs of modern science and art enlisted in her service. Where the Indians, 
 sent out or led on by the French Jesuits in Canada, laid the ambush, or fell upon 
 the defenceless frontier settlement, or where the armies of France and England 
 contended for the possession of American forests, in the course of years the same 
 places witnessed the strife between the colonies and the mother-country ; and, 
 since it ceased, have been enlivened by the passage of steamboats or rail-cars, or 
 afforded sites for flourishing towns and cities. 
 
 To give moi-e than an imperfect outline of the past and present condition of so 
 large, populous, and important a state, in the few pages allotted to it in a work 
 like this, will be impossible ; and, to avoid the necessity of falling into a mere 
 record of dry statistics, we must confine our attention to some of the leading 
 natural features, the most important epochs in history, works of art, and other 
 points of interest. 
 
 Hudson River. — This stream, as one of the most important channels of 
 commerce in the Union, merit special attention. Its natural advantages have been 
 immensely surpassed by those added by art : for, since the construction of the 
 
 f-^ 
 
 Ji 
 
144 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 canals, especially the Grand or Erie 
 canal, an extent of territory has been 
 opened, surpassing, a thousand times, 
 that which borders the stream and its 
 branches. The railroads already made 
 increase the amount of navigation and 
 valuable freights annually borne upon 
 the bosom of this noble river; and those 
 proposed and partly completed, promise 
 still greater and incalculable results. 
 Of those more recently completed, the 
 New York and Erie railroad, described 
 on another page, is by far the most im- 
 portant, forming, as it does, a second 
 and m.oi"e rapid communication between 
 the Atlantic sea-board and the lakes. 
 
 The Hudson rises in the wild, eleva- 
 ted, and almost uninhabited region west 
 of Lake Champlain, and flows, at first, 
 nearly north, then east, and finally south, 
 till it falls into New York bay, passing 
 through which and the lower bay, its 
 waters mingle with those of the ocean, 
 at Sandy Hook. The latter and princi- 
 pal part of its course is remarkably 
 straight, and almost due south. After 
 receiving several small branches in the 
 upper regions, it is swelled by the Mo- 
 hawk at Waterford ; and soon after 
 reaching Troy, the head of steamboat 
 navigation, passes Albany, where the 
 northern and Erie canals communicate 
 with it, through a spacious basin. From 
 that place to its mouth, the Hudson is 
 navigated by a number of steamboats, 
 sloops, canal-boats, and vessels of larger 
 size, worthy of the principal commer- 
 cial river of the United States, flowing 
 into the Atlantic. Although it passes 
 throujj^h a line of mountains at the Hi^h- 
 lands, that are commonly regarded as the 
 Allegany range, it pursues its way with 
 a smooth and unbroken current, causing 
 no interruption to navigation. 
 
 It has two large expansions below 
 that point, called Haverstraw and Tap- 
 pan bays, after which it proceeds, with 
 a breadth but little increased, till it 
 reaches the city of New York. The 
 tide is evident even at Albany ; but the 
 water is perceptibly aftected by the 
 brine of the Atlantic only as high as 
 Polopel's island, at the northern extrem- 
 ity of' the Highlands. The numerous 
 and flourishing towns upon its banks, 
 
 with the variety of taste displayed in 
 the country-seats occupying the heights, 
 declivities, and shores, intermingling 
 with the beautiful and sometimes wild 
 scenery with which nature has enrich- 
 ed it, and which is widely and so justly 
 celebrated — all these, combined with 
 the evidences of industry and wealth, 
 displayed by the fleets of vessels of dif- 
 ferent kinds continually ploughing its 
 waters, render the Hudson one of the 
 most agreeable routes for a traveller. 
 
 In summer, the number of travellers 
 passing up and down this river is almost 
 incredible : for it lies on the way between 
 the commercial metropolis of the Union 
 and several of the principal points to 
 which travellers for business or pleas- 
 ure direct their course : Ballston and 
 Saratoga, Lakes George and Cham- 
 j)lain, Canada, Niagara, and the West; 
 while by numbers this attractive route 
 is' chosen in ffoin"- to Boston, the White 
 mountains of New Hampshire, and oth- 
 er parts of New England. 
 
 One of the remarkable objects on the 
 Hudson is the trap range, on its western 
 bank, extending from Weehawken bluff 
 ar up toward the Highlands, called the 
 Palisades. It often presents a precipi- 
 tous wall, totally inaccessible from the 
 water, except occasionally ; and for 
 some distance it rises about four hun- 
 dred feet perpendicularly. 
 
 Mountains. — The Allegany range en- 
 ters this state from New Jersey, and 
 crosses the Hudson at the pass of the 
 Highlands, celebrated for its scenery, 
 and for some important events in the 
 Revolutionary war, and passes into New 
 England. 
 
 The Catskill mountains rise at some 
 distance above the Highlands, about sev- 
 en miles west of the river, and present 
 a range of rocks, covered with a thin 
 coat of forest-trees, with several peaks 
 rising a little above the general outline, 
 the loftiest of which, the Crow's-Nest, 
 is about three thousand five hundred feet 
 above the ocean. The poverty of the 
 soil and the roughness and almost inac- 
 cessible nature of the surface, render 
 this wild region the retreat of deer and 
 wolves. The abundance of oak-trees is 
 such, that numerous tanneries are found 
 
146 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NKW YORK. 
 
 in that region. The village of Hunter 
 is situated halfway up the mountain, at 
 an elevation considerably higher than 
 any other within the limits f)f New 
 York. The Mountain house, in the up- 
 per parts of this Alpine region, is the 
 resort of numerous travellers of taste in 
 the warm seasons ; and, while it affords 
 every comfort, and many of the luxuries 
 of life, it commands one of the most ex- 
 tensive and delightful views to be found 
 within the circuit of the Union, with ea- 
 sy access to the wild valley of the Cau- 
 terskill creek, and its remarkable cas- 
 cades. 
 
 Oswego River is a very remarkable 
 stream on account of one singular pecu- 
 liarity. It is the drain of almost the 
 whole cluster of small lakes in the mid- 
 dle of the state of New York. Having 
 its head in Canandaigua lake, in its eas- 
 terly course, it receives the outlets of 
 all those which empty northward, and 
 at length, after passing several villages, 
 receives the Oswego canal, and falls 
 into Lake Ontario at the village of Os- 
 wego. 
 
 Genesee River. — The scenery along 
 the course of this river is wild, where it 
 passes through the high and rocky ridge 
 which bounds the rich " Genesee Flats," 
 on the south. The banks, for a consid- 
 erable distance, are perpendicular, as if 
 cut through by some irresistible torrent, 
 exposing to view the strata far below 
 the original surface. The extensive 
 valley which succeeds, so celebrated for 
 its fertility, affords the stream a smooth 
 and level channel, by which it gently 
 meanders through a scene of peculiar 
 richness, in summer waving with some 
 of the best wheat in America. The 
 stream, by wearing away the limestone 
 rocks above, annually enriches the soil 
 by its deposites ; and this natural manu- 
 ring process is aided by the action of 
 the wind, which, in blowing down the 
 rocky chasm just mentioned, brings 
 with it particles of dust from the crumb- 
 ling surface, and spreads them far and 
 wide over the meadows. So important 
 are the effects of this process, that the 
 land is perceptibly richer, on the upper 
 part of the valley, as we approach its 
 rugged boundary. 
 
 Moving northward, the Genesee flows 
 toward the great mart and manufactory 
 of those stores of grain which its shores 
 yield in such abundance ; and that large 
 and flourishing town owes its existence, 
 or at least its importance, to the abun- 
 dant water-power afforded by the sud- 
 den descent of its waters over the steep 
 falls at that place. Both sides of the 
 stream are there lined, for a great dis- 
 tance, by mills of the largest size, con- 
 structed in the most substantial manner, 
 which are celebrated for the excellency, 
 as well as the amount of the flour which 
 they annually produce. 
 
 It is remarkable in the history of this 
 part of the state, that the superior fer- 
 tility of the Genesee Flats long remain- 
 ed unknown, as well as the peculiar fit- 
 ness of the soil for wheat. Thousands 
 of emigrants from New England, says 
 Darby, settled on other tracts of land 
 further west, where they were satisfied 
 if they could raise thirty bushels of 
 corn on an acre. But the value of this 
 fertile region is now well appreciated; 
 and sixty bushels of corn, or twenty-five 
 of wheat, are annually yielded by thou- 
 sands of acres. A finer sight can hard- 
 ly be shown in any part of our country, 
 than this region, when covered with its 
 waving crops. 
 
 The Genesee Flats were a favorite 
 district with the Indians ; and the last 
 blow received by the Iroquois, in the 
 Revolutionary war, was given here, 
 when a large village was burnt, and they 
 were driven from their richest plant- 
 ing grounds. The remains of ancient 
 mounds and other traces of past genera- 
 tions, prove that the banks of the stream 
 were long the residence of a large pop- 
 ulaticm. 
 
 Springs. — New York abounds in 
 mineral springs, and of very different 
 qualities. Some of them possess highly 
 sanative properties, and are the most 
 celebrated resorts in America, by in- 
 valids and travellers for pleasure. Oth- 
 ers are merely curiosities, on account 
 of the peculiar substances held in solu- 
 tion by their waters. 
 
 Gas springs are among the latter; 
 and these are found in several places in 
 the western parts of the state, chiefly at 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 147 
 
 Bristol, Middlesex, and Canandaigua, 
 where they, in some places, rise from 
 small hillocks, and the hydrogen which 
 forms a large constituent of the gaseous 
 exhalations, readily burns on being 
 touched with flame, and sometimes con- 
 tinues to blaze for several hours, even 
 when surrounded with snow. In the 
 geological volumes of the reports of the 
 scientific survey of the state, all the 
 particulars maybe found, relating to this 
 and to many other subjects, connected 
 with the rocks and soil of the extensive 
 and diversified territory. 
 
 Ballsfon Springs. — The old chalybe- 
 ate spring, in the centre of the village 
 of Ballston Spa, near the Kayderoseros 
 brook, was known to the Indians, and 
 highly valued by them. It was visited 
 by Sir William Johnson, before the 
 Revolutionary war, at the recommenda- 
 tion of an Indian, for the improvement 
 of his health ; and he was carried for a 
 considerable distance on a litter, there 
 being at that time no road. The vicini- 
 ty of the spring was marked by the feet 
 of numerous deer, and paths were ti'od- 
 den by them to their favorite drinking- 
 place, from every direction. For sever- 
 al years after the war, there were no 
 better accommodations at the place than 
 a miserable loghouse ; but it gradually 
 became a place of considerable resort ; 
 and about the year 1814 orl815, was a 
 village, with several houses for lodgers, 
 one of which, the Sans Souci, had ac- 
 commodations for about one hundred 
 and fifty persons. Several other springs 
 had been discovered, and more were 
 afterward found, all situated in the small 
 alluvial valley of the Kayderoseros. 
 These differed in nature : some being 
 pure water, others chalybeates, sulphur- 
 ous, and saline. This place, however, 
 for many years, has been superseded by 
 
 Saratoga Springs. — This is now by 
 far the most important watering-place 
 in the Union, for the number of visiters. 
 There are five or six hotels of the lar- 
 gest size, and numerous smaller ones, 
 all standing on one sti'eet, and within a 
 short distance of the principal spring ; 
 and the place, during the warm season, 
 especially in the months of July and 
 August, is generally crowded to ovei'- 
 
 flowing, by thousands of persons, from 
 all parts of this country, and from many 
 foreign lands. The railroad offers ev- 
 ery facility for travelling, and several 
 interesting places lie in the vicinity, 
 while through the place lies the grand 
 route to Canada, by Lake Champlain. 
 
 The Congress spring, at the southern 
 end of the village, aff'ords a plentiful 
 supply of saline water, in which Glau- 
 ber's salt abounds, accompanied with 
 portions of lime and magnesia, and a 
 slight trace of iron, and abundance of 
 carbonic acid gas, all which together 
 render it one of the most useful of natu- 
 ral mineral waters in the world. It is 
 recommended for many cases of disease, 
 and great quantities are bottled for the 
 supply of cities and towns in all parts 
 of the Union, while much of it is sent 
 abroad. It was discovered soon after 
 the Revolution, in the bed of a small 
 brook, which flows t';rough the narrow, 
 marshy strip of ground, in which all 
 the other springs at this place are situ- 
 ated, including the Iodine spring, which 
 is a great rarity. 
 
 The Round Rock spring was known 
 to the Indians, and is named from a hol- 
 low conical mass of rock in which it ri- 
 ses, and over the top of which it for- 
 merly flowed. A tree, it is said, fell 
 upon it some years ago, and caused the 
 crack through which the water now es- 
 capes, near the level of the ground. 
 The water is a feeble chalybeate, of lit- 
 tle value or interest, and holds in solu- 
 tion a portion of lime, whose gradual 
 deposition, on the escape of the carbon- 
 ic acid, no doubt formed the singular 
 cone, which naturally has made it an 
 o-bject of popular curiosity. 
 
 Natural History. — A few years 
 ago the legislature of this state authoi'- 
 ized a scientific survey of its territory, 
 appointed some of the most eminent 
 naturalists in different departments and 
 appropriated considerable sums of mon- 
 ey to pay the expenses. The state has 
 now been traversed and examined, re 
 ports have been made, accepted, and 
 printed, and we have already eleven vol- 
 umes, elegant quartos, abounding in 
 facts, and illustrated by hundreds of en- 
 gravings, representing the rocky strata. 
 
148 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 and other geological features, with the 
 plants, insecti?, reptiles, fish, birds, and 
 beasts, inhabiting the land and water. 
 The descriptions partake of the popu- 
 lar style, to a considerable extent, in or- 
 der that the common reader may not be 
 debarred from the perusal, by language 
 too strictly technical. The last volumes 
 ire soon to appear. The following 
 general views of the regions, climates, 
 and animals of the state, we abridge 
 fiom those reports. 
 
 New York lies within the temperate 
 zone, in an irregular triaggle, with its 
 apex on the Atlantic, and its sides on 
 the western border of New England, 
 the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario, 
 and the northern boundaries of Penn- 
 sylvania and New Jersey. Long island 
 forms a 'sandy spur, extending from the 
 harbor of New York, eastward, about 
 one hundred and fifty miles. Including 
 Long island, the state extends through 
 eight degrees of longitude, and from 
 forty degrees and thi'ee minutes, to for- 
 ty-five degi'ees, of north latitude, with 
 more than forty-six thousand square 
 miles. It covers a surface greater than 
 Poland, Scotland, or Naples and Sicily; 
 three times larger than Switzerland, 
 and almcjst equal to England. It is 
 nearly m the latitude of Italy, the south 
 of France, and the north of Spain; and 
 resembles them in the heats of summer ; 
 but yet the winters are as severe as 
 those of the northern countries of Eu- 
 rope. The mean length of the winter 
 in ten years was one hundred and sixty- 
 five days, or about five months ; and the 
 mountains, although none of them ex- 
 ceed the height of five thousand feet, 
 have a much cijlder climate than corres- 
 ponding elevations in Europe. Within 
 the boundaries, are animals, which are 
 found, in the old world, only at great 
 distances from each other; as the Cer- 
 vidae and Musteiidee of the south of Eu- 
 rope, and the Murida? and Vespertilion- 
 idcG of the north. 
 
 There are four districts, distinguished 
 by geographical peculiarities, and not 
 less by zoological. 
 
 1. T/tc Western District, bounded on 
 the east by the Mohawk valley, and is 
 chiefly elevated on the Allegany table- 
 
 land, furrowed by valleys lying north 
 and south, once probably outlets of an 
 inland ocean. The descent westward 
 is sudden, to Lake Erie; while ten or 
 twelve small lakes in the middle are 
 drained by the Genesee river, and visit- 
 ed by salmon from Lake Ontario. The 
 great lakes have much influence on the 
 climate. Here are found the northern 
 lynx, with the deer-mouse and porcu- 
 pine. Streams flow from this district 
 to the Mississippi, and to the Susque- 
 hannah and Delaware. 
 
 2. The Northern District has mount- 
 ains, some five thousand feet in height, 
 with Lake Champlain, one hundred and 
 forty miles long ; and is inhabited by 
 several fur-bearing animals : the sable 
 and beaver, and also by the mouse and 
 the wolverine. It is the southern limit 
 of migration of many of the arctic birds, 
 as the Canada jay, spruce-grouse, swan, 
 raven, and arctic woodpecker. 
 
 3. The Hudson Valley District lies in 
 the form of an inverted L ; and, though 
 small, it is highly interesting, as it con- 
 tains many of the animals of the adja- 
 cent New England states, while on the 
 west it has the Catskill mountains, some 
 of which rise four thousand feet, and 
 are still the habitation of wolves, deer, 
 panthers, and bears. The Erie canal 
 has brought into the Hudson the soft- 
 shelled turtle and the rock bass from the 
 lakes ; as the yellow perch and the mus- 
 kalonge have found their way from Lake 
 Erie to the Mississippi through the Ohio 
 canal. The soutiiern part of this dis- 
 trict teems with inhabitants of the ocean. 
 It is remarkable that some species of 
 animals find the Hudson their natural 
 eastern boundary, as the opossum, chain- 
 snakes, brown swift, buzzard, and sev- 
 eral other birds, come to its western 
 borders, but never cross it. At the 
 same time, there are some species which 
 abound in the counties on the eastern 
 side, but are never seen on the western. 
 
 4. The Atlantic District, or Long Is- 
 land, runs about one hundred and fifty 
 miles northeasterly, with a mean breadth 
 of ten miles, having low sand hills in 
 the northern part, only in one place 
 three hundred feet high. The bear, 
 wolf, and otter, have been exterminated : 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 149 
 
 but the deer remain ; and, although much 
 hunted, are believed to be on the in- 
 crease, since they have begun to be 
 protected by law during the breeding 
 season. This remarkable tongue of 
 land, stretching nearly at right angles 
 from the coast south of it, is the first 
 resting-place offered to many of the 
 birds, on their migrations from the West 
 Indies and other southern regions, after 
 a lonsf flitjlit over the waters of the 
 ocean. It happens also to lie in such a 
 latitude, that it is at once the northern 
 limit of the tropical birds, and the south- 
 ern limit of the arctic. In winter the 
 eider-duck is found on Long island, the 
 little white g^oose, the cormorant, the 
 awk, and many others from the Arctic 
 ocean ; while in summer are to be seen 
 the turkey-buzzard, the swallow-tailed 
 kite, the fork-tailed fly-catcher from 
 Guiana, &c., &c. Here is also the nat- 
 ural limit of certain species of fish, 
 some from the north, and others from 
 the south. 
 
 "American quadrupeds have attract- 
 ed but little attention," remarks one of 
 the writers of the scientific reports. Dr. 
 Dekay, "until within a short period; 
 and were then, at first only noticed by 
 foreigners. The few Americans who 
 afterward began to procure specimens, 
 sent most of them abroad, where only 
 they found them appreciated. De Li- 
 ancourt, De Chastellux, and some other 
 mere travellers, did much ; and such sci- 
 entific explorers as Bosc, Kalm, Mi- 
 cheaux, and Pal de Beauvois, have done 
 much more. The Philadelphia Acade- 
 my of Natural History, the Lyceum of 
 New York, and other scientific societies 
 in Boston, New Haven, and Salem, have 
 accomplished much since their forma- 
 tion." The American Journal of Sci- 
 ence and the Arts, established and con- 
 ducted by Prof. Silliman, has also pow- 
 erfully contributed to the cultivation of 
 zoological study and research, as well 
 as of other branches. 
 
 Many remains of mammoth and other 
 extinct animals have been found in the 
 state of New York ; and the only entire 
 skeleton of the mastodon ever obtained 
 was dug from the earth near Newburgh, 
 in 1845 
 
 Lakes. — New York contains more 
 lakes than any other state in the Union : 
 and, if we cast our eyes upon the map, 
 and observe their number and import- 
 ance, with those larger ones which to- 
 gether form a large proportion of its 
 boundaries, we might be disposed to 
 give it a new but appropriate geograph- 
 ical appellation, and call it "the Lake 
 state." 
 
 Lake George. — -The most picturesque 
 of the American lakes, lies just within 
 the southern limit of the northern mount- 
 ain ranges, and combines the wildness 
 and sublimity of Scotch scenery with the 
 richness and beauty of native American 
 forests, intermingled with occasional 
 marks of progressive cultivation. Lake 
 George, the beautiful sheet of water to 
 which we allude, is twenty miles in 
 length, and about one mile in width ; 
 and is completely shut in by eminences 
 of considerable elevation, which form a 
 succession of bold scenery, as the trav- 
 eller passes over the smooth surface in 
 the steamboat which 2:)loughs its crystal 
 water. French mountain, at the south- 
 ern extremity, looks down upon the ru- 
 ins of Forts George and William Hen- 
 ry, which were erected to repel the in- 
 vasions of the people whose name the 
 mountain bears, in the colonial wars ; 
 and several other peaks rise conspicu- 
 ously below, and, at the Narrows, in the 
 middle of the lake, almost close up the 
 passage, which is still more impeded by 
 numerous little islands of various forms, 
 which seem, from a distance, like a 
 fleet of light-boats, becalmed, on a par- 
 ty of pleasure. 
 
 The beautiful sheet of water was, in 
 former times, disturbed by scenes of 
 war ; and the remains of military works 
 near its southern extremity, with histor- 
 ical associations connected with diflferent 
 points on its shores, redouble the inter- 
 est of the intelligent traveller who re- 
 sorts to its delightful borders, and glides 
 over its glassy surface. The ruins of 
 the two forts beforementioned, George 
 and William Henry, and which were 
 the scenes of important events, are seen 
 on its southern shore. 
 
 Lake Champlain. — Lake Champlain, 
 interestinor from its historical associa- 
 
150 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 tions, is long and narrow, separates the 
 states of Vermont and New York, and 
 is distinguished for its beauty. Its wa- 
 tei's are generally quiet, never being 
 wrought into anything more than gentle 
 billows ; and its width, being such that 
 both shores are distinctly visible through 
 its whole length, gives it somewhat the 
 appearance of a broad river. The cel- 
 ebrated fortresses of Ticonderoga and 
 Crown Point are on its southern por- 
 tion. In its wider parts, picturesque 
 little islands seem to I'est on its bosom ; 
 three of which, lying near together, 
 of similar size and shape, are called the 
 " Three Brothers." 
 
 The " North and South Hero," are 
 two larger islands, which occupy quite a 
 considerable space in the length of the 
 lake. The}'^ are inhabited by a numer- 
 ous population, and have their schools 
 and churches. About three miles from 
 the Vermont shore, is a small island, in- 
 habited by one family, who, like Sel- 
 kirk, " have none to dispute their right" 
 to their little secluded home. 
 
 In a passage up the lake, through 
 which ply the splendid steamboats on 
 the grand route to Canada, you look out 
 upon two states at the same time. On 
 the right is Vermont, witli its verdant 
 shore; and in the distance are the 
 " Green mountains." On the left is the 
 north part of New York, looking quite 
 as mountainous, and as much diversified 
 with hills and dales, rich in mines of 
 iron, but still almost covered with for- 
 ests. On botli sliores, beautiful villages 
 are frequently seen, stretching down to 
 the water's edge, and adding much life 
 and interest to the landscape. None 
 who pass up this lake, but feel a pecu- 
 liar interest in that part of it, where the 
 memorable '* Battle of Plattsburgh" was 
 fought. 
 
 That part of the lake abounds in de- 
 lightful views, especially where we ap- 
 proach Plattsburgh, and pass over the 
 waters memorable as the scene of the 
 naval victory of Commodore JVPDonough 
 over the British fleet under Commodore 
 Downie. War is to be deprecated in 
 all its forms, and its existence exceed- 
 ingly to be deploi-ed, as a sad relic of 
 barbarism ; still, as events of history 
 
 and I'eality, all feel an equal interest in 
 scenes that were acted here. 
 
 History. — The history of this state 
 naturally itself divides into periods, 
 corresponding in general with those 
 most remarkable in that of the older 
 colonies and states ; and under each of 
 these many interesting and instructive 
 events and incidents are recorded, some 
 of which will be alluded to in their ap- 
 propriate places, with that brevity which 
 is made necessaiy by the nature of this 
 work. Abundant sources of informa- 
 tion are at hand, for any who wish to 
 pursue any branch of New York histo- 
 ry in detail ; for no state in the Union, 
 perhaps, is better furnished in this re- 
 spect, especially in works of recent 
 publication. Although fewer men of 
 letters were found among the early in- 
 habitants in colonial times, numerous 
 historians, as well as other writers, have 
 devoted their pens to subjects around 
 them ; and within a few years the His- 
 torical Society has made great and very 
 successful exertions to collect and pre- 
 serve records of all kinds, calculated to 
 throw light upon any period of history. 
 The legislature, at their invitation, sent 
 an intelligent agent to Europe, a few 
 years ago, Mr. Brodhead, who brought 
 back an invaluable collection of docu- 
 ments, in different languages, from the 
 archives of Holland, France, and iLng- 
 land, respectively illustrating tne peri- 
 ods of Dutch settlement and rule, of 
 English extension and French invasion. 
 Future historians will find nere a rich 
 addition to previous annais, and the 
 means of correcting foimer errors and 
 of illustrating numerous points which 
 require elucidation. 
 
 Indian antiquities have been studied 
 with zeal, and are now prosecuted with 
 new advantages. iJnder the authority 
 of the legislature, that well-qualified in- 
 vestigator, Henry K.. Schoolcraft, was 
 employed in 184G. to take a census of 
 the Indians in the state; and he collect- 
 ed a mass of the most valuable facts ev- 
 er obtained, relating to any family of 
 the human race, illustrating the chan- 
 ges occurring in the transition state, 
 from the savage toward the civilized 
 condition. In this survey, as might be 
 
expected, the influence of Christianity 
 is strongly exhibited, as the grand civil- 
 izing agent, and lessons of an impor- 
 tant character are given, well calculated 
 to guide philanthropists in their future 
 undertakings in favor of the much-neg- 
 lected, abused, and belied race of red- 
 men. 
 
 The reader must be referred for in- 
 formation on the history of this state in 
 all its difterent pei-iods and epochs, to 
 the following authors among many oth- 
 ers : Golden, Smith, Clinton, Campbell, 
 Yates, Moulton, &c. Barber's volume 
 is well adapted to the common reader, 
 abounding in local descriptions and an- 
 ecdotes, illustrated with many engra- 
 vings. We have here merely room to 
 allude to the chief events in the early 
 history of the colony. 
 
 Henry Hudson, an Englishman in the 
 service of the Dutch East India c(tmpa- 
 ny, discovered the Hudson river in 1609, 
 and ascended it about one hundred and 
 sixty miles. It was in consequence of 
 this discovery, that the Dutch laid claim 
 to the territory on both sides of the riv- 
 er, and called it New Netherlands. 
 The position now known as Albany, 
 was, in 1613, named by the few Dutch 
 who discovered it and built a fort there. 
 Fort Orange ; and in the next year, sev- 
 eral trading-houses were erected upon 
 Manhattan island (now New York), to 
 which they gave the name of New Am- 
 sterdam. 
 
 The English were not well pleased 
 by what they considered the intrusions 
 of the Dutch. They claimed that this 
 part of the territory properly belonged 
 to Virginia ; and, in the same year. 
 Captain Argal came with a fleet of three 
 ships, and demanded the surrender of 
 the fort. They submitted without re- 
 sistance, because their numbers were 
 very few. But a new governor arrived 
 from Holland, and the Dutch would al- 
 low the authority of the English no 
 longer, and they retained possession 
 until 1664. They built Fort Good 
 Hope on the Connecticut, at Hartford, 
 and another on the Delaware, and then 
 claimed a right to all the extensive re- 
 gions between these two rivers. 
 
 But the Indians did not let the Dutch 
 
 remain long in peace. In 1646, a bat- 
 tle was fought at a place called Strick- 
 land's plain ; and the savages were de- 
 feated with great slaughter. The colo- 
 nies of New Haven and Connecticut 
 were at this time disputing with the 
 Dutch ; but, in 1650, a treaty was made 
 at Hartford, by which the Dutch gave 
 up their claim to the territory belong- 
 ing to those colonies, except the part 
 which they then occupied. 
 
 Five years after this the Swedes, who 
 had settled on the west side of the Del- 
 aware river, were attacked and subdued 
 by the Dutch governor, Stuyvesant, with 
 a fleet of seven ships. But ere long, 
 the Dutch were met again by their old 
 enemies the English. In 1664, in con- 
 sequence of the grant which Charles II. 
 had given to his brother, the duke of 
 York and Albany, and wliich secured to 
 him all the lands owned by the Dutch, 
 a squadron appeared in the harbor of 
 New York, which was commanded by 
 Colonel Nichols. A surrender was im- 
 mediately demanded by the English, 
 who promised to secure the rights of 
 life and property to the inhabitants. 
 The governor wished to make resist- 
 ance, but the inhabitants prevailed upon 
 him to submit. The English thus took 
 possession, and called it New York, in 
 honor of the duke of York ; and not 
 long after Fort Orange was also taken, 
 and named Albany. 
 
 Nichols now became governor ; and 
 his administration was mild and success- 
 ful. 
 
 We have not room to notice the suc- 
 cessive governors of the colony, nor the 
 various events which distinguished the 
 successive periods, through the contests 
 between England and other powers, 
 which had more or less influence on this 
 side of the Atlantic. We can only re- 
 fer, in their places, to some leading 
 events in the French and the Revolu- 
 tionary wars, and in that with England 
 of 1812. 
 
 Albany. — This city presents several 
 superior claims to our attention. In 
 point of history it is the oldest settle- 
 ment by Europeans on the Hudson for, 
 unusual as it is in founding colonies, the 
 mouth of the stream was not occupied 
 
f?^' 
 
 154 
 
 ^H 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 by the Dutch until t ley had first estab- 
 lished themselves at this place, one hun- 
 dred and fifty miles and more from the 
 sea. This was the scene of many im- 
 portant councils and treaties with the 
 Indians, especially the Five Nations ; 
 and in the grounds of the old capitol 
 were interred numerous savage memo- 
 rials of peace and amity. During the 
 French wars, Albany was often the 
 grand point of rendezvous for the troops 
 required of New England and New 
 York, in military expeditions against 
 Canada. Burgoyne's expedition, in 
 1777, had the capture of this city as its 
 first object, after gaining possession of 
 Ticonderoga, and it was saved only by 
 the battles of Saratoga. Albany has 
 been the capital of this state ever since 
 its formation ; and here is the point at 
 which concentrate the principal canals 
 and railroads of New York — the uniting 
 link in the chains connecting the com- 
 merce of the lakes with that of the 
 great noilnern ports, Boston and New 
 York. 
 
 Albany is well situated to make a 
 striking appearance to a person ap- 
 proaching by the river, or viewing it 
 from the opposite, elevated shores of 
 Greenbush. A crowded mass of houses 
 seems to cover the entire declivity, which 
 rises suddenly from the level of the 
 shore to the summit, which is crowned 
 by the statehouse with its dome. The 
 bi oadest and perhaps the principal street 
 (State street), well built, with many 
 large edifices, hotels, stores, and private 
 residences, leads from the base of the 
 hill to the gates of the statehouse, start- 
 ing from the chief avenue of business. 
 Market street, which extends, with sev- 
 eral parallel streets, far up and down 
 the city, north and south. 
 
 The canal-basin occupies the front of 
 the town for about one half its length, 
 being shut in from the river by the pier, 
 which cnmmences at the nortli, and ter- 
 minates opposite the foot of State 
 street. Here are seen mingling the 
 boats of Lake Champli'n, Erie, and the 
 Ohio canal, with th 3 steamboats sent 
 from New York to tow them to the 
 mouth of the river, where many of them 
 exchange the abundant products of the 
 
 interior for the various stores brought 
 from our own and foreign coasts. The 
 railroads come in with their share of 
 valuable freights ; and Albany presents, 
 on every hand, abundant and gi'atifying 
 proofs of the sagacity of those enlight- 
 ened councils, which opened the grand 
 channels of commerce, for the wide and 
 lasting benefit of the state and the coun- 
 try. 
 
 The Albany Female Institute. — This 
 seminary was founded by private sub- 
 scription, and has been a flourishing 
 and useful institution, conferring a high 
 and solid education on thousands of the 
 youths of this city and other places near 
 and distant. The plan, in some impor- 
 tant respects, was new : it being the 
 design to afford, at the cheapest possible 
 rate, a superior education on females of 
 all ranks in society ; and so successful 
 has it pi'oved, that several other institu- 
 tions have been formed in imitation of 
 it, which have in like manner been high- 
 ly useful, particularly the Rutgers Insti- 
 tute in the city of New York. 
 
 The Albany Female Seminary. — This 
 is another institution occupying a com- 
 manding situation on the top of Capi- 
 tol hill, near the statehouse and several 
 other public buildings. It is founded on a 
 plin which does great credit to the 
 staiv^ of New York, which has so hon- 
 orably distinguished itself by its liberal 
 provision for the diffusion of education. 
 
 The central Normal School is also es- 
 tablished in Albany, and is doing impor- 
 tant good by preparing teachers for the 
 common schools. 
 
 The City-Hall was built in 1832, of 
 white marble from Sing-Sing, quarried 
 and hewn by the prisoners, with a base- 
 ment, and a fagade with six Ionic col- 
 umns and a dome covered with gilding, 
 the o!i!y specimen of the kind in the 
 United States. The circular hall or ro- 
 tunda contains a statue of Hamilton, 
 copied from one by Greenough, which 
 was destroyed in the New York ex- 
 change by the great fire. There are al- 
 so portraits of Clinton and Walter 
 Scott in relief, surrounded by eml)lems. 
 
 The State-Hall. — This edifice stands 
 near the city-hall, and is one hundred 
 and thirty-eight by eighty-eight feet. 
 
 '.A 
 
:1|F 
 
156 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 and sixty-five feet in height. It is of 
 brick and stone, faced with marble, and 
 contains the offices of the comptroller, 
 treasurer, attorney-general, surveyor- 
 general, &c. 
 
 The Capitol is constructed of stone, 
 and cost one hundred and twenty thou- 
 sand dollars. It contains the chambers 
 of the senate and the representatives, in 
 ^vhich are found full-length portraits of 
 Washington and the governors of New 
 York. 
 
 There are six banks, and twenty-five 
 churches of different denominations. 
 
 The Rensselaer Mansion is a venera- 
 ble edifice a mile north of the city, the 
 residence of the Patroons of that name, 
 proprietors of one of the great entailed 
 estates in this state, which have been 
 retained in several old Dutch families 
 from past generations. The estate em- 
 braces vast tracts of land in different 
 counties, large portions of which occu- 
 pied by tenants, at various rents, usual- 
 ly small, and often trifling. Within a 
 few years great dissatisfaction has been 
 excited among the people, and, in 1845, 
 bands of men, on this and other manors, 
 armed and disguised, set the laws at de- 
 fiance, and committed some acts of vio- 
 lence, even murder. The militia were 
 called out, arrests made, and trials and 
 imprisonments at length suppressed the 
 " anti-rent riots." 
 
 The Indians knew Albany by the 
 name of Scagh-ncgh-ta-da, which is said 
 to express, in their language, " The End 
 of the Pine. Woods;" and this term has 
 since been applied to Schenectady, the 
 town at the western extremity of the 
 elevated pine-barren tract which was 
 thus alluded to, there fifteen miles across, 
 and still almost uninhabited. The Dutch 
 called the place Beaverwyck, on ac- 
 count of the principal article of the trade 
 which they here carried on with the na- 
 tives; and afterward Willemstadt. The 
 name Urania, or Fort Orange, was nev- 
 er extended to the town, it is affirmed, 
 but confined to the small fort which was 
 erected by the Dutch on their first oc- 
 cupying this point. The present name 
 was conferred by the English, as has 
 before been remarked. It is supposed 
 that the first white man who ever visit- 
 
 ed this spot was one of the companions 
 of Hudson, Hardwicke Chrystance, who 
 was sent from his vessel on an exploring 
 party, in September, 1610. Tradition 
 says he landed somewhere near the 
 present North Market street. The tra- 
 ding-house and fort was built that year 
 or the next on the northern extremity 
 of Boyd's island, a little south of the 
 present ferry. It was, however, over- 
 thrown and carried away by the flood, 
 in the next season. A higher station 
 was then chosen, on a hill two miles 
 distant, at a place called "KidderJwogh- 
 ten," by the Dutch, and by the Indians, 
 " Ta-wass-a-gun-shee,"- or Lookout Hill. 
 Another position was preferred ere long, 
 and there Fort Orange was finally erect- 
 ed. The spot is near South Market 
 street, and near that now occupied by 
 the Fort Orange hotel. Eight large 
 cannon were mounted for defence, of 
 the sort then known to the Hollanders 
 by the name, " stien gcstuclcten" or 
 stone-pieces, because, as is said, they 
 were capable of throwing large stones 
 instead of iron shot. 
 
 But, for about twenty years after this 
 occupation of the spot, the Dutch spent 
 only the trading seasons at Fort Orange, 
 returning annually to their own country, 
 with the products of their trade. In 
 1625, the Dutch West India company 
 offered large tracts of land to any per- 
 sons who would colonize the country, 
 and great numbers came over between 
 that time and the y6ar 1635, from some 
 of whom many of the pi'incipal families 
 of the present day have derived their 
 names. 
 
 Wood was used in Albany in all build- 
 ings except the fort until 1647. The 
 town was surrounded by a palisade for 
 about a century, and the strict laws re- 
 specting trade with the Indians, induced 
 numbers of persons to remove to the 
 Schenectady Flats, where they could 
 trade with the natives with greater free- 
 dom. The first church-building erected 
 was at the corner of State, Market, and 
 Court streets, and, after being enlarged 
 several times was taken down in 1806, 
 and the stone used in building the pres- 
 ent South Dutch church. The houses 
 of Albany were built in the style of 
 
i 158 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 Holland, of small bricks, with the gable 
 ends to the street, aiul troughs under 
 the eaves projecting far over the streets. 
 The Uutch language has not even yet 
 : wholly fallen into disuse, in some fami- 
 I lies. The c:!y charter was granted in 
 I 1G86, and extended westwai'd to the dis- 
 j tance of a mile from the river, and north- 
 west to the north line of the manor of 
 Rensselaerwyck, being 13-^ miles in 
 length. In 1815 the limits were en- 
 larged, by adding the small town of Col- 
 onie. Population, 1850, 51,000. 
 
 Caxals. — The Erie Canal was the 
 first of any considerable extent in the 
 United States, was planned and execu- 
 ted by the influence of Dewitt Clinton 
 and his friends, and must ever be regard- 
 ed as the result of labors creditable to 
 them and the state, the period being one 
 \n which much opposition was exci- 
 ted against it, in consequence of the ig- 
 norance of the people of works of that 
 kmd. The project of connecting the 
 navigation of the lakes with that of the 
 Hudson, by means of a channel three 
 hundred and sixty-three miles long, al- 
 most every foot of wnich was to be ex- 
 cavated, and which must be taken across 
 streams and over hills and valleys, ap- 
 peared to many as visionary and ridicu- 
 lous ; but the difficulty of acquiring land 
 and of reconciling conflicting interests in 
 the choice of routes, conspired to in- 
 crease the discouragement of the under- 
 taking. Had the calculations of the 
 projectors been unfounded, the result 
 would doubtless have discouraged imi- 
 tators : but the Grand canal of New 
 York has long been, and will ever be, 
 a monument of successful enterprise, 
 transr.:ending in its beneficial effects the 
 most sanguine expectations. 
 
 T: e Erie canal was commenced in 
 1817, and finished in 1825. It extends 
 from the great basin at Albany north- 
 ward, along the right bank of the Hud- 
 son, to the mouth of the Mohawk, and 
 thence rising, by nine double locks, to 
 the level of the banks, crosses the Mo- 
 hawk twice by aqueducts and follows 
 the valley of that stream to Rome. 
 Thence it crosses to the Oswego river 
 near Syracuse, whence the Oswego canal 
 leads to Lake Ontario; and up the val- 
 
 ley of that stream it proceeds to the 
 Genesee at Rochester, and onward to 
 the Mountain Ridge, at Lockport, where 
 it rises by five double locks to the level 
 of Tonawanda creek, a tributary of Ni- 
 agara river, and, a part of the way, by 
 the channel of the fcnmer, goes on to 
 Lake Erie at Buffalo. 
 
 The canal is there about 500 feet high- 
 er than the Albany basin ; 200 of wWch 
 are attained at Schenectady, nearly 300 
 at Canajoharie, and 400 at the Long 
 Level, above Little Falls. Beyond that 
 are the only two descents on the route, 
 and these are but small. 
 
 Among the principal constructions on 
 the route, are the grand embankment, 
 near Rochester, 100 feet high and two 
 miles long; the fine stone aqueducts at 
 Little Falls and Rochester, the former 
 214 feet long, and the latter stretching 
 across the Genesee, 900 feet, on nine 
 beautiful arches. At Buffalo, is a fine 
 harbor, lined with spacious storehouses, 
 crowded, in the season of navigation, 
 with the numerous steamboats and oth- 
 er vessels employed in the navigation of 
 j the lakes. The branch fiom Syracuse 
 extends through the great salt region ; 
 and there are several other branches. 
 
 The Champlahi Canal. — Parting from 
 the Erie canal at the junction, eight 
 miles from Albany, this important vvoi'k 
 crosses the mouth of the Mohawk, pass- 
 es through Waterford, and along the 
 west bank of the Hudson, at the foot of 
 tlie hilly range called Behmis's heights, 
 the scene of the battle of Saratoga, 
 crosses it at Miller's Falls, to Fort Ed- 
 ward (in the French wars known as the 
 First Carrying Place), passes on to Foit 
 Ann, or the Second Carrying Place, 
 where it enters Wood Creek, following 
 it to its mouth at Whatehall (formerly 
 Skeenesborough), at the southern ex- 
 tremity of Lake Champlain. The ele- 
 vation overcome on this route is 150 feet, 
 from which the descent is about 75 feet 
 toward the north : the lake being about 
 that height above the rivei-'s level at Al- 
 bany. The length of the route is about 
 60 miles. 
 
 The Dclarcare and Hudson Canal. — 
 This canal commences at Rondoul, and 
 extends to the Delaware river, having 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 l.'iO 
 
 Cascade Bridge, on the New York and Erie Railroad. 
 
 been formed for the purpose of bringing 
 coal to New York city from some of the 
 Pennsylvania mines. 
 
 The Delaware and Hudson canal was 
 begun in 1825, and fini-hed in three 
 years. It is 108 miles long, and ex- 
 tends from Rondout, 90 miles from New 
 York, to Port Jervis, on the Delaware, 
 a distance of 59 miles, then 24 miles up 
 its eastern bank, to Lackawana river, 
 and up that stream 25 miles to Hones- 
 dale. In some places great expense 
 has been laid out in blastings. A rail- 
 road of 14 miles connecfs its extremity 
 with Cnrbondale, Pennsylvania. The 
 canal is fiom 32 to 36 feet wide, 4 deep, 
 with locks 9 feet by 76, for boats of 25 
 or 30 tons. 
 
 Railroads. — A continuous line of 
 railroads now extends from Albany to 
 Buffalo, with branches, from several 
 points, connecting with the great Massa- 
 
 chusetts railroad to Boston, and the Hud- 
 son river road to New York city. 
 
 The Nkw York and Erie Railroad. 
 — This road extends from the Hudson 
 river at Piermont, twenty-four miles 
 from New York city, through the south- 
 ern tier of counties of the state ([)assing 
 twice into Pennsylvania) to Dunkiik on 
 Lake Erie, a distance of five bundled 
 and forty miles, the lattei' ]tlare being 
 forty-five miles southwest of Buffalo. — 
 A charter was obtained for this road in 
 
 1832. The conjpnny was organized in 
 
 1833. and the route was surveyed in 
 
 1834. The road was commenced in 
 1836; but was suspended soon after in 
 consequence of ihe commercial levulsion 
 of 1S36-'J7. — But aided by a loan of the 
 credit of the state of three millions it 
 was recommenced in 1841, and succes- 
 sive portions of the road put in operation 
 from time to time till it was finally com- 
 
ICC 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 pleted and opened to the public its en- 
 tire length, in April, 1851. 
 
 The cost of ihe Eiie railroad, as 
 stated in the report of the directors, up 
 to April, 1851, was $20,500,000; of 
 which $2,500,000, at least, is chargeable 
 to equipment-account. The amount of 
 capital stock issued is $5,790,000, leav- 
 ing the remainder of cost, in the form 
 of bonds and other debts against the 
 company, $14,710,000; exclusive of the 
 ihree millions loaned by the state, and 
 relinquished to the company on condi- 
 tions which have now been complied 
 with ; and $750,000 relinquished by the 
 original stockholders on certain condi- 
 tions, in 1845, making the total cost of 
 the road and equipments $24,250,000 ; 
 although the liabilities are only about 
 $20,500,000. 
 
 The immense importance of this road 
 can scarcely be estimated. It opens a 
 trade with fertile regions hitherto diffi- 
 cult of access, while it will briiig to New 
 York a large part of the incieasing 
 products of the lake counties, so dispro- 
 portioned to the capacities of the Eiie 
 canal, even when enlarged under the 
 recent act of the legislature. 
 
 Cascade Bridge (a view of which is 
 given overleaf), is situated 188^ miles 
 from New York, and 27 1^ from Dun- 
 kirk. It cost about $70,000 and is the 
 work of John Fowler. This stupendous 
 structure consists of a single arch, 250 
 feet in widih, thrown over a ravine 184 
 feet in depth. The span of the arch has 
 a rise of fifty feet, and far surpasses in 
 width any other in the world, construct- 
 ed of timber. This ravine is very nar- 
 row, and is approached and crossed so 
 rapidly, that a person in the cars can 
 form no idea of the bridge itself, though 
 he may judge of the depth of the gulf by 
 a glance at the tops of the trees, descend- 
 ing, row by row, to the rocky, thread- 
 like stream at the bottom of its gloomy 
 jaws. Instead of resting upon fiail piers 
 erected by the hand of man, each leg of 
 the arch is supported on and in deep 
 shelves hewn in the solid rock, that rises, 
 wall-like, on both sides of the chasm ; 
 and while these eternal foundations 
 stand, so will the bridge. 
 
 The Hudson River Railroad. — This 
 
 work forms one of the most important 
 means of transport and travelling within 
 the limits of the state. It passes along 
 the valley of the Hudson river close to 
 its eastern bank. It is one hundred and 
 forty-four miles long. 
 
 The New York and New Haven Rail- 
 road aff )rds an uninterrupted line of rail- 
 road to Boston, through Connecticut. 
 
 There are several other roads within 
 the state, which our limits will not per- 
 mit us to describe. 
 
 Seminaries of Learning and Reli- 
 gion. — Ere concluding this brief notice 
 of the public affairs of the state, a few 
 facts may be appiopriately added re- 
 specting this important department. 
 
 Universities and Colleges. — Columbia 
 college, in the city of New York, was 
 founded in 1754 ; Union college at 
 Schenectady, in 1795 ; Hamilton col- 
 lege at Clinton, Oneida county, in 1812 ; 
 Geneva college at Geneva, in 1824 ; and 
 the New York university, in the city of 
 New York, in 1831 ; Madison univer- 
 sity founded at Hamilton, in 1820 ; and 
 Rochester university at Rochester, in 
 1850, with an endowment of $150,000. 
 
 The universities and colleges are un- 
 der the inspection of the regents of the 
 university of the slate, and have the dis- 
 tribution of the literary fund. 
 
 Theological Seminaries. — Lutheran 
 at Hartwick, in 1816 ; Protestant Epis- 
 copal in New York, 1819; Baptist at 
 Hamilton, 1820; Presbyterian at Au- 
 burn, 1821 ; TJnion at New York, 1834 ; 
 Roman Catholic at Fordham, 1840. 
 
 Medical Colleges. — There are two in 
 the city of New York : viz., the college 
 of physicians and surgeons, and the 
 New York school of medicine ; and a 
 third at Fairfield, called the college of 
 physicians and surgeons for the western 
 distiict, and another at Buffalo. 
 
 Academies are numerous, and the 
 piincipal ones are under the direction 
 of the state, and make annual reports 
 of scientific observations, &c. 
 
 Normal Seminary. — At Albany is a 
 central school for the instruction of com- 
 mon-school teachers. Here also is pub- 
 li-hed a journnl for the benefit of llie 
 schools, extensively difl\ised among teach- 
 ers and school officers. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 161 
 
 Common Schools. — The first report 
 to the legislature, showing the number 
 and condition of the schools in New York, 
 was made in 1798, when the number of 
 schools in the state was but about 1,500 
 and the number of scholars about 60,000. 
 The first appropriations for common 
 schools was made in 1795, and was on a 
 scale of liberality which shows a just 
 appreciation of the importance of this 
 fundamental interest in the infancy of 
 the state. The sum appropriated was 
 S50,000 annually for five years. In 
 1805, a permanent school fund was 
 founded by the appropriation of half a 
 million of acres of the vacant lands of 
 the state. The annual returns from the 
 school districts were incomplete till 1817, 
 when there was 5,000 schools, and over 
 200,000 scholars, exclusive of the city 
 of New York, In 1821, the number of 
 pupils had increased to over 300,000 ; 
 and since that period the increase in the 
 numbei- of schools, and of children in- 
 structed, has borne a near proportion 
 to the increase of population, till by the 
 last report of the state superintendent of 
 common schools, the number of school 
 districts is shown to be near 12,000, and 
 the children instructed, about 800,000. 
 The annual appropi-iation from the in- 
 come of the ])ermanent fund is now 
 S300,000 and from taxes S800,000, of 
 which $55,000 is appropriated to the 
 purchase of school libraries and appa- 
 ratus, and the remainder is applicable 
 exclusively to the payment of teachers' 
 wages and the support of schools. 
 
 Since the foundation in 1835, the dis- 
 trict libraries have grown to the amount 
 of 1,500,000 volumbs. The benefits of 
 these depositoi'ies of intelligence, accessi- 
 ble to every mind in the state, can never 
 be adequately estimated. They will be 
 abundant in the fruits of industry, vir- 
 tue, and refinement, through all coming 
 generations. 
 
 A striking illustration of the progress 
 of education in this state is found in 
 looking at the views of her early states- 
 men as to the degree of instruction to be 
 pi'ovided in the common schools. The 
 regents of the university, in 1793, sug- 
 gest to the legislature "the numerous 
 advantages which they conceive would 
 
 accrue to the citizens in general, from 
 the institution of schools in various parts 
 of the state, for the purpose of instruct- 
 ing children in the lower branches of 
 education, such as reading their native 
 language with propriety, and so much 
 of writing and arithmetic, as to enable 
 them, when they come forward into ac- 
 tive life, to tra4isact with accuracy and 
 despatch, the business arising from their 
 daily intei'course with each other." 
 
 And this, less than sixty years ago, 
 was the highest view of popular educa- 
 tion entertained in a state, which now 
 has its noble and munificently-endowed 
 seminaries and colleges, its armies of 
 teachers, and its hundreds of thousands 
 of pupils. 
 
 Schenectady. — This is one of the 
 oldest towns in the state, and was for a 
 long time important as a frontier posi- 
 tion, nothing but a wilderness being 
 found between it and Canada. For a 
 number of years it has been distinguish- 
 ed as the seat of one of the most flour- 
 ishing literary institutions in the state, 
 Union college, the edifices of which oc- 
 cupy a pleasant and commanding posi- 
 tion, overlooking the extensive meadows 
 of the Mf;hawk, suriounded by a suc- 
 cession of undulated and hilly country, 
 and enlivened by the Erie canal and the 
 lines of railroads which here meet by 
 various routes from Albany, and proceed 
 on in company, with occasional separa- 
 tions, to Rochester, and finally terminate 
 together at Buffalo. 
 
 In the year 1769, Schenectady, wliile 
 a mere village, fifreen miles west of Al- 
 bany, garrisoned by a few troops, was 
 the victim of the jealousies and conten- 
 tions of those sent for its protection ; for 
 the soldiers having deserted their posts, 
 one of those secret predatory bands of 
 savages, which were long the scourge 
 of our frontier settlements, led on by 
 Frenchmen from Canada, fell upon it in 
 the dead of night, massacred almost ev- 
 ery man, woman, and child, and burnt 
 their dwellings. A few fugitives esca- 
 ped, and carried the shocking tale to 
 Albany. 
 
 The exposed state of the country 
 west of this place was so great, and the 
 number of the people so small compar 
 
 11 
 
162 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 ed with the extent of unoccupied land, 
 that inducements were not found to ex- 
 tend settlements fast beyond this point; 
 and even down to the period of the 
 Revolutionary war, nearly the whole 
 middle and western parts of New York 
 'were included in a single county. 
 
 . A few scattering villages only were 
 tpien to be seen, at Coop^rstown, Johns- 
 town, &c., &c., usually with block hou- 
 ses, or other slight means of protection, 
 provided against the apprehended dan- 
 gers of savage parties. The five na- 
 tions of Indians, viz., the Mohawks, 
 Oneidas, Cayugas, Onondagas, and SSn- 
 ecas, who had been, for the most part, 
 friendly to the English through the 
 French wars, were, many of them, 
 drawu over to the British interest by 
 John Johnson, one of the sons of Sir 
 William Johnson, who had long exer- 
 cised the most important influence over 
 those savage people. By the aid of the 
 celebrated Brandt, a half-blood of doubt- 
 ful character and courage, a series of 
 calamities was brought upon those weak 
 and defenceless settlements, which can 
 not be recounted without exciting the 
 mingled feelings of commiseration and 
 horror. But, for those events, as well 
 as for other particulars, relating to the 
 history of that now populous and pros- 
 perous portion of the state, we must re- 
 fer our readers to the Avoi'ks of Mr. 
 Campbell (a descendant of a family of 
 the sufferers), the Life of Colonel Wil- 
 let by his son, and the Life of Brandt, 
 by Mr. Stone. 
 
 Schenectady Lyceum. — This institu- 
 tion (a view of which is given on the 
 opposite page) was erected a few years 
 since, to supply a deficiency, long felt, 
 in a city so long and so honorably dis- 
 tinguished as the seat of a seminary of 
 the highest class. It is designed for the 
 instruction of boys in studies preparato- 
 ry to college and business ; and enjoys 
 an advantageous and convenient situa- 
 tion. The principal building is of an 
 octagonal form, of brick stuccoed, in a 
 fanciful Gothic style, with pointed doors 
 and windows, and surmounted by a stee- 
 ple. In advance of this, and of the 
 line of the yard-fence, are two small 
 buildings belonging to the institution; 
 
 and the grounds beyond are shaded 
 with large and fine trees. The upper 
 rooms in the main building are occupi- 
 ed by the Lyceum society, and for sci- 
 entific purposes. 
 
 CooPERSTOWN. — This pleasant vil- 
 lage, two hundred miles from New 
 York, by way of Catskill, and sixty-six 
 from Albany, enjoys a beautiful situa- 
 tion on Otsego lake, on a gentle emi- 
 nence at its south end, backed by a hil- 
 ly range of considerable elevation, in 
 which the cleared and cultivated land 
 is agreeably mingled with the forests. 
 The streets, broad and straight, are well 
 shaded with trees, and lined with dwel- 
 ling-houses, many of them of rather an 
 old and venerable appearance. To the^ 
 Indians it is said to have been a favorite 
 place of resort. 
 
 The first white inhabitant was Mr. 
 John Christopher Hardwick, who resi- 
 ded here for a short time, about ten 
 years before the Revolutionary war ; but 
 in 1788, the first permanent settlement 
 was made by Mr. William Cooper; and 
 two years later, the county of Otsego 
 was formed, of which this town is the 
 capital. Remains of a road are still to 
 be seen, which was cut through the for- 
 est by a brigade of General Sullivan's 
 army, from Fort Plain to the head of 
 Otsego lake ; and at the outlet are some 
 traces of a dam constructed by the 
 troops, at the direction of their com- 
 mander. General Clinton, by which the 
 water was made to rise, and then, the 
 dam being broken down, allowed it to 
 rush down in a torrent, which cleared 
 the channel of the incumbrances of losfs 
 
 ^ o 
 
 that impeded the passage. 
 
 Cooperstown is deservedly admired 
 by travellers, and annually the resort of 
 citizens, seeking the pleasures of the 
 country in the summer season. The 
 population however is small, the num- 
 ber of dwelliitg-bouses beingonly about 
 a hundred and sixty. The people are 
 distinguished for their refinement and 
 courteous manners. 
 
 Cooperstown may be taken is a fa- 
 vorable specimen of one of the boveral 
 classes of New York villages : such as 
 have grown up since the Revolutionary 
 war, and have no associations with the 
 
164 
 
 DESCRIPTION OP THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 sufferings and dangers of the earlier 
 settlements, and yet r.emoved from ca- 
 nals and railroads, and every other in- 
 fluence which might have given it a 
 rapid growth or sudden and great pros- 
 perity. Left to the steady but slow 
 improvement of an agricultural neigh- 
 borhood, it presents fewer evidences of 
 increase in wealth or numbers, but is 
 less liable to some of the evils incident 
 to many other places. 
 
 There are a few small manufactories 
 along the banks of the outlet of the 
 lake, where about eight thousand spin- 
 dles are employed in cotton-spinning, 
 and on that of Oak creek, one of the 
 numerous small streams in this county, 
 most of which flow southward into the 
 Susquehannah. 
 
 Otsego county is hilly, and in some 
 parts mountainous, being crossed by the 
 Susquehannah and Kaatsberg ranges. 
 There is much good grass land. Lime- 
 stone is found near Schuyler's lake in 
 Cherry Valley, and iron ore in several 
 places. 
 
 Cherry Valleij is one of those unfoi'- 
 tunate villages which suffered from In- 
 dian barbarity in the Revolutionaiy 
 war ; and it may be noticed in this 
 place. It is fourteen miles northeast of 
 Cooperstown, and fifty-three west of Al- 
 bany, amidst the high and irregular 
 ground which gives rise to Canajoharie 
 creek and several other early tributaries 
 of the Mohawk, with the head stream 
 of that river. Several vales lie between 
 the neighboring hills, which possess a 
 fertile soil ; and one of these, with the 
 wild cherry-trees that naturally abound- 
 ed in the neighborhood, gave to the 
 place its jjleasing name. 
 
 It happened to lie so exposed and de- 
 fenceless, in the early years of its histo- 
 ry, that it shared in the dangers of the 
 other scattering settlements in the neigh- 
 boring region, and was finally surprised 
 by a band of Indians, led by the notori- 
 ous Col. Butler, from Canada, and fell 
 under a general and indiscriminate mas- 
 sacre, in which whole fimilics, men, 
 women, and children, bled under the 
 tomahawk. 
 
 The particulars given of tliis mourn- 
 ful tragedy by Wm. W. Campbell, in his 
 
 valuable "Annals of Tryon County," 
 are painful in the extreme, but yet valu- 
 able to impress future generations with 
 abhorrence of war, and especially that 
 unwarrantable practice, in which sever- 
 al civilized nations have engaged, of 
 hiring savages to exercise their blood- 
 thirsty ferocity upon the innocent and 
 defenceless. The sketch given in that 
 work, of the history of the settlement, 
 and the character of the people, renders 
 their fate the more deeply interesting. 
 We shall here introduce an account 
 abridged from its pages. 
 
 The survey was made in 1739, and 
 the ground first occupied by Mr. Linde- 
 say, a Scotch gentleman, of some for-" 
 tune and distinction. He took with 
 him his wife and his father-in-law, a Mr. 
 Congreve, a lieutenant in the British 
 army. The low ground was then cov- 
 ered with a thick forest of beech and 
 maple, mingled with wild-cherry trees, 
 the highlands with evergreen ; and the 
 native wild animals, even the deer, elk, 
 bears, and wolves, undisturbed by civil- 
 ized man, ranged through the woods, 
 being hunted only occasionally by the 
 Mohawks. The settlers sought the 
 friendship of the wild men, and with 
 success. In the winter of 1745, while 
 the snow lay very deep, and the journey 
 ■ to the nearest neighbors, on the Mohawk 
 river, 15 miles oft", was impossible for 
 any of the family, all the provisions 
 were consumed, and nothing but famine 
 and death were in prospect. An Indi- 
 an, travelling on snowshoes, becominc 
 acquainted with their situation, supplied 
 them with food through the remainder 
 of the season, by bringing, I'epeatedly, 
 loads upon his back all that distance. 
 
 The following year, the settlement 
 was increased, by the addition of sever- 
 al Scotch and Irish families, who re- 
 moved from Londonderry, in New 
 Hampshire, at the invitation of the Rev. 
 Samuel Dunlop, one of their country- 
 men, a gentleman of education and 
 travel, who had been induced by the 
 present of a large tract of land, to join 
 Mr. Lindesay. They brought an addi- 
 tion of thirty persons, and the aspect of 
 the place was speedily improved by 
 their industry. A house was built of 
 
 rU, 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 165 
 
 legs, for religious use, on the declivity 
 of a little hill, near the house of the 
 pastor, whose support was secured by 
 the payment of ten shillings for every 
 hundred acres of land, ad<led to prod- 
 ucts of his own lalior, Hiid the voluntary 
 contributions of his parishioners. 
 
 In 1744, Mr. Congreve joined the 
 British army as lieutennnt, in place of 
 his father-ill-law ; and Mr. Dunlop open- 
 ed the first grammar-school in the state 
 west of Albany, at which were taught 
 a number of boys from the settlements 
 on the Mohawk. Several of these were 
 distinguished men in the Revolutionary 
 war. 
 
 In 1778, the apprehensions of an in- 
 vasion from Canada was general in 
 Tryon county; and, on account of the 
 weakness of this solitary village, num- 
 bers of the inhabitants left their homes 
 for places of greater safety. In the au- 
 tumn, however, the danger being sup- 
 posed to be past, they returned. But 
 an expedition had been prepared at 
 Montreal, consisting of seven hundred 
 tories and Indians, who proceeded, with 
 Brandt and Butler at their head. Ru- 
 mors of their approach spread a new 
 alarm ; but Colonel Alden, commander 
 of a few soldiers, stationed at Cherry 
 Valley, refused to admit the women and 
 children into the fort, and to quiet their 
 apprehensions, sent out a scouting par- 
 ty, who were surprised asleep, and cap- 
 tured by the more cautious enemy. 
 
 The invaders, on the 10th, I'eached a 
 hill, a mile southwest from the fort, 
 where they remained concealed till the 
 next day ; and then, having learned from 
 their prisoners, that the officers lodged 
 in several dwelling-houses in the vil- 
 lage, made preparations to surround 
 them all by small parties, while the 
 main body should assail the fort. Mr. 
 Hamble, who was that morning riding 
 into the village, being unable to discov- 
 er distant objects, in consequence of the 
 hazy weather, and the falling sleet, was 
 fired upon and wounded by some of the 
 Indians, and hastening on his horse, 
 gave the alarm to Colonel Alden, and 
 then turned for the fort. The colonel, 
 who had always discredited the reports 
 of danger, still doubted them ; but, 
 
 on his way to the fort, was pursued and 
 scalped by one of the enemy. The 
 Senecas, who were the most fierce of 
 the Five Nations, were foremost in the 
 attack. They assailed the house of Mr. 
 Robert Wells, and killed the whole fam- 
 ily within, consisting of the father and 
 mother, four children, his brother, sis- 
 ter, and three domestics. A little son 
 alone remained, who had been sent to 
 school at Schenectady. He was after- 
 ward a distinguished counsellor of New 
 York city, the Hon. John Wells. Miss 
 Jane Wells, the sister of the proprietor 
 of the house, and a young lady of supe- 
 rior character and exalted piety, having 
 escaped by the door, sought safety in 
 the woodpile ; but an Indian discovered 
 her, and, after deliberately wiping his 
 scalping-knife on his legging, sheathed 
 it, and seized her by the arm, at the 
 same time, brandishing his tomahawk. 
 The captive remonstrated with him in 
 the Indian language, with which she had 
 some acquaintance ; and one of the to- 
 ries among the invading party, named 
 Peter Smith, who had once lived with 
 the family of Mr. Wells as a servant, 
 interposed and begged the savage to 
 spare her life, pretending that she was 
 his sister. But this availed only to pro- 
 cure a short delay. The next moment 
 the interesting young lady fell dead 
 from a blow of the tomahawk. 
 
 The house of the venerable pastor 
 was entered by the enemy, and his aged 
 wife immediately put to death ; but one 
 of the Mohawk chiefs, named Little Aa- 
 ron, led him out of the house, and kept 
 him under his protection. An Indian, 
 running by, pulled off the old gentle- 
 man's hat ; and the chief pursued him 
 and brought it back. The old man was 
 thus rescued from massacre ; but the 
 shock he received was so great, that, 
 although he was set at liberty soon after, 
 he died a few months subsequently. 
 The fort was not taken by the enemy ; 
 but, on the first alarm, a gun was fired 
 from it, which gave intimation of the 
 attack. 
 
 One of the householders, Mr. Mitch- 
 ell, discovered the enemy, while at a 
 distance from his house ; and finding it 
 impossible to reach it, he escaped to the 
 
16r> 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 woods, and remained concealed until the 
 savages had accomplished their work of 
 destruction, and taken their departure. 
 On returning home, a sad spectacle 
 met his view — the bodies of his wife 
 and four children. The house was burn- 
 ing, but he succeeded in extinguishing 
 the fire. On examining the bodies, he 
 found evidences of remaining life in one 
 of them — his little daughter. He imme- 
 diately raised her, and endeavored to 
 resuscitate her ; but just then, observing 
 some of the enemy approaching, he con- 
 cealed himself, and, when they came 
 up, saw one of them, a tory, named 
 Newbury, strike the innocent little vic- 
 tim with his hatchet, and thus put an 
 end to his last hope. The next day the 
 disconsolate father, wholly unassisted, 
 removed all the corpses, on a sled, to 
 the fort, where the soldiers assisted him 
 to inter them. The same Newbury was 
 executed for his crimes the next year, 
 on the testimony of Mr. Mitchell, having 
 been arr. sted when engaged as a spy, 
 in the an. y of General Clinton, at Can- 
 ajoharie. 
 
 Mr. Campbell's house was attacked, 
 and his family were taken into captivity. 
 He was absent ; but, although he hast- 
 ened homeward on heai'ing the gun fired 
 in the fort, he arrived too late to render 
 any assistance. The number of inhab- 
 itants killed was thirty-two, and of sol- 
 diers sixteen. A few persons escaped 
 to the Mohawk, and the remainder were 
 made captive. The buildings were all 
 burned, the settlement was laid waste, 
 and abandoned by the survivors, un- 
 til more peaceful times. 
 
 Little Falls. — This is one of the 
 favorite spots with travellers of taste ; 
 and there are but few points at which are 
 assembled, within so narrow a space, 
 such a display of picturesque scenery, 
 with so many works of useful science 
 and art. Here the Mohawk river, hav- 
 ing reached the eastern boundary of the 
 rich German Flats, once the bottom of 
 a lake, pours through the descending, 
 rocky channel cut by the current, where 
 the waters, in some long-past age, found 
 an outlet thx-ough their ancient barrier. 
 Here, to form an artificial passage for 
 boats an-iving at the end of the Long 
 
 level on the Erie canal, the rocky shore 
 has been excavated, and lofty walls 
 erected, and sufficient breadth gained, 
 to conduct that noble woi-k,by successive 
 locks, down to the level which ex- 
 tends below. The railroad has since 
 found a path for its more rapid vehicles ; 
 and now the roar of the river mingles 
 with the sounds of the locomotive and 
 the bugles of the boatmen. 
 
 The accompanying engz'aving gives an 
 accurate and jjleasing view of the natu- 
 ral scenery, and some of the works of 
 art, which stand in such striking contrast 
 in this picturesque and remarkable pass. 
 The village in the distance is that of 
 Little Falls, which takes its name from' 
 the continued series of cascades, by 
 which the Mohawk here finds its way 
 to the meadows stretching through the 
 eastern valley. The principal fall on 
 this stream, the Cohoes, near its mouth, 
 makes these comparatively second in 
 importance ; and hence the term by 
 which they are distinguished. The 
 channel is in several places divided by 
 rocks and islands, of rough and ragged 
 forms, which bear the appearance of 
 having been worn away by the force of 
 a current far more deep and impetuous 
 than any now ever produced by the riv- 
 er, even at its highest floods ; and the 
 descent of the channel is so great as to 
 render the passage impossible, even in 
 small boats. 
 
 It is, therefoi'e, doubly interesting to 
 the spectator to observe the triumph of 
 art, with the obstacles of nature which 
 have been ovei'come, in full view. If 
 passing through this dark, wild, and ro- 
 mantic gorge, in a canal-boat, he glides 
 smoothly along upon the glassy surface 
 of the canal, and here and there is grad- 
 ually raised or let down, by the locks, 
 from one level to another, without injury 
 or inconvenience, by the same element 
 which is seen, in its natural, untamed 
 state, rushing and raving furiously be- 
 low. Or, if he is a passenger in one 
 of the cars which pursue the railroad 
 track, from the other side of the river he 
 beholds the same scene, from a different 
 but no less striking point of view, and, 
 in a few moments, makes a rapid transi- 
 tion from one to the other of those 
 
.68 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 smooth and fertile meadows which ex- 
 tend along the banks of the Mohawk, at 
 different levels, above and below the 
 falls. 
 
 One of the high hills on the southern 
 bank of the liver, at this place, has a re- 
 markable cave ; and the geological fea- 
 tures of the region are worthy of atten- 
 tion. Beautiful crystals of quartz are 
 found in the neighborhood, in consider- 
 able abundance, and are washed from 
 the micaceous slate by every rain. Pas- 
 sengers in the rail-cars sometimes have 
 an opportunity to. purchase a few, of 
 the children who take pains to collect 
 them. 
 
 The Marble Aqueduct, two hundred 
 and fourteen feet long, and sixteen feet 
 wide, is one of the best-constructed and 
 beautiful works on the line of the canal, 
 ci'ossing the Mohawk on five large arch- 
 es, to bring over a supply of water from 
 the old canal on the northern bank. 
 The central arch is seventy feet span. 
 
 Few constructions can be found which 
 present to the eye, in so forcible a con- 
 trast, the rude obstacles of nature with 
 symmetry and beauty of useful art. 
 
 The first settler in this wild spot was 
 a Scotch gentleman, Alexander Ellis, 
 who, by the aid of Sir William Johnson, 
 obtained a patent of the surrounding 
 tract. The_^ river makes a descent of 
 forty-two feet, by two rapids, within the 
 dist'ance of two thirds of a mile, with a 
 broad interval of smooth and deep wa- 
 ter. Above these is a dam, divided by 
 an island, over which the water pours 
 in small cascades. The romantic pass 
 which opens through the ridge of mount- 
 ains, is about two miles in length, and 
 of an average breadth of only five hun- 
 dred yards, while rough and woody 
 heights, rises on each side nearly four 
 hundred feet. Everything here, and 
 above and below, indicates that a lake 
 once covered the great German Flats; 
 and it is calculated that, if a dam were 
 now built here seventy feet high, that 
 rich and extensive alluvial tract would 
 soon be overflown, and the new lake 
 would find an outlet through Wood 
 creek into Oneida lake and Ontario. 
 The rocks are deeply worn, often by 
 large and deep circular drills, such as 
 
 are found at many similar spot?. One of 
 these is two and a half feet in diameter, 
 beginning at the top of a rock thirty feet 
 above the present level of the river; 
 and, being broken below, allows a vis- 
 iter to see the sky above, through the 
 whole length of the funnel. The canal 
 descends at this place by five locks, each 
 of eight feet lift. 
 
 In 1789, several prisoners were taken 
 by a party of Indians, at a mill ; but 
 two men escaped, by retreating under 
 the waterwheel, whence the savages 
 could not dislodge them. 
 
 Rome. — This village was named at a 
 time when unfounded expectations were 
 entertained of its rapid and extensive 
 growth. Its population, in 1850, about 
 8,000 It occupies a place of great im- 
 portance in the French and Revolution- 
 ary wars, as it was one of the carrying- 
 places on the ancient Indian route be- 
 tween Lake Ontario and the Mohawk, 
 by the way of Oneida lake and Wood 
 creek. The Black-river canal (an im- 
 portant work) passes the village, as well 
 as the railroad and Erie canal. The 
 ground is the summit-level between 
 Lake Ontario and the ocean, four hun- 
 dred and thirteen feet above the Hud- 
 son at Albany, from which it is distant 
 one hundred and twelve miles. The 
 United States arsenal, and barracks for 
 one thousand men, were built in 1813. 
 
 Fort Stanwix (of which only some 
 inarks remain in the soil) was erected 
 in 1758, and was at first merely a square 
 fort, with four bastions, a covered way 
 and glacis, surrounded by a palisaded 
 ditch. It cost c£2G6,400, but, through 
 neglect, was in ruins at the beginning 
 of the Revolution. Having been hastily 
 repaired, and named Fort Schuyler, on 
 the 3d of August, 1777, it was invested 
 by Colonel St, Leger, with a large mixed 
 force from Canada, comprising one thou- 
 sand Indians. Colonel Ganzevoort, how- 
 ever, resolutely refused to surrender ; 
 and, although in command of only seven 
 hundred and fifty men, sent out Colonel 
 Willet to make a diversion in favor of 
 General Herkimer, who was advancing 
 to his relief, and with such success that 
 the enemy were driven from their camp, 
 leaving their baggage and even papers. 
 
 zrJ 
 
r— 
 
170 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 Twenty wagon-loads of spoils were 
 brought into the fort. The invaders, 
 however, returned, and the siege was 
 closely pressed ; but Colonel Willet and 
 Major Stockwell succeeded in passing 
 by stealth through the midst of the ene- 
 my, and reached General Sullivan's 
 camp at Stillwater, who sent Genei'al 
 Arnold with assistance. That sagacious 
 officer (afterward a traitor) so terrified 
 the invaders by exaggerated reports, 
 that they fled in a panic, and failed in 
 their enterprise as utterly as General 
 Burgoyne, to co-operate with whom, they 
 had come from Canada. 
 
 Utica. — This city, situated on the 
 southern bank of the Mohawk, occupies 
 one of the important points where the 
 line of the Erie canal and the railroad 
 coincide, and are crossed by several 
 country roads. It has the additional 
 advantage of lying on a tract of fertile 
 land, the river alluvion in that country 
 being broad and rich. It is ninety-six 
 miles west of Albany, and two hundred 
 and forty-one miles from New Y"ork. 
 Fort Schuyler, an earth work, thrown 
 up here in the old French war, was the 
 first point ever occupied here by white 
 men ; but, as Whitestown, for some 
 years after its settlement, was the prin- 
 cipal place of resort in this region, as 
 late as 1793, there were but three dwel- 
 lings in Utica. Rome was afterward 
 marked out, as the site of a future city ; 
 but, although the Western Inland Nav- 
 igation company, chartered in 1792, 
 opened a canal from the bend of the 
 Hudson here to Oneida lake, and ex- 
 pectations were entei-tained of a great 
 trade taking that direction, in 1800, the 
 Seneca turnpike was opened through 
 Utica, which gave the latter place the 
 advantage. It has continued to increase 
 ever since. The population in 1830 was 
 8,323, and in 1850, 17,240. It was 
 made a village in 1798, when it receiv- 
 ed the name of Utica, and it was incor- 
 porated as a city in 1832. It contains 
 fourteen churches, three banks, numer- 
 ous stores, and a number of handsome 
 private houses, with much refined and 
 intelligent society. The streets of 
 Utica are generally pleasant, many of 
 them being planted with trees and lined 
 
 with neat yards and gardens ; while the 
 hotels are large, and the point where 
 the canal and railroad pass the principal 
 sti-eet is one of great activity and bus- 
 tle. The view in every direction is over 
 an extent of level ground, and bounded 
 by the hills enclosing the valley of the 
 Mohawk. 
 
 Clinton. — The pleasant village of 
 Clinton, situated nine miles from Utica, 
 is the seat of Hamilton college. This 
 institution owes its origin to the Rev. 
 Samuel Kirkland, a missionary to the 
 Oneida Indians. He was one of the 
 pupils of the celebrated school of Mr. 
 Wheelock, and graduated at Princeton 
 in 1765. In the following year he re- 
 moved to this place, and commenced a 
 long, self-denying, and successful course 
 of missionary labors among the Oneidas, 
 over whom he obtained a strong and 
 beneficial influence, of great importance 
 in the Revolutionary war. While the 
 other nations of the savage confederacy 
 joined the English, the Oneidas remain- 
 ed true to our cause. After the peace 
 had been restored, he received a grant 
 of land in this place and neighborhood, 
 called Kirkland's patent, and again took 
 up his residence here in 1792. 
 
 The remarkable chief Skenandoa, 
 with many of his people, became intel- 
 ligent Christians under the instructions 
 of their devoted pastor. In 1793, he ob- 
 tained a charter for a seminary of learn- 
 insf, desiofned for Indians as well as 
 whites, under the title of the Hamilton 
 Oneida academy, which has since been 
 raised to the rank of a college. 
 
 Trenton Falls. — The West Canada 
 creek, in flowing through a long, deep, 
 and narrow ravine, presents a succession 
 of wild and romantic scenes, so striking 
 and so interesting, that this region has 
 been for some years a favorite point of 
 observation to travellers of taste in the 
 western tour. It is common for parties 
 to stop at Utica, and devote a day to an 
 excursion to Trenton Falls. The stream 
 makes successive falls, four of which are 
 the most considerable, but all varying 
 in form and appearance. The largest 
 is two miles northwest from Trenton vil- 
 lage, where, within a short distance, it 
 is precipitated down three perpendicu- 
 
DESCaiFTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 171 
 
 Si,:: >cwks, rushing over the intei'mecJiate 
 sp^ves by steep and rough channels, in 
 a fviiicus and turbulent manner. The 
 first of the falls is forty-seven feet in 
 height, the second cloven, and the third 
 forty-eight; and such is the variety in 
 tlie directions of the sheets of water and 
 tlie surrounding objects in thai wild and 
 secluded dell, which is shut in on both 
 sides by perpendicular banks of dark 
 limestone, from one hundred to one hun- 
 dred and thirty feet in height, that the 
 impressions made on the mind of a 
 spectator are at once awful and pleas- 
 ing. 
 
 Syracuse. — This is a large and flour- 
 ishing village on the Erie canal, one 
 hundred and thirty-three miles west of 
 Albany, at the junction of the Oswego 
 canal. Popiilat'ion, 1850 22,23o. 
 
 The great Salt-Sj^ring, at Salina, is 
 the most valuable in the Union, as it is 
 abundant in water, very highly charged, 
 and the supply is taken to numerous 
 manufactories, where the salt is extract- 
 ed and purified by the most approved 
 processes. 
 
 The spring rises on the marshes of 
 Salina lake, a salt pond, six miles long 
 and two in breadth, whose waters are 
 impregnated to such a degree that its 
 shores are lined with plants usually found 
 only on the borders of the sea. The 
 lake is surrounded by limestone hills, 
 containing petrifactions ; and gypsum 
 abounds in the neighborhood. The spot 
 is a portion of that extensive region 
 which reaches from the Atlantic to the 
 Pacific, between the latitudes of thirty- 
 one and forty-five degrees north, whose 
 course is here and there betrayed by 
 brine springs. In this state, such 
 springs exist in the counties of Onon- 
 daga, Cayuga, Seneca, Ontario, Niaga- 
 ra, Genesee, Tompkins, Wayne, and 
 Oneida ; but that of Salina is by far the 
 most valuable and productive. Accord- 
 ing to published statements, a bushel of 
 salt may be obtained from forty-five gal- 
 lons of water ; and analysis gives the 
 following results for forty gallons : — 
 
 Weight, 355 pounds ; saline matter of 
 all kinds, 56 pounds. Of this, muriate 
 of soda is 51 pounds ; carbonate of lime, 
 coloi'ed by oxyde of iron, 6^ ounces ; sul- 
 
 phate of lime, 2 pounds, 4 ounces ; mu- 
 riate of lime, 1 pound, 12^ ounces ; and 
 probably some muriate of magnesia and 
 3ulphate of soda. 
 
 The water is raised from the spring 
 by a forcing-pump, and distributed 
 through pipes and troughs to numerous 
 manufactories, large and small, of differ- 
 ent kinds, in the villages of Salina and 
 Syracuse, and a considerable tract of 
 land lying between them. In some 
 places are seen large buildings, in which 
 the water is evaporated by artificial 
 heat ; but the greater part is exposed, 
 in shallow wooden vats, to the heat of 
 the sun, being covered by sliding roofs 
 when threatened by rain. A branch of 
 the Erie canal afl!brds the means of easy 
 transportation, and immense quantities 
 of salt are annually transported to all 
 parts of the country. 
 
 The vats are about sixteen by seven 
 feet, and four inches deep, and are sup- 
 plied with water sent from pumjo-houses 
 through hollow logs. Between the rows 
 of vats, sufficient space is left for carts 
 to pass, in which the salt is removed. 
 The salt made in this manner is coarse; 
 that formed by artificial heat is fine. 
 From fifteen to twenty-five boilers are 
 used, usually placed in rows, which aie 
 supplied with salt water much in thfe 
 same manner as the vats ; and heat is 
 applied below, where fires ai*e kindled 
 in furnaces. In some manufactories, 
 steam-pipes are used for heating, and 
 pass through the water. The new spring 
 at Salina yields water more strongly im- 
 pregnated with salt than the old spring; 
 that is, in the proportion of fifty to sev- 
 enty. Fresh water being reckoned at 0, 
 and water saturated with salt at 100, 
 a cubic foot of water from the new 
 spring yields fourteen pounds of salt. 
 
 Two mills on every bushel here are 
 to be paid to the state for pumping 
 the water, and six cents a bushel on all 
 the salt made. About three millions of 
 bushels ai'e manufactured annually ; and 
 the business, in all its branches, occu- 
 pies about three thousand men, in the 
 four villages of Syracuse, Salina, Ged- 
 desburgh, and Liverpool. 
 
 A French colony for the Onondaga 
 country was planned in the year 1655, 
 
172 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW VORK. 
 
 by the Jesuit Dablon, who procured at 
 Quebec fifty soldiers, under the com- 
 mand of Lieutenant Lawson, and set 
 out with them the next year, to under- 
 take one of their missions at this place. 
 Under so powerful a guard, with the 
 approbation of the Jesuit superior-gen- 
 eral, Francis Le Mercier, the expedition 
 sailed up the river; but it was attacked 
 by four hundred Mohawks, before they 
 reached Montreal, who were jealous of 
 the Onondagas, by whom the enterprise 
 was encouraged. The Indians being 
 repulsed, the party proceeded ; and, af- 
 ter some delays and dangers, arrived at 
 the appointed place of settlement. This 
 is supposed to have been on the borders 
 of Salina lake, as mention is made of a 
 salt-spring. They were for a time very 
 kindly treated by the Onondagas, who 
 inhabited this region. Scarcely two 
 years, however, had elapsed, before 
 strong symptoms of hostility were ex- 
 hibited ; several murders were commit- 
 ted, and a large army of the Six Nations 
 was assembled. 
 
 The colonists became alarmed, and 
 resolved on flight. By practising the 
 greatest caution and seci'esy, they suc- 
 ceeded. Canoes were made with all 
 haste in the house of the Jesuit, and a 
 young Frenchman, who had been adopt- 
 ed by the Indians, and enjoyed their fiill 
 confidence, persuaded them to make a 
 great feast ; at the close of which they 
 betook themselves to sleep ; and when 
 they awoke the next day, their intended 
 victims were not to be found. Having 
 launched their canoes in the night, and 
 taken their young countryman with 
 them, the colonists got such a start of 
 their enemies, that they arrived in safety 
 at Montreal. 
 
 Auburn. — This beautiful village, sit- 
 uated on Owasco lake, is worthy of the 
 pleasing associations connected with its 
 name, which Goldsmith's favorite poem 
 has celebrated. Population, 9,548. 
 
 The stateprison, located here, is quite 
 a handsome building. It stands back 
 about eighty feet from the road, and 
 covers, including the grounds, about 
 twenty-five thousand square feet. The 
 wall that surrounds it is two thousand 
 feet long, thirty feet high, and, at the 
 
 base, four feet thick. On the southern 
 side there is a small creek, from which, 
 by means of a wheel and shaft, power 
 enough is obtained to work all the ma- 
 chinery inside of the walls. The prison 
 consists of two wings, and the main 
 body of the house, which forms three 
 sides of a square ; the wings being two 
 hundred and forty feet long, and twenty- 
 five feet deep, and the house two hun- 
 dred and eighty feet long. It was begun 
 in the year 1816, and the cost was five 
 hundred thousand dollars. The ex- 
 penses of the prison, in the year 1839, 
 were $51,671.21, and the monfey that 
 was earned in the same year was $60,- 
 161.46. The prisoners number, in the 
 course of a year, from six to seven hun- 
 dred. Every sabbath they are instruct- 
 ed in the great truths of the Bible, 
 and the yoimger portion are taught read- 
 ing, writing, and arithmetic. When 
 this prison was first built, there were 
 five hundred and fifty cells ; but lately 
 a few more have been added. These 
 cells are arranged in four stories, and 
 are seven feet high, seven feet long, and 
 three and a half feet wide. They are 
 very well warmed, lighted, and ventila- 
 ted, and everything fixed for the comfort 
 of the prisoners. The space between 
 the cells and the outside wall is ten feet 
 wide, and is open from the roof to the 
 ground. The passages to the cells are 
 three feet wide, extending out from the 
 wall in front of each cell. They being 
 constructed in this manner, perfect si- 
 lence can be preserved through the 
 night, as the slightest noise or whisper 
 is heard by the watchman on guard be- 
 low. This precaution is taken in order 
 to prevent any conversation during the 
 night. The same care is taken in the 
 daytime, for they are made to work 
 without speaking. The prison-bell rings 
 soon after daybi-eak, which is a signal 
 for the prisoners to rise, and soon after 
 the keeper unlocks the doors. The 
 prisoners then come out of their cells, 
 each one taking his pan that is used for 
 his food, his kettle for water, and his 
 tub. They then put these different 
 things in their respective places, and in 
 lockstep walk to the workshops, where 
 they work until the prison-bell rings 
 
174 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 again, and then in the same manner go 
 to the eating-room. The tables that are 
 used here are very narrow, to prevent 
 any intercourse. In about half an hour 
 they are ordei'ed, by the ringing of the 
 bell, to return to the workshops, and 
 here work until twelve o'clock, when 
 again they go and take their dinner in 
 the same way. As evening comes on, 
 the prisoners go to the place where they 
 left their tubs in the morning; and when 
 the word of command is given, each 
 takes his own up and proceeds to the 
 mess or dining-room, where each one 
 takes his can of water and his j^an of 
 food, and then all walk in the same 
 close step to their cells. As they enter, 
 they pull the door to after them, and 
 are then locked in by the turnkey, who 
 has two keys entirely different from any 
 others in the prison. The prisoners are 
 divided into companies ; and each com- 
 pany occupies a separate gallery. The 
 turnkeys go around thi'ough the differ- 
 ent galleries in stocking-feet, to see if 
 the convicts are in bed. 
 
 The stateprison at Auburn is impor- 
 tant in an historical point of view, be- 
 cause it is that in which a new system 
 of prison-discipline was commenced, 
 which has since been extensively adopt- 
 ed in the large stateprisons of this coun- 
 try, and, with various modifications, in 
 France and elsewhere. It was invented 
 and first practised by Mr. Lynds, after- 
 ward superintendent of the Sing-Sing 
 prison. The grand object of it is to 
 prevent all conversation and interchange 
 of thoughts between the convicts. In 
 all prisons previously in use, where con- 
 siderable numbei's of persons were con- 
 fined, unless for offences of peculiar 
 kinds, or under oppi-essive systems of 
 government, numbers of prisoners were, 
 from time immemorial, placed in com- 
 mon halls, often in a very crowded man- 
 ner ; and not only immoral conversation, 
 but the basest crimes, might be indulged 
 in. So great were the evils of that sys- 
 tem, that many innocent persons have 
 been ruined by their contact with felons 
 of the worst character, while awaiting 
 trial. The expense of keeping and 
 guarding men in such circumstances was 
 very great ; and to Mr, Lynds belongs 
 
 the honor of the inestimcb'^ improve- 
 ments which have been made, although 
 he was accused of occasional practices 
 of unnecessary severity, in the punish- 
 ment of offenders or suspected persons 
 among the prisoners under his charge. 
 
 Not a word is allowed to be spoken 
 by the convicts while at work ; and each 
 small party of laborers is attended by a 
 sentinel, at whatever employment, and 
 every infringement of the rule of strict 
 silence which he can observe is instant- 
 ly reported and punished. Their cells 
 are solitary, although arranged side by 
 side in long rows, and separated only by 
 single walls ; and sentinels are so posted, 
 at night, that no communication can be 
 carried on between any of the prisoners. 
 In the largest prisons, where h thousand 
 or more persons are confr.ied, a dead 
 silence reigns from the hour of retire- 
 ment till that of breakfast. A few men 
 are sufficient to guard a great number, 
 thus isolated in mind, and yet made to 
 move and act in compact bodies, A 
 plot is impossible : one man can not 
 even form an acquaintance with anoth- 
 er. Whenever they move, they are re- 
 quired to march at a regular step, in 
 single file, and close together ; a difficult 
 march, which requires strict attention. 
 They often receive their food on re- 
 turning from work, without stopping; 
 for being marched through the kitchen, 
 each takes his can from a table, and car- 
 ries it to his cell. 
 
 Religious services are often held in 
 chapels connected with the prisons, and 
 chaplains usually find many of the con- 
 victs accessible to their private instruc- 
 tions. Each cell has a Bible, and sab- 
 bath-schools are often kept by benevo- 
 lent people of the neighborhood. In 
 some cases, also, as in New York city, 
 societies provide temporary lodgings 
 and work for discharged convicts, and 
 otherwise interest themselves in their 
 welfare. 
 
 The Prison-Discipline Society, which 
 was formed in Boston about twenty-five 
 years ago, early recommended the prin- 
 ciples on which the Auburn prison was 
 conducted, and greatly contributed to 
 their general adoption in the United 
 States and foreign countries. 
 
DKPCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 175 
 
 Geneva Medical Colletre. 
 
 Geneva. — This place is conspicuous 
 among the lake villages for the beauty 
 of its appearance from the water. It 
 stands at the outlet of the lake of the 
 same name, upon the westei'n bank ; 
 and the houses of some of the more 
 wealthy inhabitants occupy the summit 
 of the highov ground, which rises one 
 hundred and twenty feet, just behind the 
 busiest streets, and descends with a hasty 
 but graceful slope to the water, adorned 
 by the gardens, green with useful plants, 
 and gay with blooming flowers. The 
 surrounding country presents that gen- 
 tly-varied surface peculiar to this part 
 of New York, where, for many miles, 
 the ground has the appearance of hav- 
 ing been channelled from north to south. 
 The loAvest depressions ai'e occupied by 
 several of the small lakes, while the 
 heights of the intermediate ridges com- 
 mand extensive and pleasing views over 
 the gently-undulated country between. 
 
 The settlement of Geneva was begun 
 in the year 1794, by Mr. Austin and Mr. 
 Barton ; and the act of incorporation 
 was passed in 1812. The number of 
 dwellings is about five hundred ; and 
 there ai'e nine churches, a bank, &c. 
 
 TJie Geneva College was one of the 
 earliest institutions which adopted a 
 plan of studies adapted to young men 
 preparing for other professions than 
 those usually termed "learned;" and, 
 like several others since established in 
 different places, affords instruction in 
 practical branches to such students as 
 prefer to pursue them. The buildings 
 occupy a remarkably fine, agreeable, 
 and commanding situation, on the ele 
 vated shore of the lake, near the south- 
 ern extremity of Main street. 
 
 This college, incorporated in 1825, 
 has professors of mathematics, natural 
 philosophy, Latin and Greek, statistics 
 and civil engineering, modern languages, 
 history and belles-lettres, chymistry and 
 mineralogy. There is also a medical 
 department, commonly called — 
 
 T?ie Medical College of Geneva. — The 
 building belongs to the medical depart- 
 ment of the college, which is under the 
 direction of four professors. The in- 
 habitants of this beautiful town have 
 distinguished themselves by their liber- 
 ality in pi-oviding and supporting insti- 
 tutions of the most valuable character; 
 and few places of equal size can be found 
 
176 
 
 DF.SORIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 in the country better provided. This 
 building, with the others connected with 
 the college, is an ornament to the town, 
 while it makes a conspicuous appear- 
 ance from a distance. 
 
 Rochester. — This flourishing and 
 important city in this part of the state, 
 is of such recent growth, that, until the 
 year 1810, there was not even a single 
 dwelling on its site. The whole tract 
 was once a mill-lot, and was purchased, 
 in 1802, by Nathaniel Rochester and 
 two associates, at $15.50 an acre — $1,750 
 in all. Some of the land on the eastern 
 bank of the Genesee was sold at eigh- 
 teen pence an acre in 1790, by the great 
 speculators of the day — Phelps and Gor- 
 ham. In 1816, the population was only 
 three hundred and thirty-one. 
 
 The flour business is extensively car- 
 ried on at Rochester. There is a large 
 number of gristmills, with runs of stones 
 sufHcient to grind several thousand bar- 
 rels of flour daily. The amount m ide 
 annually amounts to near a million of 
 barrels. There are also several woollen 
 and cotton mills, with many saw and 
 other water mills of different kinds in 
 this busy town. 
 
 Few towns in the Union present such 
 evidences of a great and lucrative busi- 
 ness, on so small a space of ground, as 
 Rc'chester, in the immediate vicinity of 
 the river, at and below the aqueduct. 
 The mills above referred to, form a 
 double line of large, massive, stone 
 buildings ; and the greatest activity pre- 
 vails in and around them, where crowds 
 of men are constantly employed in the 
 various kinds of business which are car- 
 ried on in them, and in the various other 
 mills and manufactories adjacent, as 
 well as at the depots of the canal and 
 the railroad. Ay)ove twenty churches, 
 several of them i-emarkably handsome, 
 as well as capacious edifices, are among 
 the public buildings, although the first 
 presl)yterian church, which is the oldest, 
 was erected in 1815 ; and so late as in 
 January, 181.3, at the celebration of the 
 Indian new-year, the Senecas performed 
 their last heathen ceremonies on the 
 ground, near the site of the present 
 Bethel church. An interesting account 
 of these, as well as of many other par- 
 
 ticulars relating to Rochester, may be 
 found in the history of the town, pub- 
 lished in 1835. 
 
 The falls of the Genesee at this place 
 are one of the most remarkable of the 
 cataracts in New York, and rendered by 
 art the most useful. The upper one is 
 small, making an inconsiderable descent 
 over a rocky bed of only a moderate an- 
 gle of descent ; but, as the grand aque- 
 duct is built over it, the effect of the 
 flowing water is increased by the ob- 
 struction of the channel by the masses 
 of stonework, and the conti'action thus 
 formed of the passage. The middle fall 
 is the principal one ; and that is per- 
 pendicular, over a rocky precipice, which 
 rises like a wall from the lower to the 
 upper level of the river. In pouring 
 over this, the water plunges ninety-six 
 feet, sometimes in a few small streams, 
 but, in floods, in a general sheet. It 
 was here that the celebrated Sara Patch, 
 after performing many astonishing leaps, 
 unharmed, from fearful heights, lost his 
 life, in the year 1829, by jumping from 
 the rocks into the basin. 
 
 Below this spot, the river flows a mile 
 and a half, through a wide and deep 
 channel, passing several rapids, when it 
 reaches the two lower falls. Here the 
 surrounding scenery is rough and wild ; 
 and the river first pours over a precipice 
 twenty-five feet high, and immediately 
 afterward over another of eighty-four 
 feet. The banks below are high, rocky, 
 and perpendicular, for a considerable 
 distance, showing numerous stratifica- 
 tions, which have been cut through by 
 the current. Across the awful chasm a 
 wooden bridge was erected, in 1819, of 
 one noble arch, whose chord was three 
 hundred and fifty-two feet, and the versed 
 sine fifty-four feet. The entire length 
 of the bridge was seven hundred and 
 eighteen feet, and the width thirty feet. 
 The top of the arch was not less than 
 one hundred and ninety-six feet above 
 the river. It contained seventy thou- 
 sand feet of timber, and sixty-four thou- 
 sand, six hundred and twenty feet, board 
 measure. Just one year and a day after 
 its completion, it fell in ruins by its own 
 weight, the sides of the arch pressing 
 up the top. 
 
Falls of Nia-ara, viewed f-om Table Rock. 
 
 12 
 
J 78 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 Carthage, a small tr>wn on the eastern 
 bank, is a place of con side table business, 
 as a communication between Rochester 
 and Lake Ontario was established some 
 years since, by an inclined plane from 
 the high bank to the river, where boats 
 I'eceived and discharged cargoes. The 
 business has greatly increased ; and there 
 ai'e now three railroads from Rochester 
 to the navigable part of the rivci', six 
 miles from the lake-shore. 
 
 Buffalo. — This city, before x'eferred 
 to, as one of the principal inland towns 
 of the state, and the centre of the lake 
 and canal navigation and railroad com- 
 munication, is pleasantly situated on the 
 summit, declivity, and base, of the tal^le- 
 land which borders the end of Lake 
 Erie and the head of Niagara river. 
 The streets are broad, clean, and well 
 built, and numei'ous blocks of stone- 
 houses border the stream which here 
 pours into the lake. A lighthouse, a pier, 
 and an improved harbor, all subserve 
 the extensive commerce of the place. 
 
 Niagara Falls, celebrated thi-oughout 
 the world as the most stupendous of cat- 
 aracts, lies pai'tly in the state of New 
 York and partly in Canada. A moi'e 
 sublime spectacle can not easily be con- 
 ceived, and none can anywhere be found 
 on earth to compare with it. The river 
 Niagara, a broad, deep, and rapid stream, 
 the outlet of Lake Erie, the deepest of 
 the American inland seas, also discharges 
 the waters flowing toward the ocean 
 from the whole chain of lakes above. 
 Passing, with a hasty but unbroken cur- 
 rent, by Grand island, it soon approach- 
 es the verge of the mountain ridge ; and, 
 after rushing for about half a mile down 
 a declining, rocky bed, forming the rap- 
 ids, it is precipitated over a precipice 
 one hundred and sixty feet high, ipto a 
 gulf of unknown depth below, with a 
 roar which is sometimes audible at the 
 distance of twenty miles. 
 
 It is remarkable that the sheets of 
 falling water are entire and unbroken, 
 from top to bottom, in their whole extent, 
 without any interru|)ti(m worthy of being 
 mentioned. Goat island, near the mid- 
 dle, divides the river for some distance 
 above and at the fall. On the New York 
 side, the cataract presents a straight 
 
 line; but between Goat island and the 
 Canada side, it is curved inward, form- 
 itig the Horseshoe. Thousands of trav- 
 ellers annually visit the spot, to admire 
 this great natural curiosity ; and fine 
 hotels, on both sides of the river, afford 
 them ample accommodations. Stair- 
 cases have been excavated at different 
 places, by which visiters can get safely 
 down to the best points of view. A 
 walk under the cliff is very interesting; 
 but to pjirsue the slippery and danger- 
 ous path under the sheet of water, be- 
 neath the falling torrent and the mighty 
 rock over which it falls, requires both 
 coui'age and caution. Parties, however, 
 often incur the hazard, and submit to 
 the inconvenience caused by the extreme 
 dampness of the atmosphere, which is 
 constantly surcharged with spray, and, 
 being agitated by conflicting cun'ents 
 of wind, soon wets one to the skin. 
 
 Every change of season, weather, and 
 light, imparts some peculiar aspect to 
 this extraordinary scene. The rising 
 sun gilds the edges of the cataract, and 
 illuminates the upper banks, with their 
 wild crests of overhanging trees, while 
 the darkness of the awful gulf below is 
 enhanced by the unintermitted roaring 
 and concussions of the tremendous mass- 
 es of water dashed together. The lofty 
 column of mist, which for ever stands, 
 like a cloud, over this scene of noise 
 and fury, is sometimes dark as a thun- 
 der-storm, but more frequently of a 
 snowy whiteness, and illuminated and 
 painted by rainbows, whose arches vary 
 in their posititm and direction with the 
 course of the sun. Night casts a tone 
 of majesty over the scene, as difficult to 
 be duly described as to be witnessed 
 without emotion, especially when the 
 moon silvers the rocks, the water, an<l 
 the spray, or when, in winter, it falls 
 upon the forest-trees, glazed with the 
 frozen spray, and upon the immense 
 icicles, often more than a hundred feet 
 in length. 
 
 It is almost impossible for any living 
 thing to survive the descent of this aw- 
 ful cataract. Deer and other animals 
 have sometimes been carried down, 
 while attempting to swim across the 
 river above ; and, in several instances, 
 
180 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 The Van Kleeck House. 
 
 men have been borne down to the awful 
 verge, and plunged to unknown depths 
 in the black gulf beneath. 
 
 The vicinity of Niagara has been sig- 
 nalized by several important military 
 events. The French fortress of Fron- 
 tenac, at the mouth of the river, was 
 captured by the British, after a siege ; 
 Fort Erie, at the head of the stream, 
 was taken by the Americans, in the war 
 of 1812 ; Buffalo was burnt by the ene- 
 my ; Lewistown was taken, by an Amer- 
 ican force, by a bold coup-dc-main, after 
 crossing in boats, and scaling an almost 
 inaccessible height on the shore. The 
 battle of Lundy's Lane and Bridgewa- 
 ter was fought within a short distance 
 of the cataract, and gave the Americans 
 some of their greatest advantages in that 
 unhappy contest. 
 
 Grand island, a little above the cata- 
 ract, is a good agricultural region, and 
 is remarkable as the site of the proposed 
 city of "Ararat," offered as a gather- 
 ing-place of the Jews, and as a camp 
 occupied by the invaders of Canada, in 
 the late attempt at revolution. 
 
 The passage to the islands, over the 
 bridge, affords the visiter a gratifying 
 though an agitating view of the rushing 
 stream, just as it pours furiously by to 
 its stupendous leap down the awful 
 precipice. With astonishing skill and 
 boldness, the slight fabric has been con- 
 structed, from rock to rock, across the 
 wild and dangerous channel ; and the 
 
 spectator views its waves with awe and 
 fear, as they glide beneath his feet, and 
 intimate the sudden and fatal conse- 
 quences of a single misstep. 
 
 The Welland canal, on the Canada 
 side, gives a passage to lake-vessels from 
 Erie to Ontario. 
 
 A wire-bridge across Niagara river, 
 below the falls, has been built, and is 
 of sufficient strength to allow the passage 
 of great weights. 
 
 Without naming numerous other pla- 
 ces and objects of great interest, we re- 
 turn to the Hudson river. 
 
 PouGHKEEPSiE. — This is one of the 
 pleasantest villages in the valley of the 
 Hudson, but is so situated, at the dis- 
 tance of a mile from its eastern shore, 
 as to be quite out of sight to travellers 
 passing in steamboats. It is one of the 
 most flourishing villages in this part of 
 the state ; and its settlement dates back 
 to about the year 1700, when it was first 
 inhabited by a few Dutch families. The 
 soil is favorable to cultivation, while the 
 stream which flows through the town 
 makes a succession of falls, amounting, 
 in all, to a descent of about a hundred 
 and sixty feet, and affords water-power 
 to various mills and manufactories. The 
 place contains three printing-offices, two 
 banks, and eleven churches, with twelve 
 schools. Population, 1850, 11,080. 
 
 The Van Kiccc.k Hunse. — This was the 
 first house ever erected in Poughkeep- 
 sie. It was the residence of Myndert 
 
CQ. 
 
182 
 
 DESCRIPTION OP THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 Churcli of Our La 
 
 Van Klecck, one of the first settlers in 
 the county ; and the remarkable build- 
 ing, with the surrounding grounds, was 
 in possession of his descendants in the 
 year 1835, when it was taken down. It 
 was built in 1702. It was for many 
 years a public-house ; and, in 1787, was 
 occupied by the legislature as a state- 
 house. The session held there was the 
 eleventh, and the governor of the state 
 was then George Clinton. 
 
 The Collegiate School is an institution 
 for education, in a large building one 
 hundred and fifteen feet by tliirty-five, 
 Aveli proportioned, with a fine colonnade, 
 and surrounded by spacious grounds, 
 tastefully adorned. The building cost 
 forty thousand dollars ; and it commands 
 a fine view of forty or fifty miles upon 
 the surrounding country, with the ridge 
 of the Catskill mountains, twenty miles 
 distant toward the south. Poughkeepsie 
 lies below, about a mile in front ; and 
 the elevation occupied by the edifice 
 commands a charming view of the Hud- 
 son, enlivened by numerous steamboats 
 and other vessels engaged in its varied 
 and active commerce. 
 
 Poughkeepsie is one of the largest 
 
 dy at Cold-Spring. 
 
 manufactories of locomotives in the 
 United States. The sui'prising success 
 of Americans, in the improvement and 
 construction of the most complex and 
 powerful steam machines, and especial- 
 ly of this class, has excited admiration 
 abroad, as well as at home ; and multi- 
 tudes of our locomotives are now per- 
 forming the labors of some of the prin- 
 cipal railroads of Europe, while our 
 furnaces and workshops are resounding 
 with the preparations for many more. 
 
 Roman Catholic Church at Cold- 
 Spring. — A few miles below Pough- 
 keepsie, and opposite West Point, on 
 an elevation commanding a view of the 
 river, is this neat little edifice, just above 
 the landing. It is of plain, Grecian 
 style, with four Doric columns. The 
 material is brick, but the whole is cov- 
 ered with stucco, which gives it the ap- 
 pearance of white stone. 
 
 The Stone-Church at Dover. — About | 
 twenty-four miles east from Poughkeep- 
 sie, near the village of Dover, is a re- 
 markable caveni, which, from the pecu- 
 liar, angular form of its roof, has re- 
 ceived the name of the " stone-church." 
 This natural cavity appears to have been 
 
Dover Stone Church. 
 
184 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NRW YORK. 
 
 slowly formed by the flowing of a stream, 
 which, coming down the mountain in i 
 which the cavern is found, enters at a 
 narrow fissure in the roof, and, descend- 
 insT from crag to crag, presents a beau- 
 tiful succession of cascades, till it reaches 
 the lev(;l of the floor, where it spreads 
 out in a quiet little pond. The whole 
 cavern is large, being divided into two 
 ccnnpartments by an immense rock wliich 
 has fallen from above. The inner cham- 
 ber is about seventy feet in length, 
 while the Gothic arch above is twenty 
 feet in width, and the top about two 
 hundred feet high. 
 
 " The scene," reinarks a visiter, " is 
 well fitted to inspire devotional feelings : 
 the heart acknowledges the power of the 
 Creator, and rises in admiration of his 
 works*." 
 
 Troy is one of the numerous towns 
 in this state which display striking evi- 
 dence of rapid, substantial, and perma- 
 nent improvement, which has been so 
 extensively occasioned by the enlight- 
 ened internal policy of the government, 
 and accomplished by the intelligence and 
 industry of the people. A view from 
 Mount Ida, an eminence rising abruptly 
 from its eastern border, embraces a 
 scene of life and activity seldom sur- 
 passed. A young and flourishing city 
 below, with streets crowded with busy 
 people, the noble Hudson sweeping ma- 
 jestically by, crossed by a fine pier, 
 which serves the d<juble purpose of a 
 bridge and a viaduct to the railroad — 
 the combined trunk of the Champlain 
 and Erie canal, floating the crowded 
 boats from the north and the west — sev- 
 eral of the splendid New York steam- 
 boats, which penetrate to this highest 
 accessible point : all these ai'e embraced 
 within the immediate range of the eye, 
 with the various signs of bustle to which 
 
 St. Paul's Church, Troy. 
 
 small but constant streams flowing down 
 the eminence on which the spectator is 
 supposed to stand ; and such is the va- 
 riety found among the factories, mills, 
 &c., in this immediate vicinity, that we 
 can not pretend to give a full account 
 of them. Population, 1850,29,000. 
 
 Plattsburgh. — This town, the capi- 
 tal of Clinton county, one hundred and 
 twelve miles north of Whitehall, and 
 one hundred and sixty-four miles from 
 Albany, enjoys an advantageous and 
 pleasant situation, on ihe western side 
 of Lake Champlain. The township is 
 supplied with many fine mill-seats, by 
 the Saranac and Salmon rivers, and sev- 
 eral other small streams ; and the east- 
 ern pait of it is generally level, although 
 the western is hilly. The village stands 
 on the lake-shore, at the mouth of the 
 Saranac. In speaking of Lake Cham- 
 plain, on a preceding page, we alluded 
 they give rise. The United States ar- I to the important naval victory achieved 
 
 senal, at Watervliet, stands opposite; 
 while nearer by, the environs of Troy 
 are beautified by the mansions and gar- 
 dens of some of the wealthy citizens, 
 and the rumbling of machinery, and the 
 smoking of chimneys, betray the vicini- 
 ty of some of the largest and best manu- 
 factories in the country. Some of those 
 are supplied with moving-power by the 
 
 on the Cumberland bay, opposite this 
 place, in the last war with Great Brit- 
 ain, in 1814. 
 
 Plattsburgh was twice taken by their 
 troops, but the country below was final- 
 ly delivered from danger by the event 
 just mentioned. The victorious Ameri- 
 can squadron, under Commodore Mc- 
 Donough, had 820 men, and 86 guns, 
 
 L-.= 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 185 
 
 and the British 1,050 men, and 96 guns. 
 The following recollections of the battle 
 are from the pen of a friend : — 
 
 " The Battle of Flattsburgh. — It was 
 a bright sabbath in September, one of 
 those rich, soft, and mellow days that 
 begin to wear the sober tints of autumn, 
 that my childish heart was made sad by 
 the scenes and the sounds of war. Our 
 home was on the eastei'n border of the 
 lake, just across from Plattsburgli ; and, 
 for many long months, the event of bat- 
 tle had lieen the theme of conversation 
 by the fireside, among men as they met 
 in their daily haunts, and friends by 
 the wayside. Preparations were going 
 forward for defence ; and among men 
 there was enlisting, draughting, &c., and 
 all things wore the aspect of some im- 
 pending evil, wliich threw a kind of 
 gloom over the feelings, in which all 
 sympathized. We lived within less than 
 a day's march of the enemy's ground, 
 and consequently were often alarmed 
 with conjectures and painful suspense, 
 in regard to their movements. Often 
 were we surprised with rumors of the 
 near approach of the British — that they 
 had crossed the lines — were marching 
 down upon us, &c., which kept the in- 
 habitants in a very uneasy and unsettled 
 condition. But so many false alarms 
 had a tendency, at length, to lull them 
 into a state of indifference, or to allay 
 their apprehensions so much, that peo- 
 ple had resumed their avocations in 
 comparative quiet. 
 
 " But at last the event burst upon us, 
 with all the dreaded realities of blood- 
 shed and war ! The scene was suffi- 
 ciently distant to prevent immediate 
 danger, yet all knew that their future 
 security hung on the result, and every 
 eye was strained, and every heart beat 
 with deep anxiety, for the sequel. 
 
 " It was a peaceful sabbath morning ; 
 the sun had risen with its accustomed 
 splendor, and nature wore the stillness 
 peculiar to the sacred day. But alas ! 
 it was a strange sabbath with man. The 
 booming sounds of guns came across the 
 water, in such quick and rapid succes- 
 sion, that they shock the earth, and 
 sounded like heavy and deep-toned 
 thunder. The enofagement lasted two 
 
 hours and twenty minutes ; and we 
 knew the work of death was going on 
 at every new report. Such a sabbath 
 may this land never see again ! It was 
 net a ' day of rest,' or of worship, but 
 one to be remembei'ed with feelings of 
 horror and dread. A few gathered in 
 the morning, aged men, women, and 
 children, in a lonely group, for worship; 
 but, as the excitement increased, evei-y 
 man fled from the village, and, in short, 
 almost every one had climbed to some 
 height on the hills, or in the steeple of 
 the church, to read, in the progress of 
 events, our consequent destiny. When 
 the British ships struck their colors, and 
 victory was the cry, there was great re- 
 joicing, in the sure and delightful feel- 
 ing of safety, far more than in that of 
 success. 
 
 " Men and boys had nearly all crossed 
 over the lake to witness the scene, from 
 the hills about the village, and were 
 spectators of the bloody affray. One of 
 my brothers went aboard one of the 
 vanquished ships, soon after the action 
 ceased. The deck was sti'ewed with 
 the dead and dying, weltering in gore. 
 The gallant Downle, who had command- 
 ed the British forces, lay on a large iron 
 chest, just as he was slain. Victory was 
 the theme and the cry of the conquer- 
 ors ; but grief and dismay were the feel- 
 ings of the vanquished. 
 
 " The officers who fell in these en- 
 counters, both by land and watei', were 
 buried side by side in the graveyard at 
 Plattsburgli. Monuments have been 
 erected to all. Friends and foes sleep 
 as quietly as if they had never had col- 
 lision here on earth. Commodore Dow- 
 nle, though slain in the invasion of our 
 country, as the officer of the highest 
 rank, is placed in the centime : and a tab- 
 let, erected to his memory, beai's the 
 following inscription : — 
 
 " ' Sacred to the memory of George 
 Downle, Esq., a post-captain in the Brit- 
 ish navy, who gloriously fell on board 
 his B. M. ship Confiance, while leading 
 the vessels under his command to the 
 attack of the American flotilla, at anchor 
 in Cumberland bay, off Plattsburgh, on 
 the 11th of September, 1814. — To mark 
 the spot where the remains of a gallant 
 
186 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 officer and sincere friend were honora- 
 bly interred, tins stone has been erected 
 by his affectionate sister-in-law, Mary 
 Downie/ 
 
 " The family of Dr. Davidson were 
 residents of I'lattsburgh at this time; 
 and Mrs. Davidson, in a work of hers 
 called ' Selections,' has given an inter- 
 esting sketch of events that occurred in 
 her own family during the scene of 
 those eventful days. 
 
 " After some months, the vessels were 
 taken to the head of tlie lake, at White- 
 hall. Circumstances of travelling just 
 at that time gave me an opportunity, in 
 the impressible season of childhood, to 
 see from the tall masts the British and 
 American flags floating lazily in the 
 breeze, the conquered ' lion' looking 
 just as fierce and terrible as if he had 
 not been a captive among Americans. 
 We were invited on board, and saw the 
 mutilated ships of war. They were 
 making preparations to sink them in 
 the lake, which was afterward done, for 
 preservation, and the soldiers were 
 rolliuof cannon-balls into their holds, as 
 weights. 
 
 " Commodore M'Donough was pres- 
 ent — a man of middle stature ; but there 
 was nothing in his looks or manner which 
 indicated aught of the exciting scenes 
 through which he had passed. It is said 
 of him that, after the enemy's fleet hove 
 in sight, the men of his ship were as- 
 sembled on the quarter-deck, when he 
 kneeled down, and, in humble and fer- 
 vent prayer, commended himself, his 
 men, and the cause in which they were 
 engaged, to the 'God of battles,' and 
 arose from that posture with a calmness 
 and serenity on his brow which showed 
 that he had received comfort and assu- 
 rance from above. 
 
 " The dead of both armies were taken 
 to the small islands near the scene of 
 action, and there buried. Those waters 
 now look as blue and as beautiful as if 
 never disturbed with war ; and those 
 islands are as green and veidant as if 
 never broken with new-made graves." 
 
 New York City. — The site of this 
 city, which was first ocruj>ied by Euro- 
 peans in 1614, or 1615, and then only 
 by the erection of a blockhouse near its 
 
 southern extremity, is now the most 
 populous, as well as the most important, 
 on the western continent, and vies, in 
 commercial rank, with many of the prin- 
 cipal ones of the old world. It now oc- 
 cupies the whole of Manhattan island, 
 being conterminous with the county of 
 New Yoi'k. Its limits, therefore, extend 
 to the narrow channel between the Hud- 
 son and East rivers, called Harlem river; 
 a distance of 14^ miles, with a breadth 
 varying up to two miles, and an area of 
 21| squai'e miles. The southern por- 
 tion, forming about one sixth of the 
 whole, is occupied by the main body of 
 the populatioi., amounting, in 1840, to 
 312,710, and in 1850 to 515,547. The 
 number of buildings, in 1850, in the com- 
 pact part of the city, was 37,730 ; the 
 valuation of real estate, $227,000,000, 
 and of personal estate, $93,000,000. 
 
 The harbor is very capacious, with 
 good anchorage for the largest ships, 
 almost wholly free from shoals, and with 
 currents strong enough to keep it usu- 
 ally free from ice in the winter, even 
 when more southern ports are obstruct- 
 ed Governor's and Bedlovv's islands 
 are strongly fortified ; and the entrance 
 to the lower bay is defended by Fort 
 Hamilton, on Long island. Fort Lafay- 
 ette, on a rock in the water, and batte- 
 ries on Staten island, opposite. The 
 Hudson river opens a natural navigable 
 channel of 150 miles to Albany, and 
 with the vaiious canals and railroads 
 heretofoi'e mentioned ; while the East 
 river communicates with Long Island 
 sound, which pours much trade into this 
 city. Lines of the most capacious and 
 splendid steamboats lead daily, and al- 
 most hourly, in all directions ; and new 
 channels of communication are now in 
 preparation, which will still further I'a- 
 cilitate and extend the great commer- 
 cial relations of New York. 
 
 The streets in the lower and oldest 
 part of the city ai-e generally narrow and 
 crooked ; but in the upper portion, to 
 which many of the inhabitants have 
 changed their residences within a few 
 years, they are straight, broad, well 
 built, and more agreeable. 
 
 The number of churches is 245. Of 
 these there are — baptist, 31 ; cungrega- 
 
188 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 tioiial, 9; Dutch reformed, 17; fiiends, 
 4; Jewish, 11 ; Lutheran, 5; methodist 
 episcopal, 31 ; methodist protestaiit, 2; 
 presbyterian, 35; associate preshyterian, 
 4 ; associate reformed presbyterian, 2 ; 
 reformed presbyterian, 4 •, protestaut 
 episcopal, 47 ; Roman catholic, 21 ; uni- 
 tarian, 2 ; universalist, 4 ; Welsh, 3 ; 
 miscellaneous, 16. 
 
 There are about forty banks, exclu- 
 sive of eleven for savings. There are 
 asylums for lunatics, at Bloomingdale ; 
 colored, indio-ent, and as^ed, at 42d street ; 
 deaf and dumb, 50th street ; blind, 9th 
 avenue; orphans, 117th street, and 71st 
 street, 6th avenue. Prince street, 11th 
 street, and colored orphans, 12th street; 
 lying-in women, Marion street ; old la- 
 dies, 20th street. 
 
 Schools. — Ward schools, 19; primary, 
 3 ; schools of the Public School Society, 
 18, and primaiy, 59. Both the ward 
 and the public schools are free to chil- 
 dren of all classes, and wholly gratui- 
 tous, even to the books used by the chil- 
 dren. The latter were commenced about 
 thirty years ago, through the exertions 
 of a few benevolent individuals, at a 
 time when public education was neg- 
 lected ; and, under the charge of a very 
 faithful and intelligent board of trustees, 
 and superintended by Mr. Seton, a de- 
 voted friend of the poor and ignorant, 
 they rose to a high eminence, under the 
 liberal patronage of the state. 
 
 The eighteen schoolhouses of this so- 
 ciety, above-mentioned, ai'e fine brick 
 buildings, usually about eighty by forty 
 feet, and two or three stories high, able 
 to contain from five to twelve hundred 
 children each. The monitorial system 
 is practised. 
 
 The ward schools have since been 
 established, in which that system is not 
 used. The trustees and other officers 
 are chosen annually by the people, and 
 their schools are multiplying. 
 
 The Institution for the Education of 
 the Deaf and Dumb. — This institution is 
 situated near 33d street and 4th avenue. 
 The building is 110 by 60 feet, and con- 
 tains about two hundred pupils, from all 
 parts of the state, many of whom are 
 supported and instructed at the public 
 expense. The building affords sleeping 
 
 and dining-rooms, with apartments for 
 recitation, the family of the superintend- 
 ent, and the eight instructors, the kitch- 
 en, &c. The system of instruction re- 
 sembles that practised in the other deaf 
 and dumb asylums in the United States, 
 being founded on the principles of the 
 Abbe De I'Epee and the Abbe Sicard, 
 introduced into this country by Mr. Gal- 
 laudet, at the expense of the American 
 asylum at Hartford, about the year 1815. 
 
 The Institution for the Education of 
 the Blind, is erected on land presented 
 by James Boorman, Esq., at the expense 
 of the state, aided by a gift of fifteen 
 thousand dollars from Mr. Burke, and 
 other donations. The building faces the 
 Hudson river, at a short distance from 
 the bank, and contains lodgings for a 
 large number of pupils, most of whom 
 are suppoi'ted by the state. They are 
 taught the common branches of learn- 
 ing, with vocal and instrumental music, 
 and several useful handicrafts best adapt- 
 ed to their abilities, chiefly the manu- 
 facture of baskets, rugs, bandboxes, and 
 carpets. 
 
 The Croton Aqueduct. — The city of 
 New York is abundantly supplied with 
 pui'e and wholesome water, by a work 
 of greater length than any other in the 
 country, and at a greater expense. The 
 supply is derived from the Croton river, 
 in Westchester county, at a point about 
 forty miles from the city. That stream 
 is dammed, and is capable of affording 
 a much greater quantity than can be 
 needed in a long course of years. The 
 • aqueduct passes most of the way under 
 ground, through a pipe of masonwork, 
 constructed in the most skilful manner, 
 but crosses several streams, the broad- 
 est of which is Harlem river. The 
 bridge thrown across is one of the most 
 important constructions on the line. It 
 is 1,450 feet long, with fifteen arches — 
 eight of them eighty feet span, and sev- 
 en of fifty feet span, 114 feet above tide- 
 water at the top. 
 
 The receiving reservoir is at 86th 
 street, abqut five and a half miles from 
 the city-hall. It covers thirty-five acres, 
 and contains one himdred and fifty mill- 
 ions of gallons. Theie the water is re- 
 ceived, and alk wed to stand long enough 
 
U 190 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 to dep -.lite the particles of sand and 
 clay it has brought down, and then it is 
 drawr: off" into the second or distributing 
 reservoir. 
 
 This reservoir is situated at 42d street, 
 on the height of ground about three 
 miles from the city-hall. It is an im- 
 mense structure of hewn stone,- I'esem- 
 bling a modern fortress of the first class, 
 covering four acres, and capable of 
 containing twenty millions of gallons. 
 From this iron pipes lead off, gradually 
 branching in different directions, with 
 stops, hydrants, &c. 
 
 Many houses are now supplied with 
 this excellent water, not merely for cu- 
 linary purposes and drinking, but also 
 for bathing, &c. There is also reserved 
 a supply for the extinguishment of fires, 
 of inestimable value to the city, which 
 has heretofore suffered most severely for 
 the want of it. 
 
 Several of the public squares are 
 adorned with beautiful fountains, some 
 of which throw the water nearly a hun- 
 dred feet pej'pendicularly, not, as at 
 Versailles, after being raised by ma- 
 chinery, but by the force of the natural 
 head. 
 
 Public Squares. — The Batter]/, named 
 from the use made of it in early times, 
 is a fine public walk on the southern 
 exti-emity of the island, shaded with 
 trees, and commanding a delightful view 
 upon the bay. Being exposed to the 
 sea-breezes, and in full view of the nu- 
 merous boats and vessels of all descrip- 
 tions, continually passing, the Battery is 
 a favorite resort in warm weather. 
 Castle-Garden is a place of amusement, 
 formed in an old fort, connected with 
 the Battery by a short bridge, near which 
 floatinar-baths ai'e moored in the bathinor 
 season. 
 
 The Bowling-Green, ']ust north of the 
 Battery, is a small circular green, sur- 
 rounded with an iron railing, shaded 
 with loffcy trees, and ornamented with a 
 beautiful fountain, where a stream of 
 Croton water is thrown about ninety 
 feet into the air, and falls upon a beau- 
 tiful structure of marble, and thence 
 into a basin. The Washington, 1 Broad- 
 way, was the headquarters of Lord 
 Howe, in the Revolution, and, after the 
 
 close of the war, was occupied by Gen- 
 eral Washington. The Atlantic, and 
 several other hotels, stand opposite or 
 near this favorite square. 
 
 T/ie Park. — This is the most central 
 and important of the public squares, at 
 the junction of two grand avenues of 
 the city, Broadway and Chatham street, 
 containing the city-hall, the new city- 
 hall, and the hall of records, and is 
 surrounded by many other important 
 edifices, such as the Astor house, Tam- 
 many hall, Stewart's store, museum, &:c. 
 It contains, also, a public fountain, with- 
 in a basin about one hundred feet in 
 diameter, which has a variety of jets, 
 that are occasionally changed. When 
 the water is thrown in a single stream, 
 it ascends to the height of seventy feet, 
 presenting a majestic appearance. 
 
 St. John's Park, in the western part 
 of the city, is private, being accessible 
 only to the inhabitants of the surround- 
 ing houses. It is closely planted with 
 trees, and has St. John's church fronting 
 it on the east. 
 
 Washington Square, between 4th and 
 6th streets, just west of Broadway, lies 
 in front of the university, and one of the 
 reformed Dutch churches. 
 
 Union Place, at the northern termi- 
 nation of Broadway, is in an elliptical 
 form, enclosed with a fine iron fence, 
 having a public fountain in the centime, 
 with ornamental jets, and is a delightful 
 place of resort to the inhabitants. 
 
 Further up the city are other public 
 squares, as Madison square, Hamilton 
 square, and others, not yet regulated. 
 On the east are Tompkins square and 
 Bellevue, the latter the seat of the alms- 
 house. 
 
 Wall Street, the central point of the 
 banks, insurance offices, &c., contains 
 the exchange and the customhouse. The 
 exchange is of Quincy gi-anitc, three sto- 
 ries high, and a basement, covering a 
 block between four streets, and is 197 
 feet 7 inches on Wall street, 144 on one 
 side, and 170 on the other, with a large 
 dome above, 100 feet high. 
 
 The customhouse, at the corner of 
 Nassau street, is of white marble from 
 Sing-Sing, and in the form of a Grecian 
 temple, with a colonnade at each end, 
 
192 
 
 DESCRiniON OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 i 
 
 and pilasters on the sides. Tlie interior 
 is almost wholly of lievvn stone. The 
 principal hall is in the centre; uiul all 
 ihe departments are well arranged, with 
 ample acc^nmmodatioiis fur the numerous 
 offices and clerks. 
 
 The G'ltij-Ilall . — This fine and spa- 
 cious edifice occupies the centi'e of the 
 park, fiicinq' the south, and presents a 
 beautiful Grrecian front, of 216 feet in 
 leni^th, rising from a broad tei'race. A 
 Hight of wide steps leads up to arched 
 entrances, above which is a balcony on 
 the second story. The two wings have 
 halls in front, devoted to the common 
 council, the supei-ior court, &c., while 
 other courts and offices are accommoda- 
 ted in other parts of the building. On 
 the top is the great fire-bell, which in- 
 dicates, by the number of strokes, the 
 districts of the city in which fires are 
 burning, for the direction of the Pre- 
 companies. A view from the cupula 
 affords one of the finest prospects of the 
 city. 
 
 Trinit.)/ Church, on Broadway, oppo- 
 site the head of Wall street, occupies 
 the site of the first episcopal church 
 erected in the city, in 1696, except the 
 chapel in the front. It is of sandstone, 
 in the Gothic style, 137 feet long, 36 
 feet wide, and 67 feet high, with a tower 
 30 feet squai'e, and a steeple whose top 
 is 283 feet from the ground. In the 
 I'ear is a vestry, 72 feet long. The 
 church contains an organ, which cost 
 S10,000. In tlie burial-ground surround- 
 ing the church, lie interred many distin- 
 guished persons, particularly Alexander 
 Hamilton and Captain .lames Lawrence. 
 
 Prisons:. — The Halls of Justice is the 
 city prison popularly known as the 
 " Tombs," and is situated a little north 
 of the park. It was built, about ten 
 years ago, to obviate the evils of the 
 bridewell, v/hich was constructed on the 
 defective principles of the old system. 
 The building is 200 by 253 feet, of 
 granite, in the Egyptian style, and con- 
 tains various court-rooms. The cells are 
 solitary, to prevent communication be- 
 tween the prisoners, but provision is 
 made for ventilation and warming the 
 cells, by openings in the wall. Meas- 
 ures are taken for the reli<j:ious instruc- 
 
 tion and moral improvement of those 
 confined. 
 
 The Penitentiary, on Black well's 
 island, in the East river, is an immense 
 stone structure, on the Auburn plan, 
 with a chapel, keepers' rooms, &c., in 
 the centre, the cells for females in the 
 south wing, and for men in the north. 
 Each wino: is more than 200 feet lonor. 
 
 Brooklyn. — This city is on Long 
 Island, opposite New York city, with 
 which it is connected by ferries, upon 
 which steamboats ply, every few minutes, 
 day and night. Its beautiful and elevated 
 situation has made it a favorite residence 
 of many persons doing business in New 
 York. It contains a city-hall, thirty 
 churches, several banks and insurance 
 companies, and over seventy thousand in- 
 habitants. The JLyceuin is a fine building 
 of granite, with a spacious lecture-room. 
 The City Library of 3,000 volumes, has 
 a fine building and reading-room. 
 
 The Navy- Yard has extensive grounds 
 enclosed, Avith an arsenal, stores, ship- 
 houses, docks, the naval lyceum, &c. 
 The naval hospital at a little distance, 
 is a fine, large building-. 
 
 Grcemcood Cemetery is an extensive 
 tract of ground, about three miles below 
 Bi'ooklyn, and situated on the bay. It 
 has an undulated surface, and is laid out 
 in lots, the access to which is by pleas- 
 ant, winding carriage-roads. The for- 
 est-trees are left standing in many places, 
 shading the little lakes, or covering the 
 hills, and, in others, those of various fo- 
 liage are intermingled by art ; while 
 tombs and monuments, usually planned 
 and executed with taste, are already 
 scattered in all parts. 
 
 State7i Island, with an elevated and 
 varied surface, offers many fine sites for 
 villages and country-houses, and is the 
 resort of many citizens, access being 
 made frequent and convenient by !iu- 
 merous steamboats. The quarantine 
 hospitals are situated on the northeast- 
 ern side ; and a little below is the "sea- 
 men's retreat," a noble institution, sup- 
 ported by the "hospital money" paid by 
 sailors. 
 
 Hoboken and Woehawken, on the 
 shore of New .Jersey, opposite the city, 
 are pleasant retreats. 
 
 I:. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 19a 
 
 History of the Sons of Liberty 
 IN the olden time. — The American 
 Revolution, which has produced such 
 extraordinary results both at home and 
 abroad, and which is destined to cause 
 still greater changes in the European 
 wtirld, will elevate the eighteenth cen- 
 I tury beyond that of any of its predeces- 
 ) sors in the annals of history. The suc- 
 cess of the great struggle for libeity, 
 which was by the many supposed hope- 
 less, and which present historians deem 
 » almost miraculous, was brought about 
 by the courage and perseverance of a. 
 few indomitable spirits, whom no labor 
 could weary or danger appal ; and it was 
 I by their moral courage, perseverance, 
 I and intrepidity, that this great Revolu- 
 i' tion was begun, continued, and ended. 
 i Many of those who figured largely in 
 f the history of the times, and some even 
 who swayed the councils of the nation 
 after the struggle was successfully begun, 
 were content with encouraging the re- 
 volt of others, without committing them- 
 selves, and kept within the pale of safety 
 until they could embark without foar 
 upon the perilous sea. But there were 
 others who were not only the principal 
 agitators, but actors themselves in the 
 most daring exploits ; and who threw 
 themselves into the breach in the most 
 dangerous conjunctures. Had it not 
 been for these, who took upon them- 
 selves the fearful responsibility of di- 
 recting and participating in overt acts 
 of rebellion, the studied arguments of 
 othei's who wished to bring on a crisis, 
 but blenched from its dangerous concom- 
 itants would have been unavailing. 
 
 In the year 1765 Isaac Sears, after- 
 ward better known by the name of King 
 • Sears, a man of great personal intre- 
 pidity, forward in dangerous enterprises, 
 and ready at all times to carry out the 
 boldest measures, became the origina- 
 tor and leader of a patriotic band, who 
 associated themselves together under 
 the name of the "Sons of Liberty." 
 Their organization soon pervaded every 
 part of the colonies, and was the germ 
 of the Revolution. By their intrepidity 
 the spirit of the masses was aroused, 
 and by their persevering industry and 
 aeal the people were excited to oppose 
 
 all efforts to enslave them. These bold 
 spirits formed the nucleus of the future 
 armies of the Revolution ; and it is to 
 the moral courage which they displayed, 
 and the indomitable resolution with which 
 they braved all danger, that the world 
 is indebted for the illustrious example 
 set by the infant colonies to Europe, and 
 the foundation of a great and glorious 
 republic. 
 
 The influence of these patriotic men, 
 and the successful issue of the struggle 
 begun by their boldness and sustained 
 by their energies, has scattered abroad 
 the seeds of freedom, which have borne 
 fruit, in encouraging a spirit of inquiry 
 throughout the civilized world, which 
 has reformed despotic governments, and 
 regenerated the fairest empires of the 
 Old World. 
 
 If the successful issue of the Revolu- 
 tion has solved the problem of the pos- 
 sible existence of a free yet powerful 
 government, it is, first, to the devoted 
 individuals who, despising the dangers 
 and disgraces to which they were ex- 
 posed, set at naught the penalties and 
 disqualifications of conspiracy and trea- 
 son, and entered into the contest with a 
 full knowledge of all its hazards, and a 
 determination to persist to the death to 
 effect their emancipation — secondly, to 
 those brave men who bore arms in the 
 subsequent struggle — that the great meed 
 of applause is due. To all these, how- 
 ever obscure their names or imperfect 
 tlieir efforts, the nation at large owes a 
 deep and lasting debt of gratitude. 
 
 The task of perpetuating the fame of 
 many of the great leaders of the Revo- 
 lution has fallen into the hands of able 
 historians, who have well performed 
 that duty. To rescue from oblivion and 
 to do justice to the founders of our lib- 
 erties, whose deeds, active or passive, 
 whose personal or moral courage was 
 instrumental in producing great and uni- 
 versal benefits to mankind, is peculiarly 
 the duty of the present age. Now, 
 when the present race, who first opened 
 their eyes to an emancipated country, to 
 enjoy the blessings purchased by the 
 blood of their fathers, are fast verging 
 to the grave, it is incumbent on all who 
 have the means of elucidating past trans- 
 
 13 
 
194 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 actii,'Tis, or the power to do justice to the 
 actors in the scenes which have preceded 
 them, to lend their efforts before they 
 are called to their own exit, lest the 
 deeds of their ancestors be forgotten. 
 
 It has often been remarked by histo- 
 rians as a duty every true patriot owes 
 to the public and posterity, to bring to 
 light whatever can be cillected from the 
 perishing materials of former days. 
 There are ancient manuscripts in every 
 part of our country, which are thrown 
 aside as waste-paper in families not 
 aware of its value. This kind of knowl- 
 edge deals much, to be sure, in dry de- 
 tail; hut /acts, upon which historians 
 can afterward enlarge and philosophize, 
 are what are chiefly important We 
 deem it a matter of such consetjuence 
 that, if the exertions of individuals be 
 not sufficient for the purpose of collect- 
 ing and preserving these materials, pub- 
 lic authority should lend its aid to accom- 
 plish this object, which is, in a peculiar 
 degree, of public concern and interest. 
 In this way are preserved to posterity 
 the undoubted records of our early his- 
 tory. 
 
 The intent of the first association of 
 the " Sons of Liberty" was to put down 
 the stamp-act ; and when this was effected 
 the objects of the society appeared to be 
 accomplished. But the acts of parlia- 
 ment, simultaneous with and subsequent 
 to the repeal, gave to the more sagacious 
 a cause for alarm greater than the ob- 
 noxious bill which had been rescinded. 
 The billeting act, or mutiny bill, by es- 
 tablishing a standing army in the colo- 
 nies at their own charge, was intended 
 to strengthen the arm of the royal au- 
 thority, to overawe the assembly, and to 
 coerce the people to acquiesce in the 
 impositions of the parliament. 
 
 History is full of the resistance to the 
 enormous assumptions of the mother- 
 country by New England and at the 
 south ; but little is said of the attitude 
 of New York in that dangerous crisis. 
 And yet in that colony, where the power 
 of the sovereign was almost omnipo- 
 tent, notwithstanding the exertions of 
 the most wealthy inhabitants whose large 
 estates were held by grants from the 
 crown and whose subservience to the 
 
 royal mandates influenced the assembly, 
 and all those who subsisted by the royal 
 bounty, there was found a chosen few 
 who remained constant to the last ; and 
 who, when all seemed lost, kept alive 
 the spirit of resistance, until from a 
 feeble and hopeless minority they were 
 enabled to triumph over the power of 
 the colonial government and prostrate 
 the royal authority for ever. 
 
 The association of the " Sons of Lib- 
 erty" was organized in 1765, soon after 
 the passage of the stamp-act, and ex- 
 tended throughout the colonies, from 
 Massachusetts to South Carolina. It 
 appears that New York was the central 
 post from which communications \^eve 
 despatched to and from the east, and to 
 the south as far as Maryland ; which 
 province was the channel of communi- 
 cation to and from its neighbors of Vir- 
 ginia and the Carolinas. 
 
 As the postoffices were under the 
 control of the government, and the riders 
 not at all times reliable, the committee 
 of New York (and probably the other 
 provinces adopted the same course), 
 upon extraordinary occasions, despatch- 
 ed intelligence by special messengers; 
 and if need were, a part of their mem- 
 bers visited in person the neighboring 
 associations to insure the perfect organ- 
 ization of the patriotic league. 
 
 The NewY^ork association had a cor- 
 respondent in London, to whom an ac- 
 count was given of their proceedings, 
 and from whom intelligence was from 
 time to time transmitted of their pro- 
 ceedings and the supposed designs of 
 the ministry, which in its turn was dis- 
 seminated among the people by the as- 
 sociation at home. A record of the 
 names of the most active of their leaders 
 would be a desirable document, but as 
 this would be difficult to be obtained 
 without great labor, and, perhaps, by a 
 single individual impossible, a list of 
 the committees in the different provinces, 
 so far as they can be ascertained, from 
 the remaining papers of the committee 
 of New York, might be the means of 
 initiating inquiry in other quarters tow 
 ard pz'oducing the desired result. 
 
 Those from Maryland will appear 
 from the following extract from the pro- 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 195 
 
 ceedings of the " Sons of Liberty," 
 March 1, 1766. 
 
 " The Sons of Liberty of Baltimore 
 count), and Anne Arundel county, met 
 at the courthouse of the city of Annap- 
 olis, the first day of March, 1766. 
 
 " On m(jtion of a Son of Liberty to 
 appoint a moderator and secretary, the 
 Rev. Andrew Londrum was chosen 
 moderator, and William Paca, secre- 
 tary. 
 
 " Joseph Nicholson, of Kent county, 
 presented an address from that county, 
 signed William Ringgold, William Ste- 
 phenson, Thomas Ringgold, jr., Joseph 
 M'Hard, Gideon M'Cauley, Daniel Fox, 
 Benjamin Binning, William Bordley, 
 Jarvis James, William Stukely, Joseph 
 Nicholson, jr., James Porter, Thomas 
 Ringgold, James Anderson, Thomas 
 Smyth, William Murray, Joseph Nichol- 
 son, George Garnet, S. Boardley, jr., 
 Peroy. Frisby, Henry Vandike, and 
 John Bolton." 
 
 William Paca, Samuel Chase, and 
 Thomas B. Hands, were the Anne 
 Arundel county committee. 
 
 John Hall, Robert Alexander, Corbin 
 Lee, James Heath, John Moale, and 
 William Lux, were the Baltimore county 
 committee. 
 
 Thomas Chase, D. Chamier, Robert 
 Adair, Patrick Allison, and W. Smith, 
 were the Baltimore town committee. 
 
 Pennsylvania. — William Bradford and 
 Isaac Howell were the correspondents 
 at Philadelphia. 
 
 New Jersey. — Daniel Hendrickson, 
 minister, Peter Imlay, jr., Jos. Holmes, 
 jr., Peter Covenhoven, jr., and Elisha 
 Lawrence, jr., were the committee of 
 Upper Freehold — Richard Smith, of 
 Burlington, and Henry Bickers of New 
 Brunswick. 
 
 Connecticut. — Jo. Burrowes ; Jona- 
 than Sturgis, Fairfield; John Durker, 
 Norwich ; Hugh Leollie, Windham. 
 
 New York. — Isaac Sears, John Lamb, 
 WilUam Wiley, Edward Laight, Thos. 
 Robinson, Flores Bancker, Chas. Nicoll, 
 Joseph Allicoke, and Gersham Mott. 
 
 Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, Mynhard 
 . Roseboom, Robert Henry, and Thomas 
 Young, Albany. 
 
 John S. Hobart, Gilbert Potter, Thos. 
 
 Brush, Cornelius Conklin, and Nathan- 
 iel Williams, Huntington, Long Island. 
 
 George Townsend, Barack Sneething, 
 Benjamin Townsend, George Weeks, 
 Michael Weeks, and Rowland Cham- 
 bers, Oyster Bay, Long Island. 
 
 The first organization of the Sons of 
 Liberty was dissolved at the repeal of 
 the stamp-act; and while the hope was 
 strong that similar associations would 
 no longer be necessary, the committee 
 received a letter from their faithful cor- 
 respondent in London, of the following 
 import : — 
 
 London, ^ith July, 1766. 
 
 Gentlemen : I flattered myself to have 
 heard from you by the last ships, but 
 am informed your society is dissolved, 
 which I am glad to hear, as the cause 
 of your complaint is removed. But I 
 think it necessary to assure you that 
 the continual account we had of the 
 Sons of Liberty, through all North 
 America, had its proper weight and ef- 
 fect. 
 
 As our gracious sovereign rules over 
 none but free men, and in which he 
 glories, it therefore can not offend him 
 that his numerous and faithful sub- 
 jects in America claim the appellation 
 of Sons of Liberty. Permit me, there- 
 fore, to recommend ten or twenty of the 
 principal of you, to form yourselves 
 into a club, to meet once a week, under 
 the name of Liberty Club; and for ever, 
 on the 18th of March, or first day of 
 May, give notice to the whole body to 
 commemorate your deliverance, spend- 
 ing such day in festivity and joy. I beg 
 pardon for taking the liberty to idvise 
 you ; but I am firmly of opinion it will 
 have such effect as you wish. 
 
 I have the honor to be, gentlem.en, 
 your most humble servant, 
 
 Nicholas Ray. 
 
 P. S. — The commercial acts and free 
 ports which we lately sent to all the 
 colonies I believe will give you pleas- 
 ure. 
 
 To the Sons of Liberty, New York. 
 
 To this letter the committee returned 
 the following reply : — 
 
196 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 New York, October lOth, 1766. 
 Sir : Your esteemed favor of the 28th 
 July last, we have duly received ; and 
 observe with the greatest regret your 
 disappointment at not hearing from us, 
 agreeably to your expectations, which, 
 permit us to assure you, was not owing 
 to any remissness on our pait, or want 
 of respect ; but to the dissolution of 
 our society, which happened immedi- 
 ately upon the repeal of the stamp-act. 
 Your proposal with regard to a num- 
 ber of us forming ourselves into a club, 
 we have already had under considera- 
 tion. But as it is imagined that some 
 inconveniences would arise, should such 
 a club be established just at this time, 
 we must postpone the same till it may 
 appear more eligible ; at the same time 
 we take the liberty to assure you, and 
 all our good friends on your side of the 
 water, who so nobly exerted themselves 
 in behalf of us, and the expiring liber- 
 ties of their country, that we still do, 
 and ever shall, retain the most grateful 
 sense of the favors we have received ; 
 and that we shall use our utmost en- 
 deavors, consistent with loyalty, to keep 
 up that glorious spirit of liberty which 
 was so rapidly and so generally kindled 
 throughout this extensive continent. In 
 order to which, we shall not fail here- 
 after to celebrate the anniversary of the 
 repeal, with every demonstration of 
 gratitude and joy, on the memorable 
 eighteenth day of March. 
 
 We have the honor to be, in behalf 
 
 of the Sons of Liberty, sir, your most 
 
 obedient and obliged humble servants, 
 
 Isaac Sears, Eoward Laight, 
 
 Flores Bancker, John Lamb, 
 
 Chas. Nicoll, Joseph Allicoke. 
 
 To Mr. Nicholas Ray, merchant, London. 
 
 It was not long before the necessity 
 for reorganization became apparent, and 
 most of the committee, who had acted 
 with so much vigor and zeal, were foimd 
 equ'illy vigilant on every emergency. 
 Of the persons before named of the 
 New York association, Mr. Allicoke 
 alone is known to the writer to have 
 espoused the cause of the king. But 
 with the exception of Messrs. Nicoll 
 and Bancker, whose names do not ap- 
 
 pear on any of the subsequent commit- 
 tees, the others were the most deter- 
 mined opposers of the crown and stead- 
 fast adherents to the revolutionary party. 
 
 Biography of Colonel Isaac Sears, 
 — Among those who originated the op- 
 position to the stamp-act, and who band- 
 ed themselves together at the first en- 
 croachments of the mother-country, un- 
 der the designation of associated So.xs 
 OF Liberty, there existed, of course, a 
 great diversity of intellectual endow- 
 ments ; nor did all render to their 
 country in those perilous days the same 
 important services. Like the luminaries 
 of heaven, each contributed his portion 
 of influence; but, like them, they dif- 
 fered, as star differs from star in glory. 
 In the constellation of great men which 
 adorned that era, whose united boldness 
 and constancy drove the ministeral par- 
 ty to abandon their open attempts, and 
 to mask their resolved purposes under 
 measures less palpable to the general 
 perception, few shone with more bril- 
 liancy, or exercised a more powerful in- 
 fluence, than the subject of this brief 
 memoir. 
 
 This gentleman was born at Nor- 
 walk, Fairfield county, Connecticut, in 
 the year 1729. From the records of his 
 native town, we learn that his parent 
 Joshua Sears came from Harwich, 
 Barnstable county, Massachusetts, and 
 bought lands in South Norwalk in 1720, 
 fi'om his brother-in-law, Josiah Thatch- 
 er. By the Harwich records, after care- 
 ful researches made by Amos Otis, Esq., 
 a distinguished antiquarian, it appears 
 that Joshua was a resident of Harwich, 
 and married Mercy Thatcher, in 1710, 
 and removed to Connecticut. His pil- 
 grim ancestoT*, Richard Sears, originally 
 of Colchester. England, stands inscribed 
 — one of eighty-nine names — on the first 
 rate-list, in the old colony records. He 
 came from Holland, with sixty persons, 
 and landed at Plymouth on the 8th of 
 May, in 1630, the last, or among the last, 
 of Robinson's congregation at Leyden. 
 
 Colonel Sears was engaged for sever- 
 al years in an extensive and profitable 
 business, as a dealer in European and 
 India goods, at New York, New Ha- 
 ven, artd Boston. But in 1763, when it 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 197 
 
 was announced that the British minis- 
 try had in view to tax the colonies for 
 the purpose of raising a revenue, which 
 was to be placed at the disposal of the 
 crown, his mind was turned to politics, 
 and became in a great measure detached 
 from mercantile pursuits. The cause 
 of freedom at once became an all-en- 
 grossing subject with him. He felt its 
 inspiration. It occupied his warmest 
 thoughts, enlivened his conversation, and 
 employed his pen. In respect to his 
 private affairs, this was an unfortunate 
 trait of character ; but most fortunate for 
 his country, since he thus acquired an 
 extensive knowledge of those principles 
 of rational liberty which he afterward 
 asserted and maintained with so much 
 energy. 
 
 At a public meeting held on the 6th of 
 November, 1765, Sears and four others 
 were appointed the committee of corre- 
 spondence with the other colonies. Bot- 
 ta, in his history of the United States, 
 says that it was difficult to fill the com- 
 mittee ; but that Sears first volunteered, 
 and was joined by four others, whose 
 names, he regrets, are not known.* 
 
 On the 26th of December, 1765, this 
 committee notified the public that they 
 would soon be called upon. Informa- 
 tion had been received that a further 
 importation of stamps was expected. 
 On the 7th of January, 1766, they ar- 
 rived, were seized and destroyed, and 
 notice sent to Philadelphia. The an- 
 swer to that despatch is directed to 
 Messrs. Sears, Lamb, Robinson, Wily, 
 and Mott. No other committee is 
 known to have existed at that time, and 
 that committee managed the correspond- 
 ence with the different colonies, and 
 with the interior of the state. They 
 framed articles of union for the differ- 
 ent colonies, which were sent to the east- 
 ward for concurrence, and after it was 
 obtained, despatched them to Baltimore 
 to bo approved, and sent further south 
 for adoption. Of this, proof is to be 
 found in the original draughts of letters 
 (or copies) and replies that were ad- 
 dressed to those gentlemen. 
 
 It is believed that the principal let- 
 
 " They were John Lamb, Gershoni Mott, Wil- 
 liam Wily, and Thomas Robinson. 
 
 ters, instructions, &c., forwarded to the 
 sister-colonies, were prepaied oy Mr. 
 Sears, as the chairman of the tssocia- 
 tion. In various ways his appeals made 
 the most powerful remonstrances against 
 the injustice of England, in debasing 
 Americans from the character of fi'ee 
 subjects to the state of tributary slaves. 
 The " Sons of Liberty" were among 
 the first who urged the necessity of 
 that mutual understanding and corre- 
 spondence among them, which laid the 
 foundation of their future confederacy ; 
 led to the first continental congress at 
 New York, in 1766; prepared the way 
 for the continental congress which as- 
 sembled in Philadelphia on the 5th of 
 September, 1774 ; and eventually re- 
 sulted in the public and explicit decla- 
 ration of independence on the ever- 
 memorable 4th of July, 1776. 
 
 Apart from the higher, the epochal 
 incidents in the life of humanity, the 
 epitomes of years, deeds, and nations, 
 there are events which do not claim to 
 be inscribed upon the page of general 
 history ; and yet, from the deep local 
 influence they once exercised, still pie- 
 serve a commemorative interest, and 
 convey an impressive lesson. The great 
 war of our independence is rife with 
 such illustrations. Its memories and 
 heroes crowd so thickly upon us, that its 
 history can not yet be written. But as 
 each day adds to the legendary store, 
 and we draw nigh the hour when it may 
 be traced, time silently distils the mass 
 of events, and the mingled vapors which 
 ascend from the alembic, will be con- 
 densed by impartiality into truth. 
 
 The events we are about to recall, 
 occurred in New York and its vicinity, 
 between the months of September, 1775, 
 and September, 1776. 
 
 The revolution was hardly throe 
 months old. But already from the cra- 
 dle of liberty it had strangled its ser- 
 pents at Lexington and Bunker's hill. 
 The American army, encamped around 
 Boston, owned Washington's command, 
 and held at bay the beleagured British. 
 In the oppressed colonies, a spirit of re- 
 sistance had organized the resolute yeo- 
 manry ; and with the victories inscribed 
 upon the national escutcheon, the patri- 
 
198 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 
 
 otic clioid was vibrating in every heart. 
 War had not yet disturbed our goodly 
 city, which lay in unconscious repose, 
 on the mellow night of the 23d of Au- 
 gust, 1775. One or two riots, the re- 
 sult of political faction, rather than of 
 unadulterated rebellion, alone gave to- 
 kens of a turbulent spirit. The Eng- 
 lish governor, Tryon, still dwelt here, 
 an object of courtesy, though of mis- 
 trust. In the North river, off the fort, 
 lay the Asia, a British man-of-war, with 
 whose presence people had become fa- 
 miliar. The public mind was in a state 
 of vague apprehension. It remained for 
 its hopes and fears to assume a definite 
 shape. 
 
 Toward midnight, our forefathers 
 were aroused from their first slumbers 
 by the thunder of artillery. At that 
 silent hour, the ominous sounds were 
 unwelcome visitants. The cannon peals 
 were relieved by the sharp discharge of 
 musketry ; and the stillness that ensued 
 was occasionally broken by the hasty 
 footsteps of one summoned to his duty, 
 with unbuckled sabre trailing on the 
 ground, or by the agitated cry of a help- 
 less woman, fleeing from the audible 
 danger. Drums beat to arms ; volley 
 after volley announced the continuation 
 of the strife ; and the half-waked dream- 
 er no longer mistook these cries of war 
 for the echoes of eastern battles. As the 
 night advanced, one body of men suc- 
 ceeding another was revealed by the 
 blaze of torches, and the cumbrous 
 wheels of the field-piece they were 
 dragging, seemed to leave reluctantly 
 the scene of conflict. By-and by, troops 
 of dwellers in the lower part of the 
 town escaped througli the streets, from 
 their menaced or shattered abodes, in 
 confusion and fear. Was the enemy in 
 the city ? the Battery taken ? Were 
 the troops forced to retreat before a vic- 
 torious foe ? These interrogatories were 
 breathed rather than spoken, or if put, 
 were not answered. It was a memora- 
 ble night, and something seemed to 
 have delayed the approach of morning. 
 
 The town was early astir. At break 
 of day, many inhabitants were seen is- 
 suing from their dwellings, and wend- 
 ing their way to the Battery. To those 
 
 already assembled there, when night up- 
 rolled her curtain of clouds, the glowing 
 dawn that shot over our noble bay, dis- 
 closed traces of disorder, and ravagres 
 of the cannon-ball, on the one hand and 
 on the other, the smoke still ascending 
 from the angry artillery to the powder- 
 stained rigging of the Asia. Moreover, 
 the field-pieces, which but yesterday 
 guarded the Battery, were gone. These 
 the timid received as tokens of danger, 
 &nd prepared to depart ; the intrepid 
 hailed them as auspicious omens of fu- 
 ture victories. 
 
 The twenty-one pieces of ordnance had 
 been removed by order of the provincial 
 congress. Col. John Lamb's artillery 
 corps, and the " Sons of Liberty," head- 
 ed by Colonel Sears, were the heroes 
 of the adventure. The efforts of the 
 enemy to protect these royal stores, had 
 proved unavailing. Warned of the in- 
 tended movement. Captain Vandeput, 
 of the Asia, detached an armed barge 
 to watch, and if needful, interfere with, 
 its execution. A musket fired from this 
 boat, drew Colonel Lamb's volley, and 
 a man on board was killed. The Asia 
 fired three cannon. The drum beat to 
 arms in the city. The man-of-war sus- 
 tained the cannonade. Three citizens 
 were wounded, and the upper parts of 
 various houses near Whitehall and the 
 fort, received much injury. A son of 
 Colonel Lamb, whose regiment covered 
 the cannons' retreat, is now living in 
 this city, and in the rooms of the " His- 
 torical Society" may be seen one of the 
 very balls fired into New York that 
 night. 
 
 James Rivington was, then, the edito- 
 rial and proprietary publisher of the 
 " New York Gazette,"* and as the oppo- 
 
 • This Gazette attained the greatest notoriety du- 
 riiiET the revolutionary war, and was at first entitled, 
 Rivington's New York Gazetteer ; or, The Connec- 
 ticut, New Jersey, Hudson's River, and Quebec 
 Weekly Advertiser. 
 
 This Gazette commenced its career April 22, 
 1773, on a large medium sheet folio. It was print- 
 ed, weekly, on Thursday ; and when it had heen es- 
 tablished one j'ear, tliis imprint followed the title, 
 "Printed at his ever open and uninfluenced press, 
 fronlinf? Hanover square." A large cut of a ship un- 
 der Ruil was at first introduced into the title, under 
 which -were the words " New York Packet." This 
 cut soon gave place to one of a smaller size. In No- 
 vember, 1774, the ship waB removed, and the king's 
 anns took the place of it. In August, 1775, ilie 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 
 
 199 
 
 site party subsided in the expression of 
 its political sentiments, and loyalism was 
 no longer in terror of a Sears, he not 
 only gavti free vent to his own views, 
 but so far forgot himself, as sadly to 
 abuse those of his radical neighbors. 
 Emboldened by their quiet reception of 
 his denunciations, he expressed tliese in 
 still move forcible tones, and doubtless 
 exulted in this victory over whig opin- 
 ions. 
 
 It was high noon, on Thursday, the 
 twenty-third of N(jveml)er. Tlie Ga- 
 zette had been issued that morning, and 
 the wortliy editor was seated in his cabi- 
 net, examining the new-born sheet, just 
 like any gentleman of the press in our 
 day, when the sound of hoofs on the 
 pavement beneath, drew his attention 
 to the window. Looking out into the 
 street, he beheld, with dismay, liis old 
 enemy. Col. Sears, at the head of an 
 armed troop of horsemen, drawn up 
 before his door. The men and their 
 leader dismounted with the utmost de- 
 liberation, and a part of them entered 
 the printer's abode. A i'ew moments 
 after, ho saw his beloved ]irinting-press 
 cast into the street, and heard the tu- 
 mult raised in the compositors' room 
 above him, by those engaged in the 
 work of demolition. To his despair, 
 the materials thrown upon the pave- 
 ment were speedily transferred to the 
 dock, and the invaders sallied forth with 
 
 words " Ever open and uninfiuenced" were omitted 
 iu tlie imprint. 
 
 The Gazetteer was patronized in all the principal 
 towns by the advocates of the British administration 
 who approved the nieasares adopted toward the col- 
 onies ; and it undoubtedly had pome support from 
 "his majesty's government." The pajier obtained 
 an extensive circulation, but eventually paid very lit- 
 tle respect to " the majesty of the people ;" and, in 
 consequence, the paper and its publisher soon be- 
 came obnoxious to the whigs. 
 
 While in England, Rivington supplied himself 
 with a new printing apparatu.«, and was appointed 
 king's printer for New York After the British 
 gained possession of the city, lie returned ; and. on 
 October 4, 1777, recommenced the publication of his 
 Gazette under the original title, but in two weeks he 
 exchanged that title f>r the following : " Rivington's 
 New York Loyal Gazette ;" and on the i:Uh of De- 
 cember following, he called his paper, '• The Royal 
 Gazette." Imprint: " Published by James Riving- 
 ton, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty." 
 "The Royal Gazette was numbered as a continua- 
 tion of the Gazetteer, and Loyal Gazette, and was 
 published on Wednesdays and Saturdays ; printed 
 on a sheet of royal size, with the roynl arms in the 
 title. 
 
 many a pound of precious types in their 
 pockets and handkerchiefs. A large 
 crowd, collected by so unusual an event, 
 stood aloof, quiet spectators of the ^cene. 
 The cavaliers remounted their steeds, 
 and rode off toward Connecticut, whence 
 they came, and where, as was subse- 
 quently ascertained, the offending types 
 were melted down to bullets. Thus 
 liberty assailed the freedom of the press, 
 ana the balls whilom cast with joy into 
 types, reassumed their pristine shape 
 and destination ; the ploughshare was 
 reconverted to the sword. 
 
 Although no opposition was offered 
 to these proceedings, by the body of 
 citizens assembled near Rivington's door, 
 there stood upon a neighboring stoop a 
 lad of eighteen years of age, with an 
 eye of fire, and an angry arm, harangu- 
 ing the multitude in a tone of earnest 
 eloquence. He urged that order should 
 be preserved ; appealing warmly to the 
 dignity of citizenship, " which," said he, 
 " slnnild not brook an encroachment of 
 unlicensed troops from another colony," 
 and offering to join in checking the in- 
 truders' progress. The sins of Riving- 
 ton could not be forgiven ; but the 
 youthful orator was listened to with re- 
 spectful deference by that crowd which 
 already recognised the genius and fer- 
 vor of Alexander Hamilton. 
 
 A detailed account of all the important 
 exploits in which Sears was either the 
 leader, or bore a distinguished pa rt, would 
 far exceed our prescribed limits. He 
 was elected to the New York provin- 
 cial congress, which met in October, 
 1765 ; and was the first person who 
 made a motion to erect fortifications on 
 the island. They were projected on a 
 comprehensive scale. With an intelli- 
 gent eye, he embraced the extensive lo- 
 calities to be defended, and detected 
 their vulnerable points. He also acted 
 a conspicuous part in the excitement oc- 
 casioned by the Boston port bill ; and 
 was warmly recommended by General 
 Washington to Major General Lee, for 
 his zeal and fidelity.* 
 
 • The following letter from General Washington, 
 dated Cambridge, February 26, 1776, to his aid-de- 
 camp and secretary. General Joseph Reed, will be 
 read with interest : — 
 
 " You must know, my dear sir, that Colonel Sears 
 
 =LI 
 
200 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 Owing, probably, to his exclusive at- 
 tention to politics, he lost his entire capi- 
 tal, a few years after the close of the 
 war. He had freely expended his 
 wealth, and the best portion of his life, 
 in the service of his country, from 1765 
 to the successful termination of the rev- 
 olutionary struggle. The knowledge | 
 of facts like these diminishes the won- j 
 der which has sometimes been expres- | 
 sed, that America should have success- 
 fully contended with Great Britain. Her : 
 physical strength was comparatively i 
 weak ; but the moral courage of her 
 early patriots was to her instead of num- 
 bers, of wealth, or of fortifications. 
 
 We close this imperfect sketch with 
 a short extract from the journals of Ma- 
 jor Samuel Shaw, of Boston, the first 
 American consul at Canton,* being the 
 only authentic account we have of the 
 last days of this brave man : — 
 
 " Toward the close of November, 
 1785, proposals were made to me by 
 Colonel Isaac Sears, and other gentle- 
 men in New York, to take a concern 
 with them in a voyage to Canton, with 
 Mr. Sears to superintend the business. 
 A suitable cargo having been provided, 
 we sailed from New York, on the 4th of 
 February, 1786, bound to Batavia and 
 Canton. * * * On the 4th of July we 
 anchored in the road of Batavia. Hav- 
 ing transacted our business there, we 
 left for Canton on the 23d of the same 
 month, — Mr. Sears and the captain be- 
 ing confined to their beds with a fever, 
 
 was here, with some other gentlemen from Connec- 
 ticut, when the intelligence of Clinton's embarkation 
 came to hand. » * » What, then, was to be done? 
 Why, Col. Sears and the other gentlemen assured 
 me, that if the necessity of the case was signified by 
 me, and that Gen. Lee should be sent, one thousand 
 volunteers (requiring no pay, but supplied with pro- 
 visions only) would march immediately to New York. 
 and defend the place until congress should deter- 
 mine what should be done ; awd that a line from me 
 to Governor Trumbull would facilitate the measure." 
 * Boston: pnblished by Crosby and Nichols, 1847, 
 a valuable contribution to oar revolutionary history. 
 
 which had attacked them two days be- 
 fore. * * * We arrived at Canton on the 
 10th of August, Mr. Sears still remain- 
 ing very sick. After remaining there 
 three days, ho began to recover slowly ; 
 and at one period he had so far got the 
 better of his disorder as to leave the 
 vessel, and pass two days with us at the 
 factory ; when, finding the air did not 
 agree with him, he returned on board 
 ship. There, at first, he continued to 
 gain strength daily; but in a short time 
 after he relapsed, and a flux setting in 
 with his fever, the disease baffled the 
 efforts of medicine, and carried him off 
 on the 2Sth of October, in the fifty-sev- 
 enth year of his age. His remains were 
 interred the next day, on Frer.ch island, 
 with the usual solemnities ; and previ- 
 ous to our ship leaving Whampoa, a tomb 
 was erected over him, and a suitable in- 
 scription placed upon it. To give his 
 character in a few words : he was an 
 honest man, an agreeable acquaintance, 
 and a warm friend." pp. 219 and 227. 
 
 DuNLAP, in his useful history, has done 
 much to perpetuate the names of many 
 of the Sons of Liberty. He speaks 
 of Sears, M'Dougall, and Willett, as 
 composing the most efficient and deter- 
 mined committees, from 1705 to the 
 breaking out of the war, and who were 
 in active correspondence with the patri- 
 ots of the other colonies, and aided by 
 their labors to keep up the ardor of 
 opposition to the encroachments of the 
 ministry. It is matter of much regret, 
 that more ample materials do not re- 
 main to do justice to these and others 
 of the fraternity. 
 
 It may safely be said, that wherever 
 danger was to be encountered, or re- 
 sponsibility to be incurred, Isaac Se vrs 
 was to be found ; and with him was in- 
 dissolubly associated his efficient coad- 
 jutor, John Lamb. These were em- 
 phatically the tribunes of the people. 
 
 {^a^^2^ 
 
 Facsimile of the Signature of Isaac Sears. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. 
 
 201 
 
 
 The situation of this state is in 
 some respects quite peculiar. It 
 is long and narrow, and lies be- 
 tween two of the largest and most 
 important states in the Union. 
 While, on the one hand, its terri- 
 tory is thus rendered highly im- 
 portant, as the only direct thor- 
 oughfare between them, on the 
 other, strong influences oppose 
 the existence of a single, united 
 spirit among the people. The 
 Hudson and New York city at- 
 tract the business of East Jersey, 
 as the Delaware and Philadelphia 
 do that of West Jersey, 
 In several respects, however, this state has points of interest equal to any of 
 her sisters of the Union, which will be in some measure exhibited, even in the 
 few pages which we have to devote to the following description. 
 
 New Jersey possesses a considerable variety of climate, for a country of so 
 small a surface, as its length is two or three times greater than its breadth, and it 
 stretches directly north and south, while there is a considerable difference of ele- 
 vation between the low, sandy regions in the southern parts, and the hilly and 
 almost mountainous northern counties. Much of the former district also 5es near 
 the sea, while the latter is removed to a distance from it. 
 
 The Allegany range, crossing the northwestern parts, gives them the character 
 just alluded to ; and, vrhile it affects the soil and vegetable productions, yields 
 rich mineral products, several mines of copper and iron being wrought — the lat- 
 ter to much advantage. The proportion of good land is not large, as the *' piny 
 woods" in the south too nearly resemble the " pine barrens" of the southern At- 
 lantic boi-der, of which they appear to be the beginning; while through the ele- 
 vated districts are considerable tracts inconvenient of access, or incapable of 
 cultivation. The railroads and canals, however, which cross the state in several 
 places, afford important facilities for transportation as well as for travelling. 
 
202 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. 
 
 History. — Henry Hudson entered 
 Delaware bay on the 2Sth of August, 
 1609, and made an attempt to penetrate 
 bv it into the continent, a short time be- 
 fore he discovered the harbor of New 
 York (namely, September 3), and the 
 river which bears his name. The first 
 settlements made by Europeans on the 
 soil of this state were but a little subse- 
 quent to the first occupation of Manhat- 
 tan island. The first Dutch vessel came 
 out to trade in the Hudson in 1610, and 
 the fort was erected at the Battery in 
 1614. In the latter year a redoubt ap- 
 pears to have been thrown up on the 
 Jersey shore. About the year 1618, a 
 colony of Danes or Norwegians, who 
 had come out with the Dutch, made a 
 settlement at Bergen, opposite New 
 York. The first settlement in West Jer- 
 sey is believed to have been made in 
 1623, by Cornelius Jacobse Mey, whose 
 name is commemorated in Cape May. 
 He proceeded up Delaware bay to 
 Timber creek, a little above Camden, 
 where he built Fort Nassau. He J.ailed 
 in the employment of the Dutch West 
 India company, which had been formed 
 in 1621. Individuals obtained charters 
 from that association, to large tracts of 
 land, subject only to the Indian claim, 
 one of which, opposite New York, ex- 
 tended thirty-two miles by two. One 
 man th is ol'tained a tract sixteen miles 
 square, at Cape May, bought of nine In- 
 dian chiefs. Some of these great land- 
 holders associated, and sent out David 
 Petersen de Vries in a ship, to make a 
 settlement on the Delaware, in 1630. 
 He found Fort Nassau in the possession 
 of the Indians, and no traces of its for- 
 mer occupants. He built another fort, 
 and left it to return to Holland ; but the 
 garrison were soon massacred to a man. 
 After another unsuccessful attempt to 
 plant a colony, the treachery of the na- 
 tives discouraged the company, and the 
 enterprise was abandoned. 
 
 In 1637, two Swedish vessels arrived 
 in the Delaware, and settlements were 
 commenced on the western side, but 
 lands were occupied only on the eastern. 
 In 1642, Printz Hall came over as gov- 
 ernor, under the appointment of the 
 queen of Sweden, and established his 
 
 residence on Tinnicum island, buildii.g' 
 a fort, laying out a garden, and erecting 
 a church and several houses. Among 
 his companions were John Campanius 
 Holm, afterward the historian of the 
 colony, and an engineer named Lind- 
 strom, who published a map of the Del- 
 aware and its borders. There has been 
 much doubt respecting the grounds on 
 which the Swedes rested their claim to 
 this part of the country ; and they soon 
 found it contested by the Dutch, who, 
 having reoccupied Fort Nassau and sev- 
 eral other points, were called upon to 
 surrender them, and, on their refusal, 
 compelled to submit by force. Govern- 
 or Stuyvesant, of New York, soon in- 
 terfered, and regained the Dutch posi- 
 tions, and easily reduced the Swedish 
 posts, finally capturing the seat of gov- 
 ernment at Tinnicum island. This blow 
 terminated the Swedish power on the 
 Delaware, called by them New Sweden. 
 In 1640, a number of English colo- 
 nists arrived from New Haven, claiming 
 a right to occupy the soil under British 
 authority ; and thus the foundation was 
 laid of disputes, which from time to time 
 caused considerable difficulty. The tra- 
 dinghouse which they erected was de- 
 stroyed in one case ; and in others their 
 goods were confiscated, and some of the 
 men imprisoned. The British and the 
 Dutch governments had some warm al- 
 tei'cations on the question of right to this 
 part of the country. It is reported that 
 some of the descendants of the early 
 New Haven colonists still remain in Sa- 
 lem, Cumberland, and Cape May. 
 
 The year 1664 was the epoch of the 
 reduction of the New Netherlands (now 
 New York), by Colonel Nichols, at the 
 command of Charles II. Sir Robert 
 Carr soon after obtained possession of 
 the posts and colonies on the Delaware, 
 bavins: entered the bay with two frig- 
 ates, and expended "two barre^ls of gun- 
 ! powder and twenty shot." The same 
 year, Charles, by a royal ])atent, con- 
 ferred it upc^ii the Duke of York; and 
 he convoyed a large tract, named " Nova 
 Cassaroa" (New Jersey), to Lord Berke- 
 ley and Sir George Carteret. The name 
 then bestowed, and which is still retain- 
 ed, is said to have been chosen in com- 
 
 \l=r. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. 
 
 203 
 
 pliment to Carteret, because he had de- 
 fended the island of Jersey against the 
 " long parliament" in the civil wars. 
 
 Berkeley and Carteret conferred a 
 constitution on the colony, securing to 
 all equal rights and privileges, including 
 liberty of conscience ; and the latter was 
 appointed governor, and took up his 
 residence at Elizabethtown, in 1665. 
 Having purchased land from the Indi- 
 ans, he sent an invitation to Connecticut 
 for settlers, on such favorable terms that 
 many accepted it, and the j)opulation of 
 the colony rapidly increased. 
 
 But in 1672, difficulties, which had 
 arisen between some of the older set- 
 tlers and the proprietors, proceeded so 
 far that an insurrection broke out, in 
 consequence of the demand of the latter 
 of rents for lands purchased by the for- 
 mer before the date of the charter of 
 King Charles. The result was, that the 
 governor v/as driven from the colony ; 
 and he repaired to England for redress, 
 while his officers were I'esisted, deposed, 
 and imprisoned by the people. 
 
 The New Netherlands being recov- 
 ered, in 1673, by the Dutch, New Jer- 
 sey passed with her again under her for- 
 mer proprietor. But this change was 
 followed, the next spring, by a more 
 permanent arrangement by treaty, in 
 consequence of which the English were 
 restored to the possession. The duke 
 of York, to prevent any exposure of his 
 title to question, on account of the in- 
 tervention of the late Dutch conquest, 
 procured a new patent ; and, in 1664, 
 Sir Edmund Andross arrived, with the 
 authority of governor of the province 
 of New York, claiming jurisdiction over 
 New Jersey also, under pretence that 
 the proprietors had lost their property 
 by the Dutch conquest. This arbitrary 
 man, whose injustice and oppression 
 caused so much evil in New England, 
 gave place to Philip (Carteret, in 1675, 
 who resumed the government of East 
 Jersey, and so conciliated the colonists 
 that order was restored. He postponed 
 the demand of the payment of quitrents, 
 but, on the other hand, in a list of " con- 
 cessions" which he published, he laid 
 some restrictions on political freedom. 
 He attempted to open a trade with New . 
 
 England ; but Andross, still governor 
 of New York, opposed him, pretending 
 that it would injure his colony. At 
 length Andross sent to Elizabethtown, 
 to seize Carteret and take him to New 
 York. 
 
 Lord Berkeley about this time offered 
 his share of the province for sale, as its 
 prospects were not flattering; and it was 
 conveyed to John Fenwick, in trust for 
 Edward Byllinge, members of the soci 
 ety of friends, for one thousand pounds. 
 Tlie part sold was afterward called West 
 Jersey, a designation often used at the 
 present day. In 1675, the first English 
 vessel arrived in the Delaware which 
 ever visited West Jersey, and it brought 
 over Fenwick and his two daughters, 
 with a number of servants, and a com- 
 pany of settlers. He selected a pleas- 
 ant and fertile spot, which he named 
 Salem, and there planted his colony. 
 The following are the names of some 
 of the colonists : Edward Champness, 
 Edward Wade, Samuel Wade, John 
 Smith and his wife, Samuel Nichols, 
 Richard Guy, Richard Noble, Richard 
 Hancock, John Pledger, Hippolite Le- 
 fevre, and John Matlock. These men, 
 and others whose names are not given, 
 were heads of families. It was two 
 years, however, before another ship ar- 
 rived, probably in consequence of a dif- 
 ference which arose between Fenwick 
 and Byllinge. Byllinge was sharer to 
 much the greater amount, having ninety 
 out of a hundred shares, while Fenwick 
 had but ten. Byllinge, however, failed 
 in his business, which was that of a mer- 
 chant ; and the management of his prop- 
 erty here was intrusted to William Penn, 
 and his quaker friends, Gowon and Lu- 
 cas, by whom much of it was sold to 
 different purchasers. These proprietors 
 published a plan of government, under 
 the name of " concessions," by which 
 "the proprietoi's, freeholders, and inhab- 
 itants of each of the ten proprieties, 
 were authorized to meet annually, and 
 choose by ballot one man each, to act as 
 commissioners." A deed was then made 
 between Sir George Carteret and the 
 trustees of Byllinge, dated July 1, 1676, 
 fixing the boundary-lines as follows : 
 " We have all that side on the Delaware 
 
r 
 
 204 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. 
 
 river, from or.e end to the other : the 
 line of partition is on the east side of 
 LittleEggharbor.straightnorth, through 
 the country, to the utmost branch of 
 Delaware river, with all powers, priv- 
 ileges, and immunities, whatsoever. 
 Ours is called New West Jersey ; yours 
 is called New East Jersey.^' 
 
 Two companies of London and York- 
 shire friends were among the purchasers 
 of lands in New West Jersey ; and, in 
 1677, commissiitners came out to pur- 
 chase land of the Indians, &c. The 
 ship in which they came out arrived at 
 New Castle on the 16th day of the 6th 
 montli, old style, bringing also two hun- 
 dred and thirty passengers as colonists. 
 They were glad, for a time, to land at 
 Rackoon creek, and take up with such 
 poor accommodations as they could find 
 in the houses and cowsheds of the few 
 Swedes whom they found occupying the 
 spot, and found snakes numerous, creep- 
 ing about the buildings. After making 
 purchases of the Indians, who were nu- 
 merous, the settlement of Burlington 
 was commenced, and first called New 
 Beverley, and afterward Bridlington ; 
 soon after which it received its present 
 name. The following are some of the 
 masters of families who formed this set- 
 tlement : Thomas Olive, Daniel Wills, 
 William Peachy, William Clayton, John 
 Crips, Thomas Eves, Thomas Harding, 
 Thomas Nositer, Thomas Fairnsworth, 
 Morgan Drewit, William Renton, Hen- 
 ry Jenings, William Hibes, Samuel 
 Lovett, John Woolston, William Wood- 
 mancy, and Christopher Saunders ; Rob- 
 ert Povvell, William Wilkinson, and Wil- 
 liam Perkins, died on the passage, but 
 left families. 
 
 In 1679, George Carteret died, and, 
 according to his will. East Jersey was 
 sold, to pay his debts. The indenture 
 of lease and release is dated February 
 1 and 2, 1681-82, and conveys the 
 property to William Penn and eleven 
 others, who, in the following year, pub- 
 lished a description of the country, with 
 a plan of a town. Those men were 
 called the " twelve proprietors." Each 
 of these took a partner; and to these 
 "twenty-four proprietoi's" the duke of 
 York made a new grant of East New 
 
 Jersey, on the 14th of Maich, 1682; at 
 which time about seven hundred fami- 
 lies were supposed to be residing in that 
 part of the country. 
 
 A brief notice of important epochs is 
 all we have room to give after this pe- 
 riod. In 1702, in consequence of pro- 
 longed disputes and difficulties, the pro- 
 prietors resigned the government of the 
 colonies to Queen Anne, who, on the 
 17th of April, 1702, accepted the offer, 
 and reunited the East and West into one 
 province, appointing her kinsman, Ed- 
 ward Hyde (Lord Cornbury), the gov- 
 ernor. He was grandson of the chan- 
 cellor. Earl of Clarendon. The com- 
 mission and instructions then given him 
 remained as the constitution of New 
 Jersey until the Revolution. The gov- 
 ernor and twelve councillors were ap- 
 pointed by the crown ; and twenty-four 
 members of assembly, elected by the 
 people for an indefinite term, met at 
 Burlington and Perth Amboy alternate- 
 ly. Among these instructions was one 
 allowing liberty of conscience to all, ex- 
 cept papists, and one prohibiting print- 
 ing in the colony. 
 
 In 1702, the period when New Jersey 
 became a colony of the crown, the pop- 
 ulation was estimated at twenty thou- 
 sand ; of which twelve thousand were 
 set down for East, and eight thousand 
 for West Jersey. Lord Cornbury was 
 kept in prison, for debt, from 1703 till 
 the death of his father, when he was 
 raised to the peerage, and was released 
 by law. He is said to have been more 
 detested by the people than any other 
 governor the province had ever had. 
 Governor Lovelace, Lieut. Governor In- 
 goldsby, and Governor Hunter, were in 
 turn at the head of the colony ; under 
 the second of whom paper-currency was 
 first introduced into New Jersey, with 
 its long train of evils. One of the pre- 
 texts for it was to raise funds for an 
 expedition against Canada. William 
 Burnet, son of the celebrated Bishop 
 Burnet, was appointed governor in 
 1710, and held the office ten years, and 
 afterward was governor of New York 
 and New Jersey until 1727. The last 
 of the royal governors was William 
 Franklin, son of the celebrated Benja- 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. 
 
 205 
 
 tnin. He entered upon his office in 1763, 
 the epoch signalized by the treaty by 
 which France ceded Canada to Great 
 Britain, and thus terminated the harass- 
 ing wars which for half a century had 
 caused g- eat evil to the colonies. New 
 Jersey contributed liberally to the expe- 
 ditions inarched against Canada in 1758, 
 1759, and 1760 ; for, although her quota 
 waf but five hundred men, she raised 
 ar.-; supported a thousand, and, in 1761, 
 and 1762, six hundred men, and incurred 
 a debt of forty thousand pounds. 
 
 As the Revolution approached, New 
 Jersey was among the foremost oppo- 
 sers of British oppression. In July, 
 1774, the people of the different coun- 
 ties held meetings to express their con- 
 demnation of the closing of the port of 
 Boston, &c., &c. Delegates went to the 
 congress in Philadelphia, who I'eported 
 to the assembly, on the 11th of January, 
 1775. 
 
 The governor, however, who was op- 
 posed to resistance, endeavored to de- 
 feat the wishes of the people and legis- 
 lature, particularly by refusing to con- 
 voke the latter. The delegates were, 
 therefore, appointed by a convention. 
 On the 23d of May, 1775, the second 
 convention assembled at Trenton, and 
 laid a tax of ten thousand pounds, to 
 support a company or more, which it 
 ordered to be raised in each of the town- 
 ships and corporations. This was con- 
 firmed by the provincial congress, which 
 met in August following, and directed 
 the organization of fifty-four companies, 
 of sixty-four minute-men each. Ten 
 battalions were accordingly formed : 
 one in each of the counties of Bergen, 
 Essex, Middlesex, Monmouth, Somer- 
 set, Morris, Sussex, Hunterdon, and 
 Burlington, and one in Gloucester and 
 Salenr. together. Independent light-in- 
 fantry and rangers were raised in Cum- 
 berland and Cape May. 
 
 At the same meeting, a resolution was 
 adopted which rendered the people and 
 their representatives less dependent on 
 the will of the governor. It provided 
 that, during the controversy with the 
 mother-country, the voters should annu- 
 ally meet and choose deputies to the 
 provincial congress; and this body was 
 
 invested with the powers of govern- 
 ment. In vain the governor made an- 
 other effort at resistance. He held one 
 more meeting of the legislature ; but it 
 was the last. They would not consent 
 to declare that they had no intentions to 
 proclaim independence. The body was 
 prorogued till January, 3, 1776 ; but it 
 never met again. 
 
 The provincial congress assembled 
 again on the 10th of June ; and, on the 
 I8th of July, a few days after the dec- 
 laration of independence at Philadel- 
 phia, New Jersey assumed the title of a 
 state. The seal which was then adopted 
 and made is still in use, though much 
 worn. A copy of parts of it is under 
 the vignette at the head of this descrip- 
 tion. The head of a horse over a globe 
 is supported by figures of Liberty and 
 Ceres, while three ploughs, are placed 
 between them, and the following leaend 
 surrounds the whole : " The great seal 
 of the state of New Jersey : mdcclxxvi." 
 It is made of silver, two and a half inch- 
 es long, and three eighths in thickness. 
 
 On the 25th of June, Governor Frank- 
 lin was made prisoner, by the command 
 of the provincial congress, as an enemy 
 to the liberties of the country, and sent 
 to Connecticut, under a guard, to be kept 
 under the charge of Governor Trumbull, 
 who placed him, with several other ad- 
 vocates of Britisli authority, in Middle- 
 town. When released, after a consid- 
 erable time, he went to England, where 
 he enjoyed a pension. 
 
 William Livingston was appointed 
 governor of New Jersey, by the new 
 legislature, on the 31sl of August; and 
 he was annually re-elected for fourteen 
 years. And now commenced the long 
 course of trials which the Revolution 
 brought in its train, and in which this 
 state suffered most severely. Her pe- 
 culiar situation, which renders it, during 
 peace, the thoroughfare of important 
 commerce and travel, exposed her, in 
 the war, to the passage and the occupa- 
 tion of armies, and as the theatre of 
 incursions. The navigable waters on 
 her boundaries, so convenient and safe 
 to the hundreds of merchant-ships and 
 steamboats, by which they are crowded 
 in our day, then gave too easy access to 
 
206 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. 
 
 the enemy's fleets and squadrons. Her 
 plains, now covered with fields and vil- 
 lages, churches, schoolhouses, and coun- 
 try-seats, and crossed by canals and rail- 
 roads, which science has marked out, 
 and which industry employs, were then 
 traversed l»y armed troops, and often 
 stained with blood. On the heights 
 where the husbandman or the citizen 
 comes to erect his rural residence, are 
 often found traces of entrenchments, 
 thrown up at the command of Lord 
 Howe or of General Washington. In 
 the following pages will be found brief 
 notices of some of the principal military 
 movements and events which took place 
 in the course of the war. 
 
 New Jersey has the honor of being a 
 very early and decided advocate of tem- 
 perance; the value of which our coun- 
 try has been solemnly taught by a long 
 course of bitter experience. The mod- 
 ern practice of opposing intemperance 
 by association is extensively adopted in 
 this state. 
 
 The first laws of the colony imposed 
 fines of a shilling and two shillings 
 and sixpence for what they denominate 
 "the beastly vice, drunkenness;" and, 
 in 1682, the sum was raised to five shil- 
 lings, and sitting in the stocks for six 
 hours was substituted when that was 
 not paid. Liquors, however, were then 
 allowed to be sold in small quantities, 
 though at first they were not. In 1688, 
 an " ordinary," or tavern, was required 
 by law to be kept in each town ; but the 
 keepers were restricted in the sale of 
 liquors to quantities not less than two 
 gallons. In 1677, they were allowed to 
 sell by the gallon, and, in 1683, by the 
 quart. 
 
 Tne decent observance of the Lord's 
 day was required by law. Swearing was 
 fined one shilling in 1668, and, in 1682, 
 two shillings and sixpence for each oath. 
 If the fine was not paid, the culprit was 
 put into the stocks, if under twelve years 
 of age, or whipped, if above that age. 
 "All prizes, stage-plays, revels, games, 
 masques, bull-baitings, and cock-fight- 
 ings, which excite the people to wicked- 
 ness, cruelty, looseness, and irreligion," 
 were to be discouraged and punished by 
 courts of justice; and nightwalkers and 
 
 revellers were to be imprisoned till 
 morning, examined, and, if necessary, 
 bound over to appear in court. From 
 1675 to 1682, "the resistance of lawful 
 authority by word or action, or ihe ex- 
 pression of disrespectful language refer- 
 ring to those in oflSce," was punishable. 
 In 1676, all liars were added to the list, 
 with a fine of twenty shillings for the 
 second offence. 
 
 The first day of public thanksgiving 
 was appointed by the general assembly 
 on Wednesday, November 2, 1676 ; the 
 second, on account of the discovery of 
 the gunpowder plot, November 26, 1679; 
 the third, June 11, 1696, for the defeat 
 of the plot against King William. 
 
 Slavery was introduced in the earliest 
 days. The " concessions," in the time 
 of Carteret, offered to every colonist one 
 hundred and fifty acres of land ; and, 
 " for each weaker servant or slave," 
 seventy-five acres. But few, if any, 
 slaves were then bi'ought into the colo- 
 ny. At a subsequent period, however, 
 they were imported in great numbers ; 
 and barracks were erected, as tradition 
 relates, at Perth Amboy, to receive ne- 
 groes from slave-ships. In 1734. an 
 alarming nesfro-rising occurred on the 
 Raritan, the object of which was to ob- 
 tain liberty by massacring the whites, and 
 joining the Indians and French. From 
 allusions made in some of the old news- 
 papers, it appears that negroes were 
 sometimes burnt alive for certain offen- 
 ces. In 1750, two negroes were pun- 
 ished in this manner, for the murder of 
 their mistress, and all the blacks in the 
 neighborhood were required to be pres- 
 ent. The law under which this horrible 
 punishment was inflicted was passed in 
 1714, and provided for capital punish- 
 ment for murder, &c., " in such manner 
 as the aggravation or enorm.ity of their 
 crimes shall merit and require." The 
 mode of trial was changed in 1768, but 
 the manner of death was not fixed. In 
 1778, an insurrection was apprehended. 
 
 Early attempts were made at the 
 whale-fishery on the coast ; but De Vries 
 said it was unprofitable in 1633. 
 
 Roads and other channels of commi- 
 nication, for which New Jersey is now 
 so remarkable, were commenced under 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. 
 
 207 
 
 the direction of the colonial legislature, 
 in 1676. The first roads were those 
 used by the Dutch, in going from New 
 York to their settlements on the Dela- 
 ware, and were hoi'se-tracks. The up- 
 per road extended from Elizabethtown 
 point, or near it, to New Brunswick, 
 probably the route now called " the old 
 road,"crossing the Delaware, by fording, 
 a little above Trenton. The lower left 
 the upper five or six miles from the Rar- 
 itan, and extended to Burlington. In 
 1695, the innkeepers at Elizabethtown, 
 Piscataway, and Woodbridge, were 
 taxed to keep this road in repair ; but 
 only ten pounds were expended upon it 
 annually. In 1744, stage- wagons ran 
 twice a week between New Brunswick 
 and Trenton. In 1750, a stage-boat be- 
 gan to sail from New York, once a week, 
 for Amboy, and a wagon left the latter 
 place the next day for Philadelphia. 
 The next year an opposition boat was 
 advertised, with " a fine, commodious 
 cabin, fitted up with a tea-table," &c., 
 to run twice a week. In 1756, a stage- 
 line began to run between Philadelphia 
 and New York, in three days, through 
 Trenton and Amboy. 
 
 The first newspaper in the colony was 
 the " Nev/ Jersey Gazette," begun De- 
 cember 5, 1777, at Burlington, by Isaac 
 Collins, which cost twenty-six shillings 
 a-year. The sheet was only twelve by 
 eight inches ; and the paper ceased to 
 appear in 1786. The second monthly 
 magazine in the whole country was 
 " The American Magazine," pulilished 
 at Burlington, which began in 1758, and 
 expired at the end of two years. Each 
 number contained about forty pages oc- 
 tavo, and the matter was very respecta- 
 ble. The printer of this woi-k was James 
 Parker, son of Samuel Parker, of Wood- 
 bridge. He was apprenticed to William 
 Bradford, the first printer in New York, 
 in 1725, and was advertised by him as 
 a runaway in 1733. But nine years af- 
 ter he was at the head of a respectable 
 establishment : and he must have be- 
 come reconciled to his old master, for 
 he noticed his death, in 1752, in a very 
 respectful printed article. He brought 
 the first printing-press into New Jersey, 
 in 1751, and printed public documents. 
 
 Trenton, the capital of the state, is 
 pleasantly situated at the falls or rapids 
 of the Delaware, and the mouth of As- 
 sunpink creek, in forty degrees and thii-- 
 teen minutes north latitude, and two de- 
 grees and sixteen minutes east longitude 
 from Washington. It is fifty-five miles 
 southwest from New York, thirty milrs 
 northeast from Philadelphia, and ten 
 miles southwest from Princeton. The 
 population, in 1850, was 6,766, or, in- 
 cluding the borough of South Trenton, 
 more than 9,000. 
 
 The Statehouse stands on the elevated 
 bank of the Delaware, in the north part 
 of the city, commanding a pleasing view 
 down a green slope to the level borders 
 of the stream, which hero is shallow. 
 The building is of stone, ])lastered, and 
 is one hundred feet long, sixty wide, and 
 contains halls for the two houses of the 
 legislature, offices, cor>mittee-rooms, 
 &c. There is a spacious yard around 
 it, which sets off" the building to advan- 
 tage. 
 
 The city contains, alfio, the lyceum, 
 the city-hall, and seven churches ; and 
 the stateprison is at a short distance. 
 
 The bridge is of wood, eleven hun- 
 dred feet long, with five arches resting 
 on four piers and two abutments. It 
 was commenced in 1804, and constructed 
 by Mr. Burr, on whose skill it reflects 
 much honor, as it has lasted nearly half 
 a century, and was passed uninjured by 
 the flood of 1841, which destroyed others 
 built long after it. It serves not only 
 for the purposes of ordinary vehicles, 
 horses, and footmen, but sustains the 
 tracks of the Philadelphia and Trenton 
 railroad. 
 
 The County Buildings. — These are 
 situated in South Trenton. The court- 
 house is a neat edifice, with six Ionic 
 columns and a cupola. The basement 
 is of sandstone, and the steps of granite. 
 The offices of the clerk and surrogate 
 stand a little in the rear. All are neat- 
 ly stuccoed. 
 
 The Stateprison is constructed on a 
 singular plan. The front building con- 
 tains the residence of the keeper and his 
 assistants ; and in the rear are two long 
 wings, running back from it, diversrmfj 
 from each other at a right-angle, with a 
 
208 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. 
 
 passage leading through each, between 
 two rows of cells. The whole is sin*- 
 rounded by a stone-wall, three feet thick, 
 and twenty feet high, enclosing a square 
 of four acres. Tubes pass through the 
 cells to warm them in winter, and flues 
 are made in the walls for ventilation. 
 
 The prisoners are kept at work, ma- 
 king clwis and shoes, and weaving. By 
 judicious management, with cash sales, 
 the income has been made to defray the 
 expenses, and even to leave a surplus. 
 All communication is prevented, and at- 
 tention is paid to the moral improvement 
 of the inmates. The prison contains a 
 library for their use, of three hundred 
 volumes. 
 
 The Battle of Trenton. — This place 
 was the scene of one of the most cele- 
 brated of Washington's master-strokes. 
 He excelled most commanders in stri- 
 king an unexpected and successful blow, 
 just at the time when it would produce 
 the most important effects, by intimida- 
 ting his enemies, and encoui'aging the 
 country. 
 
 In December, 1776, the American 
 army had long been on the defensive, or 
 rather had retired, for fear of the enemy, 
 beyond their reach. After the capture 
 of New York, in August, Washington, 
 with the remains of his army, after un- 
 successful attempts to make a stand at 
 different points, had been driven across 
 New Jersey, and, barely escaping cap- 
 tui'e, retreated into Pennsylvania. To 
 many the war seemed already at an end. 
 The British troops proceeded to occupy 
 the principal points on the great road 
 through the state, and three regiments 
 of Hessians, under General Rahl, and a 
 troop of light-horse, were quartered at 
 Trenton. On the evening before Christ- 
 mas, December 25th, there was not an 
 American soldier on the east side of the 
 Delaware, and the stream was loaded 
 with floating ice, so that it seemed im- 
 passable. The Hessians, in security, 
 engaged in their accustomed celebration 
 of the night with immodei'ate drinking; 
 and about midnight the camp was in 
 such a state as Washington had calcula- 
 ted on, at the hour of his premeditated 
 assault. A large number of boats, which 
 he had collected with all possible secre 
 
 sy, came silently across the river, in 
 three divisions, nine miles above, by 
 pushing their way, in the best manner 
 they could, through the ice. It was 
 morning before they reached the town, 
 when two bodies of troops fell upon the 
 enemy at once, from different quarters, 
 pressing immediately toward the middle 
 of the town, to prevent the enemy from 
 forming. They made no regular stand, 
 and some of them attempted to escape 
 to Princeton, but were prevented ; when 
 the whole body surrendered, amounting 
 to twenty-three officers and eighty-six 
 men. Only twenty or thirty were killed, 
 and eight wounded, including the com- 
 mander. On the American side were 
 none killed, and only two officers and 
 one or two privates wounded. A few 
 of the enemy escaped by the Bordentown 
 road, which General Ewing was to have 
 provided against; but he was unable to 
 cross the river. General Cadwallader, 
 with the Pennsylvania militia, was like- 
 wise unable to take part in the afl'air, 
 as only a small part of his troops could 
 be got over. Washington had intended 
 to capture the other posts on the Dela- 
 ware ; but he thought it prudent to re- 
 cross the river the same eveninsf, and 
 thus retired to Pennsylvania. 
 
 The Battle of Assunp'nik was fought a 
 short time after that of Trenton. Wash- 
 ington, finding the enemy did not ad- 
 vance, again crossed the Delaware, and 
 took post on the south bank of Assun- 
 pink creek. On the 2d of January, four 
 or five thousand British troops marched 
 fi'om Princeton to attack him. The en- 
 emy made three charges upon the bridge, 
 but were repulsed by his cannon, with 
 about 150 killed. When night came on, 
 Washington, knowing his force quite in- 
 sufficient, ordered the camp-fires to be 
 well fed, and drew off his forces with so 
 little noise that the enemy did not 
 know of their disappearance. Washing- 
 ton reached Princeton in the morning, 
 which was occupied by a large British 
 force. 
 
 Princrton. — This pleasant town is 
 distinguished as the seat of the principal 
 literary institution in the state, and one 
 of the oldest and most respectable in the 
 country — the college of New Jersey. 
 
210 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. 
 
 Here is also the presbyterian seminary. 
 The country in the neighborhood is 
 agreeably diversified, with a good soil, 
 peculiarly favorable to apples. It con- 
 tains several churches, academies, and 
 sch(^ols. There are several handsome 
 houses, with gardens and yards arranged 
 with taste ; but the college-green, with 
 its several buildings, is the principal or- 
 nament. In the rear of it, but fronting 
 on the street, is Nassau hall, the oldest 
 college-building, which has a venerable 
 appearance. It has four low stories, 
 chiefly appropriated to the students. 
 Before the battle of Princeton, it was 
 used for barracks, and the lower story 
 for stables, and was defended by a party 
 of the British troops, and stood a sharp 
 fire from Washington's soldiers. A can- 
 non-ball entered the chapel, and tore 
 away the head of a picture of King 
 George II. The library is a building a 
 little west ; and on the east is a building 
 devoted to recitation-rooms, the chymi- 
 cal laboratory, &c. A little in its rear 
 is a new college-building ; and in front, 
 near the street, and near both extremi- 
 ties of the grounds, are the houses of the 
 jiresident and the professors. 
 
 The college was founded in 1742, and 
 owed its origin to a division introduced 
 into the presbyterian church in the days 
 of Whitefield ; from which two synods 
 arose — that of New York and that of 
 Philadelphia. 
 
 Nassau hall, the principal edifice, was 
 built in 1757, and was thus named in 
 honor of King William III., on request 
 of Governor Belcher, who had presented 
 his valuable library, of 474 volumes, to 
 the institution, and after whom the trus- 
 tees proposed to call it. The building 
 was one hundred and seventy-six feet 
 long, fifty wide, and four stories high. 
 The govei'nor's library suffered much 
 from the British and American soldiers, 
 who in turn occupied the building; and 
 almost all the remaining volumes were 
 destroyed by fire, which, March 6, 1802, 
 burnt all the edifice except the walls, 
 which still remain. 
 
 Elizabethtovvn, on a small stream 
 which flows intoStaten island sound, four 
 miles from Newark, was named after 
 Lady Elizabeth, wife and executrix of 
 
 Lord Carteret. It contains four church- 
 es, a bank, a courthouse, a jail, several 
 public and private schools, and about 
 3,000 inhabitants. It is situated on low, 
 level ground, with a good soil. By steam- 
 boat, it has a communication with New 
 York several times a day, as well as by 
 the New Jersey railroad, which forms an 
 important link in the great line of rail- 
 roads that now extends along almost 
 the whole Atlantic border of the United 
 States. Elizabethport, two miles from 
 the principal village, is the landing-place 
 of the steamboats. 
 
 New Brunswick. — This city, the cap- 
 ital of Middlesex county, stands on the 
 west side of Raritan river, fourteen miles 
 from its mouth, twenty-six miles north- 
 east from Trenton, and twenty-nine from 
 New York. It lies partly in Franklin, 
 and partly in North Brunswick, Albany 
 street being the dividing line. Near 
 the river the streets are narrow, and the 
 ground low ; but on the hill, which rises 
 behind, everything is changed for the 
 better. Here are a courthouse, jail, and 
 eight churches, with near eight thousand 
 inhabitants. Steamboats ply daily to 
 New York. The New Jersey railroad 
 passes through the town; and the Dela- 
 ware and Raritan canal commences here, 
 which extends to Bordentown, foity-two 
 miles. It is seventy-five feet wide, and 
 seven feet deep, allowing sloops to pass 
 of from 75 to 100 tons. It is supplied 
 by a feeder from the Delaware, twenty- 
 three miles long ; including which, the 
 cost was $2,500,000. An old bridge, 
 now useless, was built across the Rari- 
 tan at New Brunswick, in 1811, at an 
 expense of $86,687. There is another 
 for the railroad. 
 
 Rutgers College stands on the high 
 ground in the northwestern quarter of 
 the town. It was founded in 1770, with 
 the name of Queen's college ; but being 
 unendowed, it did not go into operation 
 until 1781. In 1810, it was connected 
 with the general synod of the reformed 
 Dutch church, and, in 1825, the building 
 was purchased by the synod, and the 
 present name was given to the institu- 
 tion, in honor of Colonel Rutgers, of 
 New York, a liberal benefactor ; since 
 which time it has flourished. 
 
212 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. 
 
 Newark, the most populous town in 
 the state, is situated on a fine, level tract 
 of ground, on the west side of Passaic 
 river, nine miles west from New York, 
 and forty-nine northeast from Trenton. 
 Vessels of one hundred tons come up to 
 the wharves ; the New Jersey railroad 
 passes through the town, on the way from 
 New York to Philadelphia ; and here is 
 the commencement of the Morris and 
 Essex railroad. The Morris canal pass- 
 es through the place, which opens a chan- 
 nel of transportation between New York 
 and the Delaware river. 
 
 The principal streets are wide, well 
 built, and shaded with trees. Two large 
 squares, in the middle of the town, add 
 much to its beauty. It contains three 
 banks, a courthouse, twenty-five church- 
 es, an apprentices' and a circulating li- 
 brary, a mechanics' association, and, in 
 1S50, 38,885 inhabitants. The coast- 
 ing-trade is considerable, and a whaling 
 and sealing company was incorporated 
 in 1833. Manufactures of several kinds 
 are carried on to a great extent, espe- 
 cially in leather, carriages, &c. 
 
 Newark was first settled by a colony 
 from Connecticut, in May, 1666, in com- 
 pliance with the " concessions" sent to 
 New England by Lord Carteret. Cap- 
 tain Robert Treat, John Curtis, Jasper 
 Crane, and John Treat, having been sent 
 from Guilford, Branford, and Milton, in 
 that state, and made a favorable report, 
 especially in favor of this place, they 
 were sent again, and laid out the town, 
 with the main streets and squares. Thir- 
 ty families, from those towns and New 
 Haven, at length arrived ; but the Hack- 
 ensack Indians refused to let them land, 
 until they had satisfied their demands. 
 They soon made a purchase, to the sat- 
 isfaction of the wild men, giving them 
 one hundred and thirty pounds New 
 England currency, twelve Indian blan- 
 kets, and twelve guns, for a tract of land 
 now including the townships of Spring- 
 field, Livingston, Orange, Caldwell, and 
 Bloomfield. 
 
 Paterson. — This town, thirteen miles 
 north of Newark, and seventeen north- 
 west of New York, is situated at the 
 falls of the Passaic, at a spot abounding 
 in romantic scenes, and peculiarly favor- 
 
 able for manufacturing by water-power. 
 The stream makes a perpendicular de- 
 scent of seventy feet over a precipice, 
 in a sheet of foam, which is partly con- 
 cealed by a projecting rock. A deep 
 sluice, cut through the hard bank, draws 
 off the water for the numerous manufac- 
 tories below, so that the river is left al- 
 most dry in the summei'-season. 
 
 The town contains two banks, a phi- 
 losophical society, with a library, an 
 academy, fourteen churches, and twenty 
 two thousand inhabitants. It was cho- 
 sen for the site of a great cotton manu- 
 facturing place by Alexander Hamilton, 
 who, with his associates, were incorpora- 
 ted, in 1791, with a capital of a million 
 of dollars. The early period at which 
 their design was formed testifies to their 
 intelligence and foresight, as the inven- 
 tions of Ark Wright were almost un- 
 known in the United States. A board 
 of directors was appointed, consisting 
 of William Duer, John Dewhurst, Ben- 
 jamin Walker, Nicholas Low, Royal 
 Flint, Elisha Boudinot, John Bayard, 
 JohuNeilson, Archibald INIercer, Thom- 
 as Lowring, George Lewis, More Fur- 
 man, and Archibald M'Comb ; and Wil- 
 liam Duer was made the principal officer. 
 In 1792, when this spot was selected, 
 there were not more than ten houses in 
 the place, which was named in honor 
 of Governor William Paterson. Major 
 L'Enfan was appointed engineer, and 
 began to cut the race on a scale unne- 
 cessary large and expensive, and resign- 
 ed in a short time. He was succeeded 
 by Mr. CoJt, who adopted a more eco- 
 nomical plan ; and the first factory was 
 completed in 1794. It was ninety by 
 forty feet, and four stories high ; and 
 yarn was spun in it that year by water 
 The year preceding, the operation had 
 been performed by ox-power. In 1794, 
 calico-printing was done, on unbleached 
 muslins purchased in New York. The 
 society at the same time directed the 
 superintendent to plant mulberry-trees ; 
 and, at the proposal of Mr. Colt, a teach- 
 er was employed to instruct the work- 
 children gratuitously on the sabbath. 
 This was, no doubt, the first sabbath- 
 school in the state, if not in the Union. 
 It differed, liowever, from our common 
 
214 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. 
 
 sabbatli-schools, in being taught by a 
 hired teachei'. In 1796, in consequence 
 of losses of money sent to England for 
 machinery, the misconduct and igno- 
 rance of foreign workmen, and the nov- 
 elty of the undertaking, the company 
 failed ; a-nd the building was leased, and 
 used for spinning candlewick and yarn, 
 until it was burnt, in 1S07. In 1814, 
 Mr. Roswell L. Colt, son of the gentle- 
 man above-named, purchased the shares 
 and revived the company; and the place 
 has long been one of the most fliourishing 
 manufacturing towns in this country, 
 though it suffered a great and unavoida- 
 ble interruption after the war of 1812. 
 The supply of water is very valuable, 
 and has been enlarged by a dam, four and 
 a half feet high, erected on the top of the 
 fall ; and the water is distributed by 
 three short canals, at differentelevations. 
 The Passaic is navigable for sloops ; and 
 it not only has good common roads, but 
 the Morris canal, and a railroad to Jer- 
 sey city. 
 
 MouRiSTowN. — This is the capital of 
 Morris county, and stands on a fine, ele- 
 vated plain, in the midst of a varied and 
 picturesque region. It is distant fifty 
 miles from Trenton, nineteen from New- 
 ark, and twenty-six from New York. 
 The streets are wide, straight, and laid 
 out at risfht-ansi-les ; and in the centre of 
 the town is a large square, surrounded 
 by neat dwellings, and several churches 
 and other public buildings. A lai-ge and 
 splendid hotel here, erected by Mr. Giv- 
 ens, was accidentally burnt in 1846. An 
 aqueduct, about a mile in length, supplies 
 the village with water ; and there are 
 several manufactories at Speedwell, on 
 a small stream. The Morris and Essex 
 railroad, extending hence to Newark, 
 was finished in 1838, and affords impor- 
 tant advantages to the town. 
 
 Washington i-etreated to this spot, in 
 1777, after the b xttle of Princeton. His 
 headquarters are still pointed out, as well 
 as different points connected with inter- 
 esting associations of that impoi-tant 
 period. Several important events, and 
 many interesting incidents, occurred in 
 the two seasons when Morristown was 
 the residence of Washington. Hosack, 
 in his " Life of Clinton," mentions that 
 
 Washington once visited the Rev. Dr. 
 Jones, pastor of the presbyterian church 
 in that place, to inquire whether Chris- 
 tians of other denominations might be 
 admitted to partake of the communion 
 at the semi-annual celebration of it by 
 his people, which he had understood was 
 approaching. The reply was : " Most 
 certainly; ours is not the presbyteriar 's 
 table, general, but the Lord's." The 
 general replied : " I am glad of it ; that 
 is as it ought to be. I propose to join 
 with you on that occasion, though a mem- 
 ber of the church of England." 
 
 The Source of the Passaic. — The pic- 
 turesque scene represented in the ac- 
 companying engraving, is at the head 
 of the principal stream of N-ew Jersey, 
 on whose banks are situated some of the 
 most important towns mentioned in the 
 preceding pages, and whose waters form 
 the pictui'esque cascade, and turn the 
 busy wheels of Paterson. 
 
 The Passaic rises in Somerset and 
 Morris counties, and makes a remarka- 
 ble bend round the county of Essex, so 
 as to form almost its entire western, 
 northern, and eastern boundaries. It 
 has several tributaries, the principal of 
 which are the Pompton and the Rocka- 
 way. The former is formed by the con- 
 fluence of the Pequannock and the Ram- 
 apo, which rise in New York. Most of 
 the regions watered by the Passaic and 
 its branches are rough and wild, abound- 
 ing in mines, and in forests, which sup- 
 ply fuel for reducing them. The failure 
 of the latter, however, has been the 
 chief cause of the abandonment of some 
 of the mines. 
 
 Standing at the source of the Passaic, 
 amid the romantic and solitary scenery 
 which surrounds him, a spectator may 
 reflect with intei'est on the peculiarities 
 of the country thi'ough which it flows, 
 and the various useful ends to which its 
 waters are applied, during its short but 
 varied course. It is not in vain that it 
 has its head at so considerable an eleva- 
 tion above the ocean. In its short, but 
 busy career, it performs an immense 
 amount of labor, in turning wheels which 
 move a variety of machinery, whose prod- 
 ucts are so valuable as to add materially 
 to the wealth of the state. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OP PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 215 
 
 This state, one of the largest of the 
 original thirteen, lies between New 
 York and Virginia, two of the other 
 most extensive of that number, with 
 Ohio on the west, the most populous 
 and flourishing of the younger mem- 
 bers of the Union ; while its eastern 
 boundary divides it from New Jersey, 
 and it adjoins Maryland for a short 
 distance on the southeast. Lake Erie 
 touches it on the northwest. The Al- 
 legany ranges divide it into two parts : 
 foi'ming three distinct, though une- 
 
 ll)llll|i||i!lii'!|!l|i!.r(iivi!|';M>V!Hll 
 
 qual sections, counting the mountainous part as the central one. These mount- 
 ains deviate considerably from their general line in the interior of Pennsylva- 
 nia. They cross the boundary of Virginia with a course nearly northeast, soon 
 incline northeasterly, and at length run for some distance eastwardly : then 
 stretching again more northwardly, cross the New York line in the usual course, 
 northeast. The most easterly ridge enters the state in York county, and is cut 
 through by the Susquehannah, a river which, instead of confoi-ming its direction 
 to that of the mountains, crosses the entire range nearly at right-angles. 
 
 The Delaware river, which forms the whole eastern boundary, rises in the 
 state of New York. A system of canals forms an important line of navigation 
 for boats and arks from the Lehigh river to Philadelphia, by which the productive 
 coal-mines at Mauch-Chunk send thousands of tons to that city. The Delawr.re 
 communicates, also, at different points, with the Delaware and Hudson canal, the 
 Morris canal, and the Delaware and Chesapeake canal, and, through the Scliuyl- 
 kill, by the improved navigation of that river, and the great Western canal line, 
 to the Ohio. At the same time, the numerous and long lines of railroads, cross- 
 ing the country in different directions, meet the Delaware at Philadelphia ; while 
 
216 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 L 
 
 the navigation of that noble stream by 
 steamboats, coasting and foreign vessels, 
 adds another very important branch to 
 the extensive commerce of the state. 
 
 The Susquehannah, though flowing 
 through regions abounding in various 
 products, is naturally so much broken 
 by the irregularity of the surface, that it 
 was navigable only for boats, and at 
 great risk ; and, at the same time, the 
 more important agricultural portion of 
 the state, west of the mountains, offered 
 strong inducements to the opening of a 
 channel of communication between it 
 and the commercial capital. The ex- 
 ample of New York encouraged the un- 
 dertaking ; and Pennsylvania embarked 
 more extensively than any other state in 
 the construction of canals. Immense 
 labors were perf )rmed. Railroads were 
 in some places connected with them. 
 But the first I'csults proved unfavorable, 
 and a general depression for a time suc- 
 ceeded, so great that the legislature at 
 length resorted to a temporary suspen- 
 sion of payment ; but arrears are now 
 paid, and pros})ccts impi'oving. 
 
 The History of the settlement of 
 Pennsylvania, and the early years of its 
 colonial existence, have ever been re- 
 garded with peculiar interest, on account 
 of the professions and character of the 
 people, and especially their founder. 
 The earliest European colony was plant- 
 ed in this state by Swedes, in 1627, or 
 1628, and conquered by the Dutch, from 
 New York, in 1655. But the English 
 having taken possession, in 168 1, Wil- 
 liam Penn obtained a grant of land on 
 the Delaware, landed at New Castle, 
 and entered upon the government of 
 about 3,000 inhabitants — Swedes, Eng- 
 lish, Dutch, and Finlanders. 
 
 A place called by the Indians Coa- 
 quanock, was chosen for the site of a 
 city, and named Philadelphia, a name 
 corresponding with the pacific principles 
 of the society of Friends, of which Penn 
 was so distinguished a member. By his 
 mild, just, and humane treatment of the 
 Indians, he set an CAample worthy of 
 imitation, and gave the poor savages, so 
 often mir.understood, abused, and mis- 
 represented, opportunities to display some 
 of the virtues of which they have too 
 
 often been declared to be destitute. A 
 charactei'istic anecdote is told, by tradi- 
 tion, of the sagacity and Christian liber- 
 ality (jf William Penn, which forcibly 
 illustrates the truth, that the way which 
 is right is usually that which is most 
 profitable in the end. The Indians once 
 came to him with a complaint that they 
 had been under some misappiehension 
 in the terms of a bargain they had made 
 with the white men, who had purchased 
 of them a large tract of land. The col- 
 onists at the same time represented that 
 the bargain, though hard for the Indians, 
 was a fair one, and that they were ready 
 to fight for it. Penn, however, in con- 
 sistency with the principles of the gos- 
 pel, which he professed, inquired of the 
 Indians how much more they considered 
 the land worth than they were to re- 
 ceive ; and, on being informed, made 
 such an addition of the articles used in 
 trade as fully satisfied them, though re- 
 ally of trifling value, and thus not only 
 prevented immediate bloodshed, and 
 other evils attendant on war, but con- 
 firmed the grateful wildmen in their pa- 
 cific spirit and friendly attachment to the 
 colonists, most favorable to the perma- 
 nency of a good understanding and free 
 trade for the future. 
 
 The relations between Pennsylvania 
 and Connecticut were disturbed for a 
 number of years, after the settlement of 
 a colony from the lattei' in the valley of 
 Wyoming, wliich was claimed under the 
 patent of King Charles, as it lay in her 
 territory, as marked out by the tw(» 
 parallels extending to the South sea. 
 Tlie encroachments of the French in 
 the west, on the Ohio river, threatened 
 Pennsylvania, as well as Virginia; but, 
 until the Revolutionary war, her inland 
 position, and the obstacles presented by 
 her mountains, contributed to secure 
 her from most of the trials through which 
 many of the other colonies had to pass, 
 in the early stages of their history. 
 Having no internal enemies, in conse- 
 quence of the just and pacific policy 
 pursued by Penn, rdie had litl'e to dis- 
 turb the ]ieaceful lives of her inhabit- 
 ants, until the Revolutionary war in- 
 volved her in a full share of the public 
 sufferings and losses. Her capital, after 
 
218 
 
 DESCRIPTION OP THE STATE OP PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 serving as the seat of government, sub- 
 sequently to the capture of New York, 
 was threatened by the enemy, in 1778. A 
 strong expedition having been sent from 
 New York to the Delaware, succeeded 
 in maintaining itself in Pennsylvania for 
 a time : after several battles, Washington 
 retreating to Valley Forge. The ene- 
 my were, however, ere long, compelled 
 to retreat, and evacuate the country on 
 the west of the bay and river. 
 
 The " whiskey rebellion," which broke 
 out in a part of the state, soon after 
 the restoration of peace, kept the coun- 
 try for a time in a state of alarm ; but, 
 after its suppression, Pennsylvania soon 
 beofan to share with other members of 
 the Union, in the career of prosperity 
 which has so gi-eatly distinguished our 
 country, and has been one of the most 
 remarkable of the states for the extent 
 and success of its manufactures. Her 
 iron-mines and manufactories, with her 
 coal-mines, are the grand sources of her 
 wealth, although her commerce i.«i con- 
 siderable. 
 
 CoAL-MiNES. — Among the natural 
 productions of the state of Pennsylvania, 
 those of the coal-mines take the most 
 important place. On both sides of the 
 Alleganies lie extensive and apparently 
 inexhaustible beds of excellent coal, ma- 
 ny of which are on the immediate banks, 
 or near to the sources of streams, which 
 have been rendered navigable where the 
 aid of art and science have been required; 
 and the immense and increasing sup- 
 plies, annually transported, subserve the 
 convenience and comfort of millions of 
 people, not in this territory alone, but 
 in half the states of the Union. Nu- 
 merous steamboats and railroad-cars, as 
 well as manufactories of different kinds, 
 borrow their motive-power from these 
 mines ; while almost entire towns and 
 cities derive from them their vast sup- 
 plies of fuel. 
 
 The coals of Pennsylvania are of two 
 kinds ; and it is remarkable that, while 
 that on the eastern side of the Allega- 
 nies is anthracite, that on the west is 
 bituminous. The latter has rendered 
 Pittsburgh the Birmingham of America. 
 
 Literary Institutions, &c. — Liter- 
 ary publications and scientific institutions 
 
 were established in Philadelphia in her 
 colonial days, chiefly by the labors and 
 example of Dr. Franklin, who for a long 
 time exercised a great influence on the 
 country, and whose fame is universal. 
 Massachusetts, however, lays a claim to 
 a considerable share of the honor of his 
 character and life, as he was a native cf 
 Boston, and there received his appren- 
 ticeship in the art which had so strong 
 an influence in directing his practical 
 course in life. 
 
 Printing was introduced into the 
 bounds of the present state of Pennsyl- 
 vania, in 1687, when the first sheet, an 
 almanac, was published by William 
 Bradford. The first newspaper issued, 
 was " The American Weekly Mercury," 
 a half-sheet of "post-paper," by Andrev/ 
 Bradford, dated Dec. 22, 1719. There 
 was at that time only one other in the 
 colonies, viz., at Boston. The second 
 was commenced in 1728, and passed, in 
 a few months, into the hands of Benja- 
 min Franklin. It existed more than a 
 century. Several others were published 
 in the middle and latter part of the last 
 century ; and the first German paper 
 appealed at Germantown, in 1739. 
 There were not fewer than six maga- 
 zines before the Revolution. " The 
 American Daily Advertiser" was the first 
 daily paper in America, and commenced 
 its daily appearance in 1784. " The 
 Pittsburgh Gazette," the first newspaper 
 in the western part of the state, began 
 about 1786. "An imperfect list of the 
 periodical journals" published in the 
 state, between the close of the Revolu- 
 tionary war and 1828, given in the Amer- 
 ican Almanac for 1835, names thirty-six. 
 The number has since greatly increased, 
 in every depai'tment. 
 
 State-Government. — The governor 
 is chosen by the people for three years, 
 but cannot hold the office oVer six years 
 in nine. He must be thirty years of age, 
 and have resided in the state for seven 
 years. The senate consists of thirty- 
 three members, elected by the people 
 for three years, one third being chosen 
 annually. A member must be twenty- 
 five years of age, and have resided four 
 years in the state, and the last year in 
 the district in which he is chosen. The 
 
220 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 house of repiesentatives consists of one 
 hundred members, elected annually by 
 the people. A member must be twenty- 
 one years of age, have resided in the 
 state three years next jjteceding his 
 election, and the last year in ihe district 
 for which he is chosen. 
 
 All judicial officers are eleded by 
 the people at the regular state eleci ion. 
 The judges of the supreme court hold 
 their offices for fifteen years ; those of 
 the court of common pleas hold llieirs 
 for ten years; and the associate judges 
 of the court of common pleas hold theirs 
 for five years. The secietary of st.ite 
 is appointed by the governor, and holds 
 office during his pleasure. The treas- 
 urer is elected annually by the joint- 
 ballot of both houses of the legislature. 
 The legislature meets annually at Har- 
 I'isburgh on the first Tuesday in January. 
 
 The Merchants' Magazine, just quo- 
 ted, well describes Pennsylvania in the 
 followino: fisjurative language : — 
 
 " She 'is, indeed, the keystone state. 
 While one arm rests on the Atlantic, 
 she lays the other on the Ohio, and her 
 hand plays with the waters of the lake. 
 Witliin her hills is stowed the fuel of 
 ages ; and iron, the world's civilizer, to 
 bind the continent, and insure the sta- 
 bility of this great government; Erie, 
 her outlet on the lake, Pittsburgh, the 
 head of the eastern branch of the mighty 
 valley, and Philadelphia, not only the 
 beautiful city of the plain, but destined 
 to be the leading city of the north, a city 
 worthy so great a state. In her present 
 competition, her rivals are east. The 
 mass of productions of the forest, agri- 
 culture, and the mines, are derived from 
 Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and 
 the ascending trade of the Mississippi 
 valley." 
 
 The coal-mines of England, it has 
 been remarked by the president of the 
 British Statistical society, have yielded 
 more profits than were ever derived from 
 the gold-mines of Peru ; but, without 
 the aid of s'team, they would have been 
 comparatively worthless. The prod'Xts 
 of the Pennsylvania coal-miru-s are al- 
 ready so great that it would be difficult 
 to estimate them; and such are the an- 
 nual increase of the demand, and the 
 
 abilities of the machinery employed in 
 mining and transporting, that the pros- 
 pects of the business are almost too great 
 to be mentioned. Professor Bakewell 
 remarks, that the proximity of coal- 
 mines and beds of iron ore afford strong 
 evidence of the provision made by the 
 Almighty for the benefit of man. Penn- 
 sylvania, says the Merchants' Magazine, 
 is the only state which has direct a-- »ss, 
 by water, at once to the ocean, the Jakes, 
 and the Mississippi : we perceive that 
 her position justifies high anticipations 
 of her future wealth and prosperity. 
 The real estate of Pennsylvania, accord- 
 ing to the same work, was estimated, in 
 1S46, on the best data, at one thousand 
 four hundred millions of dollars, and 
 the personal property at seven hundred 
 milHons ; making an aggregate of two 
 thousand one hundred millions, or more 
 than three times that of New York. 
 Such an estimate must surprise almost 
 every one ; but, to sustain it, the writer 
 gives the following statements : "Each 
 of the three vast beds of anthracite coal, 
 in this state, are about five miles in 
 breadth, and sixty-five in length, with 
 an area of 325 square miles, or 208,000 
 acres ; that is, in all, 975 square miles, 
 or 624,000 acres. If the suj)ply of coal 
 from anthracite mines, for 1847, is esti- 
 mated at 2,800,000 tons, at four dollars 
 per ton, which is the average price at 
 tide-water, we have an amount of eleven 
 millions two hundred thousand dollai-s. 
 Most of the mines are owned by citi- 
 zens ; and the balance of trade with 
 other cities is constantly in favor of 
 Philadelphia." 
 
 It is amusing to record some of the 
 anecdotes related of the coal-trade in its 
 early days. Mr. Charles Miner, of 
 Wilkesbarre, and Mr. Cist, sent oft" the 
 first ark-load of coal from Mauch Chunk, 
 on the 9th of August, 1814. The boat 
 soon ran against a rock, which broke a 
 hole in it. The men prevented the leak 
 from sinking it, by taking oft" their coats 
 and stuffing them into the holo. When 
 3.'. lengh the cargi- niched Philadel- 
 phia, thu expei:ses amounted to fourteen 
 dollars a ton. The owners then found 
 it necessary to call at houses, black- 
 smith-shops, &c., and urge the people 
 
222 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 to try the coal in their grates and fur- 
 naces, and even to hire journeymen to 
 give it a fair trial, after publishing hand- 
 bills, in English and German, with a 
 minute description of the manner of 
 kindling and treating it. In 1812, Col. 
 George Shockmaker took nine wagons, 
 loaded with coal, from the Schuylkill 
 mines to Philadelphia, and succeeded in 
 selling two of them. It was with diffi- 
 culty that he could persuade any per- 
 sons to try the remainder, which he left 
 without selling. 
 
 The amount of foreign coal imported 
 into the United States, in 184G, was 
 156,853 tons, worth $378,597; which is 
 very small, compared with the above 
 estimate for the supply of anthracite 
 from the mines of Pennsylvania. 
 
 Philadelphia. — This city was ori- 
 ginally confined to a point on the west- 
 ern bank of the Delaware, five miles 
 above its confluence with the Schuylkill, 
 and about one hundred from the ocean. 
 The river is of sufficient depth for the 
 free admission of vessels of the largest 
 size ; but the navigation is subject to a 
 long interruption, by ice, during the 
 winter months. The city now extends 
 quite across the broad, level space to the 
 Schuylkill, a distance of about two miles, 
 while the northern and southern dis- 
 tricts, and several adjacent villages, 
 having received portions of the increas- 
 ing population, now contain, togethei", a 
 large, compact mass of houses, with a 
 population inferior to no city in the Uni- 
 ted States, except New York. 
 
 Almost without a single exception, 
 Philadelphia is laid out on a plan of 
 perfect regularity. The streets are per- 
 fectly straight, and those running north 
 and south are crossed at right-angles by 
 those running east and west, at equal 
 intervals. The former are distinguished 
 by the cardinal numbers — First, Second, 
 Third, &c.,beginningnear the Delaware, 
 as far as Independence square, in the 
 cei :re of the city ; and between the 
 western limits and that point, by the des- 
 ignation of Schuylkill — Fii-st, Second, 
 Third, &c. The principal cross-streets 
 are named after trees, as Walnut, Chest- 
 nut, &c., except the central, which is 
 Market street, and one or two others. 
 
 These principal streets so far alluded to, 
 form fine, large squares, which are sub- 
 divided by streets of a second class, and 
 inferior breadth, of which those running 
 east and west bear the names of shiiibs 
 and inferior plants. 
 
 Philadelphia is distinguished by its 
 neatness, as well as uniformity, and con- 
 tains many institutions of science, leani- 
 ing, and beneficence, as useful as they 
 are honorable to the inhabitants. 
 
 PhiladeljDhia is remarkable for a neat 
 and pleasing style of building. Hun- 
 dreds of houses, of the first class, have 
 basements and steps of white marble ; 
 and the pavements, which ai'e generally 
 wide, are carefully washed and swept. 
 Great cleanliness prevails through a 
 large part of the city, although the sur- 
 face of the ground is so flat as to be 
 rather unfavorable. Sewers have been 
 constructed to a considerable extent, 
 and the good habits of the people are 
 the chief cause of this important feature 
 in their city, which is favored by the 
 absence of great thorouglifares, the pas- 
 sage of can-iages being confined to no 
 particular streets. 
 
 Markets. — The principal markets are 
 concentrated in Market street, in which 
 a long line of buildings, well planned, 
 and built for the purpose, extends about 
 a mile, and is proverbial for convenience 
 and neatness. Abundant supplies of 
 the best articles of food are displayed, 
 with neatness and in good order, while 
 sufficient room is allowed to buyers and 
 sellers. For good meat, butter, and 
 some other products of the fine agricul- 
 tural districts in the neighborhood, 
 I'hiladelphia has long been celebrated. 
 South of the city lies an extensive tract 
 of fertile meadow-land, where rich pas- 
 tures and fine gardens abound ; the ben- 
 efits of which are enjoyed by the inhab- 
 itants. 
 
 The large draught-horseo, reared with 
 great cai'e by the Dutch farmers, for use 
 in their heavy wagons, are seen in great 
 numbers. 
 
 The Philadclj}7iia Library is one of 
 the earliest, most extensive, and valua- 
 ble, in the country, and was founded by 
 the exertions of Benjamin Franklin, 
 about the year 1727, when a little 
 
 liz; 
 
r 
 
 224 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 club of young men was formed by 
 Franklin, and used to meet in Pewter- 
 Platter alley, for reading and debate, 
 and commenced the collection by giving 
 their own books. Several of the mem- 
 bers aftei'ward became distinguished 
 men, particularly Thomas Godfrey, the 
 inventor of the mariners' quadrant. 
 Fifty new members were added in 1730, 
 and, in 1742, Thomas Penn incorporated 
 it. The colonial legislature, in 1769, 
 comprehended several other libraries 
 with it, under an act conferring upon it 
 its present name. "This," says Frank- 
 lin, "was the mother of all the North 
 American subscription libraries, now so 
 common." 
 
 T/w American Philosophical Socicti/, 
 opposite the Philadelphia Libraiy, is 
 another of the principal institutions of 
 the city, which claims Franklin as its 
 founder. In 1743, he formed a small 
 society for the purj)ose of pursuing cu- 
 rious experiments and inquiries; and, 
 after its decline, and that of a second, 
 commenced in 1750, the American Phi- 
 losophical Society, and the American 
 Society for the Diffusion of Useful 
 Knowledge. These two societies were 
 combined, in 1769, under a common 
 title, and Franklin was elected presi- 
 dent. Pi'ovision was made, by David 
 Rittenhouse, to obsei've the transit of 
 Venus. Several subjects of great pub- 
 lic importance were early considered by 
 this society, which show the science and 
 benevolence of the members. 
 
 The American Historical Society, 
 which has distinguished itself by the 
 publication of the writings of their late 
 pi'esident, Mr. Dupongeau, was formerly 
 only a department of the Philosophical 
 society. 
 
 The Exchange is situated at the cor- 
 ner of South, Third, and Walnut streets, 
 and on the angle formed by the inter- 
 section of Dock with Walnut and Third 
 streets. It was built in 1833, by the 
 merchants and citizens of Philadelphia. 
 It is constructed entirely of marble — is 
 a I'ectangular parallelogram in form, 
 ninety-five feet front on Third street, by 
 one hund)"ed and fifty on Walnut street. 
 On Dock street, however, is a semicir- 
 cular projection, ornamented from the 
 
 top of the basement story with six beau- 
 tiful Corinthian columns ; the capitals 
 worked by the best Italian artists. This 
 portico is of the height of two stories, 
 and communicates with the " exchange- 
 room," by means of nine separate win- 
 dows, which may be used as doorways. 
 A hall passes through the centre of the 
 building, from Dock to Third streets, 
 and another likewise communicates with 
 this from the north side. The basement 
 story is fifteen feet in height, is arched 
 throughout, and has twelve doorways on 
 the Third-street front and flanks. On 
 the right or north side of the hall, is the 
 postoffice, seventy-four by thirty-six feet, 
 and on the left are several insurance 
 offices and banks, and the session-room 
 of the chamber of commerce. Two 
 flights of stairs, one on each side of the 
 hall, ascend to the second floor; at the 
 head of these is the entrance to the ex- 
 change-room, which is on the east fiont, 
 extending across the whole building, 
 and occupying an area of 3,300 super- 
 ficial feet. The ceiling, extending to 
 the roof, is of the form of a dome, and 
 supported by several marble columns. 
 Its pannels are ornamented with splen- 
 did fresco paintings, representing Com- 
 merce, Wealth, Liberty, &c., beautifully 
 executed, appearing to have as striking 
 a relief as sculptured work. The roof 
 of the building is oval, and surmounted 
 by a circular lantern that rises forty 
 feet. 
 
 The Customhouse, located in Chestnut 
 street, is a splendid edifice of white 
 marble, on the plan of the Parthenon of 
 Athens, exce2it that the side colonnades 
 are wanting. 
 
 The Girard Bank is a marble build- 
 ing, with six beautiful Corinthian col- 
 umns. A portion of it is represented 
 in our engraving of the exchange. 
 
 The Bank of PcnnsT/lvania, opposite 
 the Girard bank, has two fronts, on 
 Second and Dock streets, each with six 
 Ionic columns. 
 
 The Statehozise, containing the halls 
 of the old Congress, is interesting from 
 its associations with the important pe- 
 riod of the Revolution, and especially 
 with its commencement. Independence 
 hall, the apartment east of the entrance, 
 
15 
 
 .=Jl 
 
226 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 is that in which the Declaration of In- 
 dependence was adopted and signed, 
 and in which Washington was appoint- 
 ed commander-in-chief of the army. 
 
 The large square, in the rear of 
 that edifice, is shaded by many fine old 
 trees ; and Washington square, just be- 
 yond it, which was enclosed but a few 
 years ago, has several elegant churches 
 around it, and many fine houses. But 
 the most conspicuous public place is 
 Independence square, before named, sit- 
 uated between Chestnut and Walnut 
 streets, 
 
 Girard College. — This splendid edi- 
 fice strikes the eye with admiration from 
 a distance, presenting a noble colonnade, 
 of white marble, of great size, and the 
 elegant proportions of the most celebra- 
 ted Grecian models. It has been erect- 
 ed with immense sums of money be- 
 queathed by the late Stephen Girard, 
 long an eminent merchant of Philadel- 
 phia, for the education of orphans. The 
 peculiar restrictions laid on the execu- 
 tion of the will, in several particulars, 
 threw embarrassments in the way of the 
 speedy execution of the enterprise, and 
 the institution has never gone into op- 
 eration. 
 
 ScJiooh. — Philadelphia has long been 
 supplied with schools, in much greater 
 proportion than the state at large, in 
 which they were neglected, until 1809, 
 and were but little extended or improved 
 by the act of the legislature of that year. 
 Within a few years past, exertions have 
 been made to establish a universal sys- 
 tem of common education, andi great 
 advances have been made in some parts 
 of the state ; but a large proportion of 
 the inhabitants being indifferent to the 
 claims of education, has presented great 
 obstacles to the rapid change so desira- 
 ble. The German population, distin- 
 guished as they generally are for indus- 
 try and frugality, are too much opposed 
 to the improvements desired by many 
 of their fellow-citizens ; and all attempts 
 made to rival the noble example of New 
 York and some other states, have been 
 disappointed. In Philadelphia, howev- 
 er, the public schools have been placed 
 upon a very high footing within a few 
 years ; and not only the city, but the 
 
 state and the country at large, are likely 
 to participate in the advantages of so 
 enlightened a measure. 
 
 The practice of humanity and Chris- 
 tian philanthropy, which is made so 
 prominent a feature in the system of 
 the friends, or quakers, has shown its 
 influence in various important depart- 
 ments. The improvements in prison- 
 discipline, which we have noticed at 
 some length in the description of New 
 York, in which state the plan which now 
 prevails in this country, and, to a con- 
 siderable extent, in Europe, was first 
 brought into operation at Auburn, have 
 been partially adopted in this city. Dr. 
 Rush, of Philadelphia, however, first 
 recommended radical improvements, 
 founded on somewhat similar grounds, 
 in 1787, at a time when public opinion 
 was so unprepared to put them into op- 
 eration, and even to appreciate them, 
 that they were regarded as visionary. 
 A prison was erected, in 1790, on a plan 
 corresponding with his views, which was 
 the first step in the way of improvement. 
 The prisoners were treated with more 
 humanity, kept clean, and subjected to 
 regular hours, labor, and silence, being 
 watched day and night. They were 
 credited for the products of their labor ; 
 and half the excess of the amount, after 
 fines and expenses, was paid on the ex- 
 piration of the sentence. But several 
 grand defects of the old system were 
 retained in that prison, which further 
 experience condemned. One of the 
 principal of these was the common 
 rooms, in which numbers of convicts 
 spent their time together, by day and 
 by night. No vigilance was suflUcient 
 to prevent demoralizing intercourse ; 
 and reformation — the great object in 
 view — was not satisfactorily secui'ed. 
 The prison has since been demolished, 
 and others have been erected, on differ- 
 ent plans, on the noitheastern borders 
 of the city. 
 
 The Penitentiary, near Fairmount, is 
 an immense edifice of granite, with a 
 large yard, 650 feet square, suiTOunded 
 by a wall forty feet high. The plan of 
 this building is wholly different from 
 any before erected. It is des 
 solitary confinement, in the 
 
 signed for I 
 strictest j 
 
228 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 sense of the terra. Rows of cells, on 
 one level, are arranged in seven long 
 lines, radiating from an octagonal build- 
 ing in the centre, where a single senti- 
 nel is placed to watch and listen, guard- 
 ing several hundred convicts. Objec- 
 tions have been made to this system, on 
 the ground of expense, and the difficulty 
 of linding occupation for the prisonei-s, 
 useful to them, or profitable to the insti- 
 tution, as well as to the evil effects, 
 physical, mental, and moral, sometimes 
 resulting from uninterrupted solitude. 
 General Lafayette remarked, facetious- 
 ly, while on a visit to this prison during 
 its construction, that solitary confine- 
 ment had been tried on him at 01m utz, 
 without changing his character or hab- 
 its. 
 
 TliC House of Refuge, ^ov '^uwenWe de- 
 linquents, in the same vicinity, is con- 
 ducted on the same general plan as other 
 similar institutions at New York and 
 elsewhere, and with similar beneficial 
 results. Vagrant and convicted boys 
 and girls are placed there, under the 
 charge of keepers and instructors, and 
 are trained in good schools and various 
 kinds of useful business, and then ap- 
 prenticed, chieiiy to humane persons in 
 distant and retired country situations. 
 Some of the boys have been sent to sea; 
 and many unfortunate children have 
 been rescued from ruin by such humane 
 treatment. 
 
 The Pennsylvania Hospital. — This 
 noble institution was founded by Dr. 
 Thomas Bond, in 1751, aided by Frank- 
 lin and others. The grounds are fine, 
 and it contains a statue of William 
 Penn, with West's celebrated picture 
 of Christ healing the sick, presented by 
 its author, a native of this state. 
 
 TJie University of Pennsylvania, on 
 Ninth street, has two fine edifices, one 
 of which is for the medical department. 
 The origin of this institution is traced 
 back to 17G4, when a subscription was 
 opened for an academy and charity- 
 school, in which English, mathematics, 
 and Latin, were to be taught. It was 
 incorporated and endowed in 175.3 ; and 
 among its pupils was Lindley Murray, 
 author of the English grammar. It' was 
 incorporated as a college in 1755. 
 
 Medical instruction was first given 
 by Dr. William Shippen, in 1764, in 
 a course of anatomical lectures, to ten 
 pupils. Dr. John Morgan was his as- 
 sociate the next year — both being grad- 
 uates of Edinburgh. Dr. Kahn was 
 made professor of botany in 1768, and 
 in 1769 Dr. Bush of chymistry, while 
 Di". Bond was clinical lecturer in the 
 Pennsylvania hospital. This medical 
 college has now about four hundred stu- 
 dents. 
 
 The United States Mint was erected 
 in 1830, after one of Mr. Strickland's 
 designs. It is entirely of white marble, 
 has a front on Chestnut street of 122 
 feet, and one on Centre squaie. The 
 whole process of making money, assay- 
 ing, refining, and coining the metal, is 
 carried on in this building. The mint 
 was established in 1790 ; and in 1793, 
 they commenced coining in the building 
 now occupied by the Apprentices' Li- 
 brary company, in Seventh street. Mr. 
 R. M. Patterson has been at the head 
 of this establishment for several years. 
 Since the discoveries of gold in Cali- 
 fornia, the amount of coinage has been 
 largely increased. 
 
 The Naval Hospital is situated about 
 two miles southwest from the centre of 
 the city. The expense is defrayed by 
 funds contributed by the officers and 
 seamen of the United States navy, out 
 of their pay. The building is on an 
 eminence, commands an extensive view, 
 and makes a fine appearance from a dis- 
 tance. The front is 386 feet in length, 
 three stories high, and it is large enougli 
 to lodge three or four hundred persons. 
 The first story is of granite, and the 
 second and third of marble, both of 
 which kinds of stone are found in abun- 
 dance in the vicinity of Philadel])hia. 
 
 The western side of Philadelphia is 
 a scene of much bustle and business. 
 Several fine bridges cross the Schuyl- 
 kill, and the wharves below are landing- 
 places for vessels coming from Delaware 
 bay and the ocean, for the canal-boats 
 of the Schuylkill navigation, and the 
 Union canal, which leaves that line at 
 Reading for the Susquehannah. Above, 
 a fine stone dam crosses from bank to 
 bank, and shows the first of the long 
 
and expensive series of works which form 
 an uninterrupted channel of communica- 
 tion between the Schuylkill coal-mines 
 and the city. Fairmount, a high, steep 
 eminence, rises near the same spot, on 
 the top of which are the immense reser- 
 voirs for the supply of Philadelphia with 
 water, which is raised from above the 
 milldam, by five large waterwheeis, and 
 allowed to stand for a time in two reser- 
 voirs, of the capacity of eleven millions 
 of gallons, until it deposites the earthy 
 particles. It is then distributed through- 
 out the city, thi'ough pipes more than a 
 hundred miles in extent. 
 
 The Wire Suspension-Bridge. — This 
 wonderful and beautiful specimen of art 
 was erected in 1842, at the expense of 
 fifty thousand dollars, by Mr. Charles 
 Elliot, for the city and county of Phila- 
 delphia. It occupies the site of the 
 celebrated Wernwag's wooden-arched 
 bridge, the longest in the world (with 
 an arch of three hundred and forty feet 
 span), burnt down a short time previ- 
 ously, and connects the two sides of the 
 Schuylkill at a very important point. 
 
 The length, from one abutment to the 
 other, is 343 feet, and from one of the 
 supporting rollers to the other, at the 
 apex of the columns, 357 feet, while the 
 breadth, including the floor and the foot- 
 ways, is 27 feet. The wire, of which an 
 immense quantity was used in the fab- 
 ric, is one eighth of an inch in diameter. 
 This is formed into five cables for each 
 side ; each is constituted of 260 strands, 
 two inches and five eighths in diameter, 
 weighing four tons, and able to support 
 eight hundred tons. Seventeen short 
 and smaller cables, hanging from each 
 of these, to support the floor-beams, are 
 made of smaller wires, and able to sup- 
 port two tons each. 
 
 The large cables pass over iron roll- 
 ers on the pillars, by which the tension 
 is equalized, and are fastened around 
 many strong iron bars, transversely im- 
 bedded in rocks or masonry. The tow- 
 ers are enomious columns of granite, 
 from the state of Maine. The iron was 
 quarried at Juniata, and manufactured 
 at Easton — all in this state. 
 
 The arched bridge spoken of above, 
 the predecessor of the wire-bridge, was 
 
 finished in 1813, at an expense of one 
 hundred and twenty thousand dollars, 
 and exceeded the largest of all others 
 by ninety-six feet in the span. It was 
 fifty feet wide at the abutments, and 
 thirty-five in the centre, being by this 
 form braced against lateral pressure. 
 
 The Permanent Bridge was erected, 
 at the foot of Market street, by a com- 
 pany incorporated in 1798, and cost 
 $300,000, including the land. The work 
 was a great one, at that early day, when 
 no such structure had been undertaken 
 in the country; but it was successful. 
 Indeed, it might be regarded as an en- 
 terprise of magnitude at any period, as 
 the depth of the river presented formi- 
 dable obstacles to the sinking of piers. 
 The western one was founded at a depth 
 of forty-one feet below high-water level. 
 
 Fountain Park. — This is not only one 
 of the most remarkable situations in the 
 country, in point of picturesque beauty, 
 but also endeared to us by historical as- 
 sociations of the most romantic charac- 
 ter. Here, by the shore of the Schuyl- 
 kill (or Manayone, as it was called by 
 the aborigines), occurred some of the 
 most desperate fights I'ecorded in the 
 annals of Indian warfare. Here, the 
 axe of the first settler under Penn awoke 
 the echoes of the woods. At the hour 
 that the battle of Germantown was ra- 
 ging around Chew's house, here, at least 
 three miles from that celebrated spot, 
 the Hessians were endeavoring to crush 
 a band of continentals, inferior in arms 
 and discipline, but not in iron courage. 
 After twelve bloody onsets, that poured 
 from the liill into the valley, the conti- 
 nentals drove their enemies across the 
 river, at the ford, whose traces are now 
 obliterated by the rising of the waters, 
 from Fairmount dam. This ford is sit- 
 uated on the southern verge of Laurel 
 hill, one of the most beautiful spots on 
 the globe, whose spii'es and monuments 
 are now visible from the mansion. 
 
 It was here that William Penn loved 
 to wander, contemplating, either in his 
 walks on shore, or in his excursions on 
 the river, the I'ise and progress of his 
 much-beloved colony. In those wan- 
 derings, perchance, he already saw — for 
 he was a deep thinker — his colony rise 
 
■ - .1, 
 
/F 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 231 
 
 into a state : that state one of the great 
 nations among thirty independent com- 
 monwealths. 
 
 The time is not distinctly marked 
 when the original fabric, reared some- 
 time in the commencement of the 18th 
 century, was succeeded by the present 
 beautiful mansion — the production of 
 the princely taste and spirit of Pennsyl- 
 vania's first governor, Thomas Mifflin. 
 Yet it is a fact distinctly established, 
 that some of the most important councils 
 held by Washington during the Revolu- 
 tion, took place on this spot. The grass, 
 spreading greenly before the porch, has 
 been pressed by the feet of a Frank- 
 lin, a Volney, a Priestley, a Jefferson, an 
 Adams, engaged in careless converse, or 
 philosophical discussions. 
 
 The ambassadors of kings have here 
 met the republican fathers of America. 
 The mind wanders back, through the 
 arcades of time, and beholds the rich 
 display of contrasts which v/ere exhib- 
 ited in the olden time — the handsome 
 apparel of counts, dukes, nay, princes, 
 contrasted with the plain uniform of 
 Morgan, the rifleman, or the modest 
 costume of Jefferson, the author of the 
 Declaration of Independence. 
 
 When Washington was president, he 
 was wont to leave his country residence, 
 in Germantown, and stroll by the lake 
 northward of the mansion, his imposing 
 form reflected in its waves ; or, seated 
 on the porch, he would gaze on the 
 Schuylkill, thinking over again the tri- 
 als and battles of his life, from Brad- 
 dock's defeat to the fall of Yorktown. 
 
 These are remarkable associations. 
 Among other memories, we must not 
 forget that the sinsjular round, or sex- 
 agonal tower, that rises a hundred yards 
 to the east of the mansion, was once the 
 hermita"-e of religion and the closet of 
 eloquence. The celebrated clergyman, 
 Dr. Smith, who preached those stirring 
 and remarkable sermons during the war, 
 built this tower, filled it with his books, 
 and here elaborated his most finished 
 productions. The doctor was a Scot by 
 birth, but an American in feeling. His 
 grandson, Richard Penn Smith, now re- 
 sides on the ground, and inherits in a 
 great degree the genius of his ancestor. 
 
 Perhaps not the least interesting re- 
 flection of all is presented in the fact 
 that the old mansion, once hallowed by 
 the presence of Washing-ton, Lafayette, 
 and Wayne — enlivened by the visits of 
 noblemen of royal blood, is now the do- 
 main of a gentleman whose only herald- 
 ry is recorded in his honest rise to for- 
 tune and fame, from the walks of toiling 
 life into one of the first publishers and 
 literateurs of the country. We need 
 not refer to Andrew M'Makin, Esq., 
 proprietor of the "Courier," whose de- 
 lightful family are always ready to ex- 
 tend the old-fashioned rites of hospital- 
 ity to the stranger, and render a visit 
 to Fountain Park (or Aromana, as the 
 Indians called it and its lakes) a journey 
 of homeborn pleasure. It is rarely that 
 literary labor meets with a repose like 
 this — much more rarely are its honors 
 worn so well, or with such unpretending 
 grace. 
 
 Reading, fifty-four miles from Phila- 
 delphia, is a place of considerable im- 
 portance, and contains some liandsome 
 public buildings. The Union canal be- 
 gins two miles below Reading, passes 
 up the western shore of the river to the 
 valley of the Tulpehocken, and then fol- 
 lows that valley till within five miles of 
 Lebanon, where begins the summit-lev- 
 el. In all this distance, it rises 311 feet, 
 by numerous locks of four and eight feet 
 lift. The canal is twenty-four feet wide 
 at bottom, four deep, and thirty-six on 
 the surface. On this part of the canal is 
 the tunnel, an excavation bored through 
 a hill for a distance of 729 feet, 25 feet 
 being first cut away. This dark and 
 gloomy passage is eighteen feet in width, 
 and fourteen feet high. 
 
 Schuylkill Water-Gajj. — This is a 
 narrow gorge, through which the river 
 runs over a steep and rocky channel, for 
 four or five miles, leaving no room upon 
 its banks, which rise abruptly on each 
 side to the height of several hundred 
 feet. The road has been cut out along 
 the face of one of these ranges, at a great 
 elevation, where the surface is in many 
 places of such a declivity as to requii'e 
 it to be supported by walls of stone. 
 The views which are here afforded to 
 the traveller, are romantic and varied in 
 
- 
 
 
a high degree. This interesting scene 
 somewhat resembles that on the Dela- 
 ware represented in the vignette. 
 
 The Little Schuylkill River, a branch 
 of the principal sti'eam, runs through a 
 valley of the same general description ; 
 and here lies the road to Mount Car- 
 bon. 
 
 T/'". Tunnel. — This a place where a 
 hill ha-s been bored through 375 yards 
 for a canal, about three miles from Or- 
 wigsburgh. 
 
 Mount Carison is near several coal- 
 mines. The coal-country in this region 
 begins in Luzerne, on the upper part 
 of the Lackawana river, following its 
 course to the Susquehannah, and along 
 that stream, principally on the eastern 
 bank, to eighteen miles beyond Wilkes- 
 barre. It runs south to the Lehigh river, 
 and thence southwest, through Schuyl- 
 kill county. It extends about one hun- 
 dred miles, and at the middle of the 
 range is eight or nine miles wide, but 
 narrower toward each end. 
 
 At Mount Carbon the coal occurs in 
 beds of four or five feet in thickness, 
 running east and west, and dipping to 
 the south at forty-five degrees, with a 
 slate-rock immediately over it, and strata 
 of sandstone and earth above. The slate 
 pi'esents the impressions of organized 
 substances imbedded in it, as the leaves 
 of lauiel, fern, &c. 
 
 In consequence of the inclination of 
 the coal-veins into the earth, the minei's 
 have, in some places, sunk shafts to the 
 depth of one hundred and fifty feet, with 
 lateral excavations, east and west, of 
 various lengths to three hundred feet. 
 Two small carriages, called "trams," 
 are used in a sloping shaft to bring the 
 coal out, leing made to descend by 
 turns ; but in the horizontal one, which 
 has been carried in several hundred feet, 
 they use wheelbarrows. 
 
 PoTTSViLLE. — This is the capital of 
 Schuylkill county, and the centre of the 
 coal-business, on the western part of the 
 great anthracite region, extending east- 
 wai'd to Mauch Chunk. It contains 
 nearly eight thousand inhabitants, and 
 enjoys a romantic situation in the midst 
 of the mountains, whose mineral treas- 
 ures, so recently brought to light, em- 
 
 ploy a large population, and create a 
 scene of bustle and profiltible industry 
 all along the course of the stream below, 
 and powerfully contribute to the pros- 
 perity of many distant manufactories, 
 and to the movements of commerce. 
 
 Lehigh Coal-Mines. — The first discov- 
 ery of coal at Mauch Chunk is said to 
 have been made by a hunter, as late as 
 179L The first indications he noticed 
 were bits of anthracite adhering to the 
 roots of a fallen tree. A company was 
 formed for the purpose of raining it the 
 following year, called the Lehigh Coal- 
 Mine company, who secured a tract of 
 land embracing the present mine, made 
 a rough road to it from the river, and 
 began to dig the coal, and transport it 
 to the stream. But the navigation was 
 so difiicult that the enterprise failed. 
 
 The improvement of the navigation 
 of the Lehigh was commenced by the 
 legislature of the colony, as early as the 
 year 177 L Laws for the same object 
 are found in the statute-book of the state, 
 under the dates of 1791, 1794, &c. A 
 company undertook to clear the chan- 
 nel, and, after spending thirty thousand 
 dollars, gave up the attempt. Different 
 persons, in the meantime, who had ta- 
 ken leases from the coal-mine company, 
 made unsuccessful exertions to transport 
 the coal to Philadelphia ; the last of 
 whom, Messrs. Cist, Miner, and Robin- 
 son, have been before mentioned. They 
 abandoned their attempts in 1815. 
 
 Wonderful as it now appears, the dif- 
 ficulty of igniting anthracite coal was 
 sufficient to prevent its introduction for 
 many years ; and the incredulity of the 
 public continued to be too great to be 
 overcome by the exertions made, until 
 the year 1818, when two mining compa- 
 nies were formed ; and, in 1820, three ' 
 hundred and sixty-five tons were brought t 
 down, and sold in Philadelphia at eight i 
 and a half dollars a ton, delivered, which 
 fully satisfied the demand. Both com- 
 panies were soon formed into one; since 
 which its operations, much facilitated by 
 great improvements in the navigation, 
 have been vast and beneficial. By means 
 of dams, the water of the Lehigh, which 
 is insufficient for continual use, is stop- 
 ped, and occasionally allowed to flow for 
 
a short time, floating down at once nu- 
 merous rude boats or boxes, called arks, 
 laden with coal, from sixteen to eighteen 
 feet wide, and twenty to twenty-five in 
 length. It was soon found convenient to 
 connect two of these, and afterward, 
 three, four, and more, so that the tem- 
 porary flood might carry them down to- 
 gether^ without separating them or stri- 
 king them against each other, Avhile at 
 the same time they would conform to 
 the rough suiface of the water, as no 
 single vessel of great length could pos- 
 sibly do, and might be navigated and 
 managed separately at pleasure. Inge- 
 nuity devised improvements of other 
 kinds also ; for machinery was soon 
 brought into use, by which planks were 
 joined for an ark, put together, and 
 launched, in forty-five minutes, by five 
 men. 
 
 A branch of the Pennsylvania canal 
 was finished not long after, along the 
 western bank of the Delaware ; and thus 
 the only remaining work, necessary to 
 a convenient and uninterrupted commu- 
 nication between the mines and the city, 
 was completed. 
 
 The Dclaivare and Hudson Canal 
 commences at Kingston, on the Hudson 
 river, and runs over to the Delaware 
 river, through the valley of the Never- 
 sink creek, thence up the valley of the 
 Delaware to the Lackawaxen creek, and 
 up that creek to the foot of the railway. 
 This is a continuous canal of 117 miles 
 in length. The railway commences at 
 the termination of the canal, and runs 
 over Moosick mountain to the coal-mines 
 at Carbondale, on theLackawana creek, 
 sixteen and a half miles, overcoming an 
 elevation of 858 feet. 
 
 At Easton is the dam over the Dela- 
 wai"e, at the termination of the works 
 for improving the navigation of Lehigh 
 river, from Mauch Chunk to this place. 
 
 Bethlehem is a neatly-built place, in 
 a romantic and delightful situation, along 
 the course of a swift-running brook. It 
 is inhabited by Germans, and is the seat 
 of an old Moravian school. 
 
 The works on the Lehigh river are on 
 a large scale. The river descends 365 
 feet, and requires fifty-two locks and 
 twenty-one dams. The locks are in- 
 
 tended for steamboats capable of carry- 
 ing 150 tons of coal, one hundred feet 
 long and thirty feet wide. 
 
 The Lehigh water-gap is twenty-five 
 miles from Easton, and eleven fiom Le- 
 highton, six miles from Mauch Chunk. 
 The first objects that attract attention, 
 near the village of Mauch Chunk, are 
 the lock in the river, and the chute, or I 
 inclined plane, at the end of the railway, 
 down which the loaded coal-cais slide 
 to the wharf on the river, where they 
 load the boats and arks. The latter 
 cany about ten tons. The ti ains of cars 
 coming down the railway will often be 
 heard rumbling as the traveller ap- 
 proaches the village. 
 
 Mauch Chunk, ninety miles from New 
 York, and seventy from Philadelphia, is 
 shut in by rude mountains, of such height 
 that the sun is invisible to many of the 
 inhabitants during the short days. 
 
 The railway leads from near the coal- 
 mines to the Lehigh river. This was 
 the second ever constructed in the Uni- 
 ted States — the Q,uincy railway, in Mas- 
 sachusetts, being the first. It extends 
 a distance of nine miles, along the side 
 of a mountain. 
 
 The coal-mine lies a little on the op- 
 posite side of the mountain ; and the 
 coal -cars are first made to ascend to the 
 summit of the railway up an acclivity 
 of five eighths of a mile. The summit 
 is 982 feet above the river. The aver- 
 age rise of the way is eighteen inches 
 per one hundred feet, which is scarcely 
 perceptible to the eye, and enables a 
 single horse-power to draw up three 
 empty cars. 
 
 The cars are made of strong oak tim- 
 bers, and planked up on three sides, 
 with a swinging door in the rear. Thry 
 arc six feet four inches long, three feet 
 wide at top and two feet nt bottom, and 
 about three feet in deptlj, resting on 
 wheels with cast-iron rims or felloes two 
 feet in diameter, one inch thick, and 
 about four inches in breadth, with a 
 stron" edffe or flanch, one inch in thick- 
 ness, and about two inches wide, which 
 prevents them from slipping oft" the rails. 
 
 The cars may be stopped immediate- 
 ly, by a long lever, which brings string 
 bearers against two of the wheels, and 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 235 
 
 causes great friction. The guide to ev- 
 ery briga«de of eleven cars holds a rope 
 attached to all the levers. Several hun- 
 dreds of such cars are in use. They car- 
 ry the coal to the chute above the river, 
 down which they are sent. 
 
 At the end of the railroad is a plat- 
 form, on the bank of the Lehigh river, 
 down which the coal is let over one of 
 the rails, on an inclined plane of 750 
 feet (200 feet perpendicular height), to 
 the stone-houses, the wharf, and the 
 boats. Each loaded car is connected to 
 an empty one, which it draws up, by a 
 rope that passes round a large cylinder 
 or drum. A car goes down in about one 
 minute and twenty seconds. 
 
 The mine opens upon the road by 
 passages cut in the earth. These con- 
 duct into an area formed by the removal 
 of coal, where carts drive in, load, and 
 then pass out at the other passage. 
 
 Pittsburgh. — This is the greatest 
 manufacturing town of the west, and 
 has furnished a large proportion of the 
 steamboats which navigate the Missis- 
 sippi and its branches. It occupies a 
 low point of land, at the junction of the 
 Allegany and Monongahela rivers, whose 
 united stream is named the Ohio. It is 
 three hundred miles west from Philadel- 
 phia, eleven hundred from New Orleans, 
 by land, and over two thousand by wa- 
 ter, yet has almost daily communication 
 with it by steamboats. A part of the 
 city now covers Ayres' hill, and part of 
 the sides of two other eminences ; while 
 four small towns, Allegany, Sligo, Man- 
 chester, and Birmingham, at short dis- 
 tances, occupy points on the banks. 
 
 A bridge of eight arches, and fifteen 
 hundred feet long, crosses the Monon- 
 gahela, erected in 1818, at an expense 
 of one hundred thousand dollars ; while 
 four bridges cross the Allegany, as well 
 as the noble aqueduct of the Pennsylva- 
 nia canal. The city contains about sev- 
 enty churches, and the population, in 
 1850, was 80,000. 
 
 It is rare, indeed, to find so many ad- 
 vantages concentrated in one spot, as 
 those which combine to give to Pitts- 
 burgh its great manufacturing and com- 
 mercial importance. It not only occu- 
 pies the head of the navigation of the 
 
 Ohio, but it is the radiating point of the 
 great western system of canals and rail- 
 roads ; while its relation to extensive 
 and fertile regions of Virginia and New 
 York, as well as of the state to which it 
 belongs, and the abundant supplies of 
 coal and iron at its command, brought 
 mto use by its enterprising inhabitants, 
 have given it the highest rank among 
 the cities of the west. 
 
 The fine engraving accompanying this 
 description is copied from one of Mr. 
 Bartlett's correct and elegant prints, 
 and gives a just picture of this large and 
 flourishing town ; but nothing except a 
 visit to the place can convey an adequate 
 idea of the amount of business carried 
 on in various branches of manufacture. 
 
 The principal manufactures of Pitts- 
 burgh are all things that pertain to the 
 construction and furnishing of steam- 
 boats, especially the engines for their 
 use, and such as are employed in vari- 
 ous mills, &c., with a great variety of 
 machines, implements, and tools, of 
 wood as well as of iron, including 
 ploughs, &c., &c. Bar and rolled iron 
 are made in large quantities, as well as 
 nails, glass, cotton cloths, leather, and 
 boards. The steam-power in use in 
 these and various other branches of 
 manufacture, amounts to several thou- 
 sand horse-power. Several steamboats 
 arrive and depart every day, with many 
 more canal-boats. 
 
 There are several banks and insurance 
 companies, a board of trade, with an ex- 
 change-room and a reading-room, and 
 about a dozen companies managing 
 freight and the transport of passengers 
 on the canal. 
 
 The Courthouse occupies the summit 
 of Grant's hill, where it makes a con- 
 spicuous appearance, and commands an 
 extensive and interesting view over the 
 city, the river, the neighboring villages, 
 and the surrounding countzy. It is one 
 hundred and sixty-five feet in length, 
 one hundred in breadth, and has the jail 
 in its rear. The rotunda, a fine hall, 
 sixty feet in diameter, is in the second 
 story, surrounded by court and jury- 
 rooms. The structure is large, substan- 
 tial, elegant, and costly. It was five 
 years iu building, cost two hundred 
 
thousand dollars, and is creditsfble to the 
 state, both on account of its style, plan, 
 and execution. Its material is the fine, 
 gray sandstone, which abounds in some 
 parts of the neig-hboring hills. 
 
 The Western Univcr.iitii of Pennsyl- 
 vania Ts situated at Pittsburgh. The 
 institutif)n commenced operations in 
 1822, and the buildings were erected 
 on Third street, in 1830. The edifice 
 has a high basement of hewn stone, with 
 arched entrances, and two stories above, 
 with a portico projecting in the middle, 
 having four Ionic columns. It is sur- 
 mounted by a cupola, with windows on 
 all sides. 
 
 The Water- Works. — Pittsburgh is 
 supplied with water from the Allegany 
 river, which is raised, by steam-power, 
 to a reservoir on Grant's hill, one hun- 
 dred and sixteen feet high. The reser- 
 voir is eleven feet in depth, and capable 
 of containing a million of gallons. 
 
 The Western Theological Seminary 
 is situated at Allegany city. It is under 
 the direction of the general assembly of 
 the presbyterian church, by whom it was 
 founded in 1825. The building occu- 
 pies a fine, airy position, on the summit 
 of an elevated ridge, rising one hundred 
 feet from the bank of the river, and con- 
 tains six thousand volumes in its libra- 
 ry. A workshop was connected with it, 
 with the intention of employing the stu- 
 dents in manual labor. 
 
 The theological seminary of the asso- 
 ciate reformed church, which was found- 
 ed in 182G, is also situated in this town. 
 
 The Western Penitentiary of Penn- 
 sylvania. — This extensive prison stands 
 on the shore of the Allegany, at the 
 western extremity of Allegany city. It 
 was comy^leted in 1827, and cost $183,- 
 092, including all the furniture, &c. 
 The system of solitary confinement is 
 here in practice ; and the prisoners are 
 employed, at solitary labor, in the weav- 
 ing of carpets, making shoes, and pick- 
 ing oakum. 
 
 The United States Arsenal is at Law- 
 renceville, two and a half miles above 
 Pittsburgh, on the loft bank of the Al- 
 legany, opposite Wainwright's island. 
 That insular spot is celebrated as the 
 scene where Washington was driven on 
 
 shore on his raft, in his first attempt to 
 cross the stream, on his return from his 
 mission to Venango. Considerable num- 
 bers of arms are manufactured in tlie 
 arsenal, including ordnance ; and here 
 a large supply is constantly in store. 
 Here, also, equipments are made and 
 kept, for the southern and western mili- 
 tary posts, the place being at once cen- 
 tral, and conveniently situated for com- 
 munication with different parts of the 
 country. 
 
 History. — The history of Pittsburgh 
 is highly important, as it was the first 
 point occupied, in all this western re- 
 gion, by the English, and was the scene 
 of contest between that nation and the 
 French. Under the belief that " the 
 forks of the Monongahela" wei-e within 
 the bounds of Virginia, George Wash- 
 ington was sent, in 1753, to select a site 
 for a fort, who chose this spot ; and 
 troops were soon sent to occupy it, while 
 Pennsylvania despatched a force for the 
 same purpose, considering the place a 
 spot within her own territory. But, on 
 the 7th of April, 1754, while Ensign 
 Ward, with forty men, was engaged in 
 building a fort, during the absence of 
 the superior officers, sixty batteaux and 
 three hundred canoes appeared, loaded 
 with one thousand of the enemy's troops 
 and Indians, descending the Allegany. 
 They landed and demanded a sui'render ; 
 which was complied with, on condition 
 that the English should be allowed to 
 depart unmolested, with their working- 
 tools. 
 
 The capture of this fort was the first 
 act of hostility in the last French war, 
 as it is commonly called in this country, 
 which continued for seven years. The 
 French commander, Gen. Contrecoeur, 
 immediately commenced the erection of 
 Fort Duquesne on the same spot. 
 
 In 1755, General Braddock, at the 
 head of an army, consisting of British 
 troops and American militia, after many 
 delays, approached this place, and the 
 army threw the French into a state of 
 great alarm. Their fort was a mere 
 stockade, quite unfit to resist artillery ; 
 and Captain Beaujeu, with great diffi- 
 culty, persuaded some of the Indians to 
 accompany a portion of the French sol- 
 

238 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 diers to march out and await the ap- 
 proach of their enemies in an ambush. 
 The plan, however, proved successful, 
 in consequence of the self-confidence of 
 the British general ; for, in spite of the 
 most earnest expostulations of Washing- 
 ton, he persisted in proceeding without 
 precaution, and would not allow an ad- 
 vance guard or scouts to explore the 
 trackless forest before and around them. 
 The consequence was, that, after cross- 
 ing the river and reaching a piece of 
 smooth ground, up an acclivity, where 
 they were among the trees, they received 
 a sudden and destructive fire, on both 
 sides, from large bodies of the enemy 
 concealed in two ravines parallel to the 
 line of march, and, after three hours' 
 fighting, were totally defeated. The 
 British commander, and many officers 
 and men of the two regiments of regular 
 troops, with a large part of the colonial 
 militia, were killed. Those who were 
 finally saved, owed their lives to the skill 
 and boldness of Washington, who here 
 first displayed some of those peculiar 
 qualities which afterward proved as use- 
 ful to the country as honorrable to him- 
 self. 
 
 Strange as it may seem, there is good 
 reason to believe that the force by which 
 that powerful expedition was defeated, 
 was quite insignificant. Washington 
 wrote to his mother, nine days after the 
 battle, that he was persuaded they "did 
 not amount to three hundred men, while 
 ours consisted of about thirteen hundred 
 well-armed troops, chiefly regular sol- 
 diers, who were struck with such a panic 
 that they behaved with more cowardice 
 than it is possible to conceive. The of- 
 ficers behaved gallantly, in order to en- 
 courage their men, for which they suf- 
 fered greatly." 
 
 Easton. — This is an important town, 
 situated at the mouth of Lehigh river. 
 The canal-basin and locks, with the 
 bridges over that stream and the Dela- 
 ware, are expensive works. The coal- 
 trade, the slate quarries, the surround- 
 ing grain-country, and the manufactories 
 of the place, many of which are moved 
 by water-power, combine to render the 
 town one of much business and prosper- 
 ity. There are at least twenty saw- 
 
 mills, sevei'al oil-mills, &c., within a 
 short distance. The Delaware bridge 
 cost sixty-five thousand dollars. The 
 Lehigh bridge is of wood, in the place 
 of one of chains, which was destroyed 
 by a flood in 184L 
 
 Lafayette College. — This institution, 
 established in 182G, for a military acad- 
 emy, was changed to one of a collegiate 
 character in 1832 ; and, two years after- 
 ward, the building was erected, which is 
 one hundred and twelve feet by forty- 
 four, and contains sixty rooms. It is 
 named *' Brainard hall." 
 
 Easton was an important place in the 
 middle of the last century, as it was a 
 favorite council-town of the Delaware 
 Indians. During the French wars, great 
 exertions were made by the Jesuits in 
 Canada, to detach this powerful nation 
 from the English interest Important 
 councils were held here in 1756, 1757, 
 and 1758, at which all differences were 
 adjusted between the Delawai'es of sev- 
 eral tribes and the Six Nations of New 
 York, by Teedyuscung, chief of the Del- 
 awares, assisted by the quakei^s, in op- 
 position to a strong combination of men 
 less friendly to the claims of the red 
 men. 
 
 The Valley of IVyojning. — This nar- 
 row tract of country has attained melan- 
 choly celebrity, from the tragical fate of 
 its early colonies, which has been re- 
 corded, in an appropriate style, by one 
 of the most chaste and popular mod- 
 ern British poets. This beautiful and 
 secluded region is shut in by the ranges 
 of the Shawnee and Lackawannock 
 mountains on one side, and the Wyo- 
 ming and the Moosic, about six miles 
 distant, on the other. It is watei-ed by 
 the Susquehannah rivei', which, as has 
 been before remarked, runs in a direc- 
 tion across the rude barriers of nature. 
 On reaching this valley, however, it de- 
 viates awhile from its general course in 
 this part of the state, and meanders, 
 with a gentle current, for about eighteen 
 miles, nearly parallel with the ridges of 
 the mountains. It then bursts its way 
 though Wyoming mountain, and pursues 
 its course through Columbia county. 
 
 The first settlers here were from Con- 
 necticut, as has been before menti.med, 
 
240 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 and several towns were for some time 
 represented in the legislature of that 
 colony, by deputies elected here, who 
 annually performed the then long and 
 toilsome journey to Hartford, The man- 
 ners and habits of the present day bear 
 strong traces of their origin, although 
 considerable additions have been re- 
 ceived to the population from the Ger- 
 mans and Scotch-Irish of the surrounding 
 country, with many miners and laborers, 
 from Wales and Ireland, in the mining 
 regions. 
 
 " Few landscapes," says Professor 
 Silliman, " can vie with the valley of 
 Wyoming. Excepting some rocky 
 precipices and clifl's, the mountains are 
 wooded from the summit to their base ; 
 natural sections furnish avenues for 
 roads, and the rapid Susquehannah rolls 
 its powerful current through a mountain- 
 gap on the northeast, and immediately 
 receives the Lackawanna, which flows 
 down the narrower valley of the same 
 name. A similar pass between the 
 mountains on the south gives the Sus- 
 quehannah an exit ; and, at both places, 
 a slight obliquity in the position of the 
 observer presents to the eye a seeming 
 lake in the windings of the river, and a 
 barrier of mountains apparently impas- 
 sable. From the foot of the steep mount- 
 ain ridges, particularly on the eastern 
 side, the valley slopes away, with bi'o ad, 
 sweeping undulations in the surface, 
 forming numerous swelling hills of ara- 
 ble and tri-azino: land ; and, as we recede 
 from the hills, the fine flats and mead- 
 ows, covered with the richest grass and 
 wheat, complete the picture, by features 
 of the gentlest and most luxuriant beau- 
 ty." 
 
 The lower part of Wyoming valley 
 was occupied by some of the Shawnees, 
 soon after the arrival of William Penn 
 at Philadelphia, those Indians having 
 received permission to settle there from 
 the Six Nations, who claimed the coun- 
 try. When some of the Delawares, not 
 long subsequently, were driven, by the 
 encroaching whites, from their lands 
 above the forks of the Delaware and 
 Lehigh, the Six Nations allowed them 
 to occupy the eastern side of Wyoming 
 valley, where they built a town called 
 
 Maughwaurame, just below the site of 
 Wilkesbarre. This was done in 174JJ; 
 and that same year arrived among them 
 the celebrated Moravian missionaiy, 
 Count Zinzendorf, accompanied by his 
 friend Mack, with his wife. The Dela- 
 wares, jealous of white men (in conse- 
 quence of having been overreached by 
 an artifice in a contract for the sale of a 
 portion of their lands on the Lehigh, by 
 which they had been deprived of the 
 whole), meditated the butchery of the 
 man who had forsaken country and pos- 
 sessions for the disinterested love of 
 mankind, and devoted himself, v/ith the 
 evangelical spirit of primitive Christian- 
 ity, to the trials of a missionary among 
 the heathen. His life, however, was 
 spared ; and he, with his companions 
 and followers, lived to introduce the 
 gospel among that nation of our abori- 
 ginal red men. The mission was re- 
 moved, a few years after, to Wyalusing, 
 after the commencement of the Connec- 
 ticut colony. The Shawnees, in the low- 
 er part of the valley, had been invited 
 by the French on the Ohio to join a part 
 of their nation who resided among them, 
 but had been })revented from a compli- 
 ance by the influence of the Moravian 
 missionaries. An accident, however, in- 
 duced them to change their minds. One 
 day, during the absence of the Delaware 
 warriors, two children, from the different 
 tribes, while at play on the banks of the 
 Wyoming, fell into a dispute about a 
 grasshopper which one of them had 
 caught. This at length drew in their 
 parents and friends, until, to settle a 
 question of rights and boundaries which 
 was raised, it led to a battle, and the 
 defeat and expulsion of the Sliawnees. 
 Thus enmity was created on both sides, 
 which, with other causes, laid the way 
 fi>r the scenes of blood which ere long 
 ensued. 
 
 The charter of Pennsylvania was un- 
 happily drawn up so as to interfere with 
 that of Connecticut, both embracing this 
 region, the right to which was vested by 
 the former in William Penn, and by the 
 latter, at a time long anterior, in the 
 people of Connecticut. Under these 
 circumstances, the first settlers from that 
 colony arrived in 1762, to the number 
 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 241 
 
 of two hundreil ; and a long course of 
 remonstrances, rivalry, military prepa- 
 rations, and even military operations, 
 commenced between them and the Penn- 
 sylvanians. 
 
 In 1777, at a time when almost all the 
 able-bodied men of the Connecticut set- 
 tleir^ents were absent with l. 3 Revolu- 
 tionary army, a large body of Indians 
 Ciame down the Susquehannah, led by 
 the inhuman Colonel John Butler, whose 
 savage conduct at Cherry valley has 
 been noticed in the description of New 
 York. His force consisted of his own 
 tory rangers, a detachment from Sir John 
 Johnson's Royal Greens, in all about four 
 hundred, and seven hundred Seneca In- 
 dians. To meet them, only four hundred 
 could be mustered, consisting chiefly of 
 old men and boys, and these undrilled, 
 ill provided with arms, and many of them 
 unaccustomed to war, and ill-fitted for 
 the field by their youth or age. Choos- 
 ing for their leader Colonel Zebulun 
 Butler, who happened to be at the place, 
 they took post on the side of the Sus- 
 quehannah, with the steep .bank on their 
 right, and a swamp on their left, and 
 there withstood the enemy, until, after 
 a desperate fight, and the loss of two 
 thirds of their number, the invaders tri- 
 umphed. Many of the prisoners were 
 butchered in cold blood after the sur- 
 render ; and numbers of those who es- 
 caped, were barely able to reach their 
 women and children, left in the stock- 
 aded forts below, in. time to induce them 
 to desert the valley and seek safety in 
 flight. Hundreds of weak and defence- 
 less widows and orphans were soon wan- 
 dering over the mountains, and pursuing 
 their melancholy way to distant settle- 
 ments, and even back to Connecticut. 
 Some parties lived for several days on 
 whoi'tleberries ; and one, consisting of 
 a hundred persons, had but a single 
 man. One of the stockades, called Fort 
 Forty, having received a few of the fu- 
 gitive soldiers, made a show of defence 
 on the approach of the victorious ene- 
 my, and obtained an honorable capitu- 
 lation, drawn up in the handwriting of 
 their clergyman, and signed by Colonel 
 Butler; but, no sooner had the toi'ies 
 entered at one gate, and the Indians at 
 
 the other, than they began to threatec 
 and rob the inmates, whose weakness 
 they had now discovered. They, how- 
 ever, did not proceed to bloodshed ; but 
 as it was perceptible that no security 
 could be enjoyed, the people in a few 
 days followed the example of their pred- 
 ecessors, and set out on foot to find some 
 place of safety. For several days and 
 nights the houses and barns were bui n- 
 ing in all parts of the valley, while hun- 
 dreds of corpses lay bleeding, from the 
 weapons of the white and the red men, 
 who seemed to rival each other in wan- 
 ton barbarity, thus addinganother to the 
 awfiil lessons which history has so often 
 recorded, on the diabolical spirit that 
 war can enkindle in the human heart. 
 
 In 1779, Gen. Sullivan passed through 
 the valley with his army, on his expedi- 
 tion against the Six Nations, and, in Oc- 
 tober, returned to Easton, whence he 
 had marched, having devastated some 
 of the richest of their country. 
 
 In March, 1784, after the valley had 
 again become populous, on the breaking 
 up of the ice in the river, a dam was 
 formed, by its stopping, at the narrow 
 gorge through which it leaves this beau- 
 tiful region. The water rapidly rose 
 over the land, driving the inhabitants to 
 the hills, and leaving, after subsiding, 
 many lands injured, and much property 
 destroyed. 
 
 After the close of the Revolutionary 
 war, violent animosities were raised be- 
 tween the "Pennamites" and the "Con- 
 necticut boys," as the two old parties 
 were called, and were carried to great 
 lengths ; but a permanent adjustment 
 of the long dispute was finally made by 
 the legislatures of the two states inter- 
 ested. 
 
 Montgomery County is apart of the 
 state most abounding in iron-mines. It 
 is situated in the heart of the central 
 range of mountains, and is exceedingly 
 wild and rough, with small valleys in- 
 terposed between numerous tall and 
 romantic eminences, such as Tuscarora 
 mountain. Black Log, Sideling hill, the 
 Terrace, Allegripus, Tussey's, Black 
 Eagle, &c. Near the southwestern ex- 
 tremity of the county rises a very con- 
 spicuous and remarkable eminence, 
 
 16 
 
242 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 called Broadtop mountain, which con- 
 tains a singular coal-basin, with thin 
 seams of bituminous coal, from one. to 
 four feet in thickness. The Juniata 
 river, with several of its branches, wa- 
 ters different parts of this wild, Alpine 
 logion. 
 
 Montgomery county lies along the 
 Schuylkill river, and formerly belonged 
 to Philadelphia county. It comprehends 
 some of the earliest settlements, with 
 remains of the first colonists, and evi- 
 dences of their substantial habits, as 
 well as some of the more modern works 
 of internal improvement. The surface is 
 agreeably varied, with much picturesque 
 scenei'y, whose beauties are enhanced 
 by the hand of persevering and success- 
 ful culture, as well as by the works of 
 science, enlisted in the service of an en- 
 lightened public spirit. 
 
 The southeastern extremity of the 
 county is traversed by a belt of primi- 
 tive rocks. The primitive limestone of 
 the Great valley crosses the Schuylkill 
 at Swedesford and Conshohocken, af- 
 fording valuable quarries for the supply 
 of white marble to Philadelphia ; and 
 red shale constitutes the rocks of other 
 parts, whose debris forms a productive 
 soil, while sandstones prevail in some 
 places. Stone turnpikes, and other good 
 roads, are numerous. The Reading rail- 
 road and the Norristown and Philadel- 
 phia railroad pursue the course of the 
 Schuylkill for some distance, while the 
 works of the Navigation company, be- 
 fore mentioned, afford another important 
 channel of transportation. On these are 
 several bridges, and other works, worthy 
 of particular attention. Copper-mines 
 are believed to have been formerly open- 
 ed in different jiarts of this county, and 
 there are reports of silver and lead-mines 
 havinsT been known. Numerous mills 
 and manufactories are kept in operation 
 by the water-power provided at the vari- 
 ous dams on the river. 
 
 The first settlements were made in 
 the southeastern part of Montgomery 
 county by Swedes and Welsh, and in 
 the north by Germans, all of whom long 
 retained their appropi"iate languages. 
 But of these, only the German remains 
 at the present day. Religious services 
 
 were first held by the friends, or qua- 
 kers, in Oxford, in 1683, and in Hors- 
 ham in 1716. The first meetinghouse 
 of the Welsh friends was built in North 
 Wales in 1700, and the second in 1712. 
 In lower Merion township, a friends' 
 meetinghouse was erected as early as 
 1695, which is still standing and in use, 
 having been lately repaired. 
 
 The fii'st Swedish church was erected 
 at Swedesford in 1763, the Swedes hav- 
 ing come into the county, as it appears, 
 some time after the Welsh. The Swe- 
 dish churches, in different towns in this 
 county, were incorporated together, by 
 John Penn, in 1765, and this charter 
 was renewed in 1787, by the state legis- 
 lature. Remains of old Swedish cus- 
 toms, as well as families, are still found, 
 especially about Norristown. 
 
 A few Germans, having early come 
 over from Europe to join the colonists 
 of William Penn, and settled German- 
 town, near Philadelphia, sent back to 
 their countrymen such favorable ac- 
 counts that they had numerous follow- 
 ei's, especially from the Palatinate, be- 
 tween 1700 and 1730. They occupied 
 the territory about the head-waters of 
 Perkiomen creek, and Lutheran and 
 German reformed churches were after- 
 ward founded. In 1741, however, al- 
 though there were about a hundred Lu- 
 theran communicants at New Hanover, 
 or the Swamp, the only place of worship 
 was a log-hut, and it was not until 1767 
 that a church was built of stone, which 
 is still in use by a congregation of five 
 hundred members. The Gorman re- 
 formed congregation was formed about 
 thfe year 1747, and their present brick 
 edifice was erected in 1790. Numerous 
 Lutheran congregations are now con- 
 centrated about Latrappe, extending 
 among the neighboring towns in Bucks 
 county, where the German language is 
 still generally spoken. The old church 
 standing in the village of Trappe, was 
 erected in 1743, by Rev. Henry iSIelchior 
 Muhlenberg, who is called the father of 
 the Lutheran church in the United States. 
 Eve'y pew in the building, and every 
 seat in each, has its number branded 
 into the wood with a hot iron ; and a 
 tablet over the door bears a Latin in 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 243 
 
 scription, now almost illegible, bearing 
 the above date and the name of its 
 founder, whose remains lie inteiTed in 
 the churchyard. 
 
 Several congregations of Gei'man bap- 
 tists, or Meiinonists, are also found in 
 this neighborhood, whose ancestors came 
 to this country about the |)ei'iod included 
 between the years 1706 and 1717. In 
 the northeastern part of the county, 
 near Croschenhoppon, is a small ])ody of 
 Schwenckfeldors, named after Gaspar 
 de Schwenckfeldt, a Silesian nobleman, 
 born in 1490, who taught doctrines con- 
 demned by Rome, and incurred perse- 
 cution for them, yet differed essentially 
 from Luther. His followers were pro- 
 tected by Count Zinzendorf for eight 
 years, when they came to Pennsylvania, 
 where they arrived some time before 
 1 740. 
 
 Valley Forge, a wild and secluded 
 valley in the mountainous region of this 
 county, is associated with one of the 
 most gloomy and desperate periods of 
 the American i-evolution. The British 
 army, after landing on the Delaware, 
 gained the battle of Brandywine, Sep- 
 tember 11, 1777, and Washington re- 
 ti'eated, with his feeble army, to Ger- 
 mantown, and, after one day's rest, 
 crossed the Schuylkill, and advanced on 
 the Lancaster road, to endeavor to stop 
 the progress of the enemy, but was pre- 
 vented by the injury of his ammunition, 
 caused by a severe rain. The enemy 
 then taking the road toward Swedesford, 
 induced Washington to leave that to 
 Philadelphia open, and, taking advan- 
 tage of the opportunity, entered that 
 city ; to guard which, he occupied Ger- 
 mantown with the largest body of troops. 
 This was one of the great epochs in the 
 history of the Revolution, when to most, 
 even of the friends of American inde- 
 pendence, the cause was regarded as 
 hopeless. But not so with Washington. 
 He drew off the remains of his army to 
 this wild, inhospitable spot, and here 
 struggled through a severe winter, under 
 the most trying privations, awaiting an 
 opportunity, which at length arrived, for 
 the striking of an unexpected blow. He 
 once wrote to congi'ess : " For some 
 days there has been little less than a 
 
 famine in the camp. A part of the army 
 have been a week without any kind of 
 flesh, and the rest three or four days." 
 Strong exertions were at this time made 
 to supersede him in command, but with- 
 out success. 
 
 Mrs. Washington visited him in this 
 dreary retreat ; and the house is still 
 remaining which served as his head- 
 quarters. It is the substantial stone- 
 mansion of Mr. Isaac Potts, owner of the 
 forge, from which the place has derived 
 its name. 
 
 The Mount Carbon railroad was com- 
 menced in 1829. It is supported, for 
 some distance along several landings, on 
 thirty-one piers of masonry, and passes 
 through the gap of Sharp mountain, 
 down the Schuylkill valley to Morris- 
 ville, where are coal-mines on both sides 
 of the river. At that place it leaves the 
 bank of the stream, and follows the val- 
 ley of Norwegian creek to Pottsville, a 
 distance of 6,208 feet from its com- 
 mencement. A branch, 14,200 feet in 
 length, leads to the Centreville mines, 
 which belong to the North American 
 coal company, and affords access to the 
 celebrated Peach mountain and other 
 mines. The west branch is 16,400 feet 
 long, and reaches to Marysville, with 
 the Diamond and Oak-hill coal-mines 
 and others. 
 
 Several other local railroads are now 
 in use ; and the long one to Reading and 
 Philadelphia has greatly increased the 
 facility of transportation. The Danville 
 road, an immense work, from the great 
 natural obstructions to be overcome, was 
 proposed in 1826, and in 1834 was com- 
 pleted as far as Girardsvillc, ten miles, 
 with a tunnel seven hundred feet long, 
 and four inclined planes. But another 
 tunnel, of twenty-five hundred feet, ne- 
 cessary to open a passage into the Gi- 
 rard mines, has not been completed. 
 
 As the beds of coal near the surface 
 of the earth become exhausted, the mi- 
 ners dig deeper, or abandon the old 
 mines for new ones. In the former case, 
 wide passages ai-e cut into the earth, at 
 a declining angle of about forty degrees, 
 which serve for the entrance of empty 
 cars on one rail-track, and the exit of 
 the loaded ones on another. Steam-en- j 
 
244 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 gines are employed to pump out the 
 water, as well as to draw up the coal. 
 Some of these mines are worked under 
 the very town of Pottsville, and extend 
 several hundred feet. The deeper the 
 mines are sunk, the more pure and val- 
 uable is the coal usually found. 
 
 Port Carbon is the village at the 
 landing, at the head of navigation, on the 
 main branch of the Schuylkill, two miles 
 northeast from Pottsville. At the bot- 
 tom of a deep and wild valley are seen 
 long ranges of building, with several 
 short railroad lines concentrating from 
 the valley of Mill creek, and the mines 
 wrought along its romantic borders, and 
 the villages of Patterson, Middleport, 
 New Philadelphia, and Tuscarora, whose 
 existence dates back only to the year 
 1828. 
 
 MiNERSViLLK, the principal mining 
 village on the western branch of the 
 Schuylkill, has a railroad, several mills 
 and manufactories, and two churches ; 
 and numerous other villages are found 
 in this region. Population, 1850, 2,984. 
 
 The position of the coal-beds in the 
 Schuylkill valley being beneath the sur- 
 face of the ground, lequires mining in 
 the usual way, while at Mauch Chunk 
 the anthracite is dug and removed, like 
 stone from a surface-quarry. A sudden, 
 terrific, and fatal accident occurred at 
 one of the great mines in 1845, in con- 
 sequence of the insufficient supports left 
 by the workmen in digging away the 
 coal, when the immense weight of the 
 mountain above sank down and filled up 
 a considerable part of the excavations. 
 A very remarkable phenomenon attend- 
 ed this fall. The descent of the mass 
 was so sudden, that the air was driven 
 violently from the halls and galleries of 
 the mine, through the external openings, 
 as from an immense bellows, and with 
 such force that carts were blown ahmg 
 to some distance and broken. Several 
 lives were lost ; and one man, who was 
 shut in by having the passages around 
 him closed, after feeling about him in 
 the darkness, and working a long time 
 among the loose locks, succeeded in 
 digging out, after a confinement of about 
 forty-eight hours. 
 
 York is eighty-three miles from Phil- 
 
 adelphia. This town stands on Codorus 
 creek, eleven miles from the Susquehan- 
 nah, to which is a line of improved nav- 
 igation. A railroad leads to Baltimore. 
 York is a place of five thousand inhab- 
 itants, and is remarkable as the seat of 
 government of the United States for a 
 time in the year 1777, during the occu- 
 pation of Philadelphia by the British. 
 Some manufacturing is carried on here; 
 and it contains ten churches, a court- 
 house, academy, bank, and a lyceum, 
 which is in possession of a cabinet of 
 minerals. The railroad affords frequent 
 and easy communication with Baltimore, 
 as well as Philadelphia, while stage- 
 coaches depart daily for Harrisburg, and 
 twice a week for Chambersburg. 
 
 The York Sulphur- Spi- in gs are situ 
 ated twenty-one miles south of Harris 
 burg, and the scenery which surrounds 
 them is striking and pleasing. The 
 place is one of fashionable resort. 
 
 Harrisburg, one hundred and seven 
 miles fiom Philadelphia, is the capital 
 of Pennsylvania. The statehouse occu- 
 pies a lofty and commanding situaticm, 
 on Mount Airy. It is an edifice of con- 
 siderable size, being one hundred and 
 eighty by eighty feet ; and the senate 
 and representatives' chambers are spa- 
 cious apartments. The library of the 
 state, contained in this building, amounts 
 to above six thousand volumes. 
 
 The scenery around this town is re- 
 markably picturesque and varied. It 
 occupies a point on the Susquehannah, 
 where it breaks throuc^h the ranere of 
 the Kittatiny mountains, and is crossed 
 by two fine bridges. The population, 
 in 1850, amounted to 8,173 ; and among 
 the public buildings are ten churches, 
 the courthouse, two banks, and acade- 
 my, the prison, and the arsenal. 
 
 Stage-coaches run from Harrisburg to 
 Pottsville, Northumberland, and Bal- 
 timore, tnrough York ; while railcars 
 depart daily for Chambersburg, and 
 three times every day for Philadelphia. 
 
 Carlisi e, in the Cumberland valley, 
 eiffhteen miles from Harrisburs:, is one 
 of the oldest settlements, and the seat 
 of Dickinson college, a methodist insti- 
 tution, founded in 1783. The number 
 of students is nearly two hundred, under 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 245 
 
 tha care of seven professors. The li- 
 braries contain twelve thousand volumes, 
 and the chymical, philosophical, and 
 mineralogical collections and depart- 
 ments are well supplied. 
 
 The United States barracks were 
 erected in 1777, chiefly by the labor of 
 the Hessian prisoners captured at Tren- 
 ton. 
 
 The Sulj'hur-Springs, four miles from 
 the village, are celebrated for their effi- 
 cacy in cutaneous and other diseases, and 
 are the annual I'esort of many visiters. 
 They are situated in the midst of the 
 Blue ridge ; and the picturesque scene- 
 ry, with the embellishments of art dis- 
 played in the walks and gardens, offer 
 many attractions. 
 
 CiiAMBERSiiORG. — This towT], situated 
 at the junction of the Falling-Spring 
 creek with the Conecocheague, enjoys 
 the advantages of a I'ailroad connexion 
 with Harrisburg and several considera- 
 ble manufactories, though a small place, 
 with between three and four thousand 
 inhabitants. Population, 1850, 4,300. 
 
 Jdedford is two hundred and six miles 
 west from Philadelphia, and stands on 
 a branch of Juniata river. It contains 
 five churches, a courthouse, and an acad- 
 emy, with eleven hundred inhabitants. 
 It derives its principal interest, in the 
 eyes of most strangers, from the springs 
 in its immediate vicinity. 
 
 The Bedford Springs are five in num- 
 ber, situated in a narrow valley a mile 
 and a half south of the town, from which 
 they derive their name. They are dis- 
 tinguished from each other, as the Sweet 
 spring. Sulphur, Fletcher's, Anderson's, 
 the Limestone, and the Chalybeate, pos- 
 sessing a variety of properties. Several 
 houses are kept for the accommodation 
 of visiters, with baths of different kinds 
 supplied from the springs. A little lake 
 has been formed, on which pleasure- 
 boats are kept for the amusement of vis- 
 iters ; and the place is annually resorted 
 to by considerable numbers. As Phil- 
 adelphia stage-coaches arrive and depart 
 daily, the access is convenient. 
 
 Cannonsburgh is a town of about one 
 thousand inhabitants, situated eighteen 
 miles southwest from Pittsburgh, and is 
 the seat of Jefferson colleare. That in- 
 
 stitution was founded in 1802, and con- 
 tains about a hundred and fifty students, 
 with 4,500 volumes in its libraries. The 
 last Thursday of September is the time 
 for holding the annual con.mencement. 
 The medical department of this colleo-e 
 is situated in Philadelphia. 
 
 The theological seminary of the asso- 
 ciate church is also established in this 
 place. 
 
 Washington. — This town is twenty- 
 five miles north of Pittsburgh, and oc- 
 cupies a lofty situation, containing above 
 two thousand inhabitants, with nine 
 churches, two academies, and a court- 
 house. Stage-coaches depart daily for 
 Pittsburgh, Wheeling, and Baltimore. 
 
 Washington College was founded in 
 1806, and now contains about one hun- 
 dred students. It possesses a miner- 
 alogical cabinet, philosophical appara- 
 tus, with libraries embracing from two 
 to three thousand volumes. 
 
 Meadville, on French creek, is the 
 seat of Allegany college. That institu- 
 tion was founded in the year 1815, and 
 contains about one hundred and fifty 
 students. The volumes in the libraries 
 amount to about eight thousand. 
 
 Erie. — This town, situated on the 
 summit of a lofty bluff, which I'ises from 
 the shore of the noble lake from which 
 it has derived its name, has one of the 
 best harbors on that inland sea. It con- 
 tains a number of handsome public and 
 private buildings, with seven churches, 
 a bank, and an academy, with 6,000 in- 
 habitants. 
 
 This place is remarkable for the ra- 
 pidity and success with which the fleet 
 of Commodore Perry was built, in the 
 war of 1812, to meet the British forces 
 on the lake. The ships were ready for 
 sea in seventy days after the felling of 
 the timber ; and in a short time they 
 returned to this port, bringing with them 
 the enemy's captured squadron. The 
 flag-ship Lawrence still shows its re- 
 mains in the harbor, the state of the 
 country in this region happily creating 
 no demand for warlike operations. The 
 old French fort Presque-Isle was situa- 
 ted at this place, and some traces of it 
 are yet distinguishable. 
 
 Birmingham, in Chester county, is a 
 
246 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 small town situated on Brandywine 
 creek, near the scene of one of the most 
 important battles ever fought within the 
 limits of this state, as it caused the rout 
 of the American army sent to oppose 
 the British forces on their way to Phila- 
 delphia, and opened the way for the oc- 
 cupation of that city for a considerable 
 time. A commanding hill, near the vil- 
 lage, affords a view of the field of battle, 
 which had some unfortunate features, as 
 the following brief description of the 
 action will show. Had the Brandywine 
 river been fordable in but a few places, 
 the American troops would not have had 
 to guard the whole line. The ability of 
 the enemy to assail it at any point at 
 any moment, kept our commander-in- 
 chief in a continual state of anxiety, and 
 the enemy availed himself too success- 
 fully of the advantages in his possession. 
 
 The Battle of the Brandywine. — This 
 important action was fought on the shore 
 of the stream whose name it bears, on 
 the 11th of September, 1777, between 
 the British forces under General Howe, 
 and the American army cummanded by 
 General Washington. The enemy had 
 arrived from New York, in their fleet, in 
 the Chesapeake, late in the month of 
 August, and Washington was thus re- 
 lieved from uncertainty respecting their 
 designs. Presuming that they were 
 now resolved to seize upon Philadelphia, 
 he immediately called upon all the corps 
 of the regular army which could be 
 spared, to join him by forced marches, 
 and sent requisitions to the governors 
 of the neighboring states for their mili- 
 tia. The British landed on the 25th, 
 near the head of Elk river, 18,000 
 strong, and well provided in all respects, 
 except horses, in which they were quite 
 deficient, having lost many the prece- 
 ding season, from the scarcity of forage. 
 It is presumed that they might have 
 acted with greater efficiency on the plains 
 of Pennsylvania, if they had been strong- 
 er in cavalry. 
 
 Gen. Knyphausen, having remained 
 at the landing with the rear-guard, to 
 cover the debarkation, followed the van 
 in a short time, and the whole army took 
 post along Christina creek, from New- 
 ark to Atkins, after the column of Corn- 
 
 wallis had routed Maxwell's riflemen, 
 who ventured to harass them on their 
 march. On the enemy's approach, the 
 American army proceeded to encamp 
 behind White Clay creek ; but Wash- 
 ington, finding the ground disadvanta- 
 geous, retired to the Brandywine, and 
 occupied the heights from Chadsford 
 toward the southeast, while Maxwell, 
 with his riflemen, hung upon the ene- 
 my's flank. General Armstrong, with 
 the milititi, guarded a passage below the 
 camp, and the main body took a posi- 
 tion to prevent the easiest passage of 
 the river, it being fordable, however, in 
 all parts. 
 
 General Howe gave the right of his 
 army to General Knyphausen, and the 
 left to Cornvvallis ; the former to engage 
 the attention of the Americans by a feint 
 to cross the stream, wl)ile the latter 
 should push to a place above, where the 
 ci'osslng might be more easily effected. 
 Maxwell for a while maintained a spir- 
 ited skirmish with the British marks- 
 men, but finally fell back before Knip- 
 hausen, who made so many demonstra- 
 tions of a resolution to force the passage 
 at Chadsfoid, that his feint proved suc- 
 cessful, the Americans becoming so 
 much engrossed by liim as to allow 
 Cornwallis to accomplish his object with 
 but little difficulty. Having crossed the 
 1 forks of the Brandywine, at Trimble's 
 and Jeffrey's fords, he marched down 
 the bank toward Dilworth, to fall upon 
 ' the American right flank. 
 
 The first intelligence which Washing- 
 ton received of this was an exaggerated 
 ' account, that a large pait of the British 
 I was approaching, \inder the command 
 j of Howe; and lie instantly gave orders 
 j to Sullivan to cross the river above, and 
 j fall upon Knvpliausen's left, intending 
 i himself to pass below and attack his 
 right. At that monjent, however, an- 
 ■ other messenger brought him the false 
 ' report that the enemy had not yet crossed 
 j the stream. His former command was 
 then countermanded ; and the next in- 
 telligence assured him of the truth. No 
 time was to be lost ; for the enemy were 
 now fast approaching his right wing, on 
 the advance of which was General Ste- 
 vens, with Stirling and Sullivan next in 
 
DESCRIPTION OP THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 247 
 
 order, with their respective brigades. 
 Sullivan took command of the whole 
 wing, as the senior officer, while Wash- 
 ington, with Greene, took post between 
 
 On the day following the battle, a 
 body of the enemy's light troops marched 
 to Wilmington, in Delaware, and made 
 prisoner of the governor, and seized a 
 
 it and the left wing at Chadsford, ready i quantity of money and other property, 
 to reinforce either which might require public and private, with some papers of 
 his aid. importance. There being no longer any 
 
 The ground occupied by Sullivan was , force sufficient to resist him. Lord Corn- 
 well chosen, and very advantageous ; but wallis entered Philadelphia, on the 2Gth 
 the enemy did not allow him to collect of September, with a body of British 
 all his troops, and he was forced to give and Hessian grenadiers, leaving his army 
 way, after a manly resistance, and lied I encamped at Germantown : the number 
 to the woods in their rear, and along the i of royalists in that city at the time being 
 road by which Greene was now ap- so great as to leave him little room for 
 proaching to their aid. To prevent the apprehension. General Washinp-ton, in 
 confusion of the fugitives from being the meantime, retired, with the few 
 communicated to his own troops, Gnjene troops he could command, to Skippack 
 opened his lines to the right and left, creek, on the banks of the Schuylkill ; a 
 and, after giving them passage, closed wild region, difficult of access, and a 
 again, and, facing about, retired in good favorable retreat in his circumstances, 
 order, keeping the enemy in check by which rendered the protection of nature 
 a steady fire of artillery. The Penn- ^ necessary to his safety, 
 sylvauia and Virginia militia, who com- 1 Interesting Facts in the History 
 posed his brigade, made a vigorous stand of Pennsylvania. — It was designed by 
 in a defile on the road, where they for Penn that Philadelphia should never be 
 some time brought the enemy to a halt, closely built. He named it thus, as he 
 
 General Knyphausen now advanced remarked, " before it was born," in or- 
 to the ford in earnest; and the Ameri- ' der to express the piinciples of benev- 
 cans left in defence of the intrenchments olence on which he intended to have its 
 and battery on the opposite side, seeing concerns conducted, and intended that 
 some of the British troops approaching it should always be " a greene towne," 
 on their right, in pursuit of their re- with ample room for the convenience 
 treating countrymen, abandoned the and comfort of all the inhabitants. It 
 ground and retired. General Greene still presents a general aspect quite dif- 
 was the last officer on the ground, and ferent from that of the most crowded 
 left it only when darkness had come on. cities of the Old World, with respect to 
 The Americans, routed, reached Ches- the streets, which, instead ofbeingnar- 
 ter that night, and Philadelphia the next row, crooked, and dirty, are strai"-ht, 
 day ; their entire loss being stated at wide, and clean. His plan, however, 
 about three hundred killed, six hundred has been in some points encroached up- 
 wounded, and four hundred prisoners, on. He insisted that the bank of the 
 Ten field-pieces and a howitzer also fell Delaware should be kept open and un- 
 iuto the hands of the enemy. The ene- occupied by buildings and enclosures, 
 my lost, in all, about five hundred men. and resisted every proposal to abridge 
 
 In this action, the foreign volunteers, the freedom which the public enjoyed, 
 so recently enlisted under the American ' in approaching the water. An unhappy 
 standard, performed good service. The change has since taken place ; and there 
 Marquis Lafayette, while rallying his ; are now few cities in our country when^ 
 ti'oops, received the wound in his leg : the wharves are more crowded and in- 
 which rendered him a cripple for the convenient. 
 
 rest of his life; but it did not prevent i The plan of his new city appears, from 
 him from continuing his labors through I'enn's original instructions to his three 
 ihe 'ight. Captain De Fleury had a commissioners, to have been very large, 
 horse killed under him, and the Baron These men, William Crispin, John Be- 
 St. Ovary was made captive. i zar, and Nathaniel Allen, were sent oul 
 
'nil 
 
 248 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 in the autumn of 1681, to select a site 
 and lay out the great city. The Penn- 
 sylvania Historical society have pub- 
 lished at length the written instructions 
 with which they were furnished. 
 
 He dii'ected that " the creeks should 
 be sounded on every side of Delaware 
 river, especially upland, in order to set- 
 tle a great towne." His object was to 
 find a place " where most ships may ride, 
 of deepest draught of watei', if possible, 
 to load and unload at ye bank or key 
 side, without boating and lightering it." 
 He directed that the earth should be 
 dug, to ascertain that the soil was dry 
 and healthy, and that ten thousand acres 
 should be laid out for the liberties of 
 the town. 
 
 Twelve square miles would have been 
 required, by the plan, for all the pur- 
 chasers ; and this, with other requisi- 
 tions, induced the commissioners to de- 
 fer the selection of any site, and to await 
 the arrival of Penn. They examined 
 and described the site of Chester, a place 
 on the elevated bank at the mouth of 
 Poquessin creek and Pennsbury manor, 
 as well as the place where Philadelphia 
 stands, which proved most agreeable to 
 the governor. It is said, by tradition, 
 that he took an open boat, at Chester, 
 and proceeded to Wicacoa, with a few 
 friends, toward the end of November, 
 1682, and found the site of the present 
 city occupied by three Swedes, brothers, 
 named Swenson, a name since altered 
 to Swanson. The river's bank was then 
 high, and covered with a thick growth 
 of tall pines, a place which the Indians 
 called Coaquannock. It seems that the 
 spot had something, even in its wild 
 state, which recommended it for a set- 
 tlement : as Proud says that some of the 
 passengers in the first ship which ever 
 sailed so far up the Delaware (namely, 
 the Shield, Captain Towes, from Hull, 
 December, 1678), exclaimed, " It is a 
 fine place for a town." He mentions, 
 also, that the shore was bold and high, 
 so that, in turning, some of the tackling 
 struck the trees. 
 
 This was a vessel bringing out colo- 
 nists for New Jersey. Penn arrived four 
 years later ; and, having purchased the 
 ground of the three Swedes above-men- 
 
 tioned, he began to lay out his new city, 
 and to prepare for its construction. It 
 is remarkable that numbers of the peo- 
 ple who had preceded him, for some 
 time after their arrival, had taken up 
 their dwelling in caves under the steep 
 bank. The first house erected was thai 
 of George Guest, which was not comple- 
 ted when Penn arrived. It stood near 
 Powell's dock, in Budd's row, and loner 
 served as a tavern, under the name of 
 the Blue Anchor. 
 
 The first person born in Philadelphia 
 was said to be John Key, and his birth- 
 place was one of the caves just men- 
 tioned, near Sassafras street, which was 
 long known as the "Pennypot." He 
 lived to the age of eighty-four, and died 
 at Kennet, on the 5th of July, 1765. 
 William Penn, it is said, gave him a lot 
 of ground. He used to walk into the 
 city until within six years of his death, 
 and was generally known, in the latter 
 part of his life, by the name of " the 
 first-born." 
 
 Between twenty and thirty vessels 
 arrived in the course of the first year, 
 bringing out great numbers of quakers, 
 who had left their homes to avoid the 
 persecutions to which they were ex- 
 posed. They were so numerous, that 
 not only Philadelphia became at once a 
 considerable town, but the country was 
 well supplied with inhabitants along the 
 river's borders for a distance of fifty 
 miles, from Chester up to the falls at 
 Trenton. 
 
 The house of Thomas Fairbank, at 
 Shackamaxon, near Kensington, was oc- 
 cupied, in 1681, as a quaker meeting- 
 house ; and the fijllowing year a boarded 
 building was erected for this purpose, 
 in the city. Another was erected near 
 the centre of Philadelphia, in 1684; one 
 in Front street, in 1685 ; the great meet- 
 inghouse in High street, in 1695 ; one 
 on the hill, in Pine street, in* 1753 ; 
 and the present one in High street, in 
 1755. 
 
 Between 1682 and 1714, no less than 
 three hundred and fourteen marriages 
 were performed among the quakers ; and 
 in the years 1681, 1682, and 1683, about 
 fifty vessels arrived with passengers. 
 Amoner these were a number of German 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 249 
 
 converts to the quaker principles, the 
 disciples of William Ames, an English- 
 man. Having "borne public testimo- 
 ny" in their native place, Krisheim, near 
 Worms, in the Palatinate, they seized 
 the oppoitunity offered by Penn, to take 
 up their habitation in America, in a state 
 founded by one of their own faith, and 
 settled at Germantov/n, which derived 
 its name from them. Among them were 
 persons of all ages, and some who had 
 been brought up in ease and plenty. To 
 them the common trials of the colonists 
 must have been severe, as some of the 
 new-comers were obliged to occupy hol- 
 low trees, as well as caverns, while prep- 
 arations were making for the erection 
 of houses or huts ; and most of these 
 afforded poor accommodations, and even 
 but little protection from the cold and 
 storms of the winter. 
 
 The celebrated treaty made by Penn 
 with the Indians has always been a com- 
 pact of peculiar interest, on account of 
 the principles of justice and humanity 
 on which it was founded, the sacredness 
 with which it was observed, and the ex- 
 tensive, lasting, and beneficial effects 
 which it produced. Yet it is remarka- 
 ble that no written memorial of it re- 
 mains, beyond a few allusions to it made 
 in contemporaneous documents, and that 
 everything else relating to it depends 
 upon the authority of tradition. The 
 spot is pointed out, on the bank of the 
 Delaware, where the council assembled 
 in 1682, under an elm-tree, at Kensing- 
 ton, where a plain obelisk now stands, 
 erected by the Penn society, in 1827, 
 bearing the following brief but appro- 
 priate inscriptions : — 
 
 On the north side : " Treaty-ground 
 of William Penn and the Indian natives, 
 1682." 
 
 On the south ; " William Penn : born 
 1644; died 171S." 
 
 On the west: "Placed by the Penn 
 society, A. D. 1827 : To mark the site 
 of the great elm-tree." 
 
 On the east ; " Pennsylvania founded, 
 1681, by deeds of peace." 
 
 A long memoir was presented to the 
 Pennsylvania Histoi'ical society, in 1836, 
 by Messrs. Dupongeau and Fisher, on 
 the subject of Penn's first treaty, in 
 
 which the opinion was expressed, that 
 it was one of friendship, and had no re- 
 lation to the purchase of land. 
 
 Letitia House. — This celebrated build- 
 ing, still standing in a street of Phila- 
 delphia of the smaller size, has excited 
 much attention within a few years, since 
 the spirit of antiquarian research has 
 arisen, as it is believed to have been 
 erected for William Penn's own use, by 
 William Markham, in the year 1682, 
 the year before his arrival. It is of 
 brick, of small size, two stories high, 
 with a single window on each side of 
 the door, a steep roof, a stack of chim- 
 neys, and a single dormer-window in 
 front. A rustic roof projects over the 
 door, which is entered by rising a single 
 step from the street; and an old-fash- 
 ioned, wooden cellar-door, nearly flat, 
 opens under each of the windows. The 
 little sti-eet in which it stands is named 
 Letitia court, and opens on Market street, 
 betv/een Front and Second streets. 
 
 A letter of Penn is preserved, in which 
 he allows his " cousin Markharn to live 
 in his house in Philadelphia, and that 
 Thomas Lloyd, the deputy-governor, 
 should have the use of his periwigs, and 
 any wines and beer he may have there 
 left for the use of strangers." It ap- 
 peal's that Penn, having been accus- 
 tomed to the luxurious style of King 
 Charles II., and to the upper classes of 
 society during his travels on the conti- 
 nent, never renounced all traces of his 
 early habits, even after he had placed 
 himself at the head of the friends in 
 their great colony in America. He paid 
 much regard to dress and forms in pub- 
 lic ; and was, according to descriptions 
 and pictures remaining of him, before 
 he came to America, " quite a finished 
 gentleman, eminently handsome, the 
 appearance of his countenance remark- 
 ably pleasing and sweet, his eye daik 
 and lively, and his hair flowing grace- 
 fully over his shoulders, according to the 
 fashion set by the worthless but fascin- 
 ating Charles II." His portrait, pre- 
 sented to the Historical society by his 
 grandson, bears witness to the accuracy 
 of this description ; and it would seem, 
 from writings extant, that he main- 
 tained, in his colony, habits in several 
 
250 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 respects corresponding with his earlier 
 life. 
 
 In his cash-book are proofs that he 
 had four periwigs, silk hose, leathern 
 gambadoes, or overalls, and many fine 
 beaver hats, furbished up at the hatter's, 
 while a greater number still he present- 
 ed to his friends, one of which he com- 
 mends for having " a true mayoral brim." 
 It is handed down by tradition, that he 
 wore, also, silver shoebuckles. 
 
 He had an elegant house at Penns- 
 burg, which has been compared to a 
 kind of palace, abounding in rich furni- 
 ture, and supplied with liquors, though 
 he was not fond of spirits, and had an 
 aversion to Wabacco, so often their con- 
 comitant. There is but a single charge 
 of tenpence worth of this in the cash- 
 boo1<. He was very hospitable, and 
 made provision for the entertainment of 
 strangers during his absence. 
 
 His benevolent regard for the Indians 
 carried him so far that he often visited 
 them, was present ut their feasts and 
 merry-makings, and sat with them upon 
 the ground, to partake of their hommony 
 and roasted acorns ; by which exhibi- 
 tions of kindness he greatly attached 
 them to him. A remark of his is re- 
 corded, which reflects the highest credit 
 on his character. " The saying is," said 
 he, " that he who gives to the poor lends 
 to the Lord : but it may be said, not im- 
 properly, the Lord lends to us to give 
 to the poor. They are, at least, part- 
 ners by Providence with you, and have 
 a right you must not defraud them of." 
 
 The following passage, in his parting 
 instructions to his wife, deserves to be 
 written in gold ; and its observance in 
 this country would have given a better 
 aspect to American society than we wit- 
 ness at the pi-esent day : — 
 
 " Let my children be husbandmen and 
 housewives : it is industrious, healthy, 
 honest, and of good report. This leads 
 to consider the works of God, and di- 
 verts the mind from being taken up with 
 the vain arts and inventions of a luxuri- 
 ous world. Of cities and towns of con- 
 course bevv'are. The world is apt to 
 stick close to those who have got wealth 
 there. A country life and estate I love 
 best for my children." 
 
 Sir William Penn, father of the found- 
 er of Pennsylvania, was born at Bristol, 
 and was a distinguished admiral in tlie 
 British navy, and commanded the fleet 
 at the capture of Jamaica, in 1655. 
 The protector confined him awhile in 
 the Tower, for absenting himseif with- 
 out leave from the American station. 
 He was member of parliament ; and, 
 under Charles II., had a high command 
 under the Duke of York, and participa- 
 ted in the capture of the Dutch in 1664. 
 He was knighted by that king, and died 
 at his house in Wanstead, Essex, in 
 1670, at the age of forty-nine. 
 
 His son William was born in London, 
 in 1644 ; and having warmly adopted 
 the quaker principles, while in college 
 at Oxford, from' the preaching of Loe, 
 he was expelled for nonconformity; and 
 his father, in 1662, after having " whip- 
 ped and beaten" him, turned him out of 
 doors for the same offence. The admi- 
 ral, however, afterward relented so far 
 as to send him to France, and then to 
 enter him at Lincoln's Inn as a law-stu- 
 dent. While settling an estate in Ire- 
 land, he again met Loe, and resumed 
 the strict quaker practices ; so that, on 
 his return home, he refused to take off" 
 his hat in the presence of his father, and 
 even before the king; for which he was 
 again turned upon the world. He be- 
 gan to preach and write in 1668. He 
 was imprisoned in the Tower and New- 
 gate, but soon was left, by his father's 
 will, in possession of an estate worth 
 cfl.SOO a-year. 
 
 In 1667, he married, and devoted him- 
 self to the defence and pi'omotion of his 
 favorite doctrines. Ten years after, he 
 visited the continent with Fox and Bai- 
 clay, and soon after received fro'^. thf, 
 king a grant of the country whose inter- 
 esting history and c(Miditioii we have 
 been contemplating. 
 
 The following minute account of 
 the burial-place of William Penn, &c., 
 is taken from the English " Historical 
 Register :" — 
 
 The Grave of the Founder of Pennsyl- 
 vania. — The traveller, in passing from 
 Beaconsfield to the neighboring village 
 of Chalfont St. Giles, in Bucks, passes a 
 small enclosure on the riffht-hand side 
 
 -!j) 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 s31 
 
 of the road, known as the friends' or 
 Jourdan's burial-ground. But though 
 no monumental stone attracts attention, 
 and the sunken graves, hidden in the tall 
 grass, escape the passing glance of a 
 stranger, it well deserves to be recorded 
 as the resting-place of William Penn, 
 the founder of Pennsylvania. 
 
 A fragment, supposed to have been 
 written by one of the vicars of Penn, a 
 village not far from Chalfont, deriving 
 its name from the ancestors of William 
 Penn, who possessed the manor at a 
 very remote period, is still preserved in 
 the register of that place, and presents 
 a curious record of the occupiers of the 
 principal graves. 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 4 
 
 TS 
 
 
 
 
 
 a 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 9 
 
 4) 
 
 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 13 14 
 
 No. 1. Letitia, daughter of Wm. Penn. 
 
 2. Springett, son of William Penn. 
 
 3. Margarette Frame and her son 
 
 Thomas, in the same grave, 
 daughter of William Penn. 
 
 4. John Penn, son of William, gov- 
 
 ernor of Pennsylvania. 
 
 5. The great William Penn, with his 
 
 second wife upon his leaden 
 coffin. Prince Butterfield re- 
 members his second wife being 
 buried, and seeing the leaden 
 coffin of William, whose head 
 lies contrary to the rest, with 
 his feet to the north. 
 
 6. Giulielma, daughter of Sir Wil- 
 
 liam Springett, first wife of 
 William Penn. 
 
 7. Isaac Pennington's wife, the wid- 
 
 ow of Sir William Springett, of 
 Darling, in Sussex. 
 
 8. Isaac Pennington, an able lawyer, 
 
 who married the widow of Sir 
 William Springett, mother to 
 William Penn's first wife. 
 
 9. Jjseph Rule, a man that used to 
 
 go about London preaching, in 
 a white coat and a long white 
 beard. 
 
 Nos. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. William Penn's 
 
 younger children. 
 
 Seven graves from the hedge, in a line 
 above William Penn, lies Thomas El- 
 wood, who used to read to Milton, and 
 lived on Hanger hill. On his left hand, 
 nearer the hedges, lies his wife. 
 
 Extract from the Register, Sept. 12, 
 called by the friends " eighth month :" — 
 " Our friend William Penn, of Waltham- 
 stovv, in the county of Essex, and Giuli- 
 elma Maria Springett, of Tilerend green, 
 in the parish of Penn, in the county of 
 Bucks, proposed their intentions of mar- 
 riage at the monthly-meeting at Hanger 
 hill." 
 
 Prince Butterfield, the person already 
 mentioned as having seen Penn's leaden 
 coffin at the burial of his second wife, 
 was the man who had the care of the 
 burial-ground, and who died between 
 thirty and forty years ago. Many 
 "friends" havr been interred within the 
 enclosure, besides those here mentioned; 
 but about fifteen years since it was found 
 too full to admit any others, and the 
 ground has remained undisturbed. In 
 J. Whyth's supplement to the " History 
 of the Life of Thomas Elwood," pub- 
 lished in 1714, is an account of his great 
 services to the society of friends. It is 
 added, that " he departed this life on the 
 1st of the third month, 1713, and was 
 honorably buried in the friends' burying- 
 place at New Jnurdan." ThiS Elwood 
 was the great friend of the poet Milton, 
 and suggested to him the idea of writing 
 " Paradise Regained." 
 
 In concluding this brief description 
 of Pennsylvania, we may appropriately 
 inti'oduce the following summary of 
 some of the improvements and inven- 
 tions which have distinguished this state 
 and people. It is abridged from the 
 Noith American newspaper : — 
 
 The quadrant was here invented by 
 Godfrey ; here Franklin taught men 
 how to control the lightnings of heaven; 
 on the Delaware, at Philadelphia, John 
 Fitch first proved the power of his rude 
 steamboat ; Fulton, a native of Penn- 
 sylvania, immortalized his name by ma- 
 turing that wonderful invention ; the 
 first locomotive was set in motion near 
 the corner of Ninth and Maiket streets. 
 
252 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF PKNNSYLVANIA. 
 
 by its inventor, Oliver Evans, who, with 
 the foresight so often noticed as a char- 
 acteristic of great discoverers, declaimed 
 that the time would come, when one 
 would " breakfast in New York, dine at 
 Philadelphia, and sup at Baltimore;" 
 here was the first bank established in 
 the country, and the first insurance of- 
 fice ; here was organized the first sab- 
 bath-school, an honor, surely, to be ap- 
 preciated throughout the Union ; Phil- 
 adelphia first showed us what might be 
 done in supplying cities with water, by 
 her astonishing Fairmount water-works ; 
 in her eastern penitentiary, she furnished 
 a model for institutions of that class, 
 which has been extensively approved 
 and imitated, both in this country and 
 in Europe. The first public hospital in 
 the United States was the Pennsylvania 
 hospital ; the first institution for the 
 blind was that established in this city. 
 Here, too, before the Revolution, the 
 great discovery which has given us the 
 magnetic telegraph, led Franklin to give 
 signals by electricity across the Schuyl- 
 kill. 
 
 The merchants of Philadelphia, at an 
 early period, built a frigate and present- 
 ed it to the United States government, 
 the only instance of the kind on record ; 
 and the state of Pennsylvania erected a 
 house in Philadelphia, and offered it as 
 a present to Washington. Here, also, 
 a stand was taken against the exactions 
 of Great Britain, in advance of Boston 
 herself; and the first opposition to the 
 landing of tea was made at a public 
 meeting held in Philadelphia, some 
 weeks before the celebrated tea-party 
 executed its work at Boston ; and from 
 Philadelphia came forth the Declaration 
 of Independence. 
 
 But the part which Pennsylvania has 
 taken in the great works of internal im- 
 provements needs to be better under- 
 stood. The turnpike from Philadelphia 
 to Lancaster was the first undertaken in 
 the Union, and was com.pleted in 1791:, 
 at a cost of S465,0C0. Subsequently, 
 the whole surface of the state was trav- 
 ersed by these roads. 
 
 The Schuylkill " permanent bridge," 
 erected in 1798, at an expense of tliree 
 hunched thousand dollars, was the first 
 
 great work of the kind attempted in this 
 country. The first Fairmount bridge, 
 with its span of 348^ feet, outrivalling 
 the famous bridge of Shaud'hausen, and 
 the wire-bridge, erected in 1817, at the 
 falls of the Schuylkill, which served to 
 suggest the idea to European builders, 
 were an honor to Philadelphia. The 
 bridges in the interior, by their substan- 
 tial, and even bold character, have done 
 honor to the state. 
 
 For the introduction of canals, as well 
 as tui'npikes, the country is indebted to 
 Pennsylvania. Even William Penn ap- 
 pears to have meditated on the project 
 of connecting the Susquehannah with 
 the Schuylkill; and, in 1762, David Rit- 
 tenhouse and Dr. William Smith sur- 
 veyed a canal-route for the purpose. At 
 that early day, these gentlemen had in 
 view the connecting of the lakes and the 
 Ohio river with the Delaware, by a I'oute 
 of nearly six hundred miles. The sur- 
 vey, under the authority of the legisla- 
 ture of Pennsylvania, was accomplished 
 in 1769. In 1791, a company was in- 
 corporated for connecting the Susque- 
 hannah and Schuylkill ; and in 1792, 
 another was incorporated for connecting 
 the Schuylkill with the Delaware, by the 
 way of Norristown. At the head of the 
 latter was Robert Morris, the celebrated 
 financier. These two companies under- 
 took the work, and proceeded far with 
 it, when, having expended 8440,000, they 
 were embarrassed, and suspended oper- 
 ations. These becjinnino's, however, re- 
 suited at length in the completion of the 
 Union canal. The first tunnels excava- 
 ted in the Union were in Pennsylvania. 
 The first survey for the Chesapeake and 
 Delaware canal was made in 1769, by 
 order of the American Philosophical so- 
 ciety, and as early as 1804, one hundred 
 
 ' thouscjnd dollars were expended in the 
 
 [ execution of the work. 
 
 I When the period of railroads arrived, 
 
 I Pennsylvania was again the pioneer. 
 The railroad at Mauch Chunk was the 
 
 [ first in the Union, excepting only a short 
 tram-road in Massachusetts. From that 
 period to the present, Penns}lvania has 
 been second to no state in the Union, in 
 expenditures for constructing these won- 
 derful annihilators of time and space. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE. 
 
 253 
 
 Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. 
 
 DELAAVARE. 
 
 This state is bounded on the 
 north by Chester and Delaware 
 counties in Pennsylvania, on the 
 northeast by Delaware bay, on the 
 southeast by the Atlantic ocean, 
 on the south by Woixester and 
 Somerset counties in Maryland, 
 and on the west by part of the 
 same state, viz. : Dorchester, Car- 
 oline, Queen Ann, Kent, and Cecil 
 counties. It lies along the Atlan- 
 tic coast twenty miles, from Cape 
 Henlopen to Fenwick island. The 
 entire outline is two hundred and 
 fifty-nine miles ; length, one hun- 
 dred miles ; mean breadth, twenty- 
 one miles ; area, two thousand one hundred square miles. It lies between 38° 
 27' and 39° 50' north latitude, and 1° 17' and 20^ 0' east longitude from the city 
 of Washington. 
 
 The state occupies a long and narrow plane, with a gentle eastern slope to the 
 Atlantic and the bay, with a higher and more uneven region in the north. The 
 upper portion has a waving rather than a hilly surface, and the southern is nearly 
 a dead level. The eastern slope is drained by several small rivers, viz. : Indian, 
 Broadkill, Cedar, Mispohan, Motherkill, Jones, Duck, Apoquinimink, Brandy- 
 wine, &c. 
 
 Delaware contains only three counties — Newcastle in the north, Sussex in the 
 south, and Kent between them. The population in 1790 was 59,094 ; in 1800, 
 64,273; in 1810, 72,674; in 1820,72,749; in 1830, 76,748; in 1840, 78,085; in 
 1850.90,407. Settlements were commenced at an early date within the territory 
 of this state. Under the patx'onage of Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden, a few 
 
254 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OP DELAWARE. 
 
 feeble colonies were founded here in 
 1627, before any other Europeans had 
 attempted to occupy the soil. The coun- 
 try received the name of New Sweden, 
 anc the settlers were Swedes and Fin- 
 landers. They settled along the shores 
 of Delaware bay, but were reduced in 
 1655 by the Dutch, and again in 1664 
 by the English. Charles II. incluc|ed 
 the territory in the grant which he made 
 to the duke of York, by whom it was con- 
 veyed to William Penn, in 1682. For 
 several particulars in respect to this part 
 of the history of Delaware, the reader 
 is referred to the description of Penn- 
 sylvania. 
 
 Delaware had a colonial assembly in 
 1704, which met at Newcastle, although 
 the territory nominally belonged to 
 Pennsylvania until 1775. The people 
 took an early and active part in the rev- 
 olution ; and many of their militia fell 
 in the unfortunate battle of Long Island, 
 in 1776, when the British army obtained 
 possession of New York. She adopted 
 a constitution as a state in that year ; 
 and the constitution of the United States 
 was adopted by a convention on the 12th 
 of June, 1792. Although the smallest 
 state in the Union, it has been honorably 
 distinguished by men of ability and high 
 character in the national government. 
 The present constitution was adopted 
 in 1831. 
 
 The governor is elected for four years, 
 but can notbe reelected. The senate con- 
 sists of three members from each county, 
 chosen for four years. The house of 
 representatives consists of seven mem- 
 bers fiom each county, elected for two 
 years. The sessions of the legislature 
 are biennial, commencing on the first 
 Tuesaay in Januaiy. 
 
 Every male citizen who is twenty-one 
 years of age, and has been a resident in 
 the state one year, and in the county 
 one month, next preceding the day of 
 election, and has paid a tax, is a voter. 
 If he is between twenty-one and twen- 
 ty-two years of age, the payment of the 
 tax is not necessary. 
 
 The courts of Delaware are a court 
 of error and appeals, a superior court, a 
 court of chancery, an orphans' court, a 
 court of oyer and terminer, a court of 
 
 general sessions of the peace, and such 
 courts as the general assembly may from 
 time to time establish. There are five 
 judges to compose these several courts, 
 whom the governor appoints. They 
 hold ofliice during good behavior. The 
 superior court consists of the chief-jus- 
 tice and the two associate-justices, who 
 do not reside in the county where the 
 court is held ; and the court of sessions 
 is composed in the same manner. The 
 court of oyer and terminer consists of 
 all the judges except the chancellor; 
 and the orphans' court, of the chancellor 
 and the resident judge of the county. 
 
 Delaware Co//f^^, situated at Newark, 
 Newcastle county, is the only higher in- 
 stitution of learning in the state. Com- 
 mencement is held on the 4th Wednes- 
 day in September. 
 
 There are twenty academies and about 
 one hundred and fifty common schools, 
 with a school-fund of 8170,000. 
 
 The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal 
 was constructed at great expense, and in 
 spite of many discouragements, over one 
 of the most unfavorable tracts of ground 
 ever ci'ossed by a work of that kind. It 
 was intended to open a channel of sloop- 
 navigation between Delaware city, on 
 Delaware river, and the Chesapeake; 
 and the work was successfully accom- 
 plished in a few years. It is thirteen 
 miles in length, and lies chiefly in Dela- 
 ware, but partly in Maryland. It is 
 sixty-six feet wide on the surface of the 
 water, and ten feet deep. 
 
 Printing was first introduced into this 
 state in 1761, by James Adams, who then 
 commenced the publication of a news- 
 paper, called " the Wilmington Cour- 
 ant," which ceased in six months. No 
 other newspaper was published in the 
 colony before the revolutionary war. 
 
 The Delaware Breakwater. — About 
 twenty years ago, the construction of 
 a bi-eakwater was commenced, by the 
 United States government at the mouth 
 of Delawai'e bay, at Cape Henlopen, 
 designed to afford protection to vessels 
 passing that exposed part of the coast 
 in stormy weather. The mouth of the 
 bay is twelve or thirteen miles wide, 
 and exposed to the full force of the 
 waves of the ocean, which, in an east- 
 
 J 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE. 
 
 255 
 
 erly storm, are extremely violent, being 
 unchecked by the neighboring land, 
 which is too low to offer any resistance 
 to the wind, or any protection from the 
 surges, as they sweep in from the open 
 sea. The ice which floats down the 
 river is sometimes not less dangerous to 
 vessels. The breakwater is formed ac- 
 coi'ding to the principles of science, and 
 is an immense work, of stone brought 
 from a great distance, and composing a 
 solid wall with sides standing at an an- 
 gle, best calculated to withstand and de- 
 stroy the force of the waves on the one 
 hand, and the fields of ice on the other. 
 As the number of vessels employed in 
 the navigation of the bay is very great 
 and annually increasing, and the coast- 
 ers and foreign ships occasionally ex- 
 posed to risk of loss on this part of the 
 coast, in easterly storms, are also very 
 numerous, the value of such a work may 
 be appi'eciated, when it is borne in mind 
 that there is no other place of refuge 
 within a great distance. 
 
 Even in moderate weather the break- 
 water often affi^rds to many vessels the 
 conveniences of a good harbor, when 
 the state of the wind or of the ice for- 
 bids the passage from the bay to the 
 ocean, or from the ocean up the bay. 
 
 Cape Henlopcn, which forms the south- 
 ern point of Delaware bay, is in latitude 
 38^ 45' and longitude 10^ 53' east from 
 Washington. 
 
 Wilmington. — This town is situated 
 one mile above the junction of Brandy- 
 wine and Christiana creeks, twenty-eight 
 miles southwest from Philadelphia, for- 
 ty-seven north from Dover, and one 
 hundred and eight northeast from Wash- 
 ington city. It is built on the dividing 
 line between the primitive region and 
 the alluvion, which lie in juxtaposition 
 through mosi of the middle and south- 
 ern Atlantic states. Wilmington, in 
 this respect, resembles Philadelphia, 
 Baltimore, Georgetown, Richmond, and 
 several smaller towns ; but owing to the 
 greater depression of the western rocky 
 range in Delaware, Wilmington has less 
 variety of scenery in its neighborhood 
 than most of them. 
 
 Brandywine river, however, at a short 
 distance from the town, is precipitated 
 
 over a precipice, of such height that it 
 affords many mill sites of great value, 
 which have long been employed to great 
 advantage. Numerous manufactories of 
 large size crowd the banks of the stream, 
 most of which are flourmills ; the grind- 
 ing of wheat is also carried on to a great 
 extent, and with such skill that they have 
 long been among the best in the Union, 
 and have done much to render the flour 
 manufactured there highly celebrated. 
 
 Sawmills, papermills, cotton and wool- 
 len factories, &c., stand also upon the 
 same stream. 
 
 Wilmington is governed by two bur- 
 gesses and six assistants. It stands upon 
 a long and gentle elevation, upon the 
 ridge of which lies the principal street, 
 which is wide and straight. 
 
 The principal public buildings are the 
 cityhall, the almshouse, the arsenal, two 
 markethouses, thi'ee banks, the public li- 
 brary, sixteen churches, nine academies, 
 and the friends' female boarding-school. 
 The population is at present fourteen 
 thousand. 
 
 The Philadelphia and Baltimore rail- 
 road lies through this town, and affords 
 communication with both those cities 
 twice a day. 
 
 The Brandywine Springs. — This place 
 is much resorted to by visiters, for health 
 and pleasure, in the summer months. It 
 is five miles from Wilmington. 
 
 Dover. — This town, the capital of the 
 state, and county-town of Kent county, 
 is situated on the right bank of Jones's 
 creek, ten miles from its mouth in Dela- 
 ware bay. The streets are straight, 
 broad, and laid out regularly, and a large 
 public square is in the middle of the town, 
 where the statehouse and several other 
 public buildings are placed to great ad- 
 vantage. There are three churches, one 
 bank, and an academy. A monument 
 has been erected to the memory of Col. 
 John Haslett, who fell at the battle of 
 Princeton, in the revolutionary war. 
 
 There is a communication with Wil- 
 mington daily by stagecoaches, and with 
 Snowhill (Maryland) three times a week. 
 It is in latitude 39° 09' and longitude 
 1° 28' east of Washington. 
 
 Newark stands on Christiana creek, 
 and is twelve miles southwest-by-west 
 
25»i 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE. 
 
 from Wilmington, fifty-two north-north- 
 west from Dover, and one hundred and 
 thirteen north-northeast from Washing- 
 ton. It contains three churches, the 
 college, an academy, and about eight 
 hundred inhabitants. 
 
 Delaware College is situated in this 
 town. It was founded in the year 1833, 
 and received an endowment of $100,000 
 from the state. It has a president, four 
 professors, one tutor, and about fifty 
 students. The first building of the col- 
 lege was erected in 1833, for eighty 
 students, since which time it has been 
 doubled in size. The centre is three 
 stories high, with a basement, and the 
 wings three stories ; whole front, one 
 hundred and eighty feet. 
 
 Newcastle. — This town, the former 
 capital of the state, is situated on the 
 west side of Delaware river, and is the 
 site of the old Dutch fort Casimir, and 
 of the village of Nieu Amstel, or Ngw- 
 Amsterdam, founded by the Hollanders. 
 The public buildings are the courthouse, 
 townhouse, arsenal, five churches, the 
 academy, and the public library contain- 
 ing four thousand volumes. The popu- 
 lation is about three thousand two hun- 
 dred. 
 
 Lewes, on Delaware bay, is a post- 
 town in Sussex county, one hundred 
 miles northeast-by-east from Washing- 
 ton. It is one of the early settlements, 
 and its appearance is that of antiquity, 
 the houses being old and shingled with 
 cedar. 
 
 The Ocean House, in this town, is a 
 respectable hotel, for the accommoda- 
 tion of pleasure-parties, often "isiting 
 the place. 
 
 Delaware City. — The town is situ- 
 ated on Delaware river, at the beginning 
 of the Chesapeake and Delaware canal. 
 It is thirty-two miles north from Dover, 
 and opposite Peapatch island, on which 
 is situated Fort Delaware. 
 
 MiLFORD, sixty-eight miles from Wil- 
 mington, stands on Mispillion creek. It 
 has three academies and two churches, 
 and contains about nine hundred inhab- 
 itants. 
 
 Georgetown is eighty-eight miles 
 from W'ilmington, and near the head- 
 streams of Indian river. It contains 
 
 about four hundred inhabitants, a court- 
 house, an academy, a bank, &c. There 
 is a communication three times a week 
 with Wilmington by stagecoaches. 
 
 Delaware, in several respects, bears 
 a resemblance to the other two of the 
 smallest states, Rhode Island and New 
 Jersey : lying on the main route of 
 travel and transportation near the At- 
 lantic border, and deriving only a sec- 
 ondary advantage from the vast quan- 
 tities of merchandise which annually 
 pass through it on the way from larger 
 states adjoining: yet, availing herself of 
 the facilities which nature has afforded 
 her in her narrow territory, she pro- 
 vides employment for the streams as 
 they pour over her rocks, and use for 
 her navigable waters. The chief of the 
 latter is Delaware bay, which is the 
 scene of an immense amount of trade, 
 chiefly with Philadelphia, and much of 
 it in coal. The channels are unfortu- 
 nately winding and difficult. 
 
 The County of Newcastle, which em- 
 braces the northern part of the state, is 
 bounded north by Delaware county in 
 Pennsylvania, east by Delaware river 
 which separates it from Salem county 
 (N. J.), south by Kent county in Dela- 
 ware, southwest by Kent county in 
 Maryland, west by Cecil county in Ma- 
 ryland, northwest by Chester county in 
 Pennsylvania. It is thirty-eight miles 
 long from north to south, and twelve 
 miles mean breadth, with an area of 
 four hundred and fifty-six square miles. 
 The county lies between latitude 29^ 18' 
 and 30'^ 50', and between longitude 1° 
 17' and 1° 38' east from Washington. 
 The boundary between Delaware and 
 Maryland lies along the ridge of land 
 which divides the waters of the Chesa- 
 peake from those of the Delaware ; and 
 hence, as might be presumed, Newcas- 
 tle county has a gentle slope from west 
 to east. 
 
 Brandywine creek, with its various 
 branches, drains the northern part of 
 the county, and, flowing almost to Wil- 
 mington, falls into the Delaware. Be- 
 low this stream are the Apoquinimink, 
 Blackbird, and Duck creeks, the last 
 of which forms the boundary of Kent 
 county. In this .county is that part of 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STaTE OF DELAWARE. 
 
 257 
 
 the Chesapeake and Delaware canal 
 which we have noticed elsewhere. It 
 extends to Elk river, a tributary of the 
 Chesapeake. The jirincipal excavation 
 on the route is three and a half miles in 
 lenglh, and at the deepest part seventy- 
 six and a half feet. 
 
 Some of the lower parts of Newcastle 
 county, near the Delaware, are low and 
 marshy ; but at some distance the sur- 
 face becomes irregular and even hilly 
 in the north. The soil is generally fer- 
 tile and produces grain, grass, and fruit. 
 The tributaries of the Brandy wine have 
 so irrach descent as to afford many 
 good mill-seats ; and various manufacto- 
 ries are carried on in the interior of the 
 county. 
 
 Kent County is bounded on the north 
 by Newcastle county, on the east by 
 Delaware river, on the south by Sussex 
 county, and on the west by three coun- 
 ties of Maryland, viz. : Caroline, Queen 
 Ann, and Sussex. It lies between lati- 
 tude 38° 50' and 39^ 20', and between 
 longitude 1° 18' and 1^ 50' east from 
 Washington. Nearly the whole surface 
 of this county has a slope east toward 
 Delaware bay, and here are the follow- 
 ing ci"eeks, viz. : Mispillion, Motherkill, 
 Jones's, and the two Duck creeks. A 
 small part of the western border slopes 
 westward, and is watered by the head- 
 springs of the Choptank and Nanticoke 
 rivers. The surface is but slightly va- 
 ried, and the soil of middling quality. 
 The length of the county is thirty-two 
 miles, the mean breadth twenty, and the 
 area six hundred and forty square miles. 
 
 Sussex County is bounded north by 
 Kent county, northeast by Delaware 
 bay, east by the Atlantic ocean, south 
 oy Worcester county (Md.), southwest 
 by Somerset county (Md.), west by Dor- 
 chester county (Md.), and northwest by 
 Caroline county (Md.) It is thirty-five 
 miles long from east to west, the mean 
 breadth twenty-five, and the area eight 
 hundred and seventy-five square miles. 
 It lies between latitude 38° 27' and 
 38° 58', and longitude 1« 14' and 1° 58' 
 east. Most of the county is table-land, 
 with some parts marshy ; and streams 
 flow from it toward all the points of the 
 compass. From the northeast flow sev- 
 
 eral creeks into Delaware bay, east the 
 tributaries of Rehoboth bay, south those 
 of Pocomoke, and southwest those of 
 Nanticoke. 
 
 Among the men distinguished in the 
 revolutionary periods of the history of 
 this state was Caesar Rodney ; and some 
 of the most interesting events connected 
 with the important circumstances of 
 those times may be here appiopriately 
 introduced, in an outline of his biog- 
 raphy. 
 
 His grandfather came to this country 
 from England in the days of Penn, and. 
 after a short residence in Pennsylvania, 
 settled in Kent county (Delaware). His 
 youngest son, Caesar, inherited his es- 
 tate, which was large, and married the 
 daughter of the Rev. Thomas Crawford, 
 who is said to have been the first clergy- 
 man in that part of the country. Caesar 
 Rodney, the subject of the present 
 skej;ch — a distinguished statesman of 
 Delaware, and one of the signers of the 
 Declaration of Independence — was born 
 about the year 1730, and, according to 
 the law of entailment then existing in 
 that state, became heir of the family 
 estate. At the age of twenty-eight, he 
 was appointed high sheriff of the county 
 of Kent, after which he was a justice 
 of the peace and judge of the inferior 
 courts. 
 
 There are no records of the legislature 
 of Delaware in existence, of an earlier 
 date than 1762, and therefore it has 
 been found impossible to ascertain when 
 Mr. Rodney commenced his career as a 
 legislator. He was a representative for 
 his native county at that time, and was 
 one of the most prominent members, 
 being appointed as a colleague with Mr, 
 M'Kean, to transact some business of 
 importance with the government. 
 
 in the time of the stamp-act, much 
 excitement was caused in Delaware j 
 and in 1763 the members of the assem- 
 bly held a meeting, during the recess I 
 of the chamber, and appointed delegates ' 
 to attend a congress at New Yoi'k, for 
 consultation on measures to be taken 
 for the general good of the colonies. 
 They unanimously appointed Messrs. 
 Rodney, M'Kean, and Kollock, and the 
 speaker gave them explicit instructious. 
 
 17 
 
258 
 
 DESCRIPTION OP THE STATE OF DELAWARE. 
 
 The delegates attended, and, after their 
 return, received a unanimous expres- 
 sion of thanks for their services. From 
 that period until the close of the war, 
 Mr. Rodney, with his two associates 
 first named, continued to be the most 
 conspicuous and influential men in Del- 
 aware, in opposing the policy of Great 
 Brilain, and in sustaining the cause of 
 America. Several circumstances ren- 
 dered their situation very difficult and 
 dangerous. The country was exposed 
 to invasion, especially by the ships of 
 the enemy, and a large proportion of 
 the people were either favorable to the 
 British government or undecided in their 
 preference for the American. Among 
 other creditable exertions made by him 
 in the legislature of Delaware, he in- 
 troduced an amendment into a bill, de- 
 signed to prohibit the slave-trade, which 
 was lost by only two votes. 
 
 An attack of cancer in the cheek com- 
 pelled him to seek medical aid by a 
 residence in Philadelphia, after he had 
 abandoned a previous design of going 
 to Europe. He was made speaker of 
 the house of assembly in 1769, and held 
 that office several years ; and he also 
 performed the duties of chairman of the 
 committee of correspondence, formed to 
 promote harmony of views and action 
 throughout the country. 
 
 On the 1st of August, 1774, an assem- 
 bly of delegates met at Newcastle, in 
 compliance with an invitation sent by 
 him, as speaker of the house of dele- 
 gates, to determine what measures to 
 adopt in the existing crisis ; he was 
 chosen chairman of the ^neeting ; and 
 then, in company with Messrs. M'Kean 
 and Read, was appointed to constitute 
 the Delaware delegation to the Ameri- 
 can congress at Philadelphia. He took 
 his seat in that body on the fifth of Sep- 
 tember, and the next day was made a 
 member of the grand committee, whose 
 business it was to state what were the 
 rights of the colonies, and when and 
 how they had been violated. The con- 
 duct of the Delaware delegation re- 
 I ceived the unanimous approval of their 
 legislature on their return, and Mr. Rod- 
 ney was appointed a delegate to the 
 succeeding congress. He soon after 
 
 received the appointment of brigadier- 
 general of Delaware, and not long after- 
 ward appeared in the field, at the time 
 of an invasion of the territory. 
 
 Though the presence of Mr. Rodney 
 was deemed higlily necessary at home, 
 in the midst of tlie important and try- 
 ing scenes of the day, he was present in 
 congress at the time when the question 
 of independence was decided, and was 
 one of its most ardent advocates. On 
 his return, his conduct again received 
 the approbation of the legislature. In 
 the autumn of that year (1776), however, 
 by the exertions of his opponents, his 
 reelection to congress was defeated, as 
 well as that of Mr. M'Kean ; and he 
 spent the succeeding year at home, at- 
 tending to his private afiairs and to the 
 duties of the committees of inspection 
 and of safety, to which he belonged. 
 
 Colonel Haslet, who belonged to his 
 brigade, having fallen at the battle of 
 Princeton, General Rodney set out to 
 join the Delaware troops in New Jer- 
 sey, but on his way was ordered by 
 Lord Stirling to remain at Princeton to 
 forward troops to the army ; after the 
 performance of which duties he was per- 
 mitted to return home, by a highly com- 
 plimentary letter from General Wash- 
 ington. 
 
 He was then appointed a judge of 
 the supreme court, under the constitu- 
 tion of Delaware, which he declined ; 
 and was soon after called into the field 
 to quell an insurrection in the county 
 of Sussex. 
 
 The invasion by the British army a 
 little later again occupied him, and he 
 marched with the militia of his county, 
 and stationed himself south of the Amer- 
 ican line, at the command of Washing- 
 ton, to intercept the way between the 
 enemy and their fleet. But his raw 
 troops, in a few hours, returned to their 
 homes in spite of his effi)rts. 
 
 After this he was elected governor of 
 the state, and held the office fcur years, 
 although the fluctuations of paities were 
 frequent and strong. After that period 
 he declined public offices, as his health 
 had become greatly impaired; and he 
 fell a victim of the cancer early in the 
 year 1783. 
 
 - ^1 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE. 
 
 259 
 
 The following extract from the pre- 
 amble to the constitution of the Medical 
 society of Delaware, published in 1789, 
 is interesting on account of its early 
 date : — 
 
 " The physicians of the Delaware 
 state had long regretted their uncon- 
 nected situation. Despairing to obtain 
 some of the most important objects of 
 their profession while thus detached 
 from one another, and convinced that 
 expeiuence has uniformly attested the 
 advantages of literary association, they 
 lately presented a memorial to the hon- 
 orable legislature on that subject. Af- 
 ter duly considering the application, the 
 general assembly, for the liberal pur- 
 pose of fostering the interest of science, 
 granted a charter of incorporation to a 
 number of the said physicians and their 
 successors for ever, and the name and 
 style of ' the president and fellows of 
 the medical society of the Delaware 
 state.' 
 
 " The object of this society is to an- 
 imate and unite its respective members 
 in the ai-duous work of cultivating the 
 science of mediciiie, and its auxiliary 
 branches ; with an especial view to its 
 practical use, the alleviating of human 
 misery, the diminution of moi'tality, and 
 the cure of diseases. To accomplish 
 this interesting purpose, they will direct 
 their endeavors — to investigate the en- 
 demical diseases of our country ; to 
 trace their effects on its aboriginal in- 
 habitants, and the successive changes 
 they have undergone, in the progress 
 of society from rudeness to refinement; 
 to remark the general operations of po- 
 litical, moral, and natural causes on the 
 human body and its diseases ; and, par- 
 ticularly, observe and record the effects 
 of different seasons, climates, and situa- 
 tions, and the changes produced in dis- 
 eases by the progress of science, com- 
 merce, agriculture, arts, jjopulation, and 
 manners ; to explore the animal, vegeta- 
 ble, and mineral kingdoms, and every ac- 
 cessible department of nature, in search 
 of the means of enriching and simplify- 
 ing our materia medica ; to extend the 
 substitution of our indigenous for exotic 
 remedies ; to rescue from oblivion, and 
 collect for public view, the fugitive ob- 
 
 servations of intelligent physicians ; to 
 confer honorary rewards on the efforts 
 of genius and industry ; to superintend 
 the education of medical students, and 
 connect with the elements of medicine 
 an adequate knowledge of all the kindred 
 and subservient sciences ; to enlarge oui 
 sources of knowledge, by imparting and 
 disseminating the discoveries and publi- 
 cations of foreign countries ; to corre- 
 spond with learned societies and indi- 
 viduals ; to appoint stated times for lit- 
 erary intercourse and communications; 
 to cultivate harmony and liberality among 
 the practitionei's of medicine ; and, final- 
 ly, to promote regularity and uniformity 
 in the practice of physic." 
 
 A quorum of the fellows of the so- 
 ciety having assembled at Dover on 
 Tuesday, May 12, 1789, the constitution 
 was adopted, and the following officers 
 wei'e appointed : — 
 
 James Tilton, M.D., piesident. 
 
 Jonas Preston, M.D., vice-president. 
 
 Nicholas Way, M.D., ") 
 
 Matthew Wilson, D.D., 
 
 DT 1 ni * r censors, 
 
 r. Joshua Clayton, [ 
 
 Dr. Nathaniel Luff, J 
 
 Edward Miller, M. D., secretary. 
 
 Dr. James Sykes, treasurer. 
 
 The following brief but honorable 
 remarks on the condition and prospects 
 of Delaware, were published in the 
 American Museum, in 1789, under the 
 head «f an " Epitorne of the present 
 state of the Union : — 
 
 "Delaware, ninety-two miles in length 
 and twenty three broad by a census in 
 1790, contained fifty nine thousand 
 inhabitants. This state, though circum- 
 scribed in its limits, derives ffreat im- 
 portance from its rank in the Union. 
 Attached to the new constitution, and 
 having the honor to take the lead in its 
 adoption, there is no doubt of its giving 
 efficacy to its lighteous administration." 
 
 This state is, as we have befoie re- 
 marked, the smallest in the Union with 
 respect to population ; and also in ter- 
 ritory excepting Rhode Island. 
 
 According to the last census, the pop- 
 ulation of Delaware was 91,407; that 
 of Rhode Island 147,543. The area yy^ 
 Delaware is 2,120 square miles ; that of 
 Rhode Island, 1,360 square miles. 
 
260 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND. 
 
 This state is bnuiKled west 
 and northwest by Pennsylvania, 
 east by Delaware, southeast by 
 the eastern shore of Virginia 
 and the Atlantic ocean, south by 
 Chesapeake bay, southwest by 
 Potomac river (which separates 
 it from Virginia), west by Vir- 
 ginia, and northwest by Penn- 
 sylvania. The outline is re- 
 markably crooked, and, in the 
 western part of the state, the Po- 
 tomac, which fo) ms the southern 
 boundary, approaciies so near 
 to the Pennsylvania line (the 
 northern boundary) that it leaves but a narrow belt, giving the map a peculiar 
 appearance. 
 
 It lies between latitude 38° and 39° 43', and longitude 1° 56' and 2° 24' west 
 from Washington. The whole area of the state, notwithstanding the length of 
 its tortuous outline, is only 9,356 square miles, of which the eastern shore con- 
 lains 3,084. The chief part of the population — with the cities, commerce, ana 
 improvement — is west of the Chesapeake. The state, in 1850, contained 582,922 
 inhabitants. The eastern shore, by its situation, is cut off from intercourse anc 
 connexion with the neighboring regions, almost as effectually as if it were an 
 island. The surface is sandy and but little elevated above the ocean, and desti- 
 tute of hills and of most other advantages. 
 
 Those portions of the territory near the ocean and the bay are generally level 
 and low ; but the surface rises in the interior, and the middle and western part.s 
 are crossed by the Allegany ridges. Of these the Blue ridge is most easterly. 
 
r 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND. 
 
 261 
 
 and forms a long, uniform, and gentle, 
 but elevated, swell across the state. 
 Grain and grass grow well in the west- 
 ern counties. Valuable mines of iron 
 and coal are wrought in several places; 
 maimfactures are carried on with suc- 
 cess along some of the streams ; the fish- 
 eries in the bay and its tributaries are val- 
 uable ; and commerce is rendered very 
 active by the aid of railroads, steam- 
 boats, and vessels of all descriptions. 
 The building of swift-sailing vessels has 
 been carried to the highest degree of 
 perfection, especially in Baltimore. 
 
 The Potomac river, which forms so 
 large a part of the southern boundary of 
 this state, is five hundred and fifty miles 
 in length, and navigable for ships of the 
 largest size to Washington. The canal, 
 which extends from the falls at George- 
 town almost to its head, makes it navi- 
 gable for boats through a grent part of 
 its length, and approaches near the west- 
 ern states. The Susquehanna empties 
 in Maryland, and is connected with Bal- 
 timore by artificial means. 
 
 The Patapsco is a small river, but of 
 great importance, being navigable four- 
 teen miles, and having the city of Bal- 
 timore at the head of navigation, where 
 its waters form a fine harbor, with shores 
 on one side sloping conveniently for 
 streets and wharves, and on the other 
 high and precipitous, and well adapted 
 for defence. 
 
 The Patuxent is one hundred and ten 
 miles long, and navigable fifty miles for 
 vessels of two hundred and fifty tons. 
 Beside these ai'e the Elk river, the Sas- 
 safras, Chester, Choptank, Nanticoke, 
 and Pocomoke. 
 
 Chesapeake bay is two hundred and 
 seventy miles in length, and differs in 
 breadth from seven to twenty miles, sud- 
 denly expanding from one to the other, 
 [t contains numerous islands, and is re- 
 markable for the number of coves, in- 
 lets, and sinuosities of its borders, which 
 afford access to the water in a thousand 
 places. There is abundance of fish and 
 wild-fowl ; and among the latter canvass- 
 back duck is most celebrated, being 
 justly esteemed and preferred above all 
 other water-birds for its rich and delicate 
 flavor. The;e birds arc shot in great 
 
 numbei's in the autumn, and are in great 
 demand, even in the markets of Phila- 
 delphia and New York. 
 
 Pocomoke bay is a cove of the Ches- 
 apeake, lying below the mouth of Nan- 
 ticoke river. Northwest from it lie 
 Tangier island and Tangier sound, lead- 
 ing into Fishing bay. Above the mouth 
 of Nanticoke river a peninsula projects 
 far into the Chesapeake, forming the 
 county of Dorchester ; and on the oppo- 
 site side this is bounded by Choptank 
 bay, which, in its turns, separates it from 
 Talbot county. This county is much 
 cut up by several coves, inlets, &c., as 
 Treadhaven bay. Broad bay, and St. 
 Michael's bay. Beyond lies another of 
 these remarkable arms of the Chesa- 
 peake, viz., Chester bay, which separates 
 the county of Queen Ann from that of 
 Kent. Long as is this line of bay-coast, 
 which we have thus described following 
 its sinuosities, the whole of it is com- 
 prehended in a single degree of latitude, 
 lying between thirty-eight and thirty- 
 nine degrees. 
 
 Proceeding north from this latter 
 point, Kent county is a peninsula of a 
 semicircular form, lying between the 
 rivers Chester and Sassafras ; and next 
 Sassafras bay lie the two rivers North 
 and Elk, beyond which we find the mouth 
 of the Susquehanna, and the nortliern 
 boundary of the state. 
 
 All this part of this state, known as 
 the eastern shore, may now be called an 
 island, since the Delaware and Chesa- 
 peake canal opens a complete, although 
 an artificial, water-channel across the 
 neck of the peninsula. It is remarkable 
 that a much greater difference of climate 
 exists on the eastern shore than the mere 
 difference of latitude is sufficient to ac- 
 count for. The lower part is so warm, 
 that even cotton may be cultivated. 
 
 The western part of the state is quite 
 cold for so southern a parallel ; but this 
 is very easily accounted for, as its eleva- 
 tion is sufficient to render the temper- 
 ature in winter equal to that of the 
 Atlantic coast as high up as latitude 
 forty-four degrees forty-three minutes. 
 The elevated valleys in Allegany county, 
 although very fertile, have a climate too 
 cold for wheat. 
 
 ^J 
 
262 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND. 
 
 The want of intimate communication 
 between these two parts of Maryland, 
 and the semi-isolated situation of the 
 counties and many of the towns of the 
 former with respect to each other, are 
 unfavorable to improvements of almost 
 every kind. The productions of every 
 neighborhojd are brought to the shore 
 of one of the innumerable little streams, 
 inlets, or coves, which scollop the wind- 
 ing coast of the Chesapeake, and shipped 
 in small vessels running to different 
 places; while the habits of the people, 
 as well as the nature of the country, 
 thus interrupted by water every few 
 miles, render roads few and short. In- 
 tercourse among the inhabitants is lim- 
 ited ; there are no large towns ; and in- 
 telligence languishes, with public spiiit 
 and enterprise, under the absence of the 
 ordinary motives. Manufactures are not 
 encouraged by any natural facilities ; 
 and all these causes combined give the 
 eastern shore of Maryland its mai'ked 
 characteristics. 
 
 Of the three geographical sections into 
 which Maryland is naturally divided, the 
 eastern shore forms the first ; and this, as 
 before remarked, has some peculiar fea- 
 tures. The Chesapeake peninsula, of 
 which it forms the weste'-n slope, from 
 Pocomoke bay to the mouth of the Sus- 
 quehanna, is a remarkable piece of land, 
 lying between the Chesapeake and Del- 
 aware bays, with a portion of its south- 
 eastern border washed by the ocean. 
 The narrow isthmus which naturally con- 
 nects it with the continent has been ar- 
 tificially cut through by the Chesapeake 
 and Delaware canal, and thus the whole 
 of this singular cape, or rather peninsu- 
 la, may be said to have become an island. 
 Measured from that point to its southern 
 extremity — Cape Charles — it is one hun- 
 dred and eighty-two miles in length ; 
 and the general form is that of an oval, 
 acuminate leaf, with numerous and ir- 
 regular lobes and indentations on its 
 margins. The south part, seventy miles 
 long by eight or ten wide, belongs to 
 Virginia ; the middle section belongs 
 wholly to Maryland; and the upper is 
 divided between this state and Dela- 
 ware. The widest part, near the mid- 
 dle, is seventy miles across, the mean 
 
 breadth of the whole about twenty miles, 
 and the area 4,900 square miles. The 
 surface is generally flat or gently undu- 
 lated. The eastern border has a succes- 
 sion of low, sandy islands and beaches, 
 with shallow sounds, opening by narrow 
 channels, and is destitute of considerable 
 streams. 
 
 The west side of the peninsula, on the 
 contrary, has a number of rivers, of some 
 size and depth, navigable for greater or 
 less distances, and adding to the facilities 
 afforded by the coves and inlets. 
 
 The surface of western Maryland has 
 a general and gradual rise from the 
 shores of Chesapeake bay to the sources 
 of the Potomac, about two thousand feet ; 
 but the intermediate regions are in sev- 
 eral places diversified by hills and moun- 
 tainous elevations, chiefly the ridges of 
 the Allegaiiies. The Blue ridge, how- 
 ever, like some of the others, presents 
 a uniform swell, generally so gradual 
 as to leave the ground unbroken and 
 covered with soil. In some other west- 
 ern parts of the state the rocks protrude, 
 and considerable tracts are unfit for cul- 
 tivation. There, however, the mineral 
 treasures of iron and coal abound, to 
 such a degree as to make great amends 
 for the want of arable soil. 
 
 The following results of observations 
 made at the White cottage, near Sandy 
 spring, in 1829 and 1830, will show the 
 mean temperature : From the winter 
 solstice to the vei-nal equinox, 28.39 ; ver- 
 nal equinox to summer solstice, 58.22 ; 
 summer solstice to autumnal equinox, 
 69.21 ; autumnal equinox to winter sol- 
 stice, 46.96. The following year the 
 mean temperature at the corresponding 
 periods was as follows: 35.63; 58.14; 
 71.46; 49.23. 
 
 History. — The first permanent set- 
 tlement was made in the territory of this 
 state at St. Mary's, in the year 1631, un- 
 der William Claibourn, on Kent islanil 
 The charter granted to Lord Baltimore 
 (Cecilius Calvert) was dated June 20, 
 1632. He was a convert to the church 
 of Rome, and early proclaimed religious 
 toleration, although in direct opposition 
 to the doctrine and practice of the 
 popes and governments under their in- 
 fluence down to the present day. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND. 
 
 263 
 
 Maryland was named in honor of the 
 queen, Henrietta Maria, daughter of 
 Henry IV. of France ; and through the 
 Roman catholic influence, which in some 
 points was strong during her day. Lord 
 Baltimore received an amount of power 
 tiot conferred on the governors of New 
 England or most of the other colonies. 
 He was created sole proprietor of Ma- 
 ryland, restricted hy nothing save alle- 
 giance to the crown. With the consent 
 of the freemen, he could make laws and 
 raise taxes ; and he was to execute the 
 laws of the assembly. The crown cov- 
 enanted to impose no taxes on the col- 
 onies, their goods or commodities ; and 
 this exemption was to last foi'ever, though 
 in other colonies it was limited to a term 
 of years. Maryland, as constituted un- 
 der Lord Baltimore, was therefore a 
 palatinate, the proprietary being invest- 
 ed with all the royal rights of the palace, 
 while the king held him and his domain 
 only as a feudal sovereign. Colonists 
 were promised all the liberties of Eng- 
 lishmen-born. 
 
 In November, 1633, the first body of 
 emigrants sailed with Leonard Calvert, 
 the first governor of the province. They 
 consisted of about two hundred English 
 gentlemen and many of their adherents. 
 They went by the way of the West In- 
 dies, and spent some time in Barbadoes 
 and St. Christopher's, and did not reach 
 ihe Chesapeake till the spring following, 
 when, on the 27th of March, they landed 
 on St. Mary's river. According to the 
 custom of Rome, Calvert erected a cross 
 and took formal possession of the coun- 
 try, •' for our Savior, and for our sov- 
 ereign lord the king of England." 
 
 He made proposals to the chief of the 
 Indians, whom he found in the vicinity, 
 to commence a settlement on amicable 
 terms, with his consent. But he received 
 for answer : " I will not bid you go, nei- 
 ther will I bid you stay ; but you may 
 use your own discretion." The confi- 
 dence and friendship of the chief, how- 
 ever, were at length gained ; and he 
 exerted a pacific influence on some of 
 the neighboring tribes, by which the 
 feeble colony was secured from molesta- 
 tion. A neighboring tract of land was 
 purchased, in the native town of Yoco- 
 
 moco, and the building of the capital com- 
 menced, which was named St. Mary's. 
 Among the first buildings were a guard- 
 house and a storehouse, and corn was 
 planted, to secure provisions for the col- 
 onists. Not much time had elapsed after 
 the landing, before they received a visit 
 from the governor of Virginia, Sir John 
 Harvey, who, like his people, regarded 
 the new colony with jealousy. While 
 he was there, several Indian chiefs ar- 
 rived from the interior to pay their 
 respects to Governor Calvert. They 
 were received on board a ship which 
 lay at anchor in the river, and sump- 
 tuously entertained. The king of Pa- 
 tuxent had his seat at table between the 
 two English governors. 
 
 To make an impression upon the 
 minds of the ignorant and simple sav- 
 ages, when the stores were landed from 
 the vessel, a great display was made. 
 The flags were raised on shore, the men 
 were drawn up under arms, volleys of 
 musketry and discharges of cannon from 
 the ships were given, when the pro- 
 visions, &c., were deposited in the store- 
 house. The king of Werowances took 
 this opportunity to enjoin upon the kings 
 of Patuxent and Yocomoco, who were 
 present, to be faithful in their observ- 
 ance of the treaty they had made with 
 the governor of Maryland. He spent 
 several days at the place, and is reported 
 to have said to the governor, in a speech 
 addressed to him before his departui'e : 
 " I love the English so well, that if they 
 should go about to kill me, I would 
 command the people not to revenge my 
 death ; for 1 know they would not do 
 such a thing except it were through my 
 own fault." 
 
 According to the treaty, the English 
 occupied one half of the town, and the 
 Indians the other ; and the greatest har- 
 mony prevailed, without interruption, 
 through the remainder of the year. The 
 savages performed the most kind and 
 important services to the colonists : they 
 accompanied them into the forest, sho^ved 
 them the best kinds of game, joined them 
 in the chase, and br )Ught home what wa§ 
 taken or killed, feeling well rewarded 
 by the presents they received of knives, 
 tools, and toys. They also afforded them 
 
264 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND. 
 
 assistance in obtaining fish, while the 
 squaws instructed tlie strangers in the 
 culture of corn. The females and chil- 
 dren became so friendly and confiding, 
 that numbers of them were partly do- 
 mesticated with the colonists. 
 
 Fifty acres of land were given to each 
 settlor, and, as their numbers soon con- 
 siderably increased, the colony assumed 
 a very flourishing appearance. But dif- 
 ficulties soon arose from the conflicting 
 claims of a prior settler. Clayborne, 
 about a year anterior to the date of Bal- 
 timore's charter, had received from the 
 king -'. : ;nse to trade in parts of America 
 not coveied by any patent of exclusive 
 trade, and had formed a settlement at 
 Kent island, for the advantages of the 
 trade of the Chesapeake, which he 
 wished to engross. That island was 
 now in the centre of Maryland, and of 
 course Clayborne looked upon the new 
 colony with no friendly eye. An appeal 
 was made to the courts : but, although 
 he failed in that resort, he troubled the 
 colony in various ways. 
 
 The first assembly met in Maryland 
 in 1635, and passed criminal laws, which 
 were chiefly designed to be executed 
 upon Clayborne, and he was soon in- 
 dicted for murders, piracy, and sedition. 
 To escape punishment he fled to Eng- 
 land, when his estates were confiscated, 
 and, in spite of all his influence at court, 
 the lords-commissioners of the colonies 
 pi'onounced sentence against him. 
 
 The second assembly was held in 16.57, 
 to consider a code of laws proposed by 
 the governor, which they wholly reject- 
 ed, substituting one of their own. The 
 province was divided into baronies and 
 manors, with privileges all clearly de- 
 fined, and laws made to secure private 
 property, to regulate intestate succes- 
 sion, &c. At the third assembly, in 
 1639, a representative form of govern- 
 ment was established. 
 
 Slaves are alluded to in an early act 
 of the assembly, in defining " the peo- 
 pie,y who are said to consist of all Chris- 
 tian inhabitants, " slaves only excepted." 
 
 An Indian war broke out in 1642, 
 which was attributed by the Maryland- 
 ers to the intrigues of Clayborne. Af- I 
 ter a few years it was terminated by a i 
 
 lasting peace, which was due, in a great 
 measure, to laws passed by the assem- 
 bly, regulating intercourse with the In- 
 dians. Land-purchases were required 
 to receive the sanction of the governor, 
 and the sale of firearms and liquor to 
 the Indians was prohibited. 
 
 But in 1645 a rebellion broke out in 
 Kent island, which extended to St, Ma- 
 ry's, and compelled Calvert to make 
 his escape to Virginia. The revolt was 
 suppressed in August following, and the 
 colony again enjoyed tranquillity. An 
 act of oblivion was passed in 1649, which 
 included all except a few chief offend- 
 ers ; and during the same session reli- 
 gious toleration was established by an 
 act of the assembly. Some of its pro- 
 visions were these : that no person pro- 
 fessing to believe in the Lord Jesus 
 Christ should be molested in respect 
 of his religion, nor in the free exercise 
 thereof, or be compelled to the belief or 
 exercise of any other, against his own 
 consent ; that persons molesting any 
 other in respect of their religious tenets 
 should pay triple damages to the party 
 aggrieved, and twenty shillings to the 
 proprietary ; that those who should ap- 
 ply opprobrious names of religious dis- 
 tinction to others, should forfeit ten shil- 
 lings to the persons so insulted ; that 
 any speaking reproachfully against the 
 Blessed Virgin, or the apostles, should 
 forfeit five pounds : but that blasphemy 
 against God should be punished with 
 death. 
 
 In 1650, the constitution of the colony 
 was drawn up in a form which it pre- 
 served for a century. The assembly 
 was now divided, those who were called 
 to it by special writ forming the upper 
 house, and the burgesses the lower. 
 
 At the same time, Lord Baltimore 
 was recognised proprietary of the prov- 
 ince, and received public honors as such. 
 But the assembly passed an act requiring 
 the assent of the freemen to any tax that 
 might be imposed. New difficulties, 
 however, soon arose. Commissioners 
 were appointed in England to place the 
 colony under the control and govern- 
 ment of the mother-comitry ; and, Clay- 
 borne being one of them, a revolution 
 was soon effected in the constitution, 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OP MARYLAND. 
 
 2€f 
 
 after a short period of opposition, and 
 even civil war. The Roman catholics 
 were defeated, the governor deposed, 
 and the unprecedented and intolerable 
 feudal power and rank of Calvert over- 
 thrown. The next assembly acknowl- 
 edged the authority of Cromwell, who 
 was then protector, and reduced the col- 
 ony to a state of dependence on Eng- 
 land, but abridged religious liberty to 
 such a degree that Roman catholics, qua- 
 kers, and episcopalians, suffered perse- 
 cution. 
 
 In the meantime. Lord Baltimore had 
 appointed Fendal his representative ; 
 and, at the end of two years, the com- 
 missioners surrendered the government 
 to him. His first acts were to procure 
 the dissolution of the upper house, and 
 assume the whole legislative power, to 
 lay heavy taxes, to oppress the quakers, 
 and thus to increase the public difficul- 
 ties. The restoration of Charles II., 
 which soon followed, restored Lord Bal- 
 timore to his place, powers, emoluments, 
 and honors ; and Fendal, after being con- 
 victed of high treason, was pardoned on 
 the ground of incapacity. 
 
 Dui'ing the dissensions which had 
 now been passed through, the colony had 
 much increased. It contained twelve 
 thousand inhabitants. Five years after- 
 ward it had one hundred ships and six- 
 teen thousand inhabitants. Every young 
 person was trained to useful labor, and 
 poverty was unknown. 
 
 In 1661 a mint was established, which, 
 in 1676, was declared perpetual, by the 
 assembly. 
 
 The Dutch settlers at Henlopen, for a 
 time, threatened great troubles to Mary- 
 land ; but Calvert was successful in ne- 
 gotiating with them, by which some 
 were persuaded to leave that part of the 
 country, and others to come under his 
 governm(int. A tribe of Indians, on the 
 west side of the Delaware, once assumed 
 a hostile attitude ; but, by the assistance 
 of some neighboring tribes, they were 
 induced to lay aside all unfriendly in- 
 tentions, and gave the colony no further 
 trouble. The statute-book of the colony, 
 under the date of 1666, contains a law 
 for the mturalization of the Dutch col- 
 onists who .emained in Maryland ; which 
 
 is the oldest act of the kind in all the 
 colonies. 
 
 In 1671 a tax of two shillings was 
 laid on every hogshead of tobacco ex- 
 ported, half to be expended for the pub- 
 lic defence, in a magazine and arms, and 
 half to be given to the proprieiaiy as a 
 mark of gratitude. 
 
 Lord Baltimore died in 1676, and was 
 succeeded by his son, Charles Calvert. 
 England had long practised the sending 
 of felons to Maryland, as a place of 
 banishment ; and this year the assembly 
 made an ineffectual attempt to put a stop 
 to a system so injurious to the colony. 
 Not fewer than three hundred and fifty 
 were annually landed in the province 
 for several yeai'S before the revolution. 
 
 As early as 1681, exertions were made 
 to introduce manufacturing; but they 
 were not attended by any impoitant re- 
 sults. The following year, William 
 Penn had an interview with the propri- 
 etary, soon after his arrival from Eng- 
 land, to effect an amicable settlement 
 of the boundary line between the two 
 territories. They were unable to agree ; 
 and, the question being afterward de- 
 cided in England, the disputed tenitory 
 was equally divided, and that portion 
 now forming the state of Delaware was 
 taken from the lands claimed by Lord 
 Baltimore. 
 
 Discontent had now become great 
 with the proprietary of Maryland, even in 
 England. He was threatened by King 
 Chailes with a writ o? quo icarranto, on 
 account of his resisting his majesty's 
 officers in the collection of the parlia- 
 mentary duties. But on another charge 
 he suffered more seriously; for such was 
 the clamor raised in consequence of the 
 pai^on granted to Fendal, that all but 
 protestants were declared to be incapa- 
 ble in future of holding any office under 
 the government of Maryland. 
 
 The accession of James 11. led to new 
 difficulties in Maryland ; and not long 
 after, on a rumor that the Roman catho- 
 lics and Indians had formed a league for 
 the destruction of the protestants, a 
 protestant league was formed, headed 
 by John Coode, who was authoriz(!d 
 by King William to exercise the gov- 
 ernment for three years. Calvert waa 
 
26G 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND. 
 
 tried on sundry charges, but was only 
 deprived of the government — Sir Ed- 
 ward Andross being apointed governor 
 in his place. He was, however, per- 
 mitted to enjoy his proprietary estate. 
 In 1716 the representative of the Cal- 
 vert family renounced the Roman catho- 
 lic religion, and was restored to such 
 rights as he claimed. 
 
 The revolutionary period of the his- 
 tory of Maryland contains too many in- 
 teresting events to be given in a limited 
 space. Several leading men early took 
 a decided part in favor of American re- 
 sistance, and prosecuted with zeal and 
 faithfulness the great measures which 
 finally established independence. The 
 state adopted the constitution August 
 14, 1776, and the federal constitution in 
 1788. In 1790 the territory now form- 
 ing the federal district, or district of 
 Columbia, was ceded by Maryland to 
 the general government. 
 
 Government. — The senate consists 
 of twenty-two members, one being chosen 
 from each county and one from the city 
 of Balimnre, for a term of four years, 
 one half of them biennially. The house 
 of delegates are elected once in two 
 years ; and, till tlie apportionment under 
 the census of 1860, are seventy-two in 
 number. The executive power is vested 
 in a governor who is chosen for fjur 
 years. The state is divided into thiee 
 districts, and the governor is taken from 
 each of the three districts alternately. 
 The judicial power is vested in a court of 
 appeals, circuit courts, courts fur the city 
 of Baltimore, and injustices of the peace. 
 
 The light of suffrage is allowed to each 
 free white male citizen, twenty-one years 
 old who has been one year a resident 
 in the state, and six months in the county. 
 
 Educ.vtion. — The colonial legislature 
 in 1696 appropi'iated money for educa- 
 tion in a college and free-schools, which 
 was absorbed by the college. Wash- 
 ington college was founded in 1782 in 
 Chestertown, Kent county, on the east- 
 ern shore; St. John's college in 1784, 
 in Annapolis, on the western shore ; and 
 these two were afterward connected 
 and formed the university. 
 
 An act was passed by the legislature 
 of this state during the session of De- 
 
 cember, 1825, to "provide for the public 
 instruction of youth in primary schools 
 throughout the state." This act defines 
 the duties of the superintendent of 
 schools, namely, to digest and prepare 
 plans of instruction ; to improve such 
 system as may be adopted, and such rev- 
 enues as may from time to time be as- 
 signed to this object ; to prepare and 
 report estimates and expenditures ; and 
 to superintend the collection of the rev- 
 enues appropriated to education. It 
 requires of the justices of the levy court 
 in each of the counties to appoint nine 
 commissioners of primary schools for 
 the county, and a number of other suit- 
 able men, not exceeding eighteen, who, 
 together with the commissioners, shall 
 be inspectors of said schools. The act 
 also defines the duties of the commis- 
 sioners as to dividing the county into 
 school districts ; provides for the elec- 
 tion of trustees in each district, the erec- 
 tion of schoolhouses, and a semi-annual 
 report of the trustees to the commis- 
 sioners, &c. 
 
 The Roman catholic college at George- 
 town was founded in 1784. The medi- 
 cal college in Baltimore was founded in 
 1807, and in 1812 connected with the 
 faculties of law, divinity, and general 
 science, and formed a body corporate, 
 under the title of the " University of 
 Maryland." Two other institutions — 
 Baltimore and St. Mary's colleges — have 
 funds of their own, by which, with stu- 
 dents' fees, they are supported. 
 
 Academies, which afford many advan- 
 tages of education to both sexes, exist 
 in most of the principal towns. 
 
 Manufactures. — The manufactures 
 of this state are numerous, various, and 
 valuable. Woollen, cotton, iron, cop- 
 per, and flour, are among the principal ; 
 and most of these are seated on the 
 banks of the streams where the descent 
 of the land affords water-power appli- 
 cable to machinery. In Baltimore and 
 its vicinity a large amount of manufac- 
 turing is done. 
 
 Productions. — Flour and tobacco are 
 the staple productions of Maryland ; 
 but the former more valuable article 
 vastly exceeds the latter in quantity. 
 Iron is abundant in many of the coun- 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND. 
 
 26 
 
 1 
 
 ties of the western shore, and is manu- 
 factured in many places. Bituminous 
 coal exists in Allegany county in inex- 
 haustible mines, and is one of the most 
 valuable natural productions of the state. 
 The Baltimore and Ohio R.iti.ROAD. 
 This great work was designed to extend 
 from the city of Baltimore to Wheeling 
 (Virginia), but was delayed in its com- 
 pletion. It was chartered in 1827, and 
 the work commenced in 1828. The state 
 has subscribed three millions and Balti- 
 more three millions. The first portion, 
 to the l^oint of Rocks, sixty-nine miles 
 in length, has been in operation several 
 years. It has since been finished to 
 Cumberland, a distance of one hundred 
 and seventy-eight miles. It winds along 
 streams, hill-sides, &c., in various places, 
 often among wild scenerv. The l)rid<xes 
 and viaducts are many, and very expen- 
 sive. It is proposed to extend it to Pitts- 
 burgh, to compete with Philadelphia in 
 measures to secure the trade i)f the Ohio 
 valley. We select the following state- 
 ment, in relation to this enterprise, from 
 recent publications: — 
 
 " There seems now to be a prospect 
 that this gieat work of improvement 
 will be pushed forward to completion 
 within a reasonable time. For a long 
 period it has been at a stand — looking, 
 as it were, from the summit of the Alle- 
 ganies for the most advantageous point 
 to intersect the Ohio river, which was 
 the limit originally prescribed for the 
 stupendous undertaking. But, should 
 the work take the course indicated, a 
 short time only will elapse before the 
 road will penetrate the interior of Ohio, 
 connectinof itself with the richest agri- 
 cultural region between the river and 
 the lakes, and drawing from ooth a large 
 amount of their transit business. It 
 will soon connect itself with the liver 
 again at Cincinnati, thus securing to it- 
 self all the advantages and benefits of 
 a junction at a point advantageous for 
 its interests in seasons of low water; 
 while at the same time it will be reach- 
 ing its long arm through the fertile val- 
 leys and broad prairies of our western 
 neighbors, toward the Mississippi. The 
 word will then be — not ' Baltimore and 
 Wheeling,' but ^ Baltimore and St. Louis,' 
 
 — which will comprehend all the inter- 
 mediate points." 
 
 Baltimore. — This is the principal 
 city and port of Maryland, and also f)ne 
 of the largest and finest in tlie United 
 States. It is advantageously situated 
 near the head of Chesapeake bay, four- 
 teen miles distant, on the river Patapsco, 
 which affords it a commodious harbor, 
 well protected by high land. It occu- 
 pies a position commanding, by natural 
 and artificial channels of communica- 
 tion, extensive and fertile regions in 
 Maryland and adjacent states, and even 
 with the valley of the Mississippi. It 
 is in latitude 39^ 17' 23", and longitude 
 76'-'' 37' 30" west from Greenwich, be- 
 ing forty miles from Wasliin,i.'ton, nine- 
 ty-seven iMjm Philadelphia, one hundred 
 and eighty-six from New Yoik, and 
 two hundred and nineiy fiom Pittsburg. 
 The population in 1850 was 169,000. 
 
 The entrance to the harbor of Balti- 
 more is between Fort M'Henry and the 
 Lazaretto, six hundred yards wide, with 
 twenty-two feet in depth ; the second 
 harbor, which is above Fell's point, has 
 fifteen feet water, and the third, or in- 
 ner, opposite the city, ten or twelve. 
 
 The city is about two miles in extent 
 from east to west, and one and a half 
 from north to south, and most of the 
 streets are straight and at right angles. 
 The favorite promenade is in Baltimore 
 street, the principal avenue, which is 
 two miles long ; and the west part is the 
 favorite residence of the wealthier citi- 
 zens. The principal public buildings 
 are the city-hall in Holliday street, the 
 courthouse at the corner of Washington 
 and Monument streets, the state peni- 
 tentiary, above one hundred churches, 
 eleven banks, seven markets, eight in- 
 surance oflJices, two theatres, the circus, 
 the museum, and the savings bank. 
 
 The Merchants' Exchange. — The erec- 
 tion of this building was commenced in 
 the year 1815. It is two hundred and 
 twenty-five feet in length and one hun- 
 dred and forty-four in depth, the ground 
 plan being in the form of the letter H. 
 It is four stories, including the base- 
 ment, which is vaulted. The grand hall 
 is eighty-six feet long, and lighted by a 
 dome, ninety feet from the floor. 
 
'268 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND. 
 
 There are two colonnades at the east- 
 ern and western extremities, each of six 
 Ionic columjis, in pure style, and each 
 consistins: of a single block of Italian 
 
 o o 
 
 marble. 
 
 The Catlicdral {Roman catholic) is one 
 hundred and ninety by one hundred and 
 seventy-seven feet in extent, and in the 
 Ionic style, surmounted by a dome and 
 a crosj, the top of which is one hundred 
 and tw3nty-seveu feet high. The l)uild- 
 ing itself is in the form of a cross, built 
 of granite. It has two steeples, in one 
 of which is a bell weighing three thou- 
 sand ;ive hundred lbs., the tone of which 
 is exceedingly mournful, and can be 
 heard forty miles down the bay on a 
 calm evening. The organ contains six: 
 thousand pipes and thirty-six stops. 
 
 The convent of the Ladies of Visita- 
 tion is a large structu"'e, with cupola 
 and cross. Attached is an extensive 
 academy for young girls. 
 
 The Baltimore Museum and Gallery 
 of Fine Arts is a fine spacious building, 
 on the northwest corner of Baltimore and 
 Calvert streets, remarkable fi)r its two 
 steeples and fine appearance. The in- 
 terior arrangement and attractions are 
 on a most costly and extensive scale. 
 
 The appellation of the " Monumental 
 city" has been conferred upon Balti- 
 more, on account of its containing sev- 
 eral splendid national monuments. In 
 some of the buryitig-grounds, also, there 
 are a great number of superb monu- 
 ments, many of them erected by the 
 city authorities. 
 
 Washington Monument. — This superb 
 and famous national structure, in honor 
 of the Father of his counti-y, was erected 
 by the state. 
 
 It is built on an eminence of one hun- 
 dred feet, at the head of Chailes street, 
 and consists of a square base of fifty 
 feet by twenty-four in height, surmount- 
 ed by a granite column, including the 
 statue of Washington, one hundred and 
 eighty feet in height. 
 
 The statue represents Washington in 
 the actofresirrnin 2: his commission, is six- 
 teen feet high, weighs sixteen tons, and 
 cost nine thousand dollars. The corner 
 stone of the monument was laid July 4, 
 1815. There arc f)ur gates and twelve 
 
 steps to the main entrance. The in 
 scription over each ^f the four doors is 
 as follows : — 
 
 " To George Washington, by the State of Mary- 
 'land." 
 
 On each side of the base is an inscrip- 
 tion : — 
 "Born February 22d, 1732. Died 14th De- 
 
 cen-.ber, 1799. 
 Commander-in-cliief of the Amer'can Army, 
 
 loth June, 1775. Commission lesigned at 
 
 Annapolis, 23d December, 1783. 
 
 Trenton, 25th December, 1776. Yorktown, 
 
 19th October, 1781. 
 
 President of the United States, March 4, 1789. 
 
 Retired to Mount Vernon, 4th March, 1797." 
 
 The exchange, customhouse, court- 
 house, Barnum's City hotel, and the jail, 
 are distinctly seen fro.m the summit, and 
 a fine view of the ci'y and surrounding 
 country for several miles is enjoyed. 
 
 Several women have, within the past 
 few years, precipitated themselves from 
 this giddy height. 
 
 Battle Monument. — This is situated on 
 Monument square; it consists of a square 
 base, on which rests a pedestal, orna- 
 mented on each corner with a beauti- 
 fully-carved griffon. From the centre 
 arises a column, on the bands encircling 
 which are inscribed the names of those 
 who fell in the defence of Baltimore in 
 1814, and in whose honor it was erected. 
 This column is surmounted by a superb 
 statue, representing the Genius of Bal- 
 tiinore, holding a laurel or triumphal 
 crown in her right hand, and an anli(iue 
 lieliTi in her left, emblematic of com- 
 merce, having an eagle, bombshell, &c., 
 at her side. 
 
 This monument is of white marble, 
 over fifty feet in height, and surrounded 
 by a railing. The statuary is from the 
 chisel of Cuppelleano, an Italian artist. 
 
 Armistcad Monument in the rear of 
 the city fountain, was erected by the 
 corporation to the memory of Colonel 
 Armistead, in honor of his gallant de- 
 fence of Fort M'Henry. 
 
 The surface of the ground on which 
 Baltimore statids is imeven, and in some 
 parts elevated, so that a great variety 
 of situations is offered, for the wharves, 
 stores, and streets of business, for pub- 
 lic monuments and the habitations of the 
 rich. The upper parts of the town are 
 on a ridge of primitive ground, through 
 
270 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND. 
 
 which a small stream, crossing the city, 
 has cut a deep channel through the rocks. 
 That part of the town in the vicinity of 
 the bridge which crosses the stream, has 
 sometimes suffered from sudden inun- 
 dations ill violent storms. Several of 
 the upper streets, lying along the high 
 ground, and being broad, straight, and 
 i well built, and in some places adorned 
 with trees and gardens, make a very 
 handsome appearance, and are among the 
 most attractive residences in the United 
 States. 
 
 The north parts of the city are the 
 most elevated, and occupy several round- 
 ish hills, eighty or a hundred feet above 
 the level of the harbor. The natutul 
 surface has here been modified to suit 
 the convenience of the inhabitants, and 
 to render the streets more uniform, so 
 that the ascent from the water, although 
 in some places steep, is nowhere difficult. 
 The lower parts of the city are on the 
 alluvion which borders the bay or basin, 
 and there the streets are more closely 
 built and crowded : still their straight- 
 ness and regularity render them more 
 convenient and clean than the business 
 parts of many other commercial towns 
 of equal size. 
 
 On the south side of the city, at the 
 entrance of the outer or first harboi' — on 
 a point of land which rises by a gradual 
 ascent to an eminence — is situated Fort 
 M'Henry, the principal defence of the 
 city by water. This fort endured a 
 bombardment by a British squadron in 
 the war of 1812, through an entire night, 
 and held out successfully. The point 
 is connected with the mainland by a 
 long, low, and sandy neck, over which, 
 as well as the neighboring water, the 
 o'uns of the fort have an advanta<Teous 
 command. 
 
 The country around Baltimore is 
 marked by some peculiar features. Bal- 
 timore county extends to Chesapeake 
 bay on the southeast, to Patapsco river 
 on the southwest, to Frederick county 
 on the west, to Vork county (Pa.) on the 
 north, and to Hartford county on tlie 
 nf)rtheast; having an extreme length, 
 from southeast to northwest, of thiity- 
 six miles, a mean breadth of twenty- 
 five miles, and an area of nine bundled 
 
 square miles. It may be divided into 
 two sections — the valley of Gunpowder 
 creek, which is hilly, and that of the 
 Patapsco. The great primitive ledge, 
 which extends all along the Atlantic bor- 
 der from the southern to the eastern 
 states, crosses this county, and the sea- 
 sand alluvion, between the bays of the 
 Patapsco and the Gunpowder, lie at its 
 base. All the county is uneven ; but 
 above the head of tidewater it becomes 
 more rough and more elevated ; and at 
 Reigerstown, seventeen miles northwest 
 from Baltimore, the surface is five hun- 
 dred feet above the level of tidewater. 
 The elevation is still greater at the south- 
 east foot of the dividing ridge between 
 Baltimore and Frederick counties — the 
 farms are eight hundred feet above the 
 harbor: so that there is a difference of 
 a week or ten days in the seasons. This 
 variety of surface and climate renders 
 the variety of vegetation very great. 
 
 The great western railroad from Bal- 
 timore, to be extended to the Ohio, 
 skirts along the southwest border of this 
 county ; while the Susquehanna and the 
 Washington railroads bring their numer- 
 ous trains across it to the city, though 
 the latter is connected, as a branch, witli 
 the western railroad. 
 
 Early History of BaJtimorc. — The 
 first settlement of Maryland, under the 
 patent of Lord Baltimore, was made on 
 the north bank of the Potomac, at St. 
 Mary's, which was intended to become 
 the capital of the new colony, but is a 
 place of no distinction. 
 
 The first settler within the limits of 
 Baltimore was a man named Gorsuch, 
 who took a patent of lands, twenty-eight 
 years later, on Whetstone point. Tliis is 
 now included in the review-ground of 
 the Baltimore militia. Among those 
 who settled soon after him in this vicin- 
 ity was Charles Carroll, whose estate, 
 on the high ground behind Baltimore, 
 still bears his name. A descendant of 
 his — Charles Carroll, of Carrollton — 
 was one of the signers of the Declara- 
 tion of Independence. The original 
 purchase of Carroll included some of 
 the most eligible parts of the present 
 city of Baltimore, which, at an early 
 day, were sold by Charles and Dani'?l 
 
272 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND. 
 
 Carroll, at prices now surprisingly low, 
 viz., sixty acres, at forty shillings an 
 acre, payment being made in tobacco at 
 one penny per pound. 
 
 At that time, Baltimore appears to 
 have been surrounded with a boaid 
 fence, with two gates for carriages and 
 one for foot-passengers. 
 
 The Battle of Baltimore. — Maryland 
 was invaded by a powerful British aimy 
 in 1814, and Baltimore was saved from 
 capture by the energy of the officers and 
 soldiers hastily assembled for the de- 
 fence. 
 
 A British squadron was blockading 
 the coast, and Commodore Barney sailed 
 from Baltimore to protect the harbors, 
 &c., in the bay, with a flotilla, consist- 
 ing of a cutter, two gunboats, a galley, 
 and nine large barges. At the mouth 
 of the Patuxent river he discovered two 
 schooners and pursued them. One car- 
 ried eighteen guns ; and as both were 
 soon joined by the barges of a seventy- 
 four, which was soon discoveied, he fled 
 into the mouth of the river. They fol- 
 lowed, but were driven back, and the 
 commodore returning anchored about 
 three miles distant from the ship. A 
 few days after, a rasee of the enemy ar- 
 rived, with a sloop-of-war ; and the com- 
 modore was compelled to retire to St. 
 Leonard's creek, pursued by the smaller 
 vessels and the l)arges of the larger. 
 There he extended his line of boats 
 across the stream, in order of battle. 
 The enemy twice advanced and were 
 twice driven back, and the eighteen-gun 
 schooner was so much injured by the 
 American shot that she was run on 
 shore and abandoned. 
 
 A body of artillery from Washington 
 arrived on the 2Gth, when a combined 
 attack v/as made on the enemy from the 
 land and 'he water, and with success. 
 The British retreated after an action of 
 two hours, and immediately sailed down 
 the liver. 
 
 A short time after, however, having 
 received large reinforcements from Eu- 
 rope in consequence of the cessation 
 of hostilities with France, the enemy 
 formed the plan of a large expediti(jn, 
 and soon entered the Chesapeake, ac- 
 companied by thirty ships-of-war, under 
 
 Lieutent-General Ross, intending to cap- 
 ture Washington and Baltimore. 
 
 After the capture of Washington and 
 Georgetown, the enemy directed his at- 
 tention to Baltimore. Forty smaller 
 vessels, under Admiral Cochrane, sailed 
 for the Patapsco, and arrived at North 
 point, twelve miles from the city. They 
 were drawn up and anchored in a line 
 across the river, and the debarkation of 
 the troops soon commenced. The land- 
 ing was completed on the morning of 
 September 12, and the forces prepared 
 to march against the city, amounting to 
 eight thousand, including soldiers, sail- 
 ors, and marines. At the same time, 
 sixteen vessels, including frigates and 
 bomb-vessels, moved up the river to 
 make an attack by water, in cooperation 
 with the army. The latter anchored at 
 the distance of two and a half miles 
 from Fort M'Henry, which had been 
 timely garrisoned by a strong force of 
 five thousand men. 
 
 The British army proceeded, while a 
 body of three thousand Americans moved 
 out to meet them. On intelligence 
 being received by the latter of the en- 
 emy's approach, two companies of artil- 
 lery, a few riflemen, and ten artillerymen 
 with a four-pounder, hastened on to 
 meet their advance, which was I'eported 
 to be a light corps. But, as the ground 
 was unfavorable to the use of the en- 
 emy's cavalry and aitillery, the action 
 was sustained by the infantry of the de- 
 tachments. 
 
 General Ross, pressing ff)rward with 
 several of his staff, exj)osed himself, on 
 an open field, to the fire of a few Ameri- 
 can shaipshoiitcrs posted in an advan- 
 tageous position, and he instantly re- 
 ceived a mortal wound, and fell, wiih 
 several of his officers. The enemy thuii 
 pushed on and attacked the American 
 left. 
 
 The action now became general, and 
 a sharp contest continued iiom two to 
 four o'clock, P. M., when the Americans, 
 being in far inferior force, fell back upon 
 the reserve. The next day was sjient 
 without renewing the action, the enen/y 
 taking position in the afternoon in front 
 of the Americans, driving in their out- 
 posts, and preparing for an attack al 
 
 li 
 
 ;J 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND. 
 
 273 
 
 night The weather was stormy, how- 
 ever, and in the morning the British 
 reembarked, and a bombardment com- 
 menced, which lasted till the following 
 morning. An attempt was made to 
 storm Fort Covington, but failed, with 
 loss, and the expedition retreated down 
 the river." 
 
 Annapolis. — This town is distin- 
 guished as the state capital, and stands 
 at the mouth of the river Severn, on its 
 right bank, and three miles from Ches- 
 apeake bay. It -is also the capital of 
 Anne Arundel county. The statehouse, 
 St. John's college, and St. Anne's church, 
 are placed at three points of the city 
 
 Nature has made generous provision j equally distant from each other, formino- 
 for extensive and various manufactures ! centres, at which meet, from different 
 in Maryland. Baltimore and its vicinity i directions, the principal streets. The 
 has been said, by a well-qualified writer, I other public buildings are the govern- 
 to possess "unrivalled advantages" for ment-house, methodist church, Roman 
 
 manufacturing, there not being " on the 
 continent a location more favorable. 
 Everything is cheap ; and ready access 
 can be had to all the markets of the 
 
 Union. Nothins: is wanting but enter- ty-six east from Washington, and thirty 
 ake the whole miles east of south from Baltimore. 
 
 catholic chapel, the bank, and the semi- 
 nary. There are about four thousand 
 thi-ee hundred inhabitants in Annapolis. 
 It is thirty-seven miles north and seven- 
 
 prise and industry to maki 
 nation tributary" to this city. 
 
 The Flour Trade. — A most exten- 
 sive business is transacted in flour in this 
 city. The quantity of wheat-floui' und 
 cornmeal inspected during the miller's 
 year, from July 1, to June 30, is about 
 a million of barrels. 
 
 The chief wealth of Maryland, we will 
 incidentally remark, is drawn from its 
 agriculture and mines. Mining is now 
 being carried on with great spirit, and 
 since the completion of the canal and 
 railroad from Baltimoie to Cumberland, 
 operations have been greatly extended. 
 It is a tact woitliy of observation that 
 many of our ocean steamships arc using 
 
 The Statehouse is an old building, and 
 has long served for public purposes. 
 The American congiess assembled here 
 during some of the most interesting pe- 
 riods of the revolution. The senate- 
 chamber, in which they held their ses- 
 sions, remains unaltered to the present 
 day. It was there that the solemn scene 
 was exhibited of the resignation of his 
 commission by Washington, after the 
 close of the war. 
 
 St. John's College has five professors, 
 one thousand two hundred and forty 
 alumni, and about seventy-five students, 
 with a library of about four thousand 
 volumes. The commencement is held 
 
 the semi-bituminous coal of this region, on the 22d of February. 
 
 and large quantities are used at Pitts- 
 burgh and for steamboats on the Ohio 
 rivers. Furnaces, bloonieries, and rol- 
 ling-mills, f )r the maiuifacture of iion, 
 have increased wonderfully in luimber 
 during the past five years, and turn out 
 vast quantities f)f cast and bar iron. The 
 principal agricultural produce is wool 
 and pork; wheat, Indian corn, and oats; 
 and tobacco. Maryland stands fourth 
 on the list of tobacco-giowing states, and 
 is highly celebrated for the exc.dlency 
 of this staple. Ship-building, chief- 
 ly cariied on at Baltimore, is also an 
 extensive branch of industry. The coast 
 fisheries employ many hundreds of fam- 
 ilies, and supply not o ily sufficient fish 
 f)r the market of Baltimore. I ut also n'> 
 SMall amount for export, 
 
 Havre de Grace is a small town at 
 the mouth of Susquehanna river, thirty- 
 six miles northeast from Baltimore and 
 sixty miles from Philadelphia, and con- 
 tains about fifteen hundred inhabitants. 
 Here commences the Susquehanna ca- 
 nal, which extends from the Chesapeake 
 to the Pennsylvania canals. This town 
 was burnt by the British troops under 
 Admiral Cockburn, in the late war, in 
 1813. 
 
 Steam-ferryboats cross the river here, 
 and the railroad from Philadelphia to 
 Baltimore passes through this place. 
 
 Elkton, forty-five miles from Phila- 
 delphia and about the same distance 
 from Baltimore, stands at the junction 
 of the two principal branches of Elk 
 river at the head of tidewater. It is a 
 
 18 
 
274 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND. 
 
 place of some trade, and a neat and 
 pleasant village. 
 
 Chestertown is thirty miles south- 
 east from Baltimore, thirty from Chesa- 
 peake bay, and eighty-two northeast 
 from Washington. It stands on Chester 
 river, and contains over one thousand 
 inhabitants. This is the seat of justice 
 of Kent county. A branch of the uni- 
 versity of Mai'yland is established here. 
 
 Easton. — This town is on Tread- 
 haven bay, thirteen miles from Elkton 
 and Chesapeake bay. It contains thi'ee 
 churches, a courthouse, and an academy. 
 The inhabitants are over one thousand. 
 It is a seaport and the seat of justice of 
 Talbot county. 
 
 Cambridge, twelve miles distant from 
 Chesapeake bay, is on the Choptank, 
 and contains a courthouse, an academy, 
 and two churches, with about eight hun- 
 dred inhabitants. Stagecoaches run to 
 Snowhill and to Elkton. It is the seat 
 of justice of Dorchester county, and is 
 thirty-six miles southeast of Annapolis 
 in a direct line, but fifty-three by post- 
 route. 
 
 Snowhill is situated on the east side 
 of Pocomoke river, one hundred and 
 sixty-three miles southeast of Washing- 
 ton. It contains a courthouse, an acad- 
 emy, five churches, and about eight 
 hundred inhabitants, and is the seat of 
 justice of Worcester county. 
 
 Barren Creek Mineral Springs are 
 twenty-three miles from Cambridge ; 
 they are resorted to by numbers of visit- 
 ers every seasons. The water contains 
 oxyde of iron, soda, and magnesia, with 
 muriatic acid. 
 
 Westminster. — This town stands 
 near the head of Patapsco river. It has a 
 courthouse, an academy, three churches, 
 and about five hundred inhabitants. It 
 lies on the border of Frederick county, 
 twenty-three miles northwest of Balti- 
 more. 
 
 Emmettsburg is twenty-two miles 
 north of Frederick. It stands on the 
 Monocasy, in the north part of Frederick 
 county, and contains four churches, an 
 academy, and eight hundred inhabitants, 
 and near it is one of the principal Ro- 
 man catholic seminaries, called St. Mary's 
 college. 
 
 St. Marifs College was founded in 
 1830, and has a president, eleven tutors, 
 and about one hundred and fifty stu- 
 dents. Its libraries contain four thou- 
 sand volumes. The commencement is 
 held in the last week in June. Stage- 
 coaches go to Frederick three times a 
 week. 
 
 Frederick. — This is one of the prin- 
 cipal towns in the state, being second in 
 impoi'tance to Baltimore, from which it 
 is distant sixty-one miles west. It stands 
 on a branch of the Monocasy, in the 
 midst of a pleasant country, with a fer- 
 tile soil. It is laid out with regularity. 
 and contains some fine private houses, 
 and several conspicuous public build- 
 ings — a courthouse, county buildings, a 
 market, twelve churches, two acade- 
 mies, a Roman catholic seminaiy and 
 charity school, and above six thousand 
 inhabitants. A branch railroad con- 
 nects this town with the Baltimore and 
 Ohio railroad. 
 
 Frederick County next south of Adams 
 coiitity, and southwest of York county 
 (Pa.), lies along the western boundary 
 of Baltimore, Anne Arundel, and Mont- 
 gomery counties, from which it is, for a 
 considerable part of the distance, divided 
 by the ridge of the Southeast mountain. 
 It extends south to the Potomac and 
 west to the Blue ridge. It is forty-two 
 miles long and eighteen miles in mean 
 breadth, and has an area of seven hun- 
 dred and seventy-six square miles. It 
 is traversed by the Monocasy, which 
 lies wholly within it, excepting the head- 
 waters. The Cotoctin mountain, a mi- 
 nor branch of the Blue ridge, extends 
 south, from the northwest part of the 
 county, nearly to the Potomac, dividing 
 the valleys of the Monocasy and the Co- 
 toctin. The surface is not generally 
 hilly, and in some parts level ; while the 
 soil is favorable to grain, grass, and 
 fruit ; and it is one of the best cultivated 
 parts of the state. 
 
 Hagerstown. — This town stands on 
 Antietam creek, and is seventy miles 
 west fom Baltimore, with daily stage- 
 coaches to Frederick. It contains nine 
 churches, a townhall, two banks, two 
 academies, and nearly five thousand in- 
 habitants. It is the seat of justice of 
 
276 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND. 
 
 Washington county, and a place of con- 
 siderable importance, lying in the cen- 
 tre of a rich limestone valley. 
 
 Hancock, on the bank of Potomac riv- 
 er, contains two churches, an academy, 
 and about five hundred inhabitants, 
 
 Cumberland, one hundred and sev- 
 enty-eight miles west of Baltimore, is 
 on the Potomac, at the mouth of Wills 
 creek. It contains a bank, a market, 
 five churches, a courthouse, and about 
 two thousand inhabitants. The situa- 
 tion is in a \Hried and wild region, 
 among the mountains, where coalmines 
 abound. The raihoad to Baltimore af- 
 fords daily communication with that city 
 and the intermediate places- It is the 
 seat of justice of Allegany county, and 
 the eastern termination of the great 
 western road of the United States called 
 the Cumberland road. 
 
 Ellicott's Mills, ten miles south- 
 west from Baltimore, is situated in a 
 wild and picturesque region, and owes 
 its existence as a village to the water- 
 power, which is employed in numerous 
 manufactures, and to the railroad which 
 here crosses the Patapsco, on a fine 
 aqueduct of stone. It stands on the 
 boundary line of Baltimore and Anne 
 Arundel counties. 
 
 T/ie Viaduct of the Baltimore and 
 WasJiington Railroad. — One of the most 
 striking objects in the state is the great 
 viaduct on which the Baltimore and 
 Washington railroad crosses the valley 
 of the Patuxent. A passenger travel- 
 ling over it in a car has little opportu- 
 nity to judge of the nature, extent, dif- 
 ficulty, and cost of the construction. The 
 view from the summit is so extensive, 
 and the valley below is seen so nearly 
 under his feet, that the most careless ob- 
 .server must be aware that he is moving 
 at an unusual height above the surface, 
 and that the road is sustained by a long 
 and narrow, though lofty fabric. To an 
 obs",rver, however, from below, or from 
 a point on either side, the scene is of a 
 more impressive description. A lofty 
 and elegant arched bridge extends across 
 a deep and wiU chasm, forming a nar- 
 row but solid and level path, for the 
 long and heavy trains of cars which pass 
 over it, between the natural banks that 
 
 bound it on either side. The stream 
 which winds below, and sometimes rises 
 to overflow a great part of the valley, 
 threatens to undermine and tear away 
 thia light and elegant structure. 
 
 Ample space, however, is left between 
 the piers for the passage of the water, 
 even at the highest floods ; and the work 
 has suffered but occasional and partial 
 injuries, from the severest weather and 
 floods. The road is thirty-three miles in 
 length, and one of the most important 
 portions of the great line of travelling 
 from north to south, especially during 
 the time when congress is in session. 
 
 The commerce of Maryland is so de- 
 pendent on the harbor of Baltimore, that 
 it is well for the state that it possesses 
 the important quality of being accessible 
 at all seasons of the year. Even when 
 impeded by ice, it never freezes so thick 
 that it may not easily be opened by 
 strong steam icebreakers and towboats, 
 which are kept in readiness for the pur- 
 pose. Ships of the largest class can 
 come up to the wharves in the lower 
 harbor; and at Canton they have twen- 
 ty-six feet water. 
 
 " The soil of the state," says Hunt's 
 Magazine, " except in a few portions 
 of it, is well adapted to agriculture. It 
 has numerous never-failing streajns, with 
 gradual falls at suitable distances, par- 
 ticularly in the vicinity of Baltimore. 
 For manufacturing ])urposes, and com- 
 mercial pursuits, Maryland is not ex- 
 celled by any other state in the Union. 
 The great American MediteiTanean sea, 
 whose borders she skirts, will be a wall 
 of defence about her in time of war, as 
 an invading foe would scarcely with- 
 draw himself from the ocean-field, in 
 this improved age of invention, lest his 
 retreat might be intercepted Avhen he 
 found it necessary to retreat ; and the 
 bosom of that sea will in early after- 
 time waft treasures upon it, that, whether 
 in the character of imports or expoits, 
 will add to her riches. Nature has in- 
 contestably provided for this result ; and 
 the founders of Baltimore (not that any- 
 thing like prescience is to be ascribed to 
 them, even as regards the state of im- 
 provements as they exist at present) so 
 located it, that it becomes a point of 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND. 
 
 277 
 
 concentration, whence again all the travel 
 divei'ges, if economy as to distance be 
 considered, whether the direction be 
 from north to south, or east to west, and 
 vice versa. The near proximity of the 
 seat of national government is no draw- 
 back upon, but adds to, her value; and 
 should congress in its wisdom authorize 
 the estalilishment of a national bank, 
 where is there a city, all matters in ref- 
 eience to other banks and places con- 
 sidered, more eligible and safe, for the 
 present, than Baltimore] 
 
 " Nearly all the great prominent agri- 
 cultural productions of the United States 
 aie grown in Maryland, except cotton, 
 sugar, and rice ; and each year further 
 developments are made in reference to 
 some exotics. If there were agricul- 
 tural societies, and fairs held, as in some 
 of the eastein states, where the choice 
 productions of the earth could be exhib- 
 ited, and competent persons appointed to 
 pronounce npon them and award pre- 
 miums, it would act as a great stimulant 
 to enterprise, aside from the profits im- 
 mediately resulting to the grower. So 
 with live stock, of all descriptions ; but 
 these subjects are somewhat neglected by 
 the present tillers of the soil, and those 
 of politics have, to too great an extent, 
 usurped their places. Some fifteen or 
 twenty years since, when Maryland was 
 luxuriating in a more palmy sunshine 
 of favors than at present, such exhi- 
 bitions were not unfrequent, and politics 
 slept : there may be a recun-ence of a 
 similar prosperous period. 
 
 " Corn, wheat, and oats, thrive kindly 
 in every county. Rye is not so gener- 
 ally cultivaled; the western counties 
 appear more congenial to its growth. 
 Buckwheat, barley, and pulse, are not 
 so specially attended to. The yield of 
 flaxseed is only middling, compared with 
 that of other grains." 
 
 Potatoes are of excellent flavor, and 
 the crops fair, but not equal to the de- 
 mand. Small parcels of sweet-potatoes 
 come to Baltimore, chiefly from the 
 southern and eastern counties. Hay is 
 the growth of the western shore, and is 
 chiefly timothy, with some clover. It 
 never exceeds home-consumption. Fruit 
 is better adapted to the same counties, 
 
 especially apples and peaches, some of 
 which are very superior in quality. 
 Melons, of every variety, are abundant 
 everywhere. Tobacco is cultivated in 
 eleven of the counties, but principally 
 in Prince George, Culvert, Charles, St. 
 Mary's, Anne Arundel, and Montgomery. 
 More than nine millions of pounds were i 
 raised in Prince George, and twelve I 
 millions in all the counties afterward i 
 named, in the year 1839. 
 
 Good horses, mules, neat-cattle, sheep, 
 and swine, are raised in every county, 
 but Frederick excels in this branch : in 
 this county, according to the census of 
 1840, there were then 11,259 horses and 
 mules, 24,933 neat-cattle, 26,309 sheep, 
 and 54,049 swine. The bacon of this 
 county is preferred to any other, bring- 
 ing at Baltimore from one quarter to 
 one half cent, more per pound. 
 
 All the counties produce wool ; but 
 the yield is not large — not above three 
 hundred thousand pounds per annum, 
 which was the amount in 1840 for the 
 whole state. Frederick county gave of 
 this fifty-nine thousand pounds. In but- 
 ter and cheese, also, this county exceeds 
 the othei's. 
 
 The forest-trees of the middle states 
 abound in all the counties of this state. 
 The best woods for fuel are the oaks, 
 hickory, beech, and dogwood. Oak 
 commonly sells in Baltimore at fiom 
 four to five and a half dollars per cord, 
 and the others at from five to seven dol- 
 lars. Pine is abundant, but neither the 
 white nor the pitch-pine. The hem- 
 lock has its southern boundary in the 
 west parts of Maryland, excepting a 
 small district in the Allegany mountains 
 in Virginia. In New England the bark 
 of this tree, there so common, is much 
 used in tanning. The oak of this state 
 is excellent for shipbuilding, being in- 
 ferior only to the live-oak. The cele- 
 brated dam across the Kennebeck river, 
 in Maine, is built of oak from Maryland. 
 It was cut in Baltimore county near a 
 stream flowing into the Chesapeake. 
 Among the plans for internal improve- 
 ment is one for a canal through that 
 stream to Havre de Grace. Cedar and 
 locust are abundant in some parts of 
 the lower counties, and are exported in 
 
278 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND. 
 
 great quantities to the eastern states for 
 shipbuilding, with oak timber. The ce- 
 dar and locust of Maryland are also in 
 demand for railroads. 
 
 The amount of exports annually made 
 fioin the numerous navigable branches 
 of the hay, it is impossible to ascertain, 
 and difficult to estimate. 
 
 Coal abounds, principally in Allegany 
 county, and it is mostly of the bitumin- 
 ous kind. The Chesapeake and Ohio 
 canal, from the falls at Georgetown, 
 along the Potomac, was made chiefly 
 for the purpose of bringing this coal to 
 market. The cost of this work has been 
 very great, and unexpected difficulties 
 were found in the way of the western 
 terminus, along the mountainous region 
 where the coal-beds are situated. The 
 Frostburg coal-basin, according to the 
 report of the state geologist. Professor 
 Ducatel, is forty miles long and five 
 miles wide, containing 86,847 acres. 
 The coal, being fifteen yards in depth, 
 must be in amount more than six thou- 
 sand millions of cubic yards. Each cu- 
 bic yard wel^rhs a ton. 
 
 The Lonaconing iron region is m the 
 same county, and is estimated to contain 
 three thousand millions of tons of ore, 
 or one thousand millions of tons of 
 crude iron. 
 
 Many companies have been formed 
 and incorporated for several years, for 
 the working of the coal and iron mines. 
 Some of them have commenced opera- 
 tions with success. The mines at Elk- 
 ridge Hone yield iron of superior qual- 
 ity, adapted to fine castings. This and 
 other varieties of ore from the vicinity 
 of Baltimore, yield from about thirty- 
 five to fifty per cent, of iron.' Bog-ore 
 is found in Worcester county, and has 
 been wrought to some extent. It yields 
 twenty-nine per cent. 
 
 Several copper-mines exist in Fred- 
 erick county, chiefly near the village of 
 New London. The ore yields about 
 thirty per cent. 
 
 The following minerals are also found 
 in Maryland, which will prove valuable, 
 viz. : anthracite, granite, marble, soap- 
 stone, limestone, flint, sandstone, slate, 
 potters'-clay, fire-clay, pipe-clay, various 
 ochres, chrome, aluminous earths, &c. 
 
 Mineral-springs are common in the 
 west, and the waters of some, which 
 have been analyzed, are found to con- 
 tain sulphate of magnesia, sulphate of 
 lime, muriate of soda, muriate of lime, 
 carbonate of lime, &:c. 
 
 Statistics. — The population of the 
 state of Maryland, according to the cen- , 
 sus of several successive dates, has been i 
 as follows : — 
 
 Year^. 
 1790 
 
 Whitp.x. Fr 
 
 208,(347 
 
 ee Col'd Persons. Slaves. 
 
 8,043 103,036 
 
 Tot.il. 
 
 319,728 
 
 1800 
 
 221,998 
 
 19,987 
 
 107,707 
 
 349,654 
 
 1810 
 
 235,117 
 
 33,927 
 
 111,502 
 
 380,546 
 
 1820 
 
 260,222 
 
 39,730 
 
 107,398 
 
 407,350 
 
 1830 
 
 291,093 
 
 52,912 
 
 102,873 
 
 446,913 
 
 ]S40 
 
 318,204 
 
 62,078 
 
 89,737 
 
 470,019 
 
 1850 
 
 418,763 
 
 73,943 
 
 89.800 
 
 582,506 
 
 Aghicultuiial phouuctions. 
 
 . 3,541,433 bush, value $2,655,075 
 
 " 3,133,613 
 
 919,988 
 
 392,151 
 
 1,450 
 
 Wheat 
 
 Corn . . 8,356,565 
 Oats . . 3,579,950 
 Rye . . 784,303 
 Buckwheat 47,858 
 
 Potatoes . 1,058,901 " " 211,780 
 
 Tobacco 21,916,012 lbs. " 1,095,800 
 
 Hav . . 110,816 tons *' 1,100,000 
 Hemp . . 117 " " 14,140 
 
 Cotton . 7,108 lbs. " 700 
 
 Wool . . 502,499 " " 100,500 
 
 Hops . . 2,368 bush. " 473 
 
 The following is the number of live 
 stock, with their value : — 
 
 Horses and mules . 94,054 $4,000,000 
 Neat-cattle . . . 238,827 2,000.000 
 
 Swine 419,520 1,252,000 
 
 Sheep 262,807 394,210 
 
 Manufactures. 
 Number of — 
 Mills— Flour 212 (1,000,000 bbls. 
 
 before estim. as wheat) 
 
 " Grist 
 
 " Saw 
 
 Oil 
 " Powder 
 " Paper 
 Factories — Cotton 
 
 433 
 
 423 
 
 9 
 
 5 
 
 16 
 15 
 
 Value. 
 
 $61,000 
 
 Woollen 29 
 Potteries 22 
 
 Distilleries 
 Breweries 
 Furnaces, forges, 
 and rolling-mills 
 Tanneries 
 Ropewalks 
 
 Shipbuilding 
 
 (669,000 lbs.) 
 
 195,100 
 
 2,348,580 
 
 235,900 
 
 61,240 
 
 73 (.342,813 jrals.) 68,562 
 
 11 (529,640 do.) 105,928 
 
 30 
 
 159 
 
 13 61,240 
 
 (7,890 tons) 227,771 
 
 The number of primary and common 
 
 schools at the present time does not fall 
 
 much, if any, short of 1,000; scholars 
 
 about 25,000. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 279 
 
 THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 The District op Columbia was ceded 
 to the United States in 1790, and made 
 the seat of government in 1800. It 
 has ever since been the capital of the 
 Union, and under the government of 
 congress. A spot was selected on the 
 Potomac river, at the head of naviga- 
 tion for ships-of-war (where the navy- 
 yard has since been established), and 
 with a surface deemed favorable for the 
 foundation of a city. 
 
 The extent of territory was ten miles 
 square, with the Potomac river flowing 
 through it, and including the mouth of 
 the eastern branch of that river, where 
 the water is deep, and the shores favor- 
 able to the site of a navyyard. The 
 land on the east side of the Potomac 
 was ceded to the United States govern- 
 ment by Maryland, and that on the west 
 side by Virginia ; but the latter has been 
 recently ceded back to Virginia, after 
 long experience of the inconveniences 
 arising from being under the jurisdiction 
 of congress, who have so many, and 
 more extensive interests in their care. 
 The city of Alexandria, lately included 
 in the federal district, is expected to de- 
 rive special benefits from her restoration 
 to Virginia. Washington and George- 
 town are the only towns now belonging 
 to it ; and tliese lie so contiguous to each 
 other, that they have almost the appear- 
 ance of one continued city. 
 
 The district of Columbia is bounded 
 north and east by Maryland, and south 
 and west by Potomac river. It is eight 
 miles long, and ab(5ut one and a half 
 broad. The capitol stands in latitude 
 76^ 55' 30'' west from Greenwich. The 
 surface is undulated, and the soil poor. 
 The navyyard is in the eastern part of 
 the district, about one mile from Capitol 
 hill; and from the latter, nearly to the 
 falls of the Potomac, extend Washing- 
 ton and Georgetown, making a striking 
 display when seen from the river below. 
 Railroad cars have communication with 
 Baltimore several times a day, and steam- 
 boats ply on the Potomac and down the 
 bay. Some poi'tions of the following 
 
 description are compiled from several 
 authentic works. 
 
 A more beautiful site for a city could 
 hardly be obtained. From a point whei"e 
 the Potomac, at a distance of two hun- 
 dred and ninety-five miles fi om the ocean, 
 and flowing from northwest to southeast, 
 expands to the width of a mile, extended 
 back an almost level plain, hemmed in 
 by a series of gradually-sloping hills, 
 terminating with the heights of George- 
 town ; the plain being nearly three miles 
 in length from east to west, and varying 
 from a quarter of a mile to two miles in 
 breadth ; bounded on the east by the 
 eastern branch of the Potomac, where 
 are now the navyyard and the congres- 
 sional cemetery, and on the west by the 
 Rock creek, which separates it from 
 Georgetown. The small stream from 
 the north, over which the railroad bridge 
 now passes on entering the city, emp- 
 tied into a bay or inlet of the Potomac 
 about four hundred feet wide, which 
 jutted in from the west to within a quar- 
 ter of a mile of the Capitol hill, and 
 nearly divided the plain. Not far from 
 the head of this, and south of the Capi- 
 tol hill, a small stream took its rise in a 
 large number of springs, and emptied 
 into the river at a place now called 
 Greenleaf's point, formed by the inter- 
 section of the eastern branch with the 
 Potomac, and was known as Jones's 
 creek. There is a stream above George- 
 town, which has always been called 
 Goose creek ; but from a ceilificate of 
 a survey now preserved in the mayor's 
 office at Washington, dated 1663, it ap- 
 pears that the inlet from the Potomac 
 was then known by the name of Tiber, 
 and probably the stream from the north 
 emptying into it bore the same name ; so 
 that Moore did injustice to the history 
 of the place, and confounded streams, 
 when he wrote the well-known line — 
 
 " And what was Goose creek once is Tiber iiow." 
 
 By the same survey it appears that the 
 land comprising the Capitol hill was 
 called "Rome," or "Room," two names 
 which seem to have foreshadowed the 
 
DESCRIPTION OP THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 281 
 
 destiny of the place. It is thought that 
 they probably originated in the fact that 
 the name of the owner of the estate was 
 Pope, and in selecting a name for his 
 plantation, he formed the title of "Pope 
 of Rome." 
 
 It is said that Washington's attention 
 had been called to the advantages which 
 this place presented for a city, as long 
 previous as when he had been a youth- 
 ful surveyor of the country round. His 
 judgment was confirmed by the fact that 
 two towns were afterward planned on 
 the spot, and the first maps of the city 
 represent it as laid out over the plains 
 of Hamburgh and Carrollsville. 
 
 The canoe, or pirogue, in which Gen- 
 eral Washington and a party of friends 
 first made the survey of the Potomac, 
 was hollowed out of a large poplar-tree 
 on the estate of Col. .Johnson, of Fred- 
 erick county, Maryland. This humble 
 bark was placed upon a wagon, hauled 
 to the margin of the Monocasy river, 
 launched into tlie stream, and there re- 
 ceived its honored freight. The general 
 was accompanied by Governor Jf)hnson, 
 one of the first commissioners for the 
 location of the city of Washington, and 
 several other gentlemen. At nightfall, 
 it was usual for the party to land and 
 seek quarters of some of the planters, 
 or farmers, who lived near the banks of 
 the river, in all the pride and comfort 
 of old-fashioned kindliness and hospi- 
 tality. Putting up for a night at a i"e- 
 spectable farmer's, the genei'al and the 
 two Johnsons were shown into a room 
 having but two beds. " Come, gentle- 
 men !" said Washington, " who will be 
 my bedfellow V Both declined. Col. 
 Johnson often afterward declared, that, 
 greatly as he should have felt honored 
 by such intimacy, the awe and reverence 
 with which tlie chief had inspired him, 
 even in their daily and unreserved inter- 
 course, would have made the liberty 
 seem little short of profanation. 
 
 While the party were exploring in 
 the vicinity of Harper's ferry, news ar- 
 rived of the burning at the stake of 
 Colonel Crawford, by the Indians, at 
 Sandusky. Washington became excited 
 to tears at hearing the recital, for Craw- 
 ford had been one of the companions of 
 
 his early life, and had often been his 
 rival in athletic exercises. The unfor- 
 tunate man was brave as a lion, and had 
 served with great distinction in the war 
 of the revolution. Tears soon gave way 
 to indignation, and Washington, point- 
 ing to a lofty rock which juts over the 
 stream at its remarkable passage through 
 the mountain, exclaimed, with a voice 
 tremulous from feeling: " By Heaven, 
 were I the sole judge of these Indians, 
 it would be slight retaliation to hurl 
 every spectator of his death from that 
 height into the abyss." 
 
 The first corner-stone in the district 
 of Columbia was laid at Jones's point, 
 near Alexandria, April 1.5, 1791, with 
 the imposing masonic ceremonies of the 
 time, and a quaint address by the Rev. 
 James Muir. By tlie retrocession of 
 Alexandria, the stone is no longer within 
 the limits of the district. 
 
 The first public communication on 
 record in relation to arrangements for 
 laying out this city is from the pen of 
 General Washington, and bears date the 
 Uth March, 1791; in a subsequent let- 
 ter of the 30th April, he calls it the Fed 
 eral city. Four months later, in a lettei 
 by the original commissioners — Messrs 
 Johnson, Stuart, and Carroll — dated 
 Georgetown, 9th September, 1791, ad- 
 dressed to the architect. Major L 'Enfant, 
 he is instructed to entitle the district on 
 his maps the " Territory of Columbia," 
 and the city, the " City of Washington." 
 
 On the 18th September, 1793, the 
 southeast corner-stone of the north wing 
 of the capitol was laid by General Wash- 
 ington. The Pliiladelphia papers of 
 the day were at that time discontinued 
 from the panic of the yellow-fever, so 
 we have no account of the celebration. 
 A speech was delivered, however, by 
 Washington. 
 
 The architect. Major L 'Enfant, went 
 on to lay out the streets, in the first 
 place, by setting out right angles, after 
 the fashion of Philadelphia, and then in- 
 tersecting them by those enormous ave- 
 nues which were contrived to show the 
 public buildings, the president's house, 
 and the capitol, from all quarters ; and 
 .lence the perplexing dust and triangles 
 of Washington. 
 
 
282 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 E 
 
 It was generally remai-ked o^U Enfant 
 that he was not only a child in name, 
 but in education ; as, from the names he 
 gave the streets, he appeared to know 
 little else than A, B, C, and one, two, 
 three. It appears, however, by a letter 
 of the commissioners, that they gave 
 these names to the streets at the same 
 time with that to tlie city ; for conve- 
 nience a good arrangement, since the 
 streets could more easily be found by a 
 stranger under such designations. 
 
 The mall upon which the Smithsonian 
 institute and its gardens have been lo- 
 cated, was originally designed as the lead- 
 ing avenue from the capitol to the presi- 
 dent's house, terminating by a bridge 
 across the river, and meeting a monu- 
 ment which was to have been erected to 
 Washington — an equestrian statue, with 
 a baton in the right hand of the hero 
 pointing to heaven. 
 
 Washington — who took so strong an 
 interest in the construction of the capi- 
 tol as to solicit a loan himself, in a letter 
 to the governor of Maryland — did not 
 live to witness its completion. He died 
 14th February, 1799. In November, 
 1800, congi'ess met there for the first 
 time. 
 
 At present the atti-actions of the capi- 
 tal are on the increase. The private 
 architecture is improving; the growth 
 of the city is advancing with the enlarge- 
 ment of the nation ; the museums, con- 
 taining the collections of the exploring 
 expedition, are open ; the patent oflice, 
 with its modeia of inventions, inviting 
 the attention, every year adding to the as- 
 sociations of the capital ; and the bright 
 schemes of scholars and men of science 
 hanging upon the prospects of the Smith- 
 sonian institute, its library and its gar- 
 dens — these confirm the hopes of Wash- 
 ington, and justify the name borrowed 
 from that illustrious founder of the city. 
 
 The Capitol presents specimens of 
 various styles of architecture. On en- 
 tering the south wing, several columns 
 are seen, where carvings of Indian-corn- 
 stalks are substituted for {lutings and 
 filletings ; while the capitals are made of 
 ihe ears of corn half stripped, and dis- 
 posed so as in some degree to resemble 
 the Corinthian or composite order. 
 
 The representatives' chamber is a fine 
 semicii'cular apartment, with columns 
 of a dark-bluish siliceous pudding-stone, 
 hard and highly polished. It is lighted 
 from above. The gallery is open during 
 the debates, as well as the senate-cham- 
 ber, which is a much smaller apartment. 
 
 The library of congress is in another 
 part of the building; and the great hall 
 contains seven national pictures (each of 
 them twelve feet by eighteen) : the Dec- 
 laration of Independence, Surrender of 
 Burgoyne at Saratoga, Surrender of 
 Comwallis at Yorktown, and Washing- 
 ton resigning hia Commission, painted for 
 government by Colonel Trumbull; Bap- 
 tism of Pocahontas, by Chapman ; Em- 
 barkation of the Pilgrims, by Weir; and 
 the Landing of Colunibus, by Vanderlyn. 
 
 A fine view is enjoyed from the top 
 of the capitol. You look along Penn- 
 sylvania avenue westward to the presi- 
 dent's house, with Georgetown and the 
 Potomac beyond ; the general postoffice, 
 &c., on the right ; the navyyard toward 
 the southeast ; Greenleaf 's point nearly 
 south ; and southwest the bridge over 
 the Potomac, with the road to Alexan- 
 dria and Mount Vernon. The canal 
 begins south of the president's house, 
 and terminates at the east branch. 
 
 The capitol presents a noble appear- 
 ance ; its height, the ascending terraces, 
 the monument and its fountain, the grand 
 balustrade of freestone which protects 
 the offices below, and the distinct object 
 which it forms, standing alone on its 
 lofty site, combine to make up the im- 
 pression of grandeur, in which its archi- 
 tectural defects are lost or forgotten. 
 
 The waste lands which lie at the foot 
 of Capitol hill are appropriated for a 
 future botanical garden. 
 
 There are many very favorable points 
 of view for the capitol, standing, as it 
 does, higher than the general level of 
 the country. There are views from the 
 distant eminences, which are particu- 
 larly fine, in which the broad bosom of 
 the Potomac forms the background. The 
 effect of the building is also remarka- 
 bly imposing when the snow is on the 
 ground, and the whole structure, rising 
 from a field of snow, with its dazzling 
 whiteness, looks like some admirable 
 
284 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 creation of the frost. All architecture, 
 however, is very much improved by the 
 presence of a multitude of people, and 
 the capitol looks its best on the day of 
 inaui^uration. The following descrip- 
 tion was written after viewing that cere- 
 mony : — 
 
 " The sun shone out of heaven with- 
 out a cloud on the inaugural morning. 
 The air was cold but clear, and the 
 broad avenues of Washington, for once, 
 seemed not too large for the thronging 
 population — the crowds who had been 
 ])ouring in from every direction for sev- 
 eral days before, and ransacking the 
 town for but a shelter from the night. . . 
 The sun shone alike on the friends and 
 opponents of the new administration ; 
 and, as far as one might observe in a 
 walk to the capitol, all were made cheer- 
 ful alike by its brightness. . . In a whole 
 day, passed in a crowd composed of all 
 classes and parties, I heard no remark 
 that the president would have been un- 
 willing to hear. 
 
 " I was at the capitol a half-hour be- 
 fore the procession arrived, and had lei- 
 sure to study a scene for which I was 
 unprepared. The noble staircase of the 
 east front of the building leaps over three 
 arches, under one of which carriages 
 pass to the basement door ; and as you 
 approach from the gate, the eye cuts 
 the ascent at right angles, and the sky, 
 broken by a small spire at a short dis- 
 tance, is visible beneath. Broad stairs 
 occur at equal distances, with corres- 
 ponding projections, and from the upper 
 platfiirm rise the outer columns of the 
 portico, with ranges of columns three 
 deep extending back to the pilasters. I 
 had often admired this front, with its 
 many graceful columns and its superb 
 flio-ht of stairs, as one of the finest things 
 I iuid seen in the world. The assem- 
 bled crowd on the steps and at the base 
 of the capitol, heightened inconceivably 
 the grandeur of the design. They were 
 piled up like the people on the temples 
 of Babylon, in one of Martin's sublime 
 pictures. Boys climbed about the bases 
 of the columns ; single figures sto(td on 
 the posts of the surrounding railings 
 in the boldest relief against the sky; 
 and the whole scene was exactly what 
 
 Paul Veronese would have delighted to 
 draw. 
 
 " I was in the crowd thronging the 
 opposite side of the court, and lost sight 
 of the principal actors in this imposing 
 drama till they returned ftom the senate- 
 chamber. A temporary platform had 
 been laid and railed in on the broad 
 stair which supports the portico, and all 
 preparation made for one of the most 
 important and most meaning and solemn 
 ceremonies on earth. ... In comparing 
 the impressive simplicity of this consum- 
 mation of the wishes of a mighty peo- 
 ple, with the ceremonial and hollow show 
 which embarrasses a corresponding event 
 in other lands, it was impossible not to 
 feel that the moral sublime was here — 
 that a transaction so important, and of 
 such extended and weighty impoit, could 
 borrow nothing from drapery or deco- 
 ration. 
 
 " The crowd of diplomatists and sen- 
 ators in the I'ear of the columns made 
 way ; and the ex-president, with the new 
 pi'esident, advanced with their heads un- 
 covered; the former bowed to the peo- 
 ple, and, still uncovered in the cold air, 
 took his seat beneath the poitico. The 
 new president then read his address to 
 the people. 
 
 " When the address was closed, the 
 chief-justice advanced and administered 
 the oath. As the book touched the lips 
 of the new president, there arose a gen- 
 eral shout, an expression of feeling com- 
 mon enough in other countries, but drawn 
 with difficulty from an American assem- 
 blage. The friends of the president 
 then closed around him, the ex-presi- 
 dent and ot-hers gave him the hand of 
 congratulation, and the ceremony was 
 over." 
 
 The President's House. — The resi- 
 dence of the chief-magistrate of the 
 United States resembles the country-seat 
 of an English nobleman, in its architec- 
 ture and size ; but it is to be regretted 
 that the parallel ceases when we come 
 to the grounds. By itself it is a com- 
 modious and creditable building, seiving 
 its purpose without too much state I'or 
 a republican country, yet likely, as long 
 as the country exists without primo- 
 o-eniture and rank, to be sufficiently su- 
 
286 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 perior to all other dwelling-houses to 
 mark it as the residence of the nation's 
 ru ler. 
 
 The president's house stands near the 
 centre of an ai'ea of some twenty acres, 
 occupying a vei'y advantageous eleva- 
 tion, open to the view of the Potomac, 
 and al)out forty-four feet above high 
 water, and possessing from its balcony 
 one of the loveliest prospects in our coun- 
 try — the junction of the two branches of 
 the Potomac which border the district, 
 and the swelling and varied shores l)e- 
 yond of the states of Maryland and Vir- 
 ginia. The building is one hundred 
 and seventy feet front and eighty-six 
 deep, and is built of white fi'eestone, 
 with Ionic pilasters, comprehending two 
 lofty stories, with a stone balustrade. 
 The north fiont is ornamented with a 
 portico, sustained by four Ionic col- 
 umns, with three columns of projec- 
 tion — the outer intercolumniation af- 
 fording a shelter for carriages to drive 
 under. The garden-front on the I'iver 
 is varied by what is called a rusticated 
 basement-stoi-y, in the Ionic style, and 
 by a semicircular projecting colonnade 
 of six columns, with two spacious and 
 airy flights of steps leading to a balus- 
 trade on the level of the principal story. 
 
 The interior of the president's house 
 is well disposed, and possesses one su- 
 perb reception-room, and two oval draw- 
 ing-rooms (one in. each story), of vei'y 
 beautiful proportions. The other rooms 
 are not remarkable ; and thei'e is an in- 
 equality in the furniture of the whole 
 house (owing to the unwillingness and 
 piecemeal manner with which congress 
 votes any moneys for its decoration), 
 which destroys its effect as a comfort- 
 able dwelling. The oval rooms are car- 
 peted with Gobelin tapestry, worked 
 with the national emblems, and are alto- 
 gether in a more consistent style than 
 the other parts of the house. 
 
 The Patent-Office. — This building is 
 a depository for the models of such in- 
 ventions as are patented in the United 
 States. The old patent-ofiice was a few 
 years ago burned down. The present 
 is a handsome and extensive edifice, and 
 well adapted to tlie purpose for which 
 it is designed. The contents display 
 
 in an eminent degree the inventive and 
 ingenious character of our countrymen. 
 There are machines here for almost 
 every purpose — ploughs, harrows, rakes, 
 saws, water-wheels, coffee-mills, corn- 
 snellers, stump-removers, and a multi- 
 tude ci other things, all arranged ac- 
 cording to their kinds. In one part are 
 agi-icultural implements; in another are 
 machines for the manufacture of cotton ; 
 in another, those for the maiuifacture of 
 wool, &c. The number of these inven- 
 tions amounts to many hundreds, and 
 some of them display admirable skill 
 and contrivance on the part of the in- 
 ventors. 
 
 We make the following extracts from 
 the report of the commissioner of pat- 
 ents : — 
 
 The amount received for palent-s, ct- 
 veats, reissues, and addiiional improve- 
 ments, recording assignments, &c., and 
 for copies, during the year 1850, was 
 $80,927.05. The expenditures for the 
 year 1850, were as follows : — 
 
 For salaries $29,260.94 
 
 For contingent expenses - 13,430,19 
 For books for library - - 7G7.47 
 
 For temporary clerks - - 13,301.67 
 For agricul ural statistics - 3,859.35 
 For refunding money - - 258.00 
 
 For withdrawals - - - 18,013.33 
 Forcompensation of librai ian 500.00 
 
 For pTy of district judge - 100.00 
 
 For analysis of bread-stuffs - 500.00 
 
 For restoring models - - 50.00 
 
 $80,100.95 
 Leaving $6,826.10 to be carried to the 
 credit of ihe patent fund. The amount 
 remaining in the treasury to the credit 
 of the patent fund on the first day of 
 January, 1851, was $15,331.27. the 
 patent fund, at the commencement of 
 1850, amounted to about $170,000. But 
 during the year about $160,000 was ap- 
 propiiated by Congress for the i>utj)ose 
 of additional wing to the patent oilice. 
 
 During the year 1850, tlie whole luim- 
 ber of applications presented io the pat- 
 ent office was 2,193. Every application 
 which is not finally disposed of upon the 
 first examination, may be the subject of 
 re-examination at any time thereafter; 
 and a large proportion of the time of 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 287 
 
 the examiners is taken up in such re- 
 examinations. The actual number of 
 applications rejected is less than the 
 number patented, as many of those pat- 
 ented were rejected upon their f.rst ex- 
 amination, in consequence of the appli- 
 cant failing to specify what was really 
 his invention, and laying claim to what 
 was neither new nor patentable. Such 
 cases are not of imfrequent occurrence. 
 It often happens that two or three rejec- 
 tions are recorded upon one application, 
 each re-examination requiring new in- 
 vestigations and elaborate reasoning to 
 meet the new claims and views of the 
 applicant, and to sustain the decision 
 of the office. 
 
 The subjects of applications for pat- 
 ents are comprised under twenty-two 
 general classes, each of them embracing 
 many subdivasions — in some cases more 
 than twenty. 
 
 The inquiry is frequently made, How 
 is it that applications for patents multi- 
 ply so fast 1 Is tliere so much room left 
 for improvement in this or that branch 
 of artl Superficial observers are apt 
 to be looking for consummation not only 
 in individual branches • of art, but in 
 the whole range of human productions. 
 They regard the wants of man as limit- 
 able, his mind as exhaustible, and, with 
 an air of sagacity, will point to a time 
 when the overgrown wings of genius 
 will retard and finally check his career. 
 A look at the past would mirror in its 
 true light this distorted view of things ; 
 but even this is not necessary. A lib- 
 eral survey of the present, a glance at 
 the depths of mind, see " increase and 
 multiply," stamped upon his intellec- 
 tual as well as his physical nature. The 
 multiplying products of intelligence are 
 no hinderance to his onward move- 
 ment; and those seemingly formidable 
 accumulations of innovations offer no 
 effective resistance to the wheels of in- 
 vention. They are rather so many step- 
 ping-stones, over which genius is striding 
 up the hill of perfection, Avhose summit 
 is beyond the confines of time. 
 
 It appears that during the year 1844, 
 the number of applications for patents 
 suddenly increased nearly twenty-five 
 per cent, above that of any former year. 
 
 which, of course, required and produced 
 a corresponding increase of exertion on 
 the part of the examining corps. 
 
 It appears that the number of patents 
 does not increase in proportion to the 
 number of applications, but that the 
 number of rejection^ increases in a 
 much greater ratio; and that in 1844 
 there were more patents granted than 
 in 1845; and this occurred under the 
 same commissioner, and with the same 
 examining coi'ps. The causes which 
 have produced this result still exist, and 
 will probably continue to exert a stead- 
 ily-increasing influence throughout the 
 future operations of this office. 
 
 In every section of the country may 
 be found worthy and ingenious men, 
 whose energies are directed toward in- 
 ventions and discoveries in the arts. 
 Some of these are sufficiently informed 
 of what has already been done, in the 
 particular department to which their at- 
 tention is directed, to avoid, in some 
 good degree, the beaten track ; but the 
 number and variety of inventions al- 
 ready made are so great, that few can 
 enter upon a career of invention with 
 sufficient knowledge to avoid a succes- 
 sion of reinventions, which add nothing 
 to the arts, and which it is the duty of 
 this office to reject. Of course, the at- 
 tention of the uniformed inventor is 
 directed to discoveries of an elementary 
 character. These are necessarily lim- 
 ited in their number, and the field has 
 everywhere been preoccupied by thou- 
 sands of every variety of mind ; and 
 whatever he may fix upon is already 
 public property, or has been appropri- 
 ated by some one who has preceded 
 him. As invention is rapidly progres- 
 sing in every part of the civilized world, 
 each year will trench still further upon 
 the only department open to unifor-mcd 
 inventors ; and as their number is likely 
 to increase rather than diminish, I'ejec- 
 tions must inevitably be multiplied ; and 
 the consequences, unfortunately, have 
 often fallen, and must continue to fall, 
 upon men whose industry, talents, and 
 perseverance, deserve, and, if well di- 
 rected, would be rewarded by distin- 
 guished success. 
 
 While the threshold is thus thronofed 
 
 J 
 
288 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 by the multitudes who are treading upon 
 each other, the field beyond, to the eye 
 of those who can explore it, is almost 
 limitless. Every discovery which is 
 made appears to shed light upon others 
 hitherto enveloped in obscurity ; each 
 furnishes the key to a group, and the 
 things to be discovered seem to multi- 
 ply in proportion to those already dis- 
 covered. 
 
 The first examination of an applica- 
 tion is intended to be as thorough as 
 the condition of the papers and models 
 will admit. If the claim can not be al- 
 lowed, the machine is cai'efully exam- 
 ined, to discover whether it comprehends 
 any other feature or combination which 
 would justify the grant of letters-patent. 
 If anything patentable is discovered, the 
 papers are returned to the applicant, 
 with such suggestions as will assist him 
 in mending them and properly modify- 
 ing his claim; but if nothing patentable 
 is discovered, the application is at once 
 rejected, and the necessary references 
 given; as it is deemed worse than use- 
 less to put the applicant to the trouble 
 and expense of amending and perfect- 
 ing his papers, when it is believed that 
 no amendment could avoid a final rejec- 
 tion. But this office, from its reorgan- 
 ization, has been liberal in reconsider- 
 ing rejected applications. The appli- 
 cant is always permitted to amend his 
 papers, and to present new or amended 
 claims, which render it necessary again 
 to examine the application as if it were 
 new. If it is again rejected, this ad- 
 ditional rejection is entered upon the 
 record kept by the examiner, and is 
 counted as a rejection. There are in- 
 stances in every year's experience of 
 cases being represented with different 
 claims two or three times, each change 
 raising questions entirely new, and re- 
 quiring the same examinations and con- 
 sideration as would be required by so 
 many distinct applications. All expe- 
 rience of the examining corps has shown 
 the importance of making these re-ex- 
 aminations, as it som.etimes occurs that, 
 owing to the imperfect manner in which 
 the papers have been prepared, a pat- 
 entable feature of the machine has es- 
 caped the notice of the examiner. 
 
 A part of the applications of every 
 year since 1839 are still pending, and 
 liable to be called up at any moment, 
 though they are in such condition that 
 this office is compelled to await the ac- 
 tion of the applicant. 
 
 The history of this office for several 
 years, in addition to a great and steady 
 increase of inventions, presents also the 
 fact, always observable in the progress 
 of the arts, that while some classes are 
 receiving numerous and important ad- 
 ditions, others appear to receive little 
 or no attention ; or, if efforts are made 
 toward their improvement, they fail of 
 success. But succeeding years produce 
 an entire revolution ; and those branches 
 whose rapidity of progress had aston- 
 ished the world, in their turn become 
 torpid, and improvements burst forth 
 with unlooked-for brilliancy from the 
 dust and ashes which have accumulated 
 upon a long-neglected department of 
 the arts. The main current, however, 
 is always onward, although, at some 
 points, it appears to stagnate or retro- 
 giade. But let not the inventor be 
 deceived or discouraged ; these are but 
 the eddies. Let him persevere ; the 
 eddy of to-day may be the torrent of 
 to-morrow. 
 
 The commissioner, in his report for 
 1845, speaks of the existing law by 
 which a subject of Great Britain is com- 
 pelled to pay into the treasury the sum 
 of five hundred dollars before his appli- 
 cation can be examined, and the citizens 
 and subjects of all foreign countries to 
 pay three hundred dollars on their re- 
 spective applications. He says : — 
 
 " These duties were designed to bear 
 some proportion to the duties required 
 of American citizens making applica- 
 tions for patents in other countries, and 
 on that ground may, perhaps, be justi- 
 fied and defended. 
 
 " The effect of this provision is un- 
 questionably to ])revent the introduction 
 into this country of many useful and 
 valuable discoveries, which would other- 
 wise be i^atented aiid introduced. Sim- 
 ilar high duties have the effect to exclude 
 American inventions from other coun- 
 tries. Thus all countries are injured 
 by this system of taxing genius for the 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT OP COLUMBIA, 
 
 289 
 
 exertion of its powers, in order to ob- 
 tain comparatively a very small and tri- 
 fling amount of revenue. 
 
 " It affords no protection to the Amer- 
 ican inventor to keep out the discoveries 
 of his foreign emulator (not rival) in the 
 arts, by taxing the emanations of his 
 genius with high duties, while the coun- 
 tiy would derive much benefit from their 
 introduction." 
 
 History. — Washington is the only 
 spot where it is practically seen, that, 
 for national purposes, we are one peo- 
 ple. The United States forts, arsenals, 
 and navyyards are limited in their asso- 
 ciations. At Washington we see a dis- 
 trict set apart as the national centre; 
 its inhabitants, in a spirit of patriotism, 
 relinquishing the right of suffrage, to be 
 free from the taint of party spirit, and 
 its very vastness and unoccupied dis- 
 tances pointing to the future, and filling 
 the mind with admiration of the hopes 
 of its founders. 
 
 Before the establishment of the dis- 
 trict of Columbia, congress occasionally 
 met, according to the exigencies of the 
 case, or the convenience of members, 
 at Philadelphia, Baltimore, Lancaster, 
 Yorktown, Princeton, Annapolis. Tren- 
 ton, and New York. The different 
 states, in the meantime, coveted the 
 honor of the national city. New York 
 offered the town of Kingston ; Rhode 
 Island, Newport ; Maryland, Annapolis ; 
 and Virginia, Williiimsburg. 
 
 On the 21st OctOv er, 1783, congress, 
 insulted at Philadelphia by a band of 
 mutineers, whom the state authorities 
 were unable to quell, adjourned to the 
 halls of the college at Princeton — a cir- 
 cumstance which doubtless led to the 
 agitation of the question of a permanent 
 seat of government, which was taken up 
 at this time, and continued to be dis- 
 cussed till the formation of the constitu- 
 tion. A resolution of Mr. Gerry, 7th 
 October, 1783, was adopted, that a dis- 
 trict be chosen on the banks of the Del- 
 aware or the Potomac, near Georgetown, 
 which underwent various modifications 
 (one of which was that both sites be 
 selected), till it was repealed in the fol- 
 lowing year. On the 30th of October, 
 1784, the subject was again taken up 
 
 at Trenton, and commissioners appoint- 
 ed with powers to lay out a district on 
 the Delaware within eight miles above 
 or below the falls, make the necessary 
 purchases, erect public buildings, re- 
 serve exclusive jurisdiction, &c. The 
 question as to place was revived in con- 
 gress in 1789-'90, with the view of se- 
 curing a central position. A site on the 
 Susquehanna was talked of, and finally 
 the present district determined on, which 
 then went by the name of Connogo- 
 cheague. New York was not central 
 enough ; Philadelphia and Germantown 
 had their supporters, as well as Havre 
 de Grace, a place called Wright's Ferry 
 on the Susquehanna, and Baltimore. 
 The Soutli Carolinians objected to Phil- 
 adelphia, that the quakers would be for 
 ever dogging the members with schemes 
 of emancipation. Others laughed at the 
 idea of palaces in the wood. 
 
 The friends of the new site numbered 
 the names of Washington, Madison, Lee, 
 and Carroll, and their choice was gov- 
 erned by these considerations. It was 
 not desirable that the political capital 
 should be in a commercial metropolis. 
 It was necessary, for the independence 
 of the government and its proper secu- 
 rity, that its jurisdiction should be ex 
 elusive — that its officers should not be 
 under the influence of the citizens : 
 hence the elective franchise was to be 
 given up, which no large city would 
 yield. Party feeling, which then ran 
 high, was to be avoided; the natural 
 influence of wealth on the spot was 
 feared, and the examples of London and 
 Westminster in the importance of their 
 six members in parliament was quoted. 
 It was desirable that the simplicity of 
 the members of government, in their 
 style of living, should not be contrasted 
 with the luxury of a great city, or be com- 
 pelled to submit to its costlier charges. 
 Moreover, large quantities of land were 
 wanted, which must be purchased at great 
 expense where land was already dear. 
 Looking to the future, it was thought 
 expedient to provide for all possible 
 wants more amply than could, under 
 any circumstances, be effected in a city 
 already built. 
 
 For a central situation, it was seen 
 
 19 
 
290 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 that the centres of territory, wealth, and 
 population, cnukl not be united. In de- 
 termining upon the centre of the line 
 of seacoast, the occupants of the west- 
 ern territory only asked that it should be 
 as far west as the convenience of mari- 
 time commerce would allow. The spot 
 chosen admitted of a navyyard, and 
 could be connected by canal with waters 
 which finally rose to the sources of the 
 Ohio. The act finally passed on the 
 16th of July, 1790. 
 
 Among the most important public 
 buildings in Washington are the " De- 
 partments," as they are commonly called, 
 or edifices containing the oflSces of the 
 several secretaries of state, war, the 
 navy, and the treasury. These are large 
 and spacious, and contain apartments 
 devoted to the officers, the numerous 
 clerks, the records, &c. They stand at 
 the distance of two hundred yards from 
 the president's house — two on the east, 
 and two on the west. 
 
 The Treasury Building has been re- 
 cently re-erected, the former one having 
 been accidentally burned a few years 
 ago. It makes a very striking appeai-- 
 ance, presenting a Grecian front, with a 
 splendid portico four hundred and fifty- 
 seven feet in length. 
 
 The other three buildings are of brick, 
 and each one hundred and sixty feet in 
 length, fifty-five in breadth, and two sto- 
 ries high. A broad passage runs through 
 the middle, with numerous apartments 
 on each side ; and in the centre is the 
 staircase, which is of large dimensions. 
 The porticoes are ornamented with six 
 Ionic columns. The grounds surround- 
 ing the buildings are planted with trees 
 and shrubbery. 
 
 Every part of these edifices bears in- 
 dications of the laborious business which 
 is carried on. The clerks are generally 
 men of intelligence, and many of them 
 of education, as most of the offices re- 
 quire ability, system, and industry. Such 
 is the importance of that acquaintance 
 with many of the offices, which is to be 
 acquired only by experience, that many 
 of them have long been retained by in- 
 dividuals, amid the frequent changes 
 made by the fluctuations of opinions in 
 the country. 
 
 The foresight of the congress which 
 selected Washington for the seat of gov- 
 ernment, has been in many points justi- 
 fied by the results. If there is much 
 to lament in tlie looseness of manners 
 which, to a considerable extent, prevails 
 in the city during the crowded season 
 of the session, it is easy to see, that 
 were the members and otlier attendants 
 at the capital exposed to the influences 
 of a large city, like New York or Phila- 
 delphia, there would he far moie evil to 
 resfret in the deterioration of the charac- 
 ters of individuals ; and if room is now 
 found for injurious intrigues, hurtful to 
 tie public interest, such evils would be 
 multiplied amid a larger population. 
 The means of dissipation and the temp- 
 tations of luxury and vice are now only 
 such as are prepared or imported for 
 the occasion, and are necessarily fewer 
 and more feeble than those permanently 
 established on a far broader scale in a 
 metropolis. The small size of the city, 
 and the sparseness of the neighboring 
 population, still are, and long must be, 
 too insignificant to overawe congress in 
 their delibei'ations ; and there is at pres- 
 ent no local interest strong enough to 
 exercise any powerful influence on their 
 decisions. 
 
 The Congressional Burying-Groiind. — 
 The cemetery appropriated to the inter- 
 ment of deceased members of congress, 
 situated a mile east of the capitol, is 
 laid out with taste, adorned with trees 
 and shrubbery, and contains a number 
 of appropriate monuments. The design 
 of a new city cemetery has been formed. 
 It is anticipated that the price of the 
 lots will be so low as to permit every 
 family to own one, and the distance not 
 being so far as to prevent those visiting 
 it that do not own carriages. Indeed, 
 it was intended to be so located as to 
 serve the interests of all — so that he 
 who walks through necessity, as well 
 as he who rides, may find it an agree- 
 able and convenient place of resort — 
 not too far for the poor, nor too near for 
 the rich. In what direction the city will 
 enlarge itself, it is now impossible to 
 say. If the most remote dell was taken 
 for the purpose, no one can tell how 
 public it might become in a few years. 
 
The Smithsonian Institution, at Washington. 
 
 L 
 
 The Smithsonian Institution has a no- 
 ble endowment, and is devoted to the pro- 
 motion of science in its Viirious branches. 
 The funds bequeathed for its foundation 
 having lain for a number of years, accu- 
 mulating in value, and congress having 
 organized it in 18 i6, it has commenced 
 operations with flattering prospects. A 
 large edifice has been erected, valuable 
 collections have been begun, and the 
 services of active officers engaged ; so 
 that under the supervision of (he govern- 
 ment, and with abundant pecuniary 
 means at its disposal, it will doubtless 
 afford important aid to the sciences in 
 time to come. 
 
 Columbian College was incorporated 
 in .the year 182 1. The buildings occu- 
 py an elevation north of the president's 
 house, and a medical department is at- 
 tached to the institution. The libraries 
 cont ain u pward of tour thousand volumes. 
 
 The Navijyard contains twenty-seven 
 acres of ground, three quarters of a 
 mile southeast of the capitol, with ranges 
 of stores, shops, dwellings for officers, 
 
 barracks, the armory, and two large 
 ship-houses, in which ships-of-war of 
 difr()rent classes are constructed. 
 
 Capture of Washington hij the British 
 in 1814. — The better to provide for the 
 defence of Washington and the neigh- 
 boring country, so much threatened by 
 the enemy's fleet, a new military district 
 was formed in the summer of 1814, 
 making the tenth district in number, and 
 embracing Maryland, the district of Co- 
 lumbia, and a part of Virginia. The 
 president, on the 4th of July, 1814, made 
 a requisition on the governors of those 
 states f )r ninely-three thousand militia, 
 fifteen thousand of whom were to be 
 raised within the limits of the new mili- 
 tary district. One thousand regular 
 troops were added, and the whole force 
 placed under the command of General 
 Winder. 
 
 But the news was received, about a 
 fortnight after the requisition had been 
 made, that the British had landed at 
 Benedict. At that time only three thou- 
 sand men had been collected, and these 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 293 
 
 were, of course, of the most raw and un- 
 disciplined description of troops. The 
 enemy's fleet proceeded to invade the 
 shores of the Chesapeake in three di- 
 visions. Admiral Cochrane proceeded 
 up the Patuxent ; Genei'al Gordon sailed 
 up the Potomac against Alexandria; 
 and General Ross, landing at Benedict, 
 marched for Washino^ton, alonsf the ritjht 
 bank of the Patuxent, a distance of twen- 
 ty-seven miles, intending to assist Ad- 
 miral Cochrane, on his way, in destroy- 
 ing Commodore Barney's flotilla. 
 
 On the 22d of August they appeared 
 in sight of Barney, who immediately 
 destroyed his vessels, and fell back to 
 join General Winder. The president 
 of the United States, General Armstrong, 
 secretary of war, and several other heads 
 of departments, visited the camp at 
 Marlborough, and decided on retreating 
 toward the capital. Expecting the en- 
 emy to advance to the east branch of 
 the Potomac, preparations were made 
 for its defence ; but it was discovered 
 ou ll:e 24th that they were approaching 
 Bladonsburg. General Stansbury with 
 two thousand two hundred Baltimore 
 militia, who was on his way to the camp, 
 was ordered back to that point, and was 
 soon joined by General Winder and the 
 main body. The president and heads 
 of departments were present when the 
 battle commenced, but they soon left the 
 field, to secure the important documents 
 in their ofiices, and hastened to Wash- 
 ington. 
 
 The enemy met a spirited resistance, 
 and had indeed a sharp contest to main- 
 tain, while crossing the bridofe, where 
 their column was swept by the cannon of 
 Commodore Barney from the redoubts, 
 and while pressing up the successive 
 swells crossed by the road. The thick 
 forest on both sides was penetrated with 
 difficulty, even in face of the small force 
 opposed to them. Before long, however, 
 the militia broke and fled in disorder; 
 Com. Barney was wounded and made 
 prisoner, and the day was decided. 
 
 The British army lost no time in ad- 
 vancing to Washington, whei'e they met 
 with no serious opposition ; and there 
 they set fire to the capitol and other 
 public buildings, mutilated some of the 
 
 ornaments of the city, and after a short 
 stay, took up their march back to their 
 ships. 
 
 The enemy evacuated Washington on 
 the evening of August 25th, and retired 
 to their fleet, having lost two hundred 
 and forty-nine, killed, at Bladensburg, 
 and suffered a total loss, as is said, of 
 four hundred killed and wounded, and 
 about five hundred prisoners and de- 
 serters. 
 
 Anecdotes of General Washington. — 
 The following may be here introduced. 
 First, an account of the appointment of 
 Washington to the supreme command 
 of the continental army, Ji;ne 18, 1775 — 
 from a private journal, narrating a con- 
 versation with John Adams, senior : — 
 
 " The ai'my was assembled at Cam- 
 bridge, Massachusetts, under General 
 Ward, and congress was sitting at Phila- 
 delphia. Every day new applications in 
 behalf of the army arrived. The coun- 
 try were urgent that congress should 
 legalize the raising of the army ; as they 
 had what must be considered, agd was 
 in law considered, onlj a mob — a band of 
 armed rebels. The country was placed 
 in circumstances of peculiar difficulty 
 and danger. The struggle had begun, 
 and yet everything was without order. 
 The great trial now seemed to be in 
 this question. Who shall be the com- 
 mander-in-chief? It was exceedingly 
 important, and was felt to be the hinge 
 on which the contest might turn for or 
 against us. The southern and the mid- 
 dle states, warm and rapid in their zeal, 
 were for the most part jealous of New 
 England, because they felt that the real 
 physical force was there. What then 
 was to be done 1 All New England 
 adored General Ward : he had been in 
 the French war, and went out laden with 
 laurels. He was a scholar and a states- 
 man. Every qualification seemed to 
 cluster in him; and it was confidently 
 believed that the army could not receive 
 any appointment over him. What then 
 was to be done 1 Difficulties thickened 
 at every step. The struggle was to be 
 long and bloody. Without union, all 
 was lost. The country, and the whole 
 country, must come in. One pulsation 
 must beat thi'ough all hearts. The cause 
 
294 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 was one, and the army must be one. 
 The members had talked, debated, con- 
 sidered, and guessed, and yet the de- 
 cisive step had not been taken. At 
 lenfytih Mr. Adams came to his conclu- 
 sion. The means of resolving it were 
 somewhat singular, and nearly as fol- 
 lows : he was walking one morning be- 
 fore Congress hall, apparently in deep 
 thought, when his cousin Samuel Adams 
 came up to him and said : — 
 
 " ' What is the topic with you this 
 morning V 
 
 " ' Oh, the army, the army,* he re- 
 plied. ' I'm determined to go into the 
 hall, this morning, and enter on a full 
 detail of the state of the colonies, in or- 
 der to show an absolute need of taking 
 some decisive steps. My whole aim 
 will be, to induce congress to appoint a 
 day for adopting the army as the legal 
 army of these united colonies of North 
 America, and then to hint at my election 
 of a commander-in-chief.' 
 
 " ♦ Well,' said Samuel Adams, ' I like 
 that, cousin John; but on whom have 
 you fixed as that commander]' 
 
 " ' I will tell you — George Washing- 
 ton, of Virginia, a member of this house.' 
 
 " ' Oh,' replied Samuel Adams, quick- 
 ly, 'that Will never do — never.' 
 
 " ' It must do — it shall do,' said John, 
 ' and for these reasons : the southern and 
 middle states are both to enter heartily 
 in the cause, and their arguments are po- 
 tent : they say that New England holds 
 the physical power in her hands, and 
 they fear the result. A New England 
 army, a New England commander, with 
 New England perseverance, all united, 
 appal them. For this cause they hang 
 back. Now, the only course is to allay 
 their fears, and give them nothing to 
 complain of; and this can be done in no 
 other way but by appointing a south- 
 ern chief over this force, and then all 
 rush to the standard. The policy will 
 blend us in one mass, and that mass will 
 be resistless.* 
 
 " At this Samuel Adams seemed to 
 be greatly moved. They talked over 
 the preliminary circumstances, and John 
 asked his cousin to second the motion. 
 Mr. Adams went in, took the floor, and 
 put forth all his strength in the delinea- 
 
 tions he had prepared, all aiming at the 
 adoption of the army. He was ready 
 to own the army, appoint a commander, 
 vote supplies, and jirocced to business. 
 After his speech had been finished, some 
 objected, and some feared. His warmth 
 increased with the occasion, and to all 
 these doubts and hesitations he replied 
 thus : — 
 
 " 'Gentlemen, if this v. ingress -will 
 not adopt this army before ten moons 
 have set. New England will adopt it, and 
 she will undertake the struggle alone — 
 yes, with a strong arm and a clean con- 
 science, she will front the foe single- 
 handed.' 
 
 " This had the desired effect. They 
 saw New England was neither playing 
 nor to be played with, and they agreed 
 to appoint a day. A day was fixed : it 
 came: Mr. Adams went in, took the 
 floor, urged the measure, and after some 
 debate it passed. 
 
 " The next thing was to get a com- 
 mander for this army, with supplies, &c. 
 All looked to Mr. Adams on the occa- 
 sion, and he was ready. He then took 
 the floor, and went into a minute delin- 
 eation of the character of General Waid, 
 bestowing on him the encomiums which 
 then belonged to no one else. At the 
 end of the eulogy, he said : ' But this is 
 not the man I have chosen.' He then 
 went into the delineation of the charac- 
 ter of a commander-in-chief, such as was 
 required by the peculiar situation of the 
 colonies at that juncture. And after he 
 had presented the qualifications in his 
 strongest language, and given the rea- 
 sons for the nomination he was about to 
 make, he said : — 
 
 " ' Gentlemen, I know these qualifica- 
 tions are high, but we all know they sre 
 needful, at this crisis, in this chief. Does 
 anv one say they are not to be obtained 
 in this country 1 In reply, I have to 
 say they are; they reside in one of our 
 own body, and he is the person whom I 
 now nominate — George Washington, 
 OF Virginia.' 
 
 " Washington, who sat on Mr. Adams' 
 rio-ht hand, was looking him intently in 
 the face, to watch the name he was 
 about to announce, and, not expecting 
 it would be his, sprang from his seat the 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 295 
 
 minute he heard it, and rushed into an 
 adjoining room. Mr. Adams had asked 
 his cousin Samuel to ask for an adjourn- 
 ment as soon as the nomination was 
 mado, in order to give the memlieis time 
 li to deliberate — and the result is before 
 the world. 
 
 " I asked Mr. Adams, among other 
 questions, the following : — 
 
 " ' Did you ever doubt of the success 
 of the conflict ]' 
 
 "'No, no,' said he, 'not for a mo- 
 ment. I expected to be hung and quar- 
 tered, if I was caught ; but no matter 
 for that — my country would be free ; I 
 knew George the Third could not forge 
 chains long enough and strong enough 
 to reach around these United States.' " 
 
 In the early days of the republic, it 
 was customary for the president to meet 
 the two houses of congress, on their 
 assembling, and make them a speech, 
 instead of sending in a formal, careful- 
 ly-written message as now. Various 
 reasons conspiied to bring about the 
 change — reasons of convenience which 
 will occur on reflection to every mind, 
 and which it is needless now to specify. 
 We allude to the matter as necessary 
 to a better understanding of the extract 
 below. This extract is taken from a 
 long and very interesting communica- 
 tion in the National Intelligencer, the 
 anniversary of Washington's birthday. 
 The writer describes Washington as he 
 saw him at the opening of congress in 
 Pliiladelphia. 
 
 " I stood on a stone platform, before 
 the door of the hall, elevated by a few 
 steps from the pavement, when the car- 
 riage of the president di'ew up. It was 
 white, or rather of a light cream-color, 
 painted on the panels with beautiful 
 groups, by Cipriani, i-epresenting the 
 four seasons. The horses, according to 
 my recollection, were white, in unison 
 with the carriage. As he alighted, and, 
 ascending the stops, paused upon the 
 platform, looking over his shmilder, in 
 an attitude that would have furnished 
 an admirable subject for the pencil, he 
 v/as preceded by two gentlemen bear- 
 ing long white wands, who kept back 
 the crowd that pressed on every side 
 to set a nearer view. At that moment 
 
 I stood so near I might have touched 
 his clothes ; but f should as soon have 
 thought of touching an electric battery. 
 1 was penetrated with a veneration, 
 amounting to the deepest awe. Nor 
 was this the feeling of a ichoolboy only ; 
 it pervaded, I believe, every human be- 
 ing that approached Washington ; and 
 I have been told, that, even in his social 
 and convivial hours, this feeling in those 
 who were honored to share them, never 
 suffered intermission. I saw him a hun- 
 dred times afterward, but never with any 
 other than that same feeling. 
 
 " The Almighty, who raised up for 
 our hour of need a man so peculiarly 
 prepared for its whole dread responsi- 
 bility, seems to have put an impress of 
 sacredness upon his own instrument. 
 The first sight of the man struck the 
 heart with involuntary homage, and pre- 
 pared everything around him to obey. 
 When he ' addressed himself to speak,' 
 there was an unconscious suspension of 
 the breath, while every eye was raised 
 in expectation. At the time I speak of, 
 he stood in profound silence, and had 
 that statue-like air which mental great- 
 ness alone can bestow. As he turned 
 to enter the building, and was ascending 
 the staircase leading to the congression- 
 al hall, I glided in, unperceived, almost 
 under cover of the skirts of his dress, 
 and entered instantly after him into the 
 lobby of the house, which was of course 
 in session to I'eceive him. On either 
 hand, from the entrance, stood a large 
 cast-iron stove ; and, resolved to secure 
 the unhoped-for privilege I had so un- 
 expectedly obtained, I clambered, boy- 
 like, on this stove — fortunately then not 
 much heated — and, from that favorable 
 elevation, enjoyed for the first time (what 
 I have since so many thousands of times 
 witnessed with comparative indifference) 
 an uninterrupted view of the American 
 congress in full session, every member 
 in his place. Shall I be pardoned for 
 saying its aspect was very different from 
 what we now witness 1 There was an 
 air of decorum, of composure, of reflec- 
 tion, of gentlemanly and polished dig- 
 nity, which has fled, or lingers with here 
 and there a 'relic of the olden time.* 
 
 " The house seemed then as com- 
 
296 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 posed as the senate now is, when an 
 impressive speech is in the act of de- 
 livery. On Washington's entrance the 
 most profound and death-like stillness 
 prevailed. House, lobbies, gallery, all 
 were wrapped in the deepest attention ; 
 aTid the souls of that entire assemblage 
 seemed pouring from their eyes on the 
 noble figure which deliberately, and with 
 an unaffected but surpassing majesty, 
 advanced upon the broad aisle of the 
 hall between ranks of standing senators 
 and members, and slowly ascended the 
 steps leading to the speaker's chair. I 
 well remember, standing at the head of 
 the senate, the tall, square, somewhat 
 gaunt form of Mr. Jefferson — conspic- 
 uous from his scarlet waistcoat, bright 
 blue coat, with broad bright buttons, as 
 well as by his quick and penetrating air, 
 and high-boned Scottish cast of features. 
 There, too, stood General Knox — then 
 secretary of wai" — in all the sleek ro- 
 tundity of his low stature, with a bold 
 and florid face, open, firm, and manly in 
 its expression. I3ut I recollect that my 
 boyish eye was caught by the appear- 
 ance of De Yrujo, the Spanish ambas- 
 sador. He stood in the rear of the 
 chair, a little on one side, covered with 
 a splendid diplomatic dress, decorated 
 with orders, and cai'rying under his arm 
 an immense chapeau bras, edged with 
 white ostrich feathers. He was a man 
 totally different in his air and manner 
 from all around him, and the very an- 
 tipode especially of the Man on whom 
 all eyes but his seemed fixed as by a 
 spell. I saw many other very striking 
 figures grouped about and behind the 
 speaker's chair, but I did not know their 
 names, and had no one to ask; besides, 
 I dared not open my lips. 
 
 " The president, having seated him- 
 self, remained in silence, serenely con- 
 I lemplating the legislature before him, 
 whose members now resumed their seats, 
 waiting for the speech. No house of 
 worship, in the most solemn pauses of 
 devotion, was ever more profoundly still 
 than was that large and crowded cham- 
 ber. 
 
 " Washington was dressed precisely 
 as Stuart has painted him in Lord Lans- 
 dovvn's full-length portrait — in a full suit 
 
 of the richest black velvet, with diamond 
 knee-buckles, and square silver buckles 
 set upon shoes japanned with the most 
 scrupulous neatness, black silk stock- 
 ings, his shirt ruffled at the breast and 
 wrist, a light dress sword, his hair pro- 
 fusely powdered, fully dressed, so as to 
 project at the sides, and gathered behind 
 in a silk bag ornamented with a large 
 rose of black riband. He held his cocked 
 hat, which had a large black c(jckade on 
 one side of it, in his hand, as he ad- 
 vanced toward the chair, and, when seat- 
 ed, laid it on the table. 
 
 " At length, thrusting his hand within 
 the side of his coat, he drew forth a roll 
 of manuscript, which he opened, and, 
 rising, held it in his hand, while, in a 
 rich, deep, full, sonorous voice, he read 
 his opening address to congress. His 
 enunciation was deliberate, justly em- 
 phasized, very distinct, and accompanied 
 with an air of deep solemnity, as being 
 the utterance of a mind profoundly im- 
 pressed with the dignity of the act in 
 wliJch it was occupied, conscious of the 
 whole responsibility of its position and 
 action, but not oppressed by it. There 
 was ever about the man something which 
 impressed the observer with a convic- 
 tion, that he was exactly and fully equal 
 with what he had to do. He was never 
 hurried, never negligent; but seemed 
 ever prepai'ed for the occasion, be it 
 what it might. If I could express his 
 character in one word, it would be ap- 
 propriateness. In his study, in his par- 
 lor, at a levee, before congress, at the 
 head of the army, he seemed to be just 
 what the situation required him to he. 
 He possessed, in a degree never equalled 
 by any human being I ever saw, the 
 strongest and most ever-present sense 
 of propriety. It never forsook him, and 
 deeply and involuntarily impressed it- 
 self upon every beholder. 
 
 " His address was of moderate length ; 
 the topics I have, of course, forgotten ; 
 indeed, I was not of an age to appreciate 
 them ; but the air, the manner, the tone, 
 have never left my mental vision, and 
 even now seem to vibrate on my ear. 
 
 " A scene like this, once beheld, though 
 in earliest youth, is never to be forgot- 
 ten. It must be now fifty years ago ; 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 297 
 
 but I could this moment sit down and 
 sketch the chamber, the assembly, and 
 the Man. 
 
 " Having closed the reading, he laid 
 down the scroll, and, after a brief pause, 
 retired as he had entered ; when the 
 manuscript was handed, for a second 
 reading, to Mr. Beckley, then clerk of 
 the house, whose gentlemanly manner, 
 clear and silver voice, and sharp articu- 
 lation, I shall ever associate with the 
 scene. 
 
 " When shall we again behold such 
 a congress and such a president ]" 
 
 The following beautiful eulogy on 
 Washington, by Lord Brougham, may 
 with propriety be introduced in this 
 place : — 
 
 " M^ith none of that brilliant genius 
 which dazzles ordinary minds ; with not 
 even any remarkable quickness of ap- 
 prehension ; with knowledge less than 
 almost all persons in the middle ranks, 
 and many well educated of the humbler 
 classes, possess — this eminent person 
 is presented to our observation clothed 
 in attributes as modest, as unpretend- 
 ing, as little calculated to strike or to 
 astonish, as if he had passed unknown 
 through some secluded region of private 
 life. But he had a judgment sure and 
 sound ; a steadiness of mind which never 
 suffered a!iy passion, or even any feel- 
 ing to ruffle its calm ; a strength of un- 
 derstanding which worked rather than 
 forced its way through obstacles, re- 
 moving or avoiding rather than over- 
 leaping them. His courage, whether in 
 battle or in council, was as perfect as 
 might be expected from this pure and 
 steady temper of soul. A perfectly just 
 man, with a thoroughly firm resolution 
 never to be misled by others, any more 
 than by others overawed ; never to be 
 seduced or betrayed, or hurried away 
 by his own weakness or self-delusions, 
 any more than by other men's arts ; nor 
 even to be disheartened by the most 
 complicated difficulties, any more than 
 spoiled on the giddy heights of fortune — 
 such was this great man : whether we 
 regard him sustaining alone the whole 
 weight of campaigns, all but desperate, 
 or gloriously terminating a just warfare 
 by his reo(Hirces and his courage ; pre- 
 
 siding over the jarring elements of his 
 political council, alike deaf to the storms 
 of all extremes ; or directing the forma- 
 tion of a new government for a great 
 people, the first time that so vast an 
 experiment had ever been tried by man ; 
 or finally retiring from the supi-eme 
 power to which his virtues had raised 
 him over the nation he had created, and 
 whose destinies he had guided as long 
 as his aid was required — retiring with 
 the venei'ation of all parties, of all na- 
 tions, of all mankind, in order that the 
 rights of man might be conserved, and 
 that his example never might be ap- 
 pealed to by vulgar tyrants. This is the 
 consummate glory of the great Ameri- 
 can — a triumphant warrior where the 
 most successful had a right to despair ; 
 a successful ruler in all the difficulties 
 of a course wholly untried ; but a war- 
 rior whose sword only left its sheath 
 when the first law of our nature com- 
 manded it to be drawn ; and a ruler who, 
 having tasted of supreme power, gently 
 and unostentatiously desired that the cup 
 might pass from him, nor would suffer 
 more to wet his lips than the most sol- 
 emn and sacred duty to bis country and 
 his God required ! 
 
 " To his latest breath did this gfreat 
 patriot maintain the noble character of 
 a captain the patron of peace, and a 
 statesman the friend of justice. Dying, 
 he bequeathed to his heirs the sword 
 which he had woi'n in the war of liberty, 
 charging thera ' never to take it from 
 the scabbard but in self defence, or in 
 defence of their country and her free- 
 dom ; and commanding them, that when 
 it should thus be drawn, they should 
 never sheath it nor ever give it up, but 
 prefer falling Vviih it in their hands to 
 the relinquishment thereof — words, the 
 simple eloquence and majesty of which 
 are not surpassed in the oratory of 
 Athens atid Rome. 
 
 " It will be the duty of the historian 
 and sage in all ages to omit no occasion 
 of commemorating this illustrious man ; 
 and until time shall be no more, will a 
 test of the progress which our race has 
 made in wisdom and in virtue, be de- 
 rived from the veneration paid to the 
 immortal name of Washington !" 
 
298 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 Character of Debates in Congress. — 
 The foUowintif is from a letter by a late 
 English traveller: — 
 
 " I liave frequently visited the halls 
 of the national legislature, since my ar- 
 rival here, for the purpose of becoming 
 acquainted with the operations of the 
 government, and of listening to the elo- 
 quence which is sometimes to be heard 
 within them. It strikes me that there 
 is a considerable difference between the 
 eloquence of the British parliament and 
 that of the American congress. Tn the 
 latter, they only are distinguished and 
 have influence who handle the subject 
 under discussion with ability — grasp it 
 comprehensively — are familiar with all 
 its bearinfjs — brinff to it a mind con- 
 versant with all its details, and cast upon 
 it a concentrated blaze of light. In par- 
 liament, such a speaker would not be 
 regarded as the most effective, or carry 
 his point so easily, as one who avoids 
 the real merits of the question, plays 
 upon the outskirts of the subject, retorts 
 with brilliancy, and detects and exposes 
 the inconsistencies of his opponent. In 
 congress, however, on all questions in 
 which party considerations are involved, 
 no speaker, whatever may be the power 
 of his intellect, the extent of his know- 
 ledge, the flow of his diction, or tlie 
 beauty of his elocution, will carry a sin- 
 gle vote beyond the limit of the party 
 to which he belongs, or the principles 
 or doctrines supported by those who 
 elect him. Almost every member of 
 both branches of the legislature either 
 speaks, or is expected to speak ; but 
 wo him who shall have the hardy inde- 
 pendence to yield to the influence of 
 truth, or be swayed by the power of 
 eloquence, and shall dare to throw aside 
 the reins of party, and think and act for 
 himself. He knows that his fate would 
 be at once sealed, and his political ca- 
 reer closed, perhaps for ever. If a mem- 
 ber of the senate, the legislature of the 
 state which elects him would, in all 
 probability, recommend him to resign ; 
 and if a representative, his constituents 
 would send another in his place. The 
 eloquence which is em[)loyed, therefore, 
 is not intended so much for this arena 
 as for the people among whom prose- 
 
 lytes are to be made, and who are either 
 to be brought over to the principles 
 which the orator maintains, or retained 
 in the errors which he supports. An 
 angel's tongue could not move tlie po- 
 litical partizan from the course his con- 
 stituents expect him to pursue, and the 
 contest between the orators on both sides 
 in congress is a mere intellectual glad- 
 iatorial combat, without any other pur- 
 pose there than to exhibit their respec- 
 tive powers of eloquence, and call to- 
 gether a numerous audience to listen to 
 them. Members of the legal profession 
 are very numerous in both houses of 
 congress. Few of any other profession 
 obtain the honor of a seat in that assem- 
 bly, and of course most of them are 
 speakers, if not what may be called ora- 
 tors. In congress, as well as in parlia- 
 ment, there are many very common men 
 both as to education and talents — in so 
 large an assembly, and chosen as they 
 are, that must be expected. Even among 
 the educated and talented, there will 
 often be some decidedly superior to the 
 rest. In the senate of the United States 
 this is strikingly exemplified. I do nf)t 
 hazard much in saying, that there is not 
 to be found at this time an equal body 
 of men of higher intellectual powers, or 
 greater general intelligence. I have be- 
 come personally acquainted with most of 
 them — witnessed their battles of mind, 
 and listened to their eloquence; and I 
 am satisfied that it would be impossible 
 to surpass them." 
 
 The Prospects op Washingto.v. — 
 On the completion of the Chesa})eake 
 and Ohio canal, the cities of this district 
 are destined to a rapid augmentation in 
 population and wealth. Few persons 
 but those who have resided here, know 
 of the immense resources of this locality. 
 The water-power of the Potomac and 
 its branches is immense, sufficient to 
 turn hundreds of mills, and the agricub 
 tural advantages in the immediate vicin- 
 ity are superior, or at least equal to, 
 those of any other section of the coun- 
 try. From the coal-mines in Cumber- 
 land and its vicinity alone, large fortunes 
 can easily be realized. The supply 
 of that useful, that necessary article to 
 comfort and enterprise, in its quantity, 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COf.UMBIA. 
 
 299 
 
 has exceeded alike belief and calcula- 
 tion. The Union can be for a long time 
 furnished with the sole products of these 
 mines. 
 
 An investment of capital here by the 
 enterprising citizens of the north, would 
 be sure of rapid and abundant returns. 
 It is incredible that the attention of the 
 sagacious capitalists of New England 
 and New York should not, ere this, have 
 been directed to this quarter. 
 
 The anticipations of General Wash- 
 ington may yet be realized. It is said, 
 that in the papers of that illustrious man 
 has been found a calculation of what 
 would be the value of the Mount Vernon 
 estate, when Alexandria sliould assume 
 that importance in the rank of commer- 
 cial cities which her happy position in- 
 tended. 
 
 The completion of the canal will be 
 consummated in little more tlian a year. 
 Its resumed continuation will, of itself, 
 give a great impetus to all kinds of en- 
 terprise, and additional value to real 
 estate, in the cities and country at and 
 near its terminus ; and it is confidently 
 anticipated that the metropolis will yet 
 attain to eminence among wealthy and 
 populous cities. 
 
 The Cumberland Road. — This grand 
 work, which long engajred the solici- 
 tude of congress, and was constructed 
 and kept in repairs at great expense 
 from the national treasury, has its com- 
 mencement at Washington, and extends 
 thence through Fredericksburg (Mary- 
 land), and through a considerable portion 
 of Virginia. It is broad, ascends and de- 
 scends the hills and mountains by easy 
 grades, and, whenever the soil and cir- 
 cumstances are favorable, offers a smooth 
 and hard surface. It has proved of great 
 value to the regions through which it 
 passes, and is a monument to the skill 
 of American road-makers, as well as to 
 the liberality of congress toward a por- 
 tion of the country, although a later con- 
 struction of the constitution has put an 
 end to the appropriation of money to 
 works of such a nature. 
 
 One of the finest views of Washing- 
 ton, Georgetown, and the surrounding 
 land and v/ater, is found at an elevated 
 point of the Cumberland road, three or | 
 
 four miles west. From that spot the eye 
 embraces a wide and beautiful scene : 
 the broad, shining surface of the Poto- 
 mac, from where it emerges from be- 
 tween the high and rocky banks vvhicli 
 confine its channel above Georgetown, 
 to where it begins to spread out in front 
 of that city, and where, divided by the 
 gently-sloping lawns of Mason's island, 
 it extends on one side along the Virginia 
 shore, and widening on the other, ap- 
 pears to wash the foundations of the 
 president's house as it skirts along Wash- 
 ington, and, passing by the point where 
 was erected the longest, if not the last, 
 bridge that can ever be thrown across 
 it, passes on to Greenleaf's point, where 
 it receives the waters of its western 
 branch. These together form a spa- 
 cious bay, the northeastern extremity of 
 which is occupied by the United States 
 navyyard, while a canal crosses the low 
 cape which separates them. Further 
 down the Potomac is seen a part of its 
 broad course, almost to the spot where 
 it receives a sad and noble gloom from 
 the overhanging precipices of Mount 
 Vernon. 
 
 " Roll softly, Potomac! thou wearest away 
 The shore that he trod, and the dust where he lay." 
 
 At a spot on the shore of this stream, 
 at the foot of the falls, a little above 
 Georgetown, at a convenient landing- 
 place for boats, tradition reports that 
 General Eraddock debarked with his 
 troops, when pi'oceeding on his fatal 
 expedition against Fort Du Quesne, in 
 the French war. The place formerly 
 bore the name of " Braddock's land- 
 ing," and is interesting from its assoc a- 
 tion with the history of the country st 
 that melancholy period, and with the 
 eai'ly life of General Washington, who 
 so highly distinguished himself in the 
 unfortunate catastrophe which termin- 
 ated the expedition. 
 
 The wild, picturesque scenery which 
 marks this part of the course of the 
 Potomac, and to which we have before 
 referred, bears marks of the violence 
 with which the current pours by in the 
 season of floods. Evidence of its rav- 
 ages may often be noticed by the pas- 
 senger, who will not be surprised that 
 even the chain bridge, constructed with 
 
300 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 SO much caution, solidity, and skill, 
 proved insufficient to avoid or to resist 
 its impetuosity. During a liigli flood, 
 about five years ago, it was swept away, 
 the piers receiving so much injury as to 
 discourage its restoration. 
 
 Among the numerous objects in Wash- 
 infTton worthy of particular attention, 
 most of which have been alluded to in a 
 passing manner, are several of the paint- 
 ings and sculptures which adorn the 
 rotunda of the capitol. 
 
 The " Declaration of Independence'' 
 presents a grave, deliberative assembly 
 (the old congress), at an instant when a 
 scene of the highest importance and the 
 greatest results was performing. The 
 select committee, appointed to draw up 
 a statement of rights and injuries, are 
 in the act of presenting their report, 
 which was the original of the document 
 since so celebrated throughout the world 
 as the " Declaration of Independence." 
 John Hancock is seated in the chair of 
 the speaker, and the members are ranged 
 at their desks ; while Thomas Jefferson, 
 John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin 
 (the committee), in the foreground, are 
 presenting the report to Hancock. All 
 the personages present are represented 
 by portraits for which they sat — many 
 of them to the artist himself A few 
 exceptions, however, are to be made — 
 those who were dead before he began 
 his taf-k, and who left no portraits be- 
 hind them. The hall, which is still pre- 
 served in its original condition (in the 
 old statehouse in Philadelphia), is ac- 
 curately given in the picture. 
 
 The '^ Surrender of Burgoyne :'^ here 
 the British forces, who surrender after 
 the battles of Saratoga, are seen march- 
 ing out of camp, after stacking their 
 arms, on a small plain on the Hudson, to 
 which they had retreated. The Ameri- 
 can staff occupy a conspicuous position ; 
 and the whole effect, increased by the pic- 
 turesque scenery of the spot, is striking 
 and highly agreeable. Some of the 
 American troops, occupying neighbor- 
 ing eminences, had convinced the de- 
 feated invaders that further retreat was 
 impossible ; and the event thus recorded 
 marks one of the most important periods 
 of the revolutionary war 
 
 The ^'Surrender at Yorlctoion :" in 
 tljis picture, the American army, with 
 the French alHes, is presented drawn 
 up in two parallel lines — seen in per- 
 spective in the fields of Yorktown — and 
 the head of the British column is march- 
 ing between them toward the spectator : 
 presenting accurate and spirited por- 
 traits of many of the distinguished men 
 of the day belonging to the three great 
 nations represented. The splendor of 
 military costume is beautifully harmon- 
 ized with the pacific aspect of the scene, 
 and the pleasing anticipations which it 
 was well calculated to excite. 
 
 " General Washington resigning Ms 
 Commission,'' the closing picture of this 
 invaluable series, gives a view of the 
 old hall occupied by congress at that 
 period (in Annapolis, Maryland) ; and the 
 illustrious hero of the piece is placed 
 in a dignified attitude, well correspond- 
 ing with his character and the nature 
 of the scene. On^ of the most interest- 
 ing individuals introduced among the 
 spectators is Lady Washington, accom- 
 panied by several members of the family 
 and friends. 
 
 Four other scenes connected with 
 the revolution were painted by Colonel 
 Trumbull, which were not chosen by 
 congress, although not on account of 
 their want of interest or value. 
 
 The " Battle of Bunker's Hill," the 
 first in the series of historical pictures, 
 represents the instant when the British 
 troops, with some of their officers at 
 their head, were making their last and 
 successful assault upon the height whoso 
 name was rendered so famous by the 
 events of that day. General Warren has 
 just fallen, and Putnam is seen pressing 
 from behind toward the front, sword in 
 hand ; while the mingling of Americans, 
 some of them in their simple working- 
 dresses, with the splendid uniforms of 
 their enemies — the combinations and 
 contrasts of figures and groups, many of 
 them in costumes and with forms and 
 features copied from life, by an artist 
 who was a contemporary and a fellow- 
 soldier — together with the importance 
 and the animated action of the scene, 
 give this fine picture an interest of a 
 superior kind,, and impress the feelings 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 301 
 
 of the spectator in a degree which it 
 would be difficult to express. 
 
 The " Battle of Princeto7i," a scene 
 of a like character, and painted in a sim- 
 ilar spirit by the same accomplished and 
 fiithful hand, exhibits the fall of General 
 Mercer, in full view of the venerable in- 
 stitution of learnins^, Nassau hall, around 
 and even within which lay the scene of 
 that day's sanguinary struggle. A Brit- 
 ish grenadier, in the brilliant dress of 
 his corps, is in the act of thrusting his 
 bayonet into the body of the gallant 
 officer, but is restrained by a timely 
 hand. Here, also, the mingling of sol- 
 diers of the two armies, in various atti- 
 tudes and all in energetic action, pro- 
 duces a similar excitement of the mind ; 
 while the consciousness that most of the 
 principal personages are repi'esented by 
 true portraits, adds inestimable value to 
 this, no less than to the other pictures 
 of the Trumbull series. 
 
 Georgetown. — This is a town and 
 port of entry of considerable trade, situ- 
 ated west of Washington, from which it 
 is separated by Rock creek, over which 
 ai'e two bridges, affijrding a convenient 
 connexion between the two cities, the 
 centres of which are about two miles 
 ajiart. 
 
 The ground on which the town stands 
 is irregular, and rises to a considerable 
 height above the Potomac, on which 
 the city fronts. The scenery around 
 is varied and pleasant, and on the west 
 stand the picturesque and I'ocky hills, 
 which here begin to change the aspect 
 of the river's banks. The falls are soon 
 discovered, by following up the narrow 
 gorge through which the stream winds, 
 and through which proceeds the Poto- 
 mac canal, the largest work of the kind 
 in Virginia, or in any of the southern 
 states. 
 
 'J'he Cannon Foundry is situated in a 
 secluded valley of these hills, and on the 
 summit of them stands 
 
 The Roman Catholic College. — There 
 are two laige buildings belonging to it, 
 and it has a president, fourteen profes- 
 sors, about one hundred and forty stu- 
 dents, and twenty-five thousand volumes 
 in its library. The commencement is 
 held in July. 
 
 The Nunnery, or convent of the Visit- 
 ation, is at a short distance from the 
 college. It was founded in 1798, and 
 contains sixty or seventy nuns, some of 
 whom are employed in the female school 
 attached to the institution. 
 
 Chain-Bridge across the Potomac. — 
 Two miles above Geoigetown, in the 
 midst of the wild and romantic scenery 
 which there marks the borders of the 
 stream, a light bridge, constructed of 
 wire, was thrown across the channel, a 
 few years ago. Two heavy abutments 
 of stone were built on the banks, nar- 
 rowing the bed of the stream as far as 
 seemed judicious, and at their extremi- 
 ties were raised columns strong enough 
 to sustain the iron supporters. Depend- 
 ing from the latter, strong wires were 
 extended down to the horizontal mass 
 of woven wire, which formed the main 
 part of the bridge, and on which the 
 floor was laid ; and the whole fabric, 
 when completed, presented the neat and 
 light appearance of the drawing. 
 
 This spot is ten miles below the Great 
 falls of the Potomac, where the stream 
 is pressed through a passage only one 
 hundred yards in width, and falls thirty 
 or forty feet into a rocky basin. Pas- 
 sing on nearly four miles, it reaches the 
 head of the Little falls, or rapids, the 
 descent of which is much more gradual, 
 over broken rocks and a channel rather 
 rapidly descending all the way to tide- 
 water : about thirty-five feet in all. 
 
 Several wooden bridges had been 
 erected across the Potomac, in this part 
 of its course, which had been torn away 
 by the ice or the current in the violent 
 annual floods ; and the wire bridge was 
 adopted with the expectation that it 
 would prove more durable. The nature 
 of the valley through which the Potomac 
 flows, renders the I'ising of the water, at 
 certain seasons, remarkably great and 
 sudden ; and the force of the current at 
 this place, especially when loaded with 
 floating ice, is quite irresistible. Piers 
 can not be expected to stand long in the 
 bed of the river, however solid and firm ; 
 and the only safe alternative was to ex- 
 tend a light bridge from shore to shore, 
 without venturing to seek support in the 
 middle. 
 
302 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 Tims state is bouncled north hy 
 Ohio, Pennsylvania, anJ Maryland ; 
 east by Maryland and the Atlantic; 
 south by North Carolina and a small 
 part of Tennessee ; and west by Ken- 
 tucky and Ohio. The southern boun- 
 dary alone is a straight line, run- 
 ning on a parallel f)f north latitude, 
 nearly coinciding with the boundary 
 between Kentucky and Tennessee 
 almost to its western termination — 
 that is, to the Tennessee river. The 
 northwestern boundary is formed by 
 Ohio river, which is followed up to 
 where it crosses the western line of 
 Pennsylvania, giving to Virginia a long and narrow gore of land, which separates 
 Ohio and Pennsylvania, for a considerable distance, in a singular manner. The 
 northeastern boundary is formed by the Potomac, whose tortuous course gives il 
 an irregular outline. 
 
 The state is crossed by the ridges of the Allegany mountains, from southwest 
 L<; northeast, which give it a considerable diversity of climate, soil, and produc- 
 tions, and in which the principal rivers have their sources. 
 
 Virginia embraces a larger teriitory than any other of the old states, and is 
 remarkable for the varieties of surface and climate which it contains. The Alle- 
 gany mountains mark t)ut one of the four natural divisions of the territory. Next 
 east of this lies the hilly region, beyond which is sea-alluvion. The fourth sec- 
 tion is a peculiar feature by which this state is distinguished from Maryland and 
 North Carolina, which lie adjacent on the north and south. It is a broad tract, 
 which slopes west, and is drained into the Mississippi through the Ohio, partly 
 by the Kenhawa and othe'- tributaries of that river itself, and partly, in l>.3 
 
r 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 303 
 
 more southern parts, by the Tennessee 
 river. 
 
 There is a remarkable spot some dis- 
 tance southwest of the centre of the 
 state, where some of the highest sources 
 of several of the principal rivers of the 
 state rise within a short distance, though 
 flowing in different directions : James 
 river, which empties near the southern 
 extremity of Chesapeake bay; Tennes- 
 see river, which flows southwest and 
 then west through the state of Tennes- 
 see ; and the Kenhawa, running into 
 the Ohio. 
 
 Though the zones of Virginia are not 
 very distinctly marked, each part has 
 its appropriate character. The oceanic 
 section of Virginia is its tropical climate. 
 Latitude, exposure, and depressed level, 
 all combine to give the Chesapeake coun- 
 ties a more elevated temperature than 
 is found in the interior. This difference 
 is seen on vegetation. In the lower 
 counties cotton may be cultivated suc- 
 cessfully, while the uncertainty of grain 
 and meadow-grasses evinces a southern 
 summer. The middle, in all the Atlan- 
 tic states south from Pennsylvania, we 
 find to be the Arcadia of the state. Mid- 
 dle Virginia is, howevei", blended with 
 the mountainous, the former containing 
 the whole or great part of the valley coun- 
 ties, Berkley, Jeffei'son, Frede-rick, Shen- 
 andoah, Rockingham, Augusta, Rock- 
 bridge, Botetourt, Montgomery, Wythe, 
 and Washington. The real mountain 
 section lies northwest from the middle, 
 and extends to the Ohio. The extreme 
 western part is, indeed, composed of a 
 congeries of hills with alluvial bottoms, 
 but the actual mountain ridges approach 
 so near Ohio river, and the hills are in 
 themselves so generally abrupt and lofty, 
 as to give an alpine appearance to the 
 country. Taken as a whole, central 
 Virginia has the best soil, though in the 
 mountainous part there is much that is 
 excellent. With the exception of the 
 southeastern counties, grain and orchard 
 fruits are highly congenial to Virginia, 
 and their various products are the nat- 
 ural, actual, and we may safely say the 
 permanent, staples of the state. Of 
 metals, iron ore is abundant in the cen- 
 tral and western sections. Brine has 
 
 L. 
 
 been procured on the Great Kenhawa, 
 and salt extensively manufactiired. 
 
 The Natural Bridge over Cedar creek, 
 twelve miles southwest of Lexington, is 
 esteemed one of the most extraordinary 
 natural curiosities in the vvoild. The 
 following is Mr. Jeffersc^n's description, 
 in his Notes on Virginia: — 
 
 " Tt is on the ascent of a hill which 
 seems to have been cloven through its 
 length by some great convulsion. The 
 fissure, just by the bridge, is by some 
 admeasurements two hundred and sev- 
 enty feet deep, by otliers only two hun- 
 dred and five. It is about forty-five feet 
 wide at the bottom, and ninety feet at 
 the top: this, of course, determines the 
 length of tire bridge, and its height from 
 the water; its bieudth in the middle is 
 about sixty feet, but more at the ends ; 
 and the thickness of the mass, at the 
 summit of the arch, is about forty feet. 
 A part of this thickness is constituted 
 by a coat of earth, wliich jrives growth 
 to many large trees ; the residue, with 
 the hill on both sides, is one solid rock 
 of limestone. The arch approaches the 
 semi-elliptical form ; but the larger axis 
 of the ellipse, which would be the chord 
 of the arch, is many times longer than 
 the transverse. Though the sides of 
 this bridge are provided in some parts 
 with a parapet of fixed rocks, yet few 
 men have resolution to walk to them 
 and look over into t^^e abyss : you in- 
 voluntarily fall on your nands and feet, 
 creep to the parapet, and peep over it. 
 Looking down from this height about a 
 minute gave me a violent head-ache. If 
 the view from the top be painful and in- 
 tolerable, that from below is delightful 
 in an equal extreme ; it is impossible for 
 the emotions arising from the sublime 
 to be felt beyond what they are here : 
 so beautiful an arch, so elevated, so 
 light, and springing, as it were, up to 
 heaven ! the raptui'e of the spectator is 
 really indescribable ! The fissure con- 
 tinuing narrow, deep, and straight, for 
 a considerable distance above and be- 
 low the bridge, opens a short but very 
 pleasing view of the North mountain on 
 one side, and Blue ridge on the other, 
 at the distance, each of them, of about 
 five miles. This bridge is in the county 
 
304 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 Natural Biidffe over Cedar Creek. 
 
 of Rockbridge, to which it has given 
 name, and affords a public and commo- 
 dious passage over a valley which can 
 not be crossed elsewhere for a consider- 
 able distance. The stream passing un- 
 der it is called Cedar creek ; it is a 
 water of James river, and sufficient in 
 the driest seasons to turn a gristmill, 
 though its feuntain is not more than two 
 miles above." 
 
 The description of Jeft'erson first at- 
 tracted the attention of travellers to this 
 remarkable spot. Of recent descri])- 
 tions, the best is that by Miss Martiueau, 
 which is truly characteristic and inter- 
 esting, and is as follows : — 
 
 " At a mile from the bridge, the road 
 turns off through a wood. Wliile the 
 st.'ige rolled and jolted along the ex- 
 tremely bad road, Mr. L. and 1 went pry- 
 ing about the whole area of the wood, 
 poking our horses' noses into every 
 thicket, and between any two pieces of 
 rock, that we might be sure not to miss 
 our object; the driver smiling afler us, 
 whenever he could spare attention from 
 
 his own not very easy task, of getting 
 his charge along. With all my atten- 
 tion, I could see no precipice, and was 
 concluding to follow the road without 
 any more vagaries, when Mr. L., who 
 was a little in advance, waved his whip 
 as he stood beside his horse, and said : 
 ' Here is the bridge !' I then perceived 
 that we were nearly over it, the piled 
 rocks on either hand forming a barrier, 
 which prevents a careless eye from per- 
 ceiving the ravine which it spans. 1 
 turned to the side of the road, and rose 
 in my stirrup to look over, but I found 
 it would not do. I went on to the inn, 
 deposited my horse, and returned on 
 foot to the bridge. 
 
 " With all my efforts, I could not look 
 down steadily into what seemed the bot- 
 tomless abyss of f)liage and shadow. 
 Fiom every point of the bridge I tiied, 
 and all in vain. I was hented and ex- 
 tremely hungry, and much vexed at my 
 own weakness. The only way was to 
 go down and look up ; though where the 
 bottom could be was past my imagining, 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE Oi"'F VIRGINIA. 
 
 307 
 
 the view from the top seeming to be of 
 foliage below foliage for ever. 
 
 " The way to the glen is through a 
 field opposite the inn, and down a steep, 
 rough, rocky path, which leads under 
 the bridge, and a few yards beyond it. 
 I think the finest view of all is from this 
 jiath, just before reaching the bridge. 
 The irregular rock, spanning a chasm 
 of one hundred and sixty feet in height, 
 and from sixty to ninety in width, is 
 exquisitely tinted with every shade of 
 gray and brown ; while trees encroach 
 from the sides, and overhang from the 
 top, between which and the arch there 
 is an additional depth of fifty-six feet. 
 It was now early in July ; the ti'ees were 
 in their brightest and thickest foliage; 
 and the tall beeches under the arch con- 
 trasted their verdure with the gray rock, 
 and received the gilding of the sunshine, 
 as it slanted into the ravine, glittering 
 in the drip from the arch, and in the 
 !:plashing and tumbling waters of Cedar 
 creek, which ran by our feet. Swal- 
 lows were flying about under the arch. 
 What others of their tribe can boast of 
 such a home ] 
 
 " We crossed and recrossed the creek 
 on stepping-stones, searching out every 
 spot to which any tradition belonged. 
 Under the arch, thirty feet from the water, 
 the lower part of the letters G. W. may 
 be seen, carved in the rock. When 
 Washington was a young man he climbed 
 up hither, to leave this record of his 
 visit. There are other inscriptions of the 
 same kind ; and above them a board, on 
 which are painted the names of two per- 
 sons, who have thought it worth while 
 thus to immortalize their feat of climb- 
 ing highest. But their glory was but 
 transient, after all. They have been out- 
 stripped by a traveller, whose achieve- 
 ment will probably never be rivalled ; 
 for he would not have accomplished it 
 if he could, by any means, have declined 
 the task. Never was a wonderful deed 
 more involuntarily pei'formed. There 
 is no disparagement to the gentleman 
 in saying this : it is only absolving him 
 from the charge of foolhardiness. 
 
 " This young man, named Blacklock, 
 accompanied by two friends, visited the 
 natural bridge; and, being seized ' th 
 
 the ambition appl^ntible along the rido^e 
 of writing his name higters of the Monon- 
 rock opposite to the pai\e Ohio, in that 
 Washington, and carved hriest gore of 
 Others have perhaps seen wha'.ean ele- 
 Blacklock had overlooked — that it ^!9teen 
 a place easy to ascend, but from which' 
 it is impossible to come down. He was 
 forty feet or more from the path ; his 
 footing was precarious ; he was weary 
 with holding on while carving his name ; 
 and his head began to swim when he 
 saw the impossibility of getting down 
 again. He called to his companions 
 that his only chance was to climb up 
 upon the bridge, without hesitation or 
 delay. They saw this, and with anguish 
 agreed between themselves that the 
 chance was a very bare one. They 
 cheered him, and advised him to look 
 neither up nor down. On he went, 
 slanting upward from under the arch, 
 creeping round a projection, on which 
 no foothold is visible from below, and 
 then disappearing in a recess filled up 
 with foliage. Long and long they wait- 
 ed, watching for motion, and listening 
 for crashing among the trees. He must 
 have been now one hundred and fifty 
 feet above them. At length their eyes 
 were so strained that they could see no 
 more, and they had almost lost all hope. 
 There was little doubt that he had fallen 
 while behind the trees, where his body 
 would never be found. They went up 
 to try the chance of looking for him 
 from above. They found him lying in- 
 sensible on the bridge. He could just 
 remember reaching the top, when he 
 immediately fainted." 
 
 Passage through the Blzie Ridge. — 
 The following interesting description 
 is in Jefferson's Notes on Virginia : — 
 
 " The passage of the Potomac through 
 the Blue ridge is one of the most stu- 
 pendous scenes. You stand on a very 
 high point of land ; on your right comes 
 up the Shenandoah, having ranged along 
 the foot of the mountain a hundred miles 
 to seek a vent ; on your left approaches 
 the Potomac, in quest of a passage also ; 
 in the moment of their junction, they 
 rush together against the mountain, rend 
 it asunder, and pass off to the sea. The 
 first glance of this scene hurries our senses 
 
 20 
 
304 
 
 DESCRIPTION^ 
 
 .lON OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 Ili^^^nis earth has been 
 llfTIat the mountains were 
 ^ that the rivers began to 
 vvard ; that in this place par- 
 .ly they have been dammed up by 
 .d Blue ridge of mountains, and have 
 formed an ocean which filled the whole 
 valley; that, continuing to rise, they 
 have at length broken over at this spot, 
 and have torn the mountain down from 
 its summit to its base. The piles of 
 rock on each hand, but particularly on 
 the Shenandoah, the evident marks of 
 their disrupture and evulsion from their 
 beds by the most powei'ful agents of 
 nature, corroborate the impression. But 
 the distant finishing which nature has 
 given to the picture, is of a very differ- 
 ent character ; it is a true contrast to 
 the foreground ; it is as placid and de- 
 lightful as that is wild and tremendous; 
 for the mountain being cloven asunder, 
 she presents to your eye, through the 
 cleft, a small catch of smooth blue hori- 
 zon, at an infinite distance in the plain 
 country, inviting you, as it were, from 
 the riot and tumult roaring around, to 
 pass through the breach and participate 
 of the calm below. Here the eye ulti- 
 mately composes itself; and that way, 
 too, the road happens actually to lead. 
 You cross the Potomac above the junc- 
 tion, pass along its side through the base 
 of the mountain for three miles, its ter- 
 rible precipices hanging in fragments 
 over you, and, within about twenty miles, 
 reach Fredericktown, and the fine coun- 
 try round that. This scene is worth a 
 voyage across the Atlantic ; yet here, 
 as in the neighborhood of the natural 
 bridge, are people who have passed their 
 lives within half a dozen miles, and have 
 never been to survey these monuments 
 of a war between rivers and mountains, 
 which must have shaken the earth itself 
 to its centre." 
 
 \Vie7-^s Cave, on the northwest side 
 of the Blue ridge, is between two and 
 three thousand feet in length, and com- 
 prises various apartments, containing 
 beautiful stalactites and incrustations, 
 which display the most sparkling bril- 
 liancy when surveyed by the light of a 
 torch. Near this there is another sin- 
 gular cavern, called Madison's cave ; and 
 
 in one of the ridges of the Allegany 
 mountains is Blowing cave, from which a 
 current of air continually issues, strong 
 enough to prostrate the weeds at the dis- 
 tance of sixty feet. One of the largest 
 mounds in the valley of the Ohio is in 
 Virginia, near the Ohio, fourteen miles 
 below Wheeling. It is about three hun- 
 dred feet in diameter at the base, sixty 
 at the top, and the perpendicular height 
 is seventy feet. It contains thousands 
 of human skeletons. 
 
 Valley of Virginia. — After leaving 
 Winchester, distant from Woodstock 
 about thirty miles east or northeast, we 
 bid farewell to everything like a rail- 
 road, and plunge into the inidst of the 
 valley of Virginia. The country is un- 
 dulating in its surface, of limestone for-- 
 mation, and distinguished for its roman- 
 tic and beautiful scenery. Through this 
 valley flows the majestic Shenandoah, 
 one of those rivers still bearing its an- 
 cient Indian name, too melodious and 
 expressive to be changed for a better. 
 
 The Shenandoah flows on, a limpid 
 stream, shelving rocks, lying in strata, 
 being often visible on its bottom. Thus 
 the river pursues its course to Harper's 
 Ferry, where, joining its forces to the 
 Potomac, it yields its name to that river, 
 and having saluted the president's man- 
 sion familiarly, and the United States 
 capitol at a more respectful distance, pro- 
 ceeds to bury itself in the ocean. Here 
 are some fine views of the Blue ridge, 
 that famous cordon of mountains, stretch- 
 ing itself like a giant rampart across the 
 state, ascending majestically toward the 
 sky in ambitious and impressive forms, 
 catching and deepening its serene ceru- 
 lean blue, and spreading its own ample 
 shadows over the far-reaching vale be- 
 low. Here a painter's brush would find 
 strong and striking originals; the poet's 
 lyre would waken the sweetest music 
 amoiig the mountain solitudes above, or 
 the green sequestered shades below. 
 This, too, is the region of thriving farm- 
 ers, of fat cattle, and fertile lands. In 
 this valley there are many Germans and 
 descendants of Germans. 
 
 Twenty-five miles west of Winchester 
 is a section or an adjunct of the Blue 
 ridge, sometimes called the Ice moun 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 307 
 
 tain, from a very peculiar foi'mation of 
 a subterrene, or rather a subsaxumous 
 coat of ice, which, on turning up a stone 
 on the warmest day of summer, discov- 
 ers itself with a refreshing coolness. It 
 is, in fact, a natural and magnificent re- 
 frigerator. No night can be passed here 
 without feeling the necessity of a blan- 
 ket. The usual place of resort in the 
 vicinity goes by the name of " Capon 
 springs." 
 
 Taking the summit of the Alleganies 
 as a central point of view to overlook 
 the state, we find first a wide tract of 
 adjacent country, diversified with all the 
 irregularity of a mountainous region, 
 varying from rough and rocky heights, 
 to picturesque and shady valleys, many 
 of which are rich in mines and mineral 
 spi'ings, where the crowds of gay visit- 
 ers, mino^liner with invalids, enliven the 
 picturesque scenes with groups strongly 
 contrasting with the wildness and soli- 
 tude of nature. 
 
 Next eastward of this lies a section, 
 extending to tidewater in the rivers, 
 which am(>unts to 15,3SG square miles; 
 and between that and the eastern boun- 
 dary is anothe!-, with its lower level and 
 navigable waters, and also the sites of 
 the old settlements, having an area of 
 11,805 square miles. 
 
 But the western section, lying beyond 
 the Alleganies, is the most extensive and 
 flourishing. It contains 28,387 square 
 miles. Climate, soil, situation, and the 
 origin of the people, have great influ- 
 ence in stamping a variety of character- 
 istics on these different districts ; for 
 while the low eastern regions are warm, 
 and the soil cultivated by slaves, facilities 
 for navigation have raised large towns 
 amid extensive plantations; in tlie high- 
 er districts, other objects and modes of 
 culture have been adopted, while slaves 
 are less numerous, and they often work 
 side by side with their masters. The 
 relations established by the natural fea- 
 tures of the western district cement the 
 people more intimately with the Missis- 
 sippi valley than with those of the At- 
 lantic borders. So great is the difference 
 of seasons found in different parts of 
 Virginia, that vegetation is often far ad- 
 vanced in the spring at Wheeling when 
 
 it is hardly perceptible along the rid^e 
 which divides the waters of the Monon- 
 gahela from those of the Ohio, in that 
 remarkable, narrow, northwest gore of 
 land before mentioned. The mean ele- 
 vation of central Virginia is eighteen 
 hundred or two thousand feet above the 
 Ohio, the descent to which is by several 
 plains or natural terraces — gradually 
 descending to the west. The climate 
 of the mountainous regions resembles 
 that of the Atlantic coast, as high up as 
 latitude forty three degi'ees. 
 
 Thei'e is a remarkable mountain-ridge 
 from fifteen to twenty miles distant from 
 the Blue ridge, to which it is related 
 as the Blue ridge is to the Alleganies 
 proper. It may be traced through Ma- 
 ryland in the Parr-spring I'idge, Penn- 
 sylvania (where, as in Virginia, it has no 
 distinctive name), and through New Jer- 
 sey in the Schooley's mountain ridge. 
 
 The counties through which the ridge 
 passes in Virginia are Loudoun, Fau- 
 quier, Culpepper, Orange, Albemarle, 
 Nelson, Amherst, Bedford, Franklin, and 
 Henry. 
 
 On most maps the mountains present 
 a confused mass ; but they ai-e, in fact, 
 divided into five or six distinct ridges. 
 Indeed, says Darby, " the whole state, 
 from the head of tidewater to Ohio river, 
 is formed of a series of mountain-chains 
 and intervening valleys." But the Blue 
 ridge is the most prominent, stands vevy 
 detached, has the highest points in the 
 Appalachian chain southwest of Dela- 
 ware river, and everywhere marks the 
 lines between counties. 
 
 The interior of Virginia was almost 
 uninhabited, even by savages, when the 
 country was first known to PJuropeans, 
 A few tribes only occupied any part of 
 its surface, and these dwelt chiefly along 
 the tidewaters. It is capable of sup- 
 porting a population of three millions, 
 even if the arable parts were as thickly 
 inhabited as some of the most populous 
 districts ; but a combination of causes 
 has prevented the increase for some 
 years past.* 
 
 * We improve this allusion to the agricultural resources 
 of this state, to iiitrnduce in a note the following interest 
 ino" letter from a son of Virginia, the Hon. William C. 
 Hives, our niini?ti-r to France. It has reference to his 
 visit to the Woild's Fair at London; and some valua- 
 
308 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 Potomac River. — This noble river 
 abounds with fish, the principal beinj^ 
 the white shad, the herring, and the stur- 
 geon. The latter is taken in a manner 
 said to be peculiar to this section of the 
 country. The sturgeon is a noble deni- 
 
 ble practical remarks will be found in it respecting the 
 application of science to the development of the natural 
 resources of the state. It also records the success, in Eng- 
 land, of M'Cormick's reapinj-machine, the invention oi a 
 citizen of this ancient commonwealth : — 
 
 " Paris, Tuesday, September 30, 1851. 
 " Mr Dear C : Having a week or two at my dis- 
 posal during the last days of the summer. I determined to 
 go over the channel and see for myself that of which the 
 description had filled so many mouths and newspapers 
 for the last four or five months— the Great Exhibition, 
 or what the French more appropriately call it, the Expo- 
 sition Universdle. I am not prepared to say with the 
 queen of Sheba, after her inspection of the riches of Solo- 
 mon, 'ITie half was not told me ;' but, on the contrary, 
 making some deduction from the oriental extravagance 
 with vvhich this wonder of the age has been celebrated 
 by both pen and tonsue, I am yet free to say enough re- 
 mained to make it an object of just and rational curiosity 
 to all who were in circumstances to visit it. 
 
 " A visit to the Crystal Palace is, in truth, a sort of figu- 
 rative voyage of circumnavigation, by which, within the 
 limits of a comparatively small space, and by a few days' 
 industrious observation, you traverse successively the va- 
 rious quarters of the globe, and see before you the pro- 
 ductions, the arts, the riches, and in some degree the 
 respective national manners and customs of them all. 
 And yet this is so contrived as to leave upon the mhid of 
 the beholder a strong impression of the material superi- 
 ority, if not supremacy, of one of these nations over all 
 the rest. England has the vast advantage in the Exhi 
 bition of being at home. One full halt of the fairy build- 
 ing is allotted to the display of her riches and resources, 
 her industry and power — in which her vast tributary pos- 
 sessions in the East and the We:!t (India, Canada, and the 
 isles of the ocean), all glittering with barbaric pomp, are 
 made to revolve in due order around the central orb, daz- 
 zling by the spU-ndor of her own accumulated and gor- 
 geous vi'ealth. The mind is so acted upon by this studi- 
 ous display of boundless dominion, and riches, and power, 
 in the hands of a single nation, that it hardly recovers from 
 the impression in passing through the successive depart- 
 ments allotted to other nations ; for however well tilled 
 many of them are with the choicest productions of ex- 
 quisite taste and superior skill, they all seem dwarfed in 
 comparison with the gigantic development of England at 
 home. In this state ot exhibited inferiority, these nations 
 may legitimately take to themselves the consolation of the 
 lion prostrate beneath the man in the painting— that the 
 man, and not the lion, was the painter I 
 
 " If France, which originated the idea of an exhibition 
 of the products of the arts and industry of all nations, had 
 been permitted l)y her internal condition to carry it into 
 execution, and Paris instead of London had been the scene 
 of its presentation, a very gieat difference would, doubt- 
 less, have been made in the relative position and appear- 
 ance of the competing nations. In that case, the advan- 
 tage of being chez sol. concurring with her unrivalled taste 
 an^i artistic science, and the wonderful resources of her 
 national genius and industry, would have assigned to her 
 the rank of primacy which i.* now held by England in the 
 London Exhibition. Nor would the other nations have 
 had reason to complain of the change of venve. The bright 
 climate of France, and the cordial and genial temper of 
 the people, so readily fraternizing with the other families 
 of mankind, would have made of what has been a stern 
 and somewhat jealous encounter of rival pretensions, a 
 real jubdee of the heart and senses, marking an era in the 
 social intercourse and happiness of nations, as w.U as in 
 their industrial progress. As it is, the Exhibition has 
 Plainly the character of a highly successful speculation, 
 very sagaciously managed, on British account. 
 
 " You will wish to know what sort of figure we of the 
 United ST.vrES have made in this great international con- 
 gress of industry and the arts. The objects which occu- 
 
 l 
 
 zen of the waters, weighing from seven- 
 ty-five to one hundi'ed and fifty pounds. 
 Every passenger up the Potomac has 
 probably seen the prodigious leaps of this 
 fish, sometimes to tlie height of ten feet, 
 and his alacrity at mounting a cascade. 
 
 py much the largest space in the Exhibition, and which 
 have been the chief points, indeed, of popular attraction, 
 are olijects of luxury and ornament, exceedingly costly 
 in both their material and workmanship, and intended to 
 minister to the factitious wants of overgrown wealth. 
 In the British department alone I counted not less than 
 twenty large rooms, with the inscription in glaring capi- 
 tals above them of the adored 'precious metals.' The 
 same general character of. costly magnificence, varying 
 only in the details, predominated in all the rest of the Eu- 
 ropean departments, from the exquisite mosaics of Italy, 
 and the rich silks, and porcelains, and jewelry, of France, 
 to the beautiful and elaborate malachites of Russia, and 
 was conspicuous even in the 'barbaric pearl and gold' of 
 the Asiatic and African contributions. 
 
 " In entering into a competition of so much gorgeous- 
 ness as this, it was hardly to be expected that so young, 
 and simple, and republican a people as that of the United 
 States, would make a very brilliant debut. I always re- 
 gretted, therefore, that we entered the lists as general 
 competitors. If we had gone in simply and avowedly to 
 show the nations of the Old World some of the most valu- 
 able improvements we had made in those manly and use- 
 ful arts adapted to our circumstances and vigorous youth, 
 and had contented ourselves with an allotment of space 
 proportioned to that object, we should have avoided some 
 mortification, at first, to our national pride. A large space, 
 however, was demanded in the outset for the display of 
 American contributions, which, after successive retrench- 
 ments, remained imperfectly filled, and the effigy of the 
 American eagle, in very exaggerated and colossal propor- 
 tions, was conspicuously placed above the whole. ' The 
 Times," the Coryphaeus of the English press, immediately 
 seized upon these circumstances with its accustomed be- 
 nevolence toward the United States, taunting us with 'the 
 solitude in the Crystal Palace over which the American 
 eagle stretched its mighty wings,' and representing ' the 
 space we had grasped in the Exhibition' as being as 'im- 
 perfectly occupied as our vast continent." 
 
 " In spite of these mistakes of our own, and the ill-na- 
 tured use made cf them to our disadvantage by the critics, 
 the solid and intrinsic merit of the American part of the 
 Exhibition finally made itself felt and appreciated by all, 
 and it is now, I think, universally admitted, even in Eng- 
 land, where so many jealousies and prejudices are to be 
 overcome, that, in an industrial and useful point of view, 
 no nation contributed more to the Exhibition than the 
 United States. I am most happy to be able to say to you 
 that nothing has had so powerful an agency in working 
 out this honorable result for our national reputation as a 
 Virginian invention, of which you were one of the ear- 
 lie.-t patrons, and which has received the highest honors 
 at the Exliibition, and is now making a sort of triuujphal 
 progress through England — I mean Si'Cormick's reajdng- 
 machine. It was the successful trial of this machine on 
 the farm of Mr. Mechi, at Tip Tree, on the 29th of July 
 last — eliciting as it did the wonder and admiration of all 
 who witnessed it — that commenced the reaction in favor 
 of the American contributions to the Exhibition. The 
 Englir^h people began then to think that some "good thing 
 might come out of our transatlantic Nazareth,' and from 
 time to time they bestowed souietliing more than a pus- 
 sing, supercilious glance at the American department of 
 the Crystal Palace, and found in it other products of Amer- 
 ican genius and skill, which convinced tlieni that, in this 
 age of progress and invention, stimulated to extraordinary 
 fecundity in the New World, there are not a few things 
 they may learn with advantage of younger nations than 
 themselves. 
 
 "Of these other achievements of American ingenuity 
 I have not the time to speak. You have seen them all 
 noticed in the newspaper reports of the Exhibition : they 
 have, the greater part of them undoubtedly, a very high 
 order of merit; but 1 think I am not misled by n natural 
 partiality for au invention of my own state when 1 say 
 , that the reaping-machine has done most of all to redeem 
 
T?-' 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 309 
 
 It is recorded that during the revolution- 
 ary war, one of these enormous fish de- 
 scended from an aerial leap into a ferry- 
 boat, and falling into the lap of an officer 
 seated on the gunwale, broke his thigh ! 
 It is caught in the Potomac by a naked 
 
 the honor of our country in the trying-, and, to us for a 
 time, apparently hope'.ess contests of the Exhibition. In 
 proof of this, it is sufKcient to mention the fact that it is 
 invariably placed at the head of all the American triumphs 
 in the various notices of the exhibition which have been 
 from time to time published by the European press. I 
 have now before me the leading article of ' The Times' of 
 the 2d instant — the first number of that journal which ac- 
 knowledged the substantial success of the American part 
 of the Exhibition — in which that success and the reaping- 
 machine^ which so much contributed to it, are thus no- 
 ticed : — 
 
 " ' On the other hand, it is beyond all denial that every 
 practical success ot the season belongs to the Americans. 
 TTieir consignments showed poorly at first, but came out 
 ) well upon trial Their reaping-machine has carried con- 
 viction to the heart of the British agriculturist. Their re- 
 volvers threaten to revolutionize military tactics as com- 
 pletely as the original discovery of gunpowder. Their 
 yacht takes a class to itself.' 
 
 " And again, in an article of the same journal of the 27th 
 instant, reviewing the general result of the Exhibition, are 
 the following remarks : — 
 
 " ' One point that strikes us forcibly on a survey of the 
 last few months is, the extraordiary contrast which the 
 attractive and the useful features of the display present. 
 It will be remembered that the American department was, 
 at first, regarded as the poorest and least interesting of all 
 foreign countries. Of late it has justly assumed a position 
 of the first importance, as having brought to the aid of our 
 distressed agriculturists a machine which, if it realizes the 
 anticipations of competent judges, will amply remunerate 
 England for all her outlay connected with the Great Exhi- 
 bition. The reaping-machine from the United States is 
 the most valuable contribution from abroad to the stock 
 of our previous knowledge that we have yet discovered, 
 and several facts in connection with it are not a little re- 
 markable.' 
 
 " It has been a source of patriotic and I trust legitimate 
 pride to me, as a Virginian, that an invention emanating 
 from my own state, and I may say from my own neigh- 
 borhood indeed, has done so much to procure honor to 
 the American name abroad, and to vindicate the claims of 
 American genius and enterprise to the respect and grati- 
 tude of other nations. In these feelings you and your 
 friends around you, who know so well both the invention 
 and the inventor, will. I am sure, largely share. I can not 
 describe to you the feelings of home delight, not unmixed 
 with triumph, with which, on one of the days that I at- 
 tended the Exhibition, I saw the ' Virginia Grain-Reaper' 
 (for by that name Jl'Cormick I'.iaiseU entered his machine 
 on the official catalogue of the Exhibition) as much sur- 
 rounded by curious and interested r.pcctators as the price- 
 less Indian diamond— the Koh-i-noc!-, or Mountain of Light 
 — which usually attracts the la/'2:sstsr.c- most eager crowds. 
 It is in the country, however, when it is at work, sweep- 
 ing with ease over its fifteen or twenty acres of thick- 
 standing wheat a day, that it exc.'tes the strongest enthu- 
 siasm, as it achieves its greatest triumphs. On some of 
 these occasions as many as fifteen hundred or two thou- 
 sand persons have been assembled to witness its perform- 
 ance ; and they have cheered it with loud and hearty plau- 
 dits, when it has finished a row or turned a corner of the 
 field, as if it were some great living hero or conqueror. 
 M'Cormick himself has been filed; and when in acknowl- 
 edging a toast, with true Washingtonian modesty and 
 Spartan brevity, he said he was ' more accustomed to 
 working than speaking, and preferred always that his ma- 
 chine should speak for itself,' he brought down as thun- 
 dering applause as ever greeted an orator in the house of 
 commons. 
 
 "Everybody in England now wonders that a machine 
 at once so simple and so effective, and so precisely adapted 
 to the wants of British agriculture, should never ha7e 
 been invented and brought to perfection by some of their 
 own people, and that it should have been reserved lor a 
 
 hook attached to a line, and drawn with 
 skill imder the belly. It is remarkable 
 that this fish is good only in certain riv- 
 ers : those of the Delaware being thought 
 unfit to eat, while those of the Hudson 
 and Potomac are considered a delicacy. 
 
 modest inhabitant of the mountains of Virginia, more thar 
 three thousand miles distant, to conceive, and execute, 
 and bring to them, what so exactly suited them, without 
 their having been able previously to form a distinct con- 
 ception either of its nature or its practicability. What 
 renders this the more extraordinary (and it is a circum- 
 stance which greatly enhances both the merit and the glory 
 of the American invention) is, that the minds of the most 
 ingenious mechanicians in (Jreat Britain had been earnest- 
 ly directed to the same object, for the catalogue of the 
 Exhibition registers no less than eight different but very 
 imperfect essays toward its accomplishment. My own 
 observation least year at the annual meeting of the Royal 
 Agricultural Society of England, convinced me that a good 
 reaping-machine was the great desideratum in British ag- 
 riculture. In the immense and almost infinitely diversi- 
 fied collection of agricultural implements displayed there, 
 no instrument of that kind was seen ; and yet it was evi- 
 dent that, in a climate so humid and uncertain, some ac- 
 celerated and at the same time economical process of get- 
 ting in their harvest was a matter of the highest impor- 
 tance. I immediately wrote to our friend C.J. Meriwether 
 (as he will doubtless recollect), that if the Virginia reaper 
 were sent out to the Great Exhibition of the next year, 
 for which the arrangements were then commencing, it 
 would make tlie fortune of its inventor. It has not only 
 done this, but it has reaped aharrest of honor and renown 
 for himself his native state, and the reputation of American 
 genius in general, which is a re.'ult far more to be prized. 
 
 " With this encouraging example before us, are we not 
 strongly invited to some change in the direction which 
 has been heretofore so exclusively given to the youthful 
 talent of our state? As soon as our young men leave col- 
 lege, they crowd by hundreds into what are called the 
 learned professions, which are already filled to repieiion ; 
 or they devote themselves to a still more stTile and un- 
 profitable employment of their faculties, for Loth them- 
 selves and the country, in mere party politics, jf the 
 same amount of mind and energy were applied to those 
 useful practical pursuits in which science is the auxiliary 
 of art in indefinitely multiplying the results of labor, and 
 unfolding the latent capabilities of nature, what a magical 
 change would soon be manifested in the prosperity and 
 power of our ancient commonwealth — rich, as all admit 
 iier to be, in every element of moral, intellectual, and ma- 
 terial wealth I 
 
 "In reflecting upon this subject, as I often do with a 
 eohcitude ever alive to the honor and destinies of my 
 native state, I have thought that some modification of 
 the systems of education pursued in most of our public 
 schools would greatly contribute, and is perhaps indis- 
 pensable, to introduce the change which appears so desi- 
 rable in the active direction of our mental resources. 
 Could not that education be made more practical, without 
 abating anything from the high standard of science and 
 learning which should characterize it, simp'y by giving 
 more development to the applications of sciefice to the va- 
 rious branches of industry and art, as is done in the admi- 
 rable institutions of this country, the Ecole lohjtechtiique, 
 the Ecole des Fonts et Chaussees. the Ecole des Mines, and 
 the Ecole Ctntrale des Arts et Manvfactures, from which 
 England, with her usual sagacity, has taken a hint in the 
 establishment of her ' Government School of Mines and 
 Science applied to the Arts,' not being able to engraft 
 these new studies upon the ancient and chartered systems 
 of her universities. Whether the object is to be accom- 
 plished with us by some modification in existing institu- 
 tions, or by the establishment of new and special institu- 
 tions, is a question on which I am not prepared to pro- 
 nounce an opinion. Those who are more competent than 
 myself, recognising the utility of the end. will, I trust, 
 devise the proper means, and my prayers will be for the 
 success of whatever they shall adopt, as they ever are for 
 the happiness and prosperity, in all things, of my native 
 land. Most truly and faithfully yours, 
 
 "W. C. RivKS." 
 
310 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OP VIRGINIA. 
 
 The wild birds which frequent the 
 'oosom and shores of the Potomac, are 
 very numerous. Among them ai'e the 
 swai), the wild goose, the red-head shov- 
 eler, the black-head shoveler, the duck 
 and mallard, the black duck, the blue- 
 winged teal, the green-winged teal, the 
 widoreon, and the far-celebrated can- 
 vass-back. .This duck, which we believe 
 is unrivalled in the world for richness of 
 flavor, is one of a class called drift-fowl, 
 from their habit of floating in the mid- 
 dle of the river when at rest. The two 
 species of shoveler have the same habit, 
 and are scarcely inferior in flavor. The 
 canvass-back, it is supposed, breeds on 
 the borders of the northern lakes, or on 
 the shores of Hudson's bay ; and in their 
 migrations confine their pasture almost 
 exclusively to the Chesapeake and Po- 
 tomac. It is well ascertained that they 
 feed on the bulbous root of a grass which 
 grows on the flats in these rivers, and 
 which is commonly known as wild cel- 
 ery. It is said, that during a hard 
 winter, some forty years ago, a strong 
 wind blew so much of the water oif the 
 flats of James river, that the remainder 
 froze to the bottom, enclosing the long 
 tops of this grass so closely in the ice, 
 that when it broke up, and was floated 
 off" in the spring, it tore whole fields of 
 it up by the roots, and destroyed the 
 pasture. Since that time the canvass- 
 back has never been seen on the river. 
 
 The bald duck feeds very frequently 
 among these water-fowl; and not hav- 
 ing the power to dive entirely under 
 water in search of food, he watches for 
 the rising of the canvass-back, and, by 
 liis superior quickness on the wing, 
 seizes on the celery the moment it ap- 
 pears above the surface, and escapes 
 with it to the shore. 
 
 The canvass-back is often shot from 
 behind blinds of brush, which conceal 
 the sportman, in the midst of the feed- 
 ing ground. There is a practice, how- 
 ever, of " tolling them in," as it is called, 
 by shaking a colored handkerchief tied 
 to the branch of a decayed tree. On 
 what propensity of the bird the success 
 of this manoeuvre is founded, it would 
 be difficult to say. There is no doubt 
 of the fact, however, that they are thus 
 
 decoyed within gun-shot ; and it is re- 
 lated of an old sportsman on the Poto- 
 mac, that a long queue of red hair, 
 which he wore in a brush, and shook 
 over his shoulder, served the purpose 
 admirably well. Perhaps we have yet 
 to discover that birds have curiosity. 
 
 Among the many varieties of wild fowl 
 found on the Potomac, below Harper's 
 Ferry, is the wild swan. The young 
 bird is considered a great delicacy; 
 while the old one is hard and without 
 flavor. In a book on the District of Co- 
 lumbia, by Mr. Elliott, there are some 
 curious particulars respecting their hab- 
 its, and the manner of taking them. 
 
 " This noble bird," says the author, 
 "is seen floating near the shores, in flocks 
 of some two or three hundred, white as 
 the driven snow, and from time to time 
 emitting fine, sonorous, and occasionally 
 melodious songs — so loud, that they 
 might be heard, on a still evening, two 
 or three miles. There are two kinds, 
 so called from their respective notes — 
 the one the trumpeter, and the other 
 the hooper ; the trumpeter is the largest, 
 and, when at full size, will measure from 
 five to six feet from the bill to the point 
 of the toe, and from seven to eight feet 
 from the tip of one wing to the tip of 
 the other, when stretched and expanded. 
 They are sagacious and wary, and de- 
 pend more on the sight than on the 
 sense of smell. On a neck nearly three 
 feet in length, they are enabled to ele- 
 vate their heads so as to see and dis- 
 tinguish, with a quick and penetrating 
 eye, objects at a great distance ; and by 
 means of this same length of neck, they 
 feed in slack tides, by immersing, as is 
 their habit, nearly all of the body, and 
 throwing only their feet and tails out in 
 three or four feet water, and on the flatty 
 shores they frequent, generally beyond 
 gunshot; the sportsman availing him- 
 self, hov/ever, of a peculiar propenoitj 
 (of which we shall presently speak more 
 particularly) prevailing with them, and 
 some of the other water-fowl, often toll 
 them within reach of their fire. The 
 swans remahi here the whole winter, 
 only shifting their ground, in severe 
 weather, from the frozen to the open 
 part of the river, and dropping down 
 
 -dJ 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 311 
 
 into tVe salts, where it is rarely frozen. 
 They get into good condition soon after 
 their arrival in autumn, and remain fat 
 until toward spring, when, a few weeks 
 before their departure (about the first 
 of March), they gradually become thin- 
 ner in flesh ; and in the latter part of 
 their sojourn here, are found so poor 
 and light, that, when shot, the gunner 
 gets nothing fit for use but the feathers. 
 Whether this circumstance be owing to 
 their having exhausted the means of 
 subsistence at their feeding-places, or 
 that they are taught by Him who rules 
 the universe, in small as well as great 
 things, thus by abstaining, to prepare 
 themselves for the long aerial voyages 
 which they are about to undertake, 
 we pretend not to determine with cer- 
 tainty; there is nothing more wonderful 
 in this than in the fact, which is noto- 
 rious, that they, by exercise, regularly 
 and assiduously fit themselves for this 
 continuous effort, to bear themselves 
 through the air to the distance of per- 
 haps a thousand miles or leagues. Large 
 flocks are seen every day rising from the 
 river, and taking a high position, flying 
 out of sight, and apparently moving in a 
 circuit to a considerable distance, again 
 returning to or near the same place, du- 
 ring the last two or three weeks of their 
 stay. 
 
 " The swan is ' tolled' by a dog that 
 is taught to play about within easy call 
 of his master, at the edge of the water; 
 the hunter contrives to place himself 
 behind a log, or some other cover well 
 concealed, before he begins his opera- 
 tions, taking care to observe that the 
 direction of the wind is not unfavorable 
 to him, and that the flock he means to 
 toll is near enough to distinguish such ob- 
 jects on the shore, and under tjo alarm at 
 the time. By what motive these fowls 
 are influenced, we have not heard satis- 
 factorily explained ; but certain it is, 
 they are very commonly brought in from 
 some hundreds of yards' distance, in this 
 wty, to within point-blank shot. It is 
 sai 1, and perhaps truly, in the case of 
 the dog, that they fancy themselves in 
 pursuit of some animal, as the fag or 
 mink, by which their young are annoyed 
 at their breeding-places. 
 
 " The wild goose is yet more wary and 
 vigilant to keep out of harm's way than 
 the swan. He too is sharp-sighted, 
 but depends much on his sense of smell 
 for protection : this is so well known to 
 the huntsman, that he never attempts, 
 however he may be concealed from this 
 bird, to approach it from the direction 
 of the wind ; since he would assuredly 
 be scented before he could get within 
 gun-shot, and left to lament his error, by 
 the sudden flight of the whole flock. 
 These geese, toward spring, often alight 
 on the land, and feed on the herbage in 
 fields ; and sometimes in such numbers 
 as to do great injury to the wheat-fields 
 on the borders of the river." 
 
 Geological Facts. — Some twenty 
 or thirty feet below the level of the plain 
 around Richmond, occurs one of the most 
 remarkable deposites in this or any coun- 
 try. The place in which it has been 
 found most fully developed, is where the 
 small brook at the east end and on the 
 north side of Clay street empties into 
 Shockoe creek. On the bank of that 
 brook will be seen a stratum from ten 
 to fifteen feet thick, which most per- 
 sons would call white clay; but Pro- 
 fessor W. B. Rogers (the state geologist) 
 of the university, has ascertained that 
 it is made up almost entirely o? animal - 
 tulcB^ ox infusoria — that is, microscopic 
 animals. These skeletons, consisting of 
 silex, are incredibly small, so that each 
 cubic inch of this infusorial earth con- 
 tains many thousand millions of them. 
 How inconceivably numerous, therefore, 
 must they be, to form a deposite at least 
 ten feet thick, and extending many miles 
 over the adjoining country ! It has ex- 
 cited great interest among the learned 
 naturalists of Europe as well as of our 
 own country, and henceforth none of 
 them will visit Richmond without at 
 once searching for this deposite. Pro- 
 fessor Ehrenberg, of Prussia, the most 
 eminent of living microscopists, has ex- 
 amined specimens- from this place, and 
 discovered in them at least one hundred 
 and thirty species of these minutest of 
 animals. To discover them in this al- 
 most impalpable dust, requires a power- 
 ful microscope; and doubtless, therefore, 
 many who look at specimens with the 
 
312 
 
 nl 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 naked eye, will be very incredulous as 
 to these statements. But they are con- 
 sidered as established facts by the sci- 
 entific world. 
 
 The substance may be distinguished 
 from clay by being much lighter when 
 dry. It is not, indeed, much heavier 
 than magnesia, when pure. In other 
 parts of the world it is sometimes used 
 for polishing-powder. From a slight 
 trial, it is believed that the Richmond de- 
 posite would answer the same purpose. 
 
 Beneath the infusorial deposite is a 
 greenish or bluish clay, containing nu- 
 merous seashells, or rather casts and 
 moulds of them, with sharks' teeth, &c. ; 
 but these, although of deep interest to 
 geologists, will not excite much atten- 
 tion from others. 
 
 It can hardly be doubted, that when 
 this region was covered by the ocean, 
 the waters swarmed with microscopic 
 animalcules, whose skeletons, as the ani- 
 mals died, dropped to the bottom, and 
 in the coui'se of ages accumulated pro- 
 digiously. But when we recollect how 
 astonishingly fast they multiply, we need 
 not suppose many centuries necessary to 
 produce even this extraordinary thick- 
 ness. 
 
 Scenery and Climate. — So beauti- 
 ful is that portion of the state which is 
 encircled by the lofty summits of the 
 Allegany, that scarcely can its inhabit- 
 ants be charged with blinding prejudice 
 in believing and styling it the " garden 
 of the state," or even the " Eden of the 
 world," The climate presents a pleas- 
 ant n'edium between the extremes of 
 heat and cold, occasioning particular 
 prevalence to neither the fevers incident 
 to the one, nor the pulmonary complaints 
 belonging to the other. The moun- 
 tains — still the haunt of game, and oft- 
 entimes re-echoing the sound of the 
 hunter's gun, the baying of his hounds, or 
 perchance the mirthful laugh of young 
 equestrians, who seek amusement on 
 their sides and summits, by the exhil- 
 arating exercise to which they invite — 
 give healthful relief from the ennui of 
 southern life ; and at the same time, 
 crowned with foliage, or capped with 
 fire, reflecting and dispersing the rays 
 of the rising or setting sun, they impart 
 
 variety to the scenery, and render it 
 grand beyond the power of desciiption. 
 Reposing in their midst, are those 
 medicinal waters, which give health to 
 the pilgrim and pleasure to its devotee 
 from the most distant borders of our 
 land. The soil, in parts at least, of 
 high fertility, adds beauty to the land- 
 scape, by the luxuriant covering which 
 it spreads over the face of nature. 
 
 In the months of spring, the eye is 
 everywhere met by wide fields of clo- 
 ver, colored by its blossoms, and load- 
 ing the air with fragrance. Later in 
 the year, scattered here and there, are 
 seen plantations of tobacco, fields of 
 corn of gigantic growth, and of hemp — 
 the dai'k, rich foliage of the latter rising 
 far above the barriers that would hem 
 it in. Nor does the hoar frost of winter 
 entirely despoil the landscape of its love- 
 liness. Even then, lay revelling in the 
 wai'm sunlight of each genial day, fields 
 of grain, that, anticipating the early 
 spring, have already put on their dress 
 of green, in which to wait its coming. 
 
 But let us turn from this to another 
 poi'tion of Virginia — a portion far less 
 favored in respect to soil and climate, 
 still viewed, perhaps, with scarcely less 
 partial satisfaction by those who have 
 had long familiarity with its droughts 
 and heats — have inhaled from infancy 
 its pestilential breath, and with every 
 autumn, greeting as old acquaintances, 
 have lustily and, forsooth, involuntarily 
 shaken hands with its chills and fevers. 
 Scarcely does the traveller leave, with 
 the setting sun, the blue lofty summits 
 of the Allegany, as he is informed by 
 the increasing uniformity of scenery, 
 multitudinous marshes, forests of ever- 
 green, and wide-spread plains of sand, 
 that he is in verity entering upon the 
 pine barrens of the South Atlantic coast. 
 On every side he observes tracts of land 
 lying waste, half overgi'own with briers 
 and thistles, or low underwood, wliich, 
 he is told, is left to regain its strength, 
 by the rest of sevei*al seasons, or per- 
 haps has been "turned out" — that is, 
 given over to a second growth of forest. 
 Much of the wooded land around him, 
 densely covered with full-grown pines, 
 he will find to be of this last description. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OP VIRGINIA. 
 
 313 
 
 Meager herds of cattle wander through 
 the tall coarse grass, or feed on the ref- 
 use of cornfields. Tracts of corn and 
 cotton are, at least to the planter's eye, 
 relievmg features of the landscape. 
 
 But aside from the peculiarities of 
 natural scenery, there are others whidi 
 can not fail to fix the eye of the stran- 
 ger, in traversing this portion of Vir- 
 ginia. He will observe the singular 
 appearance given to country houses, by 
 the common custom of placing the chim- 
 neys exterior to the main building. He 
 will also notice a scarcity of barns ; and 
 if, perchance, on the borders of some 
 pleasant grove, or in the outskirts of a 
 forest, he spies a rude shelter which he 
 would mistake for a barn, he is at once 
 informed that he sees before him a coun- 
 try church, where a periodical discourse 
 calls together a multitude of wealthy 
 planters from ten, fifteen, or even twenty 
 miles around. But though in this warm 
 climate, cattle require no lodging-places, 
 still a destitution of out-houses will in 
 no wise be observed to be a characteris- 
 tic of a southern residence. Conspicu- 
 ous enough will be seen a meat-house, 
 and from this, as a centre, radiate many 
 humble dwellings, constituting almost a 
 villaore of themselves. Fine flourishing- 
 orchards, filling up the rear-ground of 
 the pictm-e, will for the most part be 
 looked for in vain. Even figs, peaches, 
 apricots, and grapes — which, in this fa- 
 voring temperature, might be expected 
 to multiply in profusion — are generally 
 far from abundant. 
 
 To the prevalence of fevers we have 
 ali'eady alluded. Regular as the pes- 
 tiferous dews and decay of foliage in 
 August and September, so regular are 
 their ravages on human prey. Friend 
 then anxiously watches the countenance 
 of friend, in dread expectancy of tracing 
 there the saffron mark of the king of 
 terrors. Still, long familiarity with dis- 
 ease, and pi'actical skill acquired for its 
 control, have, to a considerable degree, 
 given to the inhabitants a sort of reck- 
 lessness and seeming insensibility to the 
 extent to which it prevails ; and question 
 one of them if his locality be healthful, 
 and you will probably be assured that, 
 though pestilence sti'olls through sur- 
 
 rounding districts, his own is the favor- 
 ite abode of Esculapius. And you will 
 not discover that it is otherwise, till, as 
 the sickly season approaches, you see 
 on every hand increasing symptoms of 
 disease ; one after another, in alarming- 
 ly rapid succession, sinking beneath its 
 influence ; and it sometimes happens, 
 that in a neighborhood thus afflicted, 
 there are scarcely a sufficient number of 
 well persons to take care of the sick. 
 
 Turning northward from Virginia — 
 not in spring, but in the last months of 
 summer — a pleasing change of scenery 
 is soon apparent to the observer. The 
 fields contract in their dimensions, yet 
 present to the eye a greater variety, and 
 everywhere assume a more fresh and 
 healthful aspect. The tall brown grass 
 gives place to verdant meadows. Herb- 
 age becomes of a deeper green, and 
 dense fields of corn and broomcorn wave 
 gently to the breeze. Fruit-yards and 
 orchards multiply in all directions, en- 
 circlitig every little country cottage, and 
 weighed down with their luxuriant bur- 
 dens, imparting to the landscape an air 
 of peace and plenty. Towns and vil- 
 lages are of greater frequency. And in 
 short, as you approach the great noith- 
 ern metropolis of trade, the whole ap- 
 pearance of things is changed ; you are 
 greeted in a different dialect ; different 
 habits and manners attract aUention ; 
 and a certain something in the general 
 air of all around, tells you that the hot 
 haste of steam has in two short days 
 conveyed you to another soil, beneath 
 another sky, and among another people. 
 Still you are yet, as it were, only in the 
 great congress-place of states. Here 
 citizens from both sides of Dixon's line 
 meet, some on business, others in friend- 
 ship. Peculiarities of diverse sections 
 of our Union conflict with and modify 
 each other; and altogether there is pre- 
 sented a sort of amalgamated medium 
 or medley mass, retaining indeed much 
 that is sectional, but intermingled with 
 almost every variety of habits, appear- 
 ance, and customs. 
 
 History. — Some writers are '^f the 
 opinion that Sebastian Cabot discovered 
 the coast of Virginia, in his voyage of 
 1498 ; but circumstances delayed the 
 
314 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 settlement, and even all particular ac- 
 quaintance, with this part of the country 
 until a much later period. In conse- 
 quence of Martin Frobisher having taken 
 back to England from Hudson river, as 
 was pretended, a small piece of gold, 
 the merchants of London, incited by 
 the hope of enricliing themselves as the 
 Spaniards had done in South America, 
 engaged in voyages of discovery with 
 great zeal in 1578. But this spirit was 
 short-lived, their enterprises being alto- 
 gether unfortunate. The expedition of 
 Sir Humplirey Gilbert in 1578, and that 
 in 1583, had no better success, one of 
 the vessels, with the leader of the expe- 
 dition, being lost on the way home. 
 
 The next year, however, his step- 
 brother, Sir Walter Raleigh, had better 
 success, in a voyage he made to America, 
 under one of the very liberal royal pat- 
 ents so easily obtained at that period. 
 On the 13Lh of July the vessels entered 
 Ocracoke inlet (now in North Carolina) ; 
 and a landing was made at Wocoken 
 island, where an amicable intercourse 
 was opened with the natives. A colony 
 was formed under Governor Lane; but 
 as no gold was found, and prospects be- 
 came discouraging, it was soon aban- 
 doned, but not until the important dis- 
 covery had been made of Chesapeake 
 bay. Passing by one or two other un- 
 successful attempts of the same kind, 
 we come to the year 1606, when .James- 
 town was occupied by the celebrated 
 Captain John Smith. 
 
 Under the command of Captain New- 
 port, on the 19th of December, three 
 small vessels sailed for Virginia with 
 one hundred and five colonists. The 
 aggregate numbers of tons of all these 
 vessels was one hundred and sixty ; and 
 they were detained on the English coast 
 six weeks by the weathei'. 
 
 Taking the usual course of a southern 
 passage at that day, they steered first for 
 the Canary islands, and then stopped at 
 the West Indies ; and the consequence 
 was, that the expedition did not arrive 
 at the Delaware until April 26th of the 
 following year. Dissensions had arisen 
 during the voyage, which could not be 
 pacified before making the land, because 
 the instructions delivered ihein by royal 
 
 authority were sealed, and not to be 
 opened until after the landing. 
 
 The capes of the Chesapeake ther 
 received the names which they still beai', 
 after the two sons of King James — 
 Charles and Henry. The first landing 
 was effected on Cape Henry, and there 
 the instructions were read, which ap- 
 pointed a council for the government of 
 the country, among which was Smith. 
 Such, however, was the opposition made 
 to him, that he was excluded by a vote, 
 and Wingfield was elected president. 
 The colonists soon re-embarked, sailed 
 into the bay, and entered a fine river, 
 which they named James, in honor of 
 the king, though the natives called it 
 Powhatan. Proceeding up the stream 
 about fifty miles, they chose a spot for 
 a town. The president, through some 
 foolish jealousy of his people, refused 
 permission to erect a fort or to allow 
 military exercises, but sent Smith and a 
 few other men to make discoveries ; 
 while, by the exertions of Kendall, a 
 half-moon was constructed of the boughs 
 of trees, as a feeble breastwork. 
 
 Jamestown, seven miles from Wil- 
 liamsburg, is now a deserted sf.ct con- 
 taining only a few remains of its ancient 
 importance. It is truly an interesting 
 place, as the first ground occupied by a 
 permanent colony within the boundaries 
 of the country, and the scene of the 
 principal events, before mentioned, con- 
 nected with the early settlement. 
 
 James city was one of the eight origi- 
 nal shires into which Virginia was di- 
 vided in 1634, and is tv/enty-three miles 
 long by about eight miles wide, being 
 bounded on the north and south by York 
 and James rivers. The population nt 
 the last census was 1,325 whites, 1,94/ 
 slaves, 507 free colored persons — in all, 
 3,779. 
 
 Jamestown is the spot which was oc- 
 cupied by Captain John Smith and his 
 companions, and is a point of land be- 
 longing to the tract that extends into 
 James river. The current is gradually 
 wearing away the land. The only re- 
 mains are the stone lower of an old, 
 ruinous church, of unknown date, and 
 the churchyard. The Westover manu- 
 script says a church was • erected here 
 
316 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 very soon after the beginning of the set- 
 tlement, but it cost only fifty pounds, and 
 therefore must have been but a small 
 and perishable building. The edifice 
 of which the remains are now to be 
 seen, must have been of a later date, and 
 may have been the second which, as we 
 learn from Smith's journal, was in ruins 
 in 1617. If so, the venerable remains 
 represented in the cut must be two hun- 
 dred and thirty years old. 
 
 This vicinity is also remarkable for 
 the invasion of Arnold, January 3, 1781, 
 and for two actions fought here between 
 General La Fayette and the troops of 
 Cornvvallis, June 25 and July 8, 1781. 
 
 But to return to the narrative of early 
 events. While on his journey of dis- 
 covery. Smith penetrated to the falls of 
 the river, and found a native tribe seated 
 near the present site of Richmond, un- 
 der the command of the chief Powhatan, 
 by whom he was kindly received. But 
 during his absence, the colonists, while 
 at work, had been assailed by the neigh- 
 boring savages, who wounded seventeen 
 men and killed a boy. The interference 
 of the crews of the vessels alone saved 
 them all from destruction. From that 
 time watch was kept by day and night, 
 and preparation made for defence by 
 erecting a fort and otherwise. 
 
 Newport prepared to depart at the 
 end of six weeks ; but before he left the 
 colony. Smith was tried by the council 
 at his own request; and although great 
 exertions were made to procure his 
 condemnation, he received an award of 
 two hundred pounds as damages for in- 
 jurious treatment; but this he thi*ew 
 into the common stock. The vessels 
 now sailed, leaving q feeble colony of 
 about one hundred men, about one half 
 of whom were "gentlemen," unaccus- 
 tomed to labor, and ill qualified to en- 
 dure privations and hardships ; and so 
 powerful were the effect of the climate 
 and the circumstances around them, that 
 at the end of a week hardly ten of the 
 company were able to stand upon their 
 feet. Fifty died between the months 
 of May and September; yet the presi- 
 dent felt so little sympathy with his com- 
 panions, that he enjoyed every luxury 
 within his reach, while they were living 
 
 miserably on such food as they weie 
 able to procure, chiefly sturgeon and 
 crabs taken from the water. Newport, 
 however, being at length arrested, in ai; 
 attempt to abandon the sufferers by sail 
 iiig away in the pinnace, was deposed, 
 and -Ratcliffe was appointed president 
 in his place. 
 
 He. however, proved so unpopular 
 and so incompetent, that he was glad to 
 place Smith in fact at the head of affairs; 
 and by the energy of the latter, the col- 
 ony was saved from starvation. Find- 
 ing all other means to obtain provisions 
 unsuccessful, he managed to terrify the 
 Indian tribe dwelling at Hampton (then 
 called Keochtan), so much that they fur- 
 nished them with food. Soon after this, 
 Smith was made prisoner by the sav- 
 ages, and after being sentenced to die, 
 and led out for execution, was rescued 
 by the celebrated princess Pocahontas ; 
 with the history of whom, and this sin- 
 gular act of humanity performed by her, 
 we presume our readers are familiar. 
 
 In 1609, a new charter was granted 
 by the king to the company, entitled 
 " The Treasurer and Company of Ad- 
 venturers of the City of London, for 
 the First Colony in Virginia ;" the pow- 
 ers and territory being enlarged, and a 
 new council being formed in England, 
 while the old pi'esident and council were 
 abolished. Lord Delaware, or De la 
 War, was appointed governor, and five 
 hundred emigrants were collected, who 
 embarked in nine ships, under the com- 
 mand of Captain Newport, who, with 
 Sir Thomas Gates and Sir George Som- 
 ers, was to exercise the government 
 until the arrival of the governor. The 
 vessel in which the three governors sailed 
 was separated from the rest by a storm, 
 and di'iven to Bermuda; and, when the 
 others arrived at Jamestown, the emi- 
 grants proved so wild and insubordinate, 
 and so unsuccessful in their attempts to 
 form a government, that Smith, finding 
 the colony exposed to an attack from 
 the Indians, I'esumed his authority, im- 
 prisoned the most turbulent, and soon 
 reduced things to a state of order. He 
 then sent a band of settlers into the 
 country, who began a new town ; but, 
 being alarmed at the hostile aspect of 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 317 
 
 the natives, they soon sent to him for 
 protection. 
 
 Smitli, a sliort time after this, was 
 shockingly mangled by the explosion of 
 some gunpowder, and was compelled to 
 go to England for surgical aid, whence 
 he never returned. The colony suffered 
 severely from his loss. Being left un- 
 der the governmeot of Mr. Percy, a 
 man of less energy than goodness of 
 heart, the motley band of colonists, con- 
 sisting chiefly of broken-down trades- 
 men and profligate young men, soon fell 
 into confusion and anarchy ; and the In- 
 dians, emboldened by their weakness, 
 threatened them so much that the settle- 
 ment was abandoned, and the people 
 were proceeding to sea, when, at the 
 mouth of James river, they met Lord 
 Delaware, and were encouraged to re- 
 turn. By remonstrances, threats, and 
 promises, he reduced them to a state of 
 order, and formed a council, consisting 
 of Sir Thomas Gates, his lieutenant- 
 general; Sir George Somers, tiis admi- 
 ral; the honorable George Percy, one 
 of his captains; Sir Fernando Weinman, 
 his master of ordnance ; and Christopher 
 Newport, his vice-admiral. 
 
 But the state of things was very alarm- 
 ing; though the ships had brought out 
 clothing and biscuit, they had not sup- 
 plies of meat; the five hundred hogs 
 left by Smith were all gone, and the In- 
 dians had driven away the deer from 
 the forest on purpose to distress the for- 
 eigners ; while the fish, though abun- 
 dant, could not be taken for the want 
 of good nets. The governor had found 
 plenty of hogs at Bermuda, though there 
 were no inhabitants, and sent there for 
 a supply ; while he took other means to 
 procure provisions, though with little 
 success, as most of the Indians refused 
 all assistance, and Powhatan was openly 
 hostile. 
 
 To terrify this chief, Delaware cut 
 off the hand of one of his Indians, and 
 sent him to threaten similar treatment 
 to all who should attempt to injure the 
 colonists ; and this awed the savages in- 
 to peace. The first exports were soon 
 after made from the colony to England; 
 and being only cedar and black-walnut 
 wood and iron, instead of gold, the com- 
 
 pany were hardly persuaded, by Dela- 
 ware's representations of the fertility 
 of the soil and the prospect of success 
 in agriculture, to sustain the settlem3nt 
 they had begun. Successive fluctuatf :>n8 
 in the political condition of the colony 
 continued to retard its improvement for 
 several years. 
 
 In 1613 the land was divided among 
 the people, having before that been held 
 in common, by which practice general 
 idleness had been fostered. The fol- 
 lowing year, Argal was sent against the 
 French colony of L'Acadie, and he took 
 Port Royal, and also seized New York, 
 on his way home, in the name of Eng'- 
 land. Tobacco began to be extensively 
 cultivated in 1615. 
 
 Captain Argal was appointed gover- 
 nor in 1616, after the return of Gover- 
 nor Yeardly to England ; but, in conse- 
 quence of tyrannical conduct, he was 
 superseded by Yeardly in 1619, In 
 that year the first colonial assembly in 
 America was convoked, and consisted 
 of the governor, the council, and two 
 burgesses, elected by each of the bor- 
 oughs, which then numbered eleven. 
 They assembled in one room at James- 
 town, and the laws they adopted were 
 sent to England for the approbation of 
 the company, who soon after sanctioned 
 the acts of the Virginia legislature, but 
 reserved the power of appointing a coun- 
 cil of state. The laws passed by the 
 legislature were to be ratified by the 
 court of proprietors, and the orders of 
 that court \vere to be approved by the 
 assembly, before they could be carried 
 into effect. 
 
 The first slaves were brought into the 
 colony in 1620, by a Dutch trading-ves- 
 sel from Africa, which sailed up James 
 river, and sold part of her cargo to the 
 planters. Finding the climate more fa- 
 vorable to blacks, impoi'tations increased, 
 and the traffic soon became extensive. 
 
 During the civil wars in England un- 
 der the reign of Charles I., many of his 
 opposers, after falling into his hands as 
 prisoners, were transported to Virginia 
 and sold as slaves. This was the fact 
 with many of the captives taken in the 
 battles of Dunbar and Worcester, and 
 the leaders of the insurrection of Pen- 
 
318 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 ruddoc. Besides, many poor persons 
 were induced to emigrate from England, 
 under promises to pay their passage by 
 subsequent labor ; and these were sold 
 to the highest bidders after their arrival, 
 and set to work for the benefit of their 
 purchasers. 
 
 In 1G20, ninety young women were 
 sent from England to be sold for wives ; 
 and in the following year sixty more. 
 The first sales were made for one hun- 
 dred and twenty pounds of tobacco, and 
 the last for one hundred and fifty. 
 
 Measures were soon after taken for 
 the establishment of an institution for 
 education, which at length resulted in 
 the foundation of William and Mary col- 
 lege. A dispute arose, under Sir Geo. 
 Yeardley's government, with the king 
 about the exportation of tobacco ; and 
 great and imminent dangers were threat- 
 ened by an Indian plot to extirpate the 
 colonists, which was so far successful 
 that three hundred and forty-seven per- 
 sons' lives wei'e sacrificed, and the num- 
 ber of settlements reduced from eighty 
 to six. A war ensued, in which the 
 savages suffered severely. 
 
 After a prolonged contest between 
 King James and the colony, a new chai'- 
 ter was exchanged for the old, while he 
 prohibited the cultivation of tobacco in 
 England, and gave the exclusive trade 
 in it to Virginia and the Soraers islands. 
 Charles I., on the other hand, claimed 
 the government to himself, and forbade 
 the vending of tobacco to any but his 
 own agents, appointing Yeardley gov- 
 ernor, and twelve councillors to make 
 laws and exercise other high powers, 
 which led to new difficulties. The au- 
 thority of Cromwell was disputed as 
 long as possible, and the majority of 
 the people, being episcopalians and loy- 
 alists, ever remained attached to the 
 royal party, and received from Charles 
 II., while in exile. Sir William Berkeley 
 as their governor. After the restoration, 
 Berkeley introduced several aristocratic 
 features into the government, establish- 
 ing the church of England by law, pro- 
 hibiting the preaching of dissenters, de- 
 priving the poorer people of the right of 
 suffrage, raising the salaries of officers, 
 &c. The navigation-act was passed by 
 
 parliament, by which new restrictions 
 were laid on commerce ; and Bacon's 
 rebellion soon after broke out, which 
 continued seven months, until the death 
 of its ringleader, who had already suc- 
 ceeded in reducing Jamestown to ashes, 
 and sustaining a rebellious government. 
 Berkeley, with great humanity, soon re- 
 duced the colony again to quiet ; but a 
 variety of changes afterward followed, 
 which may be passed by in a brief sketch 
 of the history of this colony. 
 
 Virginia continued attached to the roy- 
 al partv in Enjjland throucrh the struor- 
 gles of the following generations. The 
 French war, in the middle of the last 
 century, had disastrous effects on the 
 new western settlements, which were 
 the scenes of massacres and of several 
 military expeditions, especially the ill- 
 fated one under General Braddock. 
 
 In that war, George Washington com- 
 menced that career which he pursued 
 through the revolution with such unri- 
 valled splendor, and with such great and 
 beneficial effects to his country and to 
 mankind. 
 
 -Says a late writer: "I look upon 
 Washington as the peculiar gift of God 
 to the American people : I regard him 
 as specially raised up as our political 
 Joshua, to guide these people across 
 the swellings of a war-vexed revolution 
 to the fair inheritance of freedom which 
 lay beyond. I behold in him the devel- 
 opment of a character that has no equal 
 in the annals of man ; and I feel, there- 
 fore, that it is true, as has been stated 
 by a distinguished nobleman of England 
 (Lord Brougham), that, until time shall 
 be no more, the progress of our race in 
 wisdom and virtue will be tested by the 
 veneration paid to the immortal name 
 of Washington. 
 
 " A review of the many dangers to 
 which Washington was exposed from 
 childhood, makes it clear that nothing 
 but the watchful providence of God — 
 keeping him for some great end — could 
 have protected him amid the dangers of 
 youth, the vicissitudes of manhood, the 
 perils of the wilderness, and the for- 
 tunes of a bloody war. 
 
 " It was God who so ordered the 
 anxious fear of his mother, as to prevent 
 
Portrait of Washins-ton. 
 
 the lad of fourteen from accepting a 
 midshipman's warrant in the royal navy 
 of England. He it was who marked 
 out for his youth the occupation of a 
 surveyor, by which his body was knit 
 into strength — his mind inured to dan- 
 ger; so that much of his future success 
 hung upon the knowledge gathered, 
 while, with the chain and compass, he 
 ranged the hills and valleys of western 
 Virginia. 
 
 " It was God who protected him in 
 all the perils of the French war, and 
 particularly in that bloody battle of the 
 Monongahela, when Braddock and one 
 half of the army fell. Washington him- 
 self felt and acknowledged this, and 
 said in a letter to his brother: * By the 
 
 all-powerful dispensation of Providence, 
 I have been pi'otected beyond all human 
 probability or expectation ; for I had four 
 bullets through my coat, and two horses 
 shot under me ; yet I escaped unhurt, 
 although death was levelling my com- 
 panions on every side of me.' Not only 
 was this protection known and acknowl- 
 edged in the pulpit at the time, in that 
 almost prophetic sentence of Davies 
 where, speaking of that heroic youth, 
 he adds : ' whom I can not but hope that 
 Providence has hitlerto preserved in so 
 signal a manner for some important ser- 
 vice to his country' — but even the In- 
 dians were persuaded that he was under 
 the special guardianship of the Great 
 Spirit ; because, though they had singled 
 
320 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 him out in that battle for the aim of 
 their sharpshooters, not a ball touched 
 him, and they felt that he was the par- 
 ticular favorite of Heaven, who could 
 never die in battle. 
 
 " Indeed, in all his exposures by land 
 and sea — in open war and covered am- 
 bush — in the masked treachery of pre- 
 tended friends, and the hireling assaults 
 of pensioned murderers, it was Crod 
 who ' covered his head in the day of 
 battle' — who preserved him from dan- 
 ger — and who checked the hands and 
 bridled the power of thqse who had 
 vowed his destruction. 
 
 " The French war, which called out 
 so large a share of his youthful prowess, 
 and in which his military abilities shone 
 so pre-eminent, he saw honorably closed 
 by the defeat of his enemies and the 
 possession of their lands. The revolu- 
 tion, which began in the oppressions of 
 the British parliament, and the war 
 which he conducted from its beginning 
 to its end, he beheld terminated in 
 peace ; his enemies were driven from 
 our shores ; and the red cross of old 
 England gave place to Freedom's ban- 
 ner, with its stars for glory and its 
 stripe, for foes. 
 
 " Otners had often begun to battle for 
 the rights of their country, but ended 
 by fighting for themselves. Others had 
 frequently unsheathed their swords for 
 freedom, but soon had even cloven down 
 freedom in their march to dominion. 
 Others had attempted to guide a nation 
 from monarchy to republicanism ; but, 
 having once grasped the reins of pow- 
 er, they soon became the charioteers of 
 their own glory, and drove with scythe- 
 armed wheels through the land they 
 covenanted to redeem. 
 
 " But Washington accepted military 
 authority with i»eluctance — used it with 
 prudence — freed a nation from its op- 
 pression — drove from it its foes — estab- 
 lished for it perfect freedom ; and then, 
 when an admiring army and his native 
 state would have taken him and made 
 him their king — when applause rang 
 loudest and fame shone brightest, and 
 Power threw herself a willing captive 
 in his arms — when he was confessedly 
 first and supreme, did he resign his com- 
 
 mission, ungird his sword, and return a 
 private citizen to his farms on the Po- 
 tomac. 
 
 " Robertson, speaking of the abdica- 
 tion of Diocletian and of Charles V., 
 remarks : * To descend voluntarily from 
 the supreme to a subordinate station, 
 and to relinquish the possession of pow- 
 er in order to attain the enjoyment of 
 happiness, seems to be an effort too 
 great for the human mind.' But it was 
 not too great an act for Washington — 
 he did it — but not, like the abdicating 
 emperors, with an impaired constitution, 
 and the infirmities of age crumbling his 
 heart within him. He did it in the 
 prime and vigor of life and health, re- 
 solving, in his own manly language, 'to 
 pass the remainder of his days in hon- 
 orable X'epose, and place his glory be- 
 yond the reach of fortune.' " 
 
 T/ie Birthplace of Washington. — The 
 house which formerly occupied this spot, 
 and in which the hero of America was 
 born and spent his earliest years, was 
 destroyed before the revolution. The 
 place is in Westmoreland, in the county 
 of W-^istmoreland, half a mile from the 
 mouth of Pope's creek. This spot, 
 though marked only by a simple monu- 
 ment, must ever possess an unspeakable 
 degree of interest to every person who 
 loves his country and the principles of 
 that most exalted character which was 
 here formed and matured, under the 
 instructions of a pure and noble-minded 
 mother. How strongly must every vis- 
 iter to that spot feci that 
 
 " His name is his own best monument." 
 
 The plain stone, placed here by his 
 relative, G. W. P. Custis, bears the ex- 
 pressive inscription : — 
 
 " Here, on the 11th of February (O. S), 1732 
 George Washington was born." 
 
 The scenery around the place is very 
 fine. The Maryland shore is in sight 
 for a considerable distance, with the 
 I'iver Potomac, which flows along under 
 the eye for many miles, on its way tow- 
 ard the capital. The house was of the 
 old-fashinned kind, of wood, and two- 
 two stories high, with four rooms on the 
 first floor. 
 
 The following memorandum of the 
 birth of Washington is copied from the 
 
322 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 1 
 
 family record in the bible which belonged 
 to his mother, and believed to have been 
 written by her hand : — 
 
 " Georfje Washington, son to Augus- 
 tine and Mary his wife, was born y^ 11th 
 day of February, 1732, about 10 in y' 
 morning, and was baptized y* 3d of 
 April following. Mr. Beverly Whiting 
 and Captain Christopher Brooks, god- 
 fathers, and Mrs. Wildred Gregory, god- 
 mother." 
 
 Soon after the passage of the stamp- 
 act, Patrick Henry inti iduced into the 
 Virginia assembly the following resolu- 
 tion : " That the general assembly of 
 this colony, together with his majesty 
 or substitute, have, in their representa- 
 tive capacity, the only exclusive right 
 and power to lay taxes and impositions 
 upon the inhabitants of this colony; and 
 that every attempt to vest such power in 
 any person or persons whatsoever, other 
 than the general assembly as aforesaid, 
 is illegal, unconstitutional, and unjust, 
 and has a manifest tendency to destroy 
 British as well as American freedom." 
 
 The resolution was adopted, on which 
 the governor dissolved the chamber. 
 When election day arrived, however, the 
 members who had voted for it were re- 
 elected by the people, and its opposers 
 were left out. 
 
 After the repeal of the stamp-act, the 
 legislature of Virginia sent a vote of 
 thanks to the king and parliament. 
 
 Governor Fauquier died in 1767, and 
 the following year Lord Botetourt ar- 
 rived from England as his successor. He 
 soon dissolved the assembly, because 
 they had adopted a resolution condemn- 
 ing the taxes on paper, &c. ; but the 
 members combined in a non-importation 
 association. Lord Botetourt had much 
 influence, but could not long suppress 
 the dissatisfaction excited among the 
 people at the course of the British minis- 
 try He died in 1771, and the statue 
 now standing in Williamsburg was then 
 erected to his memory. 
 
 Lord Dunmoro, the next governor, 
 stooped to the fomenting of paltry dis- 
 sensions, to divert the attention of the 
 people from the designs of the king; 
 but the news of the destruction of the 
 tea at Boston called out a spirited I'eso- 
 
 lution from the Virginia assembly, for 
 which they were again dissolved ; and 
 on the fJjUowing day the members as- 
 sembled and agreed on an addiess to 
 the people, pronouncing an attack on 
 one of the colonies an attack upon all 
 British America, and appointed depu- 
 ties to attend a general congress. 
 
 Early in the days of the revolution, 
 Thomas Jefferson became a leading man 
 in Virginia, and he was for a long time 
 afterward one of the principal men in 
 the country. He was born at Shadwell, 
 in the county of Albemarle, April 2, 
 1743, and receive from his father an 
 ample fortune. He graduated with dis- 
 tinction at William and Mary college, 
 and studied law under Geor'ge Wythe. 
 Soon after he became of age, he was a 
 representative in the colonial assembly 
 and had a seal with this motto, expres- 
 sive of his liberal sentiments: "Resist- 
 ance to tyrants is obedience to God." 
 In 1772 he married Miss Wayles, who 
 died ten years afterward, leaving two 
 daughters. 
 
 In 1772 he organized the first system 
 of colonial resistance, by appointing 
 committees of correspondence; in 1776 
 he took his seat in congress, where ke 
 drew up the Declaration of Independ- 
 ence. In 1779-'S0 he was governor 
 of Virginia, during the days of the in- 
 vasion. In 1783 he returned to congress, 
 and drew up the address of that body 
 to Washington on his taking leave of 
 public life. In 1784 he went to France 
 as minister, and was afterward secretary 
 of state under Washington. In 1798 
 he retired to Monticello, and from 1801 
 till 1809 was president of the United 
 States, having formed a democratic par- 
 ty, in opposition to the Washington or 
 federal party, may of the principles and 
 measures of which he opposed. Ho 
 finally retired to Monticello in 1809, 
 where he died July 4, 1826, at the age 
 of eighty-three years. His grave is in 
 a grove, near the road, at the foot of 
 Monticello. 
 
 Monticello. — This elegant mansion, 
 the seat of Jefiferson, is situated on the 
 top of a steep conical eminence, rising 
 from an elliptical plain, three miles 
 southeast from Charlottesville. Toward 
 
324 
 
 DESCRIPTION OP THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 the weft, and partly north and south, it 
 comniands a view of Blue ridge, which 
 strfaJches away one hundred and fifty 
 rril js ;- while on the east is seen a bound- 
 less plain. At different points rise sev- 
 eral mountains of various forms and 
 sizes, among which one of the most con- 
 spicuous and interesting is Willis' moun- 
 tain in the south. 
 
 The approach to the house affords 
 glimpses of this fine scene; and the 
 spacious hall at the entrance was orna- 
 mented with objects of taste, arranged 
 in an appropriate manner to gratify the 
 eye. Mr. Wirt, in his description of 
 the place, mentions that Jefferson had 
 placed various specimens of sculpture 
 in that hall, in such order as to mark 
 the progress of the art from the rudest 
 to the most perfect state : at the end be- 
 in"^ seen his own statue by Carracci. 
 On other sides were displayed Indian 
 remains, petrified bones, the horns of 
 deer, &c. The grand saloon, in which 
 the visiter is next ushered, is appropri- 
 ated as a picture-gallery, and contains a 
 great number of valuable productions 
 of the pencil and the graver, comprising 
 many historical events and distinguished 
 men of all ages. The windows com- 
 mand charming views of the extensive 
 scene below. 
 
 In September, 1774, the meeting of 
 delegates was held in Philadelphia. 
 The disaffections continued between the 
 governor and the people, but they joined 
 in an expedition against the Ijulians in 
 western Virginia, who had assumed a 
 hostile attitude, as was suspected, by 
 tiie intrigues of the governor. On the 
 20th of April, 1775, he was so bold as 
 secretly to i-emove the gunpowder from 
 the colonial magazine, at Williamsburg, 
 to Yorktown, where it was stcjwed in 
 a British vessel. The people took up 
 arms ; but the governor threatened, in 
 case of any resistance, to proclaim lib- 
 erty to the slaves, and set the town on 
 fire. Six hundred men were soon as- 
 sembled at Fredericksburg to protect 
 it, and to oppose any rash measure, 
 while thousands prepared, throughout 
 the colony, to render their aid if neces- 
 sary. At this crisis, the two leading 
 patriots of the time, Peyton Randolph 
 
 and Edmund Pendleton, sent to the for- 
 mer a request that they would do noth- 
 ing until congress should decide on 
 some general plan of defence. 
 
 The assembly then held a council, 
 consisting of more than one hundred 
 members, who adopted, by a majority 
 of only one, a resolutign to disperse for 
 the present, and draughted an address, in 
 which they " firmly resolved to resist all 
 attempts against their rights and piivi- 
 leges, from whatever quarter they might 
 be assailed;" and firmly pledged them- 
 selves " to reassemble, and, by force of 
 arms, to defend the laws, the liberties, 
 and the rights, of this or any sister col- 
 ony, from unjust and wicked invasion. 
 God save the liberties of America !" 
 
 Patrick Henry, however, at the head 
 of the volunteers of Hanover, marched 
 from Doncaster to recover the powder, 
 and, being joined by numbers from the 
 counties of King William and New 
 Kent, obtained ample compensation from 
 Corbin, the king's receiver-general, and 
 then returning dismissed the troops. 
 The govei'nor issued a proclamation 
 against him two days after ; but he left 
 the state, about the same time, to attend 
 the meeting of the continental congress, 
 while a band of insurgents seized the 
 arms in the magazine. Committees of 
 safety were soon formed in the counties 
 of Virginia, and " minute-men" were 
 raised, who, as John Randol])h, of Ro- 
 anoke, afterward remarked, with char- 
 acteristic humor, were raised in a min- 
 ute, marched in a minute, and defeated 
 in a minute. 
 
 Among the acts of the governor which 
 fomented discord, was his sending for 
 aid to the commander of the Fowey 
 ship-of-war, off Yorktown, while Pat- 
 rick Henry was on his march ; in con- 
 sequence of which forty marines and 
 sailors were stationed at Williamsburg 
 about ten days, while the ship threat- 
 ened to fire upon Yorktown in case they 
 should be molested. 
 
 Governor Dunmore convened the as- 
 sembly on the 1st of June, and made an 
 address, in consequence of which the 
 house of burgesses had a correspondence 
 with him, defending the rights of the 
 colonies. He took rafuge on board the 
 
ir- 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINU.. 
 
 325 
 
 Fowey, on the 8th, with his family, un- 
 der pretext that they were not safe on 
 shore ; and refused to sign any bills, un- 
 less the assembly would meet him under 
 cover of the guns. He was then, by a 
 resolution, declared to have abdicated 
 his office, and the president of the coun- 
 cil proceeded to act in his place. Near 
 the end of the mouth the vessel sailed 
 down the river: and thus closed the 
 royal government of Virginia. 
 
 Delegates soon after met in Rich- 
 mond, to form a provisional govei'nment; 
 and a description of this beautiful town, 
 now large and important, may be here 
 introduced, as it began to rise into con- 
 sequence at about this period of its his- 
 tory. 
 
 Richmond. — This is the capital and 
 principal town of the state, the capital 
 of Henrico county, and a port of entry, 
 standing at the foot of the lower falls 
 on James river, 117 miles from Wash- 
 ington, 342 from New York, 557 from 
 Boston, 520 from Cincinnati, 423 from 
 Charleston, 62 from Fredericksburg, 
 106 from Norfolk, 146 from Winches- 
 ter, and 23 from Petersburg. 
 
 The spot on which this large and fine 
 city stands was first visited by white men 
 in 1609, when " Master West" pene- 
 trated to the falls in search of provisions 
 for the young colony at Jamestown, but 
 found nothing edible except acorns. He 
 however began a settlement near the 
 place the same year, with one hundred 
 and twenty men. Smith attempted a 
 settlement at " Nonsuch," but failed. 
 Fort Charles was erected at the Falls 
 in 1644-'5 ; and in 1646 the assembly 
 offered extraordinary inducements to 
 encourage a settlement on the south side 
 of the river, opposite the fi»rt. 
 
 Richmond was founded in 1742, and 
 made the state capital in 1780, since 
 which it has steadily increased. The 
 population in 1800 was 5,737 ; in 1810, 
 9,785; in 1820, 12,067; in 1830, 16,060 ; 
 in 1840, 20,153; in 1850, 27,483. The 
 city is situated afthe head of tidewater, 
 and vessels drawing ten feet of water 
 can come up to within one mile of the 
 centre of the city, and those drawing 
 fifteen feet to within three miles. A 
 canal with locks extends around the 
 
 falls (opened in 1794), ao we which boats 
 navigate the river two hundred and 
 twenty miles. A canal affords naviga- 
 tion also to Lynchburg, one hundred 
 and sixteen miles. 
 
 The situation is healthy aiid pleasant; 
 and the city has a pleasing appearance 
 from several points of view, especially 
 that from which it is reyiresented in the 
 cut. It is generally well built, and the 
 streets cross at right angles. Richmond 
 hill and Shockoe hill, rising from the 
 opposite side of Shockoe creek, vary 
 the surface of the ground, the town be- 
 ing situated between them, and up both 
 acclivities. The latter eminence affords 
 fine situations for dwellings, and is the 
 favorite quarter, containing many liand- 
 some houses ; while on its summit stands 
 the state capitol, surrounded by a spa- 
 cious square of eight acres, enclosed 
 with an iron fence. 
 
 The city-hall, opposite, is a fine edi- 
 fice in Grecian style; and among the 
 other public buildings are three banks, 
 two insurance offices, the armory, the- 
 atre, female asylum, penitentiary, thir- 
 teen academies and higher schools, tht. 
 free Lancasterian school, and twenty- 
 three churches. 
 
 The water-works, by which the city 
 is supplied, raise the water, by hydrau- 
 lic power, into three reservoirs, each con- . 
 taining a million of gallons, and from 
 these lead off to all parts of the city. 
 
 The Medical College is a department 
 of Hampden Sidney college, and has a 
 building in the Egyptian style. It has 
 a dean and five members of the faculty. 
 
 Richmond College, a baptist institu- 
 tion, is one mile west of the city, and 
 contains about one hundred students. 
 
 >S^. Vincent's College, a Roman catho- 
 lic institution, is situated one mile east 
 of the city, and has about fifty students. 
 
 Richmond presents many varying as- 
 pects, from different points of the undu- 
 lating surface above the banks of the 
 creek. The falls, extending more than 
 six miles, give liveliness to the water- 
 scene ; while the islands which lie upon 
 the surface and the two bridges, which 
 cross it, to connect the town with Man- 
 chester on the opposite shore, offer a 
 constant and pleasing variety. The cty 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 327 
 
 plot now covers abouc tnree and a half 
 square rniles, being seven and a half 
 miles lonq- ; but only a small portion of 
 this is thickly covered with buildings. 
 A spot near the centre of the business 
 part of the city is occupied by the basin 
 af the canal. 
 
 The State Penitentiary, in the west- 
 ern suburbs, is in the form of a hollow 
 square, three hundred feet by one hun- 
 dred and ten, with several acres of 
 ground attached. 
 
 The Armory contains a considerable 
 supply of arms, and is three hundred 
 and eighty feet by three hundred and 
 twenty. 
 
 Manufactures are carried ©n to a con- 
 siderable extent, by water-power ob- 
 tained at the falls. Within two or three 
 years, cot'on mills have lieen erected and 
 are in profitable employment. Rich- 
 mond has many facilities for this species 
 of industry, wliich must ultimately be- 
 come advantageous to the whole neigh- 
 borhood. Tlie total amount of capital 
 invested in manufactures in Richmond 
 is about two millions of dolhu's. Rich- 
 mond is a great commercial depot, hav- 
 ing an extensive back country abounding 
 in tobacco, wheat, hemp, and coal, which 
 is reached by the James river canal and 
 branches. The flouring mills of Rich- 
 mond have a world-wide celebrity. 
 
 The Capitol. — This fine and chaste 
 edifice occupies a lofty and commanding 
 position on the summit of Shockoe hill, 
 in the midst of the spacious public square 
 before described. The front is orna- 
 mented with an Ionic portico, with lofty 
 columns ; and the effect of the building, 
 from its elegant front, is very fine, when 
 seen from the neighboring points of 
 view. The building contains the halls 
 of the senate and house of delegates, 
 with numerous rooms for officers, com- 
 mittees, &c. ; and here assemble the 
 legislatoi's of this great and influential 
 state, to deliberate on the interests of 
 its vai'ious sections. 
 
 From different parts of the capitol, as 
 well as from the neighboring grounds, 
 are presented many fine views over the 
 surrounding country, and the city and 
 river below ; and the scene is the most 
 imposing one of the kind to be found 
 
 within the limits of the state. James 
 river is seen, after flowing down the 
 long falls and rapids which interrupt its 
 course above the city, spreading wide 
 its smooth surface, to float the boats, 
 vessels, and steamboats, which ever en- 
 liven its course between this point and its 
 mouth; while the two beautiful bridges 
 which cross the stream and connect the 
 opposite shores, afford passages from 
 sid'e to side. 
 
 The important figure which the capi- 
 tol makes in the preceding general view 
 of Richmond, gives a just idea of its 
 importance, as a principal feature in the 
 aspect of the city from many different 
 points of view. Crowning the summit 
 of the principal eminence, and rising 
 far above the crowded city, it forms an 
 appropriate and elegant trait to a scene 
 otherwise possessing many beauties. 
 
 The Statue of Washington. — This in- 
 teresting piece of sculpture, the work 
 of a distinguished French artist of the 
 last century, stands in the area of the 
 capitol. It was made by Houdon, in 
 Paris, a few years after the Revolution, 
 at the order of the Virginia assembly, 
 and under the direction of Jefferson. 
 Washington is represented in the mili- 
 tary costume of the country at the time, 
 covered with a cloak, while one hand 
 holds a cane, and the other the fasces ; 
 and on the pedestal is the following in- 
 scription, written by Mr. Madison : — 
 
 "George Wasbinirton. The General Assembly 
 of the Commonwealth of Virginia have caused this 
 statue to be erected, as a monument of atfeclion and 
 f-Tiititude, to George Washington, who, uniting to 
 the endowments of the hero the virtues of the patriot, 
 and exerting both in establishing the liberties of his 
 country, has rendered his name dear to his fellow- 
 citizens, and given the world an immortal example 
 of true glory. Done in the year of Chri.st one thou- 
 sand seven hundred and eighty-eight, in the year of 
 the Conimonwealtii the twelfth." 
 
 The Bust of LaFayette. — This hand- 
 some specimen of sculpture is appro- 
 priately placed near the statue of Wash- 
 ington. 
 
 The Monumental Church. — This edi- 
 fice was erected in commemoration of 
 the calamitous destruction, in 1811, of 
 a theatre which stood on the same spot. 
 About six hundred persons were assem- 
 bled in the theatre on the fatal evening, 
 when, at the conclusion of the play, the 
 scenery accidentally caught fire, and a 
 
 k 
 
Monumental Church — Richmond. 
 
 scene of dreadful confusion ensued. The 
 doors were so narrow as to prevent the 
 ready egress of the multitude — indeed 
 only one door opened into that part of 
 the house whei'e most of them were as- 
 sembled, and that was not large enough 
 to permit the escape of more than a 
 few before the flames had reached those 
 within. Many were scorched by the 
 burning of their clothes ; great numbers 
 jumped from the windows, some with 
 the flames all around them ; and many 
 died, chiefly within the building, which 
 was soon enveloped in flames. The 
 scene caused a dreadful shock through- 
 out the country ; but the gloom in the 
 city itself was deep indeed. Hundreds 
 of families lost their nearest members or 
 friends, and the sad effects of the mourn- 
 ful calamity wei-e general and lasting. 
 
 An episcopal sociely afterward erect- 
 ed the Monumental Cnurch on the spot, 
 to perpetuate the memory of the event; 
 and the bones found among the I'uins 
 were collected and placed in an urn at 
 the entrance. 
 
 The above cut aff"ords a view of this 
 edifice, the melancholy associations con- 
 nected with which must ever continue 
 to be of a nature peculiarly solemn and 
 impressive. 
 
 We now return to the progress of 
 events in the history of the state. On 
 the 17th of July, 1775, delegates from 
 the counties met at Richmond (as before 
 remarked) to form a provisional govern- 
 ment and a plan of defence, and the fol- 
 lowing persons were put on the commit- 
 tee of safety : Ed. Pendleton, George 
 Mason, Jno. Page, Richard Bland, Thos. 
 
330 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 Liulwell Lee, Paul Carrington, Dudley 
 Digges, Jas. Mercer, Carter Braxton, 
 Wm. Cabell, and Jno. Tabb. Prepara- 
 tions were made for raising troops, and 
 the county committees were requested 
 to provide colors bearing the motto : 
 "Virginia for Constitutional Liberty." 
 But the governor proceeded to several 
 acts of hostility Tie landed a party at 
 Norfolk, under cover of the men-of-war, 
 and carried off the press and types of 
 a patriotic newspaper ; and soon after 
 he marched to Kemps ville to destroy a 
 collection of firearms, and made pris- 
 oner the commander of the minute-men. 
 Captain Matthews. Hampton was also 
 attacked by British vessels under Cap-, 
 tain Squires ; but they were driven off 
 without los§. on the part of the patriots. 
 A number of armed men now arrived 
 at Williamsburg from the upper coun- 
 try ; and Lord Dunsmore, having heard 
 that the second Virginia regiment and 
 the Culpepper battalion had been or- 
 dered to Norfolk, sent the Kingfisher 
 and three large tenders up James river 
 to Burwell's ferry, to prevent their cros- 
 sing. A large boat was twice beaten 
 off by the Virginia riflemen, as was also 
 another boat, which afterward attempted 
 to land at Jamestown. In the same 
 month a colonel of Pi'incess Ann militia 
 was made prisoner by Lord Dunsmore, 
 with some of his men, on their march. 
 On the 7th of November he proclaimed 
 martial law, and, with a considerable 
 force at his comi land, raised his stan- 
 dard in Norfolk and PrinCbSS Ann. 
 
 Having ordered the militia captains 
 to raise troops in opposition to the co- 
 lonial army, he proposed to destroy the 
 colonial stores of provisions at Sufftilk ; 
 but two hundred and fifteen light troops 
 were sent for their defence by Colonel 
 Woodford. He then undertook to in- 
 cite the western Indians to war in co- 
 operation with him, and matured a plan 
 with a Pennsylvanian, named O'Con- 
 nelly, who was made a lieutenant-colonel 
 by General Gage at Boston. A regi- 
 ment of volunteers was to be raised at 
 Fort Pitt, who, accompanied by several 
 companies of royal Irish, were to march 
 across Virginia to Alexandria, and take 
 possession of the town, in co-operation 
 
 with Lord Dunsmoi-e, in the ships-of- 
 war. The plot, however, -vas discov- 
 ered and defeated after a time ; for O'- 
 Connelly, Cameron, and Dr. Jno. Smith, 
 were arrested near Hagerstown (Mary- 
 land), on suspicion, and were found in 
 possession of papers and money, which 
 fully proved their guilt. 
 
 Colonel Woodford, on his march tc 
 Norfolk, found the enemy in a stockade 
 fort at the Great bridge — tho only way 
 by which he could proceed ; and, hav- 
 ing thrown up a breastwork, was soon 
 attacked, but repulsed the British with 
 great loss to them, and drove them to 
 their vessels. Lord Dunsmore cannon- 
 aded Norfolk on the night of January 
 1st, 1776, and having desti'oyed parts 
 of it, Lieutenant-Colonel Howe was or- 
 dered by the committee of safety to burn 
 the remainder. That city had contained 
 six thousand inhabitants. 
 
 Nine regiments, in all, were now 
 raised, of which six were placed on the 
 continental establishment, of the first of 
 which Patrick Heniy was appointed 
 colonel. He, however, soon resigned 
 his commission, and was chosen a mem- 
 ber of the new convention at Hanover, 
 who appointed delegates to congress, 
 instructing them "to propose to that 
 respectable body to declare the United 
 Colonies free and independent states, 
 absolved from all allegiance to, or de- 
 pendence on, the crown or pai"liament." 
 A constitution was adopted on the 25th 
 of June, and was the first formed with- 
 out admitting any prospect of reconcilia- 
 tion with the mother-country. Patrick 
 Henry was chosen governor ; and from 
 that time through the war, Virginia con- 
 tinued to sustain the cause of indepen- 
 dence, harmoniously and efliciently cd- 
 operating with her sister-colonies, until 
 the indejjendence of the country was 
 settled by the great and final victory on 
 her own soil, at Vorktown. 
 
 The first constitution of the state was 
 adopted on the 5th of July, 1776, and 
 revised in 1830. The right of suffrage 
 is restricted to heads of families paying 
 taxes or owners of certain amounts and 
 kinds of property. There are one )iun- 
 dred and thirty-four delegates in the 
 house, chosen annually, and thirty-two 
 
 J) 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 331 
 
 senators, elected for four years. The 
 governor is chosen for four years by the 
 legislature, and ineligible the next three 
 years. 
 
 As early as 1681, there was a dispute 
 between William Penn and Lord Bal- 
 timore, respecting the construction of 
 their respective grants, the debatable 
 land being one degree, or sixty-nine 
 English miles, on the soutli line of Penn- 
 sylvania, and extending west as far as 
 the state itself. The matter was in liti- 
 gation over sixty years, when Charles 
 Mason and Jeremiah Dixon were ap- 
 pointed to run the line in dispute. This 
 is the boundary line separating Virginia 
 and Maryland from Pennsylvania, and 
 known as " Mason and Dixon's line." 
 
 Education. — There is a literary fund 
 in this state, to promote learning in gen- 
 eral, established from escheats of all 
 lands, militia and other fines, all for- 
 feited lands, overplus of debt due from 
 the United States, and some other con- 
 tingent funds. A great part of this fund 
 has been borrowed to establish the uni- 
 versity of the state. About fifty thou- 
 sand dollars are annually appropriated 
 to the several counties, according to 
 their number of white children. This 
 fund is collected by the state auditor, 
 and is under the direction of a corpora- 
 tion conposcd of the governor, attorney- 
 general, treasurer, and the president of 
 the court of appeals, who appoint an 
 agent in each county to collect the funds. 
 School commissioners are appointed by 
 the county courts, who have power to 
 determine what number of poor chil- 
 dren shall be educated, and to draw 
 oi'ders on the treasurer for the amount 
 of the tuition. 
 
 Printing. — The first newspaper in 
 Virginia was printed at Williamsburg, 
 August 6, 1736, by W. Parkes, at fifteen 
 shillings per annum. The same man 
 had printed Stith's History of Virginia 
 in 1729, and the laws of the colony. 
 His paper was under the influence of 
 the government, and ceased at his death, 
 in 1761, until revived by William Hun- 
 ter in 1751. It was at first only twelve 
 inches by six in size. In 1761 it was 
 enlarged by John Royle, and continued 
 to appear until some time in the revo- 
 
 tionary war. In 1766 William Rind 
 was invited to come from Maryland and 
 establish the second newspapei", which 
 was the " Virginia Gazette." It was 
 " open to all parties." His widow, Clem- 
 entina Rind, continued it for some time 
 from his death, in 1773, and was suc- 
 ceeded by John Pinckney. Another 
 " Virginia Gazette" was commenced at 
 Williamsburg in 1775. 
 
 The first printing-press in Virginia 
 was erected in 1681, but was soon pul 
 down — Sir William Berkeley being op- 
 posed, like many other influential men 
 in the colony, to the diflfusion of knowl- 
 edge. In 1671 he "thanked God there 
 are no free schools nor printing (in Vir- 
 ginia), and hoped we shall not have, 
 these hundreds of years to come." 
 
 Norfolk. — This is the most impor- 
 tant seaport in the state. It occupies a 
 commanding situation at the mouth of 
 Elizabeth river, at the southern extrem- 
 ity of Chesapeake bay, only eight miles 
 from Hampton Roads, by which it com- 
 municates with the Atlantic ocean; one 
 hundred and six miles from Richmond ; 
 and two hundred and twenty-nine from 
 Washington city. The ground on which 
 it stands is low, and the same featui'e 
 prevails for miles around the city. The 
 streets are crooked, and the appeaiance 
 of the town rather uninviting. The 
 principal public buildings are the mar- 
 ket, customhouse, theatre, four banks, 
 eight churches, an academy, a Lancas- 
 terian school, orphan asylum, &c. The 
 population is about fifteen thousand, and 
 the commerce of the place considerable. 
 
 Large steamboats depart daily for 
 Richmond, and others for Washington 
 and Baltimore. A railroad leads south 
 to North Carolina, on which cars run 
 daily to Wilmington. 
 
 Portsmouth, on the opposite side of 
 Elizabeth river, appears like a part of 
 Norfolk. It is the site of the 
 
 U. S. Navyyard, which occupies a 
 portion of the town called Gosport, A 
 large and expensive dry-dock has been 
 constructed there, and the storehouses, 
 workshops, &c., occupy a large extent 
 of ground. There is also the Viiginia 
 Literary and Scientific academy, found- 
 ed in 1840, which has about forty pupils. 
 
332 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 The U. S. Naval Hospital stands at 
 a sliort distance from the town. 
 
 The other public buildings in Ports- 
 mouth are the courthouse, a bank, and 
 six churches ; and the population is 
 about nine thousand. 
 
 The Dismal Swamp Canal leads from 
 this place through that extensive and 
 melancholy morass into North Carolina, 
 and is an important channel of trans- 
 portation. It is more particularly no- 
 ticed under the head of North Carolina. 
 
 Hampton, situated near the mouth 
 of James river, on the eastern bank, is 
 a small town, in a poor region of coun- 
 try, but its position is important, just 
 behind Forts Monroe and Calhoun ; the 
 former is the military post on the south- 
 ei'n coast, which commands Hampton 
 Roads, the channel leading from the 
 ocean into ';he Chesapeake. The town 
 contains four churches, a courthouse, 
 and about fiifteen hundred inhabitants. 
 
 Old Point Comfort, a low sandy cape, 
 lies opposite the narrow part of the 
 channel, which is there so narrow that 
 the guns of the fortress completely com- 
 mand it. The adjacent part of the bay, 
 called the Rip-raps, is so shallow that 
 the surface of the water is kept in a 
 state of agitation by the meeting of the 
 currents and tide. 
 
 Fortress Mo7iroe is one of the largest 
 fortifications in the United' States. It 
 mounts three hundred and thirty-five 
 guns, of which one hundred and thirty 
 are in casemates, or subterranean cham- 
 bers arched with stone and bombproof. 
 Opposite stands Fort Calhoun, one thou- 
 sand nine hundred yards distant, which, 
 although of smaller size, will mount two 
 hundred and sixty-five cannon, the great- 
 er part of them in casemates. 
 
 Montpdicr, the seat of the late presi- 
 dent Madison, is about four miles from 
 Orange courthouse. On approaching it 
 from the north, you turn to the left on 
 leaving the main road, and after pro- 
 ceeding through a wood about a mile, 
 the mansion of the late ex-president may 
 be seen a mile distant, situated on a 
 slight eminence. It is a large brick 
 building, composed of a main body and 
 two wings. In front of the body is a 
 portico of wood, painted white, which 
 
 is supported by four lofty Doric pillars. 
 The interior of the house is furnished 
 with plain but rich furniture, and orna- 
 mented with busts and pictures ; in the 
 right wing is a library of rare and val- 
 uable books, and a cabinet. In the rear 
 of the mansion is an extensive lawn ; 
 after crossing this you come to the gar- 
 den, which consists of several acres of 
 ground, laid out with elegance and taste, 
 and contains a great number of native 
 plants and exotics, besides an abundance 
 of grapes. Here, on the 2Sth of June, 
 1836, Mr. Madison died, at the advanced 
 age of eighty-seven. 
 
 Mr. Madison was by birth a Virgin- 
 ian, and wholly educated in this country. 
 He was intended for a statesman from 
 his youth, and made himself master of 
 constitutional law, when it was hardly 
 known as a science either in England 
 or in this countiy. He was born on 
 the 16th of March, 1751, and was, of 
 course, in all the ardor and freshness of 
 youth on the breaking out of the Revo- 
 lution. In 1775 he was a member of 
 the Virginia legislature, and was soon 
 appointed one of the council of the state. 
 During the whole eventful struggle, ho 
 had the confidence of the state, and, as 
 as a member of her legislature, was list- 
 ened to with profound attention when 
 he brought forward sundry resolutions 
 for the formation of a general govern- 
 ment for the United States, based upon 
 the inefficiency of the old confederation. 
 From these resolutions grew a conven- 
 tion of delegates from the several states, 
 who, in conclave, prepared a form of a 
 constitution to be submitted to the sev- 
 eral states for their discussion, appro- 
 bation, and adoption. Mr. Madison was 
 a member of this convention, as a dele- 
 gate from Virginia, and look an active 
 part in the deliberations of that enlight- 
 ened body, of which Washington, his 
 colleague, was president. On the adop- 
 tion of this constitution, Mr. Madison 
 was elected a member of the first con- 
 gress, and took an active part in setting 
 the machinery in motion. At this pe- 
 riod, public opinion was greatly agitated 
 by the crude and false opinions scat- 
 tered throughout the country, through 
 the medium of the opposition presses; 
 
334 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 this was grievous to the friends of the 
 constitution, and Jay, Hamilton, and 
 Madison, formed an alliance to enlighten 
 the people uj)on the great doctrines of 
 the constitution. The essays from the 
 pens of these worthies were collected in 
 a volume, called the "Federalist," which 
 now stands a monument of the wisdom 
 and patriotism of that age. In the de- 
 bates of the first congress, Mr. Madison 
 took a large share. It was an assem- 
 blage of patriots, among whom there 
 often arose a difference of opinion in 
 regard to political policy, but all were 
 lovers of their country, and laboring for 
 her best interests. Here Mr. Madison 
 acted with the Cabots and the Ameses 
 of the east in perfect harmony. It was 
 reserved fjr an after-age to feel the with- 
 ering effects of party feuds. These were 
 hardly discovered as long as the Father 
 of his country filled the presidential 
 chair. In the administration of his suc- 
 cessor, a separation into parties took 
 place, and Mr. Madison ranked himself 
 on the side of Mr. Jefferson and his 
 party, and was secretary of state during 
 the presidency of Mr. Jefferson. 
 
 In March, 1809, Mr. Madison became 
 president of the United States. In 1812, 
 war was declared. In 1817, when the 
 leign of peace was established, Mr. 
 Madison retired to his farm to enjoy the 
 serenity of rural life; but here he was 
 not idle. On the death of Mr. Jeffer- 
 son he was made chancellor of the uni- 
 versity of Virginia, and took a deep 
 interest in the prosperity of the institu- 
 tion. When Virginia called a conven- 
 tion to alter her constitution, INIr. Madi- 
 son, with Chief-Justice Marshall and 
 Mr. Monroe, was found among the most 
 prominent members. 
 
 .lames Madison was not an orator, in 
 the common acceptation of the word ; 
 there were no deep tones in his voice — 
 no flashes of a fierce and commanding 
 eye — no elegaiit gestures to attract the 
 beholder: all was calm, dignified, and 
 convincing. He never talked for the 
 love of display, but simply to commu- 
 nicate his thoughts. He spoke often in 
 debate, when earnest in his cause, but 
 was always heard with profound atten- 
 tion. His voice was deficient in volume. 
 
 but it was so well modulated that its 
 compass was more extensive than that 
 of many speakers of stronger lungs. 
 
 Charlottesville. — This town, the 
 seat of the university of Virginia, enjoys 
 a beautiful situation in the valley of Ri- 
 vanna river, on the right of which it 
 stands, at the distance of eighty-three 
 miles from Richmond. The principal 
 buildings of the town are four churches, 
 an academy, and a female seminary ; and 
 the population amounts to about two 
 thousand. 
 
 Stagecoaches depart daily for Rich- 
 mond, for Washington, and for the White 
 Sulphur springs ; and three times a week 
 for Fredericksburg and Lynchburg. 
 
 Lynchburg stands on the right bank 
 of .Tames river, one hundred and sixteen 
 miles from Richmond. The spot which 
 it occupies is rough, the ground being 
 an acclivity, surrounded by a variety 
 of surface with striking scenery. The 
 town contains one or two banks, three 
 savings-banks, fifteen classical schools, a 
 library, eight churches, several large 
 flourm.ills, and about thirty tobacco man- 
 ufactories, with about eight thousand 
 inhabitants. It is a place of great trade, 
 as well as of considerable manufactures. 
 The town is supplied with water raised 
 from James river by hydraulic power, 
 and is distributed from a reservoir con- 
 taining 400,000 gallons, and standing at 
 an elevation of two hundred and fifty- 
 three feet above the river ; thence it 
 passes through the city in iron pipes. 
 
 James River Canal. — This important 
 work of internal navigation, at Lynch- 
 burg, extends to Richmond, one hun- 
 dred and forty-seven miles. 
 
 Farmville, seventy-five miles from 
 Richmond, is situated on the right bank 
 of the Appomattox, and cojitains three 
 churches, a bank, and ten tobacco man- 
 ufactories. The population is about one 
 thousand four hundred. 
 
 Fredeuicksrurg, fifty-six miles from 
 Washington, stands on the right bank 
 of the Rappahannock river, and has a 
 pleasant appearance, being regularly 
 laid out, and surrounded by elevated 
 grounds. The river makes a consider- 
 able fall at this place, by which the 
 town is supplied with valuable water- 
 
336 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 pi.iwer; and as the stream is navigable 
 almost to the foot of the fall, in vessels 
 of one hundred and forty tons, the trade 
 of the place is active and important. 
 Tlie principal public buildings are the 
 courthouse, two banks, the orphan asy- 
 lum, five churches, and six academies. 
 The population is about six thousand. 
 
 The railroad, passing through the 
 town, affords daily communication in 
 cars with Washington, Richmond, Wil- 
 mington, &c. 
 
 T)ie Birthplace of James Monroe. — 
 James Monroe was born in the county 
 of Westmoreland on the 2Sth of April, 
 1758. He was seventeen years old, and 
 in William and Mary college, at the 
 time when the declaration of indepen- 
 dence was made by congress, and he 
 soon after entered the army as a cadet. 
 He was with Washington, as a lieuten- 
 ant, at Harlem, White Plains, and Tren- 
 ton. At the latter place he was wounded 
 in the shoulder, and was promoted to a 
 captaincy f)r his bravery. After liis 
 recovery, he served as aid-de-camp to 
 Lord Stirling in 1777-'78, in the course 
 of which he was in the battles of Bran- 
 dywine, Germantown, and Monmouth. 
 
 He then returned to Virginia, and en- 
 deavored, unsuccessfully, to raise a regi- 
 ment ; after which he entered the office 
 of Mr. Jefferson as a student of law. 
 In 1780 he was appointed military com- 
 missioner by Governor Jefferson ; and 
 in 1 782 was elected into the Virginia 
 le"-islature and made a member of the 
 executive council. June 19, 1783, he 
 was first chosen a member of congress 
 at the age of twenty-four. He married 
 Miss Kortright, of New York, in 1786, 
 with who.rl he lived through a long life. 
 Leaving congrefiB after three years' ser- 
 vice, he was again elected into the legis- 
 lature of his native state, and soon after 
 elected to the convencion for the adop- 
 tion of the federal constitution, which 
 he opposed. 
 
 From 1790 to 1794 he was a senator 
 of the United States, and was then 
 appointed minister plenipotentiary to 
 France; and having been recalled, tow- 
 ard the close of Washington's adminis- 
 tration, was elected governor of Vir- 
 ginia. In 1803, he again went to France 
 
 under Jefferson's administration, and, in 
 conjunction with Mr. Livingston, nego- 
 tiated the treaty for the cession of Lou- 
 isiana. He was then appointed succes- 
 sor to Mr. King as minister to England ; 
 and, having been ordered to Spain, he 
 soon after retui-ned to England and back 
 to Virginia. After serving again as 
 governor of Virginia in 1811, he was 
 appointed secretary of state by Mr. 
 Madison, and continued in that office 
 till, in the second term of the president, 
 he was appointed secretary of war. On 
 the return of peace he again enteied 
 the oflice of secretary of state, which he 
 held until his election as president of 
 the United States in 1817. He was je- 
 elected in 1821 ; and at the expiration 
 of his second term, in 1825, he retired 
 to private life in Loudoun county, where 
 he resumed the practice of an attorney- 
 at-law, and was elected a magistrate of 
 the county. In 1829 he was chosen a 
 member of the convention for the re- 
 vision of the constitution of Virginia, 
 and made president of it. But before 
 its close, his health failed ; he lost his 
 wife the following summer; and having 
 removed to New York, to reside among 
 his friends in that city, he died there 
 after a few months, July 4, 1831. 
 
 A short time before his death, con- 
 gress appropriated considerable sums of 
 money to defray the debts under which 
 he had for some time suffered, partly in 
 consequence of advances made by him 
 for the public account. He was uni- 
 formly a supporter of the policy and 
 measures of Mr. Jefferson. 
 
 Hampden Sidney College. — This in- 
 stitution is situated ten miles southwest 
 from Farmville. It was founded in 1774, 
 and chartered in 1783, but for a long 
 time did not prove very flourishing. It 
 has five professors, and about seventy 
 students, with eight thousand volumes 
 in its libraries. Commencement is held 
 on the fourth Wednesday of September. 
 
 The Union Theological Seminary is 
 at a short distance from the college. It 
 was founded in 1824, and has three pro- 
 fessors, twenty students, and one hun- 
 dred and seventy-five under-graduates, 
 with about four thousand volumes in its 
 libraries. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 33- 
 
 Wheeling. — This is the most impor- 
 tant town in western Virginia. It is 
 one hundred and four miles west of 
 Philadelphia, on the Ohio, at the mouth 
 of Wheeling creek. It is almost en- 
 closed by considerable hills, which afford 
 an abundance of bituminous coal. The 
 pujlic buildings are a courthouse, two 
 banks, a savinsfs institution, a theatre, 
 twelve churches, two academies, masonic 
 hall, and institute ; and there are a great 
 many manufactories. The population is 
 about eleven thousand. AVater for the 
 supply of the town is raised from the 
 Ohio. There is a daily communication 
 with Pittsburg (Ohio), and the various 
 places below on the river, 
 
 Elizabeth. — This town is twelve 
 miles below Wheeling, on a plain, once 
 the habitation of a large population, 
 whose remains are visible in numerous 
 ancient tumuli scattered over its surface. 
 The largest is one hundred and sixteen 
 feet high, and surrounded by a ditch 
 four hundred yards in circuit. 
 
 Petersburg, on the north bank of 
 the Little Kenhawa river at its conflu- 
 ence with the Ohio, hns a courthouse, 
 two banks, nine churches, and fifteen 
 thousand inhabitants. The celebrated 
 Blennerhassett's island lies three miles 
 below this pi ice. 
 
 Point Pleasant is two hundred and 
 twenty-six miles below Pittsburg, on the 
 Ohio, at the mouth of the Great Ken- 
 hawa. On this spot the great Indian 
 battle of October 10, 1774, was fought, 
 and Logan, a celebrated chief, defeated. 
 
 FiNCASTLE, in the southeast part of 
 the valley of the Catawba, contains a 
 courthouse, four churches, and about 
 nine hundred inhabitants. It is seven- 
 ty five miles from Richmond. 
 
 Botetourt Springs, twelve miles from 
 Fincastle, have accommodations for a 
 considerable number of visiters, being 
 the resort of many in the warm season. 
 The water contains magnesia, sulphur, 
 and carbonic acid. 
 
 Daggers' Springs are eighteen miles 
 from Fincastle, in the midst of a pic- 
 turesque region. The waters contain 
 the carbonates of soda, magnesia, and 
 chlorides of the same, with sulphate of 
 soda, &c. 
 
 Abingdon, near Holston river, is the 
 largest town in southwestern Virginia, 
 with a courthouse, two academies, four 
 churches, twelve hundred inhabitants. 
 
 Winchester. — This town is one hun- 
 dred and thirteen miles from Baltimore, 
 and one hundred and forty-six from 
 Richmond ; it is situated in a fine and 
 fertile valley, and has regular streets 
 lined with handsome houses. The pub- 
 lic buildings are the lyceum, masonic 
 hall, twelve churches, two banks, one 
 savings bank, and an academy. The 
 population amounts to four thousand 
 five hundred. The town is supplied 
 with water, by iron pipes, from a fine 
 spring in the vicinity. There is a daily 
 communication with Baltimore in the 
 railroad cars. 
 
 Jordan's White Sulphur Springs, six 
 miles north of Winchester, have recently 
 become known, and are annually the 
 resort of many visiters. The waters are 
 said to have a resemblance to those of 
 the Greenbriar White Sulphur springs. 
 
 Woodstock is sixty-two miles from 
 Harper's Ferry, and stands on the north 
 bank of the Shenandoah. It has one 
 thousand inhabitants. The public build- 
 ing are a courthouse, three churches, 
 and masonic hall. 
 
 The Yelloiv, or Orhcy Springs, eigh- 
 teen miles from Woodstock, give an 
 abundant supply of chalybeate water, 
 and enjoy a good reputation. 
 
 Staunton. — This town is situated at 
 the headwaters of the Shenandoah, one 
 hundred and twenty miles fiom Rich- 
 mond, one hundred and sixty-two from 
 Washington, and two hundred and seven 
 from Baltimore. It has a courthouse, 
 the Virginia asylum for the deaf and 
 dumb, the Western lunatic asylum, two 
 academies, four churches, two semina- 
 ries, and two thousand six hundred in- 
 habitants. 
 
 The Augusta Springs are twelve miles 
 northwest of Staunton, and are charged 
 with sulphuretted hydrogen, resembling 
 the Harrowgate springs in England. 
 
 The Cyclopaean Towers are remark- 
 able rocks in this vicinity. 
 
 Wier's Cave, one of the greatest nat- 
 ural curiosities in this country, is seven- 
 teen miles northwest of Staunton. 
 
 2-4 
 
338 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 Martinsburg is twenty miles from 
 Harper's Ferry, stands on the line of 
 the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and 
 contains a courthouse, six churches, two 
 academies, and about one thousand sev- 
 en hundred inhabitants. 
 
 Berkeley Springs, a favorite watering- 
 place, is twenty-five miles from Mar- 
 tinsburg. 
 
 CiiARi-ESTowN. — This place is eight 
 miles from Harper's Ferry. The pub- 
 lic buildings are a courthouse, an acad- 
 emy, and three churches, and the popu- 
 lation about fifteen hundred. 
 
 Shannondale Springs. — This favorite 
 resort is represented in the vignette at 
 the head of this description. Stage- 
 coaches run daily to this place from 
 Charlestown, which is five miles distant, 
 and at which place carriages from the 
 springs meet the railway. 
 
 The situation of the springs is near the 
 foot of the Blue ridge, on Shannondale 
 river. Shannondale is situated among 
 the green hills, in a romantic bend of the 
 Shenandoah, twelve miles from Harper's 
 Ferry. The waters resemble those of 
 Bsdford, containing sulphate and car- 
 bonate of lime, sulphate and muriate of 
 magnesia, muriate of soda, sulphate and 
 carbonate of iron, sulphuretted hydro- 
 gen, and carbonic acid. The scenery 
 around this spot is remarkably fine and 
 varied. These springs are famous for 
 the cure of spleen, hypochondria, and 
 tliose gnawing, corroding ailments that 
 weicrh down the system, without con- 
 fining the sufferer to his bed ; and are 
 highly medicinal in cases of disease. 
 
 Fairfax County — which contains a 
 portion of tne territory lately included 
 in the district of Columbia, viz., that 
 I part which was ceded to the United 
 States by the legislature, and lately re- 
 stored to Virginia — was named after 
 Lord Fairfax, the proprietor of the tract 
 called the " Northern Neck," and an 
 indiyidual much distinguished by his 
 wealth and peculiar character, whose 
 family was connected with that of Wash- 
 ington, who was a native of the county. 
 It is bounded by the Potomac river, 
 and crossed by the Occoquan and its 
 branches ; has a low and sandy surface, 
 like most of the tide-water country of 
 
 It 
 
 Virginia, but in some parts is fertile. 
 Large tracts, however, have that aspect 
 of desolation which is peculiar to " worn- 
 out tobacco lands," in consequence of 
 the bad system, long pursued, of raising 
 tobacco as long as possible on one field 
 after another, and then abandoning them 
 successively, without an effort to restoie 
 the exhausted fertility. The result gen- 
 erally is a spontaneous growth of cedars 
 and low pines, a sterile and forbidding 
 appearance, and a general abandonment 
 of the land by the inhabitants. 
 
 The soil, however, has proved valu- 
 able in the hands of farmers accustomed 
 to a different system of agriculture, on 
 both sides of the Potomac. Tracts have 
 been rendered productive, especially in 
 Fairfax county, whei'e bodies of settlers 
 from New York, principally of German 
 extraction, purchased land at very low 
 prices a few years ago, and are already 
 in floui-ishing circumstances. 
 
 Mount Vkrnon, in Fairfax county — 
 the estate of the Washington family — 
 is nine miles south from Alexandria, 
 and is remarkable as containing the tomb 
 of General Washington. The road is 
 somewhat intricate, and has but few in- 
 habitants ; so that the stranger, unless he 
 goes in a steamboat, will need to make 
 careful inquiries. The house stands on 
 an eminence, looking down upon the 
 Potomac. The buildings which project 
 from each end are deformities, which 
 greatly mar the effect. 
 
 The key of the bastile of Paris is 
 hung up in the hall ; and a miniature 
 portrait of Washington, from an earthen 
 pitcher, is preserved, which is consid- 
 ered by the family the best likeness of 
 him ever made. A beautiful lawn, partly 
 shaded by trees, extends from the front 
 of the mansion to the verge of the preci- 
 pice which overhangs the Potomac, and 
 affords a delightful view upon the river 
 and a tract of hilly country above and 
 below. 
 
 This is the place to which Washing- 
 ton retired after he had accomplished 
 the independence of his country, and 
 again when he had presided at the con- 
 solidation of the government — volun- 
 tarily resigning the stations he had con- 
 sented to accept, and the power he 
 

340 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 had exercised, only for the good of his 
 country. To an American this place is 
 interesting, in a degree which no lan- 
 guage can either heighten or describe. 
 Whoever appreciates the value of pri- 
 vate and social virtue, will rejoice to 
 find it associated with the traits of a 
 personage so distinguished and influen- 
 tial : the consistent politician will rejoice 
 to reflect that the principles of natural 
 freedom are not restricted to any portion 
 of the world, or any part of the human 
 race ; while any one who can duly esti- 
 mate the extent of the blessings he has 
 conferred on his country, and the influ- 
 ence of his actions on the happiness of 
 the world, will wish that his history m.ay 
 ever be cherished, as a model of sincere 
 and disinterested patriotism. 
 
 Last Illness of Washington. — On 
 Thursday, the 12th of December, 1799, 
 while riding over his farms, Washington 
 became exposed to a severe storm of 
 rain, hail, and snow, with a sharp, pier- 
 cing wind. He took a cold, but it did 
 not exhibit any alarming symptoms till 
 Saturday morning, the 14th, when liis 
 throat and chest were so severely aftect- 
 ed that he could hardly speak, and 
 breathed with difficulty. He continued 
 to grow worse during the day. His 
 medical advisers were sent for, and 
 bleeding and other remedies adopted, 
 without affording relief. The following 
 account of his last hours is from a mem- 
 orandum of his private secretary : — 
 
 "By Mrs. Washington's request, 1 
 despatched a messenger for Dr. Brown, 
 of Port Tobacco, About nine o'clock. 
 Dr. Craik arrived, and put a bhster of 
 cantharides on the throat of the general, 
 and took more blood, and had some vin- 
 egar and hot water set in a teapot, for 
 him to draw in the steam from the 
 spout. 
 
 " About eleven o'clock, Dr. Dick was 
 sent for. Dr. Craik bled the general 
 attain ; no eff'ect was produced, and he 
 continued in the same state, unable to 
 swallow anythmg. Dr, Dick came in 
 about three o'clock, and Dr. Brown ar- 
 rived soon after ; when, after consulta- 
 tion, the general was bled again. The 
 blood ran slowly, appeared very thick, 
 and did not produce any symptoms of 
 
 fainting. At four o'clock, the general 
 could swallow a little. Calomel and 
 tartar-emetic were administered with(jut 
 effect. About half-past four o'clock he 
 requested me to ask Mrs. Washington 
 Ui come to his bedside, when he desired 
 her to go down to his room, and take 
 from his desk two wills which she would 
 find there, and brii>g them to him, which 
 she did. Upon looking at one, which 
 he observed was useless, he desired her 
 to burn it, which she did ; and then took 
 the other and put it away. After this 
 was done, I returned again to his bed- 
 side and took his hand. He said to me, 
 ' I find I am going — my breath can not 
 continue long — I believed from the first 
 attack that it would be fatal. Do you 
 arrange and record all my military let- 
 ters and papers ; arrange my accounts 
 and seftle my books, as you know more 
 about them than any one else; and let 
 Mr. Rawlins finish recording my other 
 letters, which he has begun.' 
 
 " The physicians arrived between five 
 and six o'clock, and when they came to 
 his bedside. Dr. Craik asked him if he 
 would sit up in the bed : he held out his 
 hand to me, and w^as raised up, when he 
 said to the physician : ' I feel myself go- 
 ing; you had better not take any more 
 trouble about me, but let me go off" qui- 
 etly ; I can not last long.' They found 
 what had been done was without effect; 
 he lay down again, and they retired, ex- 
 cepting Dr. Craik. He then said to him : 
 ' Doctor, I die hard, but I am not afraid 
 to go ; I believed, from my first attack, 
 I should not survive it ; my breath can 
 not last long.' The doctor pressed his 
 hand, but could not utter a word ; he re- 
 tired from the bedside and sat by the 
 fire, absorbed in grief. About eight 
 o'clock the physicians again came into 
 the room and applied blisters to his 
 legs, but went out without a ray of hope. 
 From this time he appeared to breathe 
 with less difficulty than he had done, 
 but was very restless, continually chang- 
 ing his position, to endeavor to get ease, 
 I aided him all in my power, and was 
 gratified in believing he felt it, for he 
 would look upon me with eyes speaking 
 gratitude, but unable to utter a word 
 without great distress. About ten o'clock 
 
342 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 he made several attempts to speak to me 
 before he could effect it ; at length he 
 said ; ' I am just going. Have me decently 
 buried ; and do not let my body be put 
 into the vault in less than two days after 
 I am dead.* I bowed assent. He looked 
 at me again and said, ' Do you undei'- 
 stand me V I replied, ' Yes sir.' ' 'Tis 
 well,' said he. About ten minutes be- 
 fore he expired, his bi'eathing became 
 much ea&ier : he lay quietly : he with- 
 drew his hand from mine, and felt his 
 own pulse. I spoke to Dr. Craik, who 
 sat by the fire : hn came to the bedside. 
 The general's hand fell from his wrist ; 
 I took it in mine, and placed on my 
 breast. Dr. Craik placed his hands over 
 his eyes : and he expired without a 
 sigh." 
 
 Washington^a Tomb is a simple struc- 
 ture of stone, only the front of which is 
 visible, the other parts being covered 
 with the earth of a small sandhill which 
 was excavated, and the surface of which 
 was left covered with dwarf cedars and 
 a few other trees with which it was nat- 
 urally shaded. The whole is concealed 
 from the view of the passer-by, by a 
 neat and substantial stone wall of con- 
 siderable height, with a gate, over which 
 is a slab bearing this inscription : — 
 
 " Washington Family." 
 
 The surrounding scene is left nearly 
 in the state of nature. The irregular 
 surface of the ground and the numerous 
 trees exclude the sight of every distant 
 object; and there is nothing in view to 
 disturb the mind, in the solemn and 
 impressive reflections which natui"ally 
 arise within it. Although the Potomac 
 flows by at a short distance from the 
 spot, and was in full view from near the 
 door of the original tomb, every glimpse 
 of it is shut out from this, and not a 
 single sound intrudes to interrupt the 
 solitude. 
 
 Few visiters to the spot obtain an en- 
 trance into the tomb, or even through 
 the gate. The stone coffin, which con- 
 tains the ashes of the venerable occu- 
 pant, is engraved with the arms of the 
 United States, and the simple name of 
 " Washington." 
 
 The following description of General 
 La Fayette's visit to the old tomb, was 
 
 written by his companion and secretary, 
 Levasseur : — 
 
 " After a voyage of two hours, the 
 guns of Fort Washington announced that 
 we were approaching the last abode of 
 the Father of his country. At this sol- 
 emn signal, to which the military band 
 accompanying us responded by plaintive 
 strains, we went on deck, and the ven- 
 erable soil of Mount Vernon was before 
 us. At this view,, an involuntary and 
 spontaneous movement made us kneel. 
 We landed in boats, and trod upon the 
 ground so often trod by the feet of Wash- 
 ington. A carriage received General La 
 Fayette, and the other visiters silently 
 ascended the precipitous path which con- 
 ducted to the solitary habitation of Mount 
 Vernon. In re-entering beneath this 
 hospitable loof, which had sheltered 
 him when the reign of terror tore him 
 violently from his country and family, 
 George La Fayette felt his heart sink 
 within him, at no more finding him 
 whose paternal care had softened his 
 misfortunes ; while his father sought 
 with emotion for everything which re- 
 minded him of the companion of his 
 glorious toils. 
 
 " Three nephews of General Wash- 
 ington took La Fayette, his son, and 
 myself, to conduct us to the tomb of 
 their uncle ; our numerous companions 
 remained in the house. In a few min- 
 utes the cannon, thundering anew, an- 
 nounced that La Fayette rendered hom- 
 age to the ashes of Washington. Simple 
 and modest as he was during life, the 
 tomb of the citizen-hero is scarcely per- 
 ceived among the sombre cypresses by 
 which it is surrounded. A vault, slightly 
 elevated and sodded over — a wooden 
 door without inscriptions — some with- 
 ered and green garlands, indicate to the 
 traveller, who visits the spot, where rest 
 in peace the puissant arms which broke 
 the chains of his country. As we ap- 
 proached, the door was opened. La 
 Fayette descended alone into the vault, 
 and a few minutes after reappeared with 
 his eyes ovei"flowing with tears. He 
 took his son and me by the hand, and 
 led us into the tomb, where, by a sign, 
 he mdicated the coffin. We knelt rev- 
 erentially, and rising, threw ourselves 
 
= Tl 
 
 344 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 into the arms of La Fayette, and min- 
 gled our tears with his." 
 
 Williamsburg, tliongh a small place, 
 is the oldest incorporated town in the 
 state, and was formerly the cnpital. It 
 is fifty-eight miles from Richmond, and 
 sixty-eight from Norfolk. It has three 
 j churches, a magazine, two seminaries, 
 ' the eastern lunatic asylum, and William 
 ; and Mary college. The number of in- 
 habitants is about two thousand. 
 
 The Statue of Lord Botetourt stands 
 in the .square, which retains a portion 
 of its original beauty, though much mu- 
 ! tilated, having been a good specimen 
 of sculpture. He was one of the fiist 
 judges of the colony. It was erected 
 in 1774, at the expense of the colf)ny. 
 
 William and Marj/ College. — This 
 was the first literary institution of the 
 higher kind in Virginia, having been 
 founded in 1692, under the reign of the 
 sovereigns whose name it bears. They 
 were its liberal benefactors, granting it 
 twenty thousand acres of land as an en- 
 dowment. There are five professors, 
 about one hundred students, and about 
 four thousand volumes in its libraries. 
 The institution embraces a law depart- 
 ment. The commencement is held on 
 the 4th of July. 
 
 This institution is the oldest of that 
 name in the Union, with the single ex- 
 ception of Harvard university, but was 
 long kept as a mere grammar school. 
 Many of its graduates have been among 
 the most distinguished men in the state 
 and nation. Some of the books in the 
 library bear the name of Robert Din- 
 widdie and his coat-of-arms, with his mot- 
 to : *' Ubi lihertas, ihi 2)atria." Among 
 the most valuable works is Catesby's 
 Natural Histt'y of Carolina, Floiida, 
 and the Bahama Banks, two volumes 
 folio, English and French — printed in 
 1754. The first building was erected 
 in 1793, in Williamsburg; but it was 
 not until some important changes were 
 made in the plan of the institution, that 
 it began to assume the character of a 
 college. The two professorships in di- 
 vinity and that for Latin and Greek, 
 established in 1692, were substituted 
 by professorships in other depaitments. 
 Among the six formerly existing was one 
 
 for the instruction and conversion of 
 the Indians, founded by Mr. Boyle, of 
 England. 
 
 The Old Capitol. — A few fragments 
 only now remain of the building known 
 as " the capitol." This, however, was 
 not the first edifice erected for the capi- 
 tol of the colony, which was consumed 
 by fire in 1746. Its successor also was 
 burned in 1832, and that is the one 
 whose remains are to be seen. Within 
 its walls some interesting incidents oc- 
 curred. There Washington received, 
 iti his youth, an expression of the thanks 
 of the colonial legislature, on his return 
 from the French war, from the lips of 
 Mr. Robinson, the speaker, who com- 
 plimented him \ii such high terms, that, 
 \\''ith characteristic modesty, he blushed, 
 trembled, and stammered — unable to 
 return a distinct answer. To relieve 
 his embarrassment, the speaker kindly 
 said : " Sit down, Mr. Washington ; your 
 modesty is equal to your valor, and that 
 surpasses the power of any language 
 that I possess." 
 
 In the same building, Patrick Henry 
 made his first public speech before the 
 house of burgesses ; and although in a 
 coarse dress, and with the air of " an 
 obscure and unpolished rustic," he as- 
 tonished the aristocratic members of the 
 chamber, by his vigorous eloquence. 
 
 The old Raleigh Tavern is still to be 
 seen, distinguished by a bust of Sir 
 Walter Raleigh over the door. It is the 
 place in which some of the most impor- 
 tant committees of the legislature used 
 to meet in the Revolutionary days; and 
 there is said to have been first conceived 
 and proposed, by Henry Lee and his 
 associates, the system of correspondence 
 which was carried on with so much suc- 
 cess during the war. 
 
 Liord Dansmore' s Palace. — Tvvc small 
 builcings may be seen, which are the 
 remains of the edifice occupied by Lord 
 Dunsmore, the last royal governor of 
 Virginia. They stand in a small court, 
 which formed part of the extensive 
 grounds which surrounded his mansion, 
 and then embraced three hundred and 
 sixty acres. There he maintained a 
 splendid style of living; but, being op- 
 posed to the rising spiiit of the people 
 
346 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 at tlie approaching of the revolutionary 
 period, he was deprived of his place 
 and power. 
 
 T/tc Old Magazine. — This is an an- 
 cient octagonal building, on the square, 
 erected above one hundred and twenty 
 years since, from which Governor Duns- 
 more, in 1775, removed the gunpowder 
 of the colony on board the man-of-war 
 Magdalen, then in the harbor. This 
 act excited the people to form the first 
 armed forces assembled in opposition to 
 the British government. 
 
 YoRKTOWN, seventy miles from Rich- 
 mond, is situated on the right bank of 
 York river, and is distinguished for the 
 closing military scene of the American 
 revolution, the surrender of Lord Corn- 
 wallis, which put a close to the strug- 
 gle between Great Britain and the new 
 states. It was founded in 1705, and 
 was formerly much more flourishing than 
 it now is. The number of inhabitants 
 is very much reduced, so that it is hardly 
 worthy of the name of a village, con- 
 taining scarcely foity houses, and these 
 marked by decay. York county was 
 one of the eight original counties into 
 which Virginia was divided in 1634. 
 The situation is pleasant, and many of 
 the scenes are fine. 
 
 The York Tavern, in the village, is 
 believed to be the oldest in the state. 
 The ruins of the old church have a sad 
 and solemn aspect. It was built above 
 one hundred and fifty years ago, and 
 destroyed by fire in 1814. The bell is 
 preserved, and hears this inscription : — 
 
 "Count]/ of York, Virginia, 1725." 
 
 The walls of the building were com- 
 posed of marl, which was soft when first 
 dug from the ground, but hardened like 
 stone after a little time. 
 
 The White Sulphur Spring, in Green- 
 briar county, two hundred and twelve 
 miles from Richmond, is situated in an 
 elevated and beautifully picturesque val- 
 ley, hemmed in by mountains on every 
 side, and in the midst of the celebrated 
 ' spring region." Its elevation above 
 tidewater is two thousand feet. It bursts 
 with boldness from rock -lined apertures, 
 and is enclosed by marble casements 
 five feet square and three and a half 
 feet deep. Its temperature is sixty-two 
 
 degrees Fahrenheit, and remains uni- 
 finmly the same, winter and summer. 
 The principal spring yields about eigh- 
 teen gallons per minute, and is never 
 increased or diminished by any changes 
 of weather. Tlie water is perfectly clear 
 and transparent, and deposites copiously, 
 as it floats over a rough and uneven sur- 
 face of rocks, a white precipitate — some- 
 times, under peculiar circumstances, red 
 and black — composed in part of its in- 
 gredients. Its taste and smell, fresh at 
 the spring, are those of all waters so 
 strongly impregnated with sulphuretted 
 hydrogen gas. 
 
 The fountain is enclosed and covered 
 by a circular edifice, about thirty feet in 
 diameter, supported by pillars like the 
 cupola of a church or other public build- 
 ing, except that in place of a weather- 
 cock, or some religious emblem, the 
 summit is handsomely embellished with 
 a large marble figure of Hygeia (the 
 goddess of health), presented by the 
 late Mr. Henderson, of New Orleans, 
 in a spirit of gratitude for the benefit 
 he had received at this noble fountain. 
 Here visiters resort early in the morn- 
 ing, to quaff" from two to six glasses of 
 water impregnated chiefly with sulphate 
 of lime, sulphate of magnesia, and sul- 
 phate of soda. 
 
 Within two hundred yards of the 
 spring, in the centre of the valley, which 
 here spreads out nearly to a plane sui- 
 face, and at the lower end of a lawn of 
 some eight or ten acres, stands the dining 
 hall, near two hundred feet long, with 
 tal)les to seat six hundred guests. From 
 one hundred and fifty to two hundred 
 cabins and cottages are I'anged along at 
 considerable elevation above the spring, 
 in curvilinear form, adapted to the sinu- 
 osities of the mountain base that skirts 
 the valley, and other irregularities of 
 I the site ; but still making nearly an ob- 
 long square, and occupying a line of 
 perhaps nearly a mile in its entire length, 
 ^ enclosing an area of ten or twelve acres, 
 I well set in blue grass, intersected with 
 dry walks for exercise, and ornamented 
 with that variety of trees which seems 
 characteristic of this region. Here the 
 native oak in all its grandeur ; there the 
 symmetrical sugar-maple; next again 
 
348 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 the hickory (that of the old stock), and 
 hard by the locust. 
 
 These beautiful forest-trees have been 
 so judiciously left and pruned, as not to 
 conceal or smother what they were in- 
 tended to shade and beautify ; and make, 
 with tlie cottages, especially when these 
 are lighted up at night, altogether a fuie. 
 panorama. 
 
 Lord Morpeth and other distinguished 
 foreigners have, in their admiration, pro- 
 nounced the bath at the Warm and the 
 White Sulphur springs — for arrange- 
 ment and extent of accommodations, 
 scenery, and health-giving qualities of 
 the water — far superior to any similar 
 resorts in Europe. 
 
 The cabins are all of brick, or neatly 
 framed, finished, and painted, with a 
 nice piazza separately railed in for each. 
 Many of them display handsome and 
 chaste specimens of architecture. 
 
 Travellers leaving Baltimore in the 
 morning, by the railroad, reach Win- 
 chester the same evening ; thence travel 
 by post-coach, along a Macadamized 
 turnpike, one hundred miles up the val- 
 ley of Stanton ; sup and lodge the next 
 nififht at Clovei-dale ; and the second 
 morning breakfast at the Warm springs. 
 The warm bath is forty feet in diameter 
 and six feet in depth, ninety-eight de- 
 grees Fahrenheit, and withal clear as 
 crystal and sparkling as champagne. 
 
 A Negro Cabin. — There is consid- 
 erable difference in the form, size, and 
 materials of the habitations of negroes 
 in Virginia, especially if we include those 
 in the principal towns. That repre- 
 sented in the cut may be taken as a 
 specimen of the largest and best kind 
 ordinarily seen in the country. The 
 negro huts arc usually built in clusters ; 
 those for the family servants forming a 
 quadrangle in the yard, and others be- 
 ing placed at a greater or less distance 
 from the house of the planter, accord- 
 ing to the extent of his estate. 
 
 Most of them are built of logs or the 
 bodies of small trees; the materials dif- 
 fer, however, in certain parts of the 
 country ; some of the poorer white peo- 
 ple dwelling in huts of a similar descrip- 
 tion. The arrangements and furniture 
 are of the simplest kind. The chinks 
 
 between the logs or boards are filled, 
 entirely or partly, with moss or clay ; 
 the chimneys are formed of small sticks 
 and covered with mud ; the floor is the 
 ground, which often serves for beds at 
 night. 
 
 The foFowing is from a recent letter- 
 writer : — 
 
 *' Not long ago, I attended a funeral 
 of an aged female slave. About the 
 grave were gathered some two score of 
 negroes ; and as the coffin descended 
 into the tomb, the moistened eye of 
 every one bespoke the touched heart ; 
 and an old man, with half-choked utter- 
 ance, said : 'Cry not, my friends, our 
 sister has gone from us, but we mus 
 meet her de oder side of de grave. De 
 great Master has sent for her, and she 
 is now at home. God giant we be dere 
 too!' The chips made in constructing 
 the coffin, were burned in a fire made 
 for the purpose in the open air, as they 
 believe that death will soon enter the 
 family on whose hearth-stone they are 
 burned. Several weeks after the burial 
 the sermon is preached. Crowds of 
 slaves attend, and all are treated abun- 
 dantly to refreshments of every kind. 
 
 "An old servant, who often speaks 
 of the surrender at Yorktown, and of 
 the scenes that were witnessed at the 
 time by him — and who told me that he 
 ' learned to read' when he went with his 
 ' young master to college' — now that he 
 is exempt from labor, spends his time 
 in reading his bible, and in ' fightingr his 
 battles over again.' I often see him of 
 a Sunday evening, surrounded by an 
 audience of his own race, reading and 
 explaining the Scriptures to them ; and 
 they, in the meantime, manifest their 
 appreciation of the sacred word, by 
 looks of the most active interest, and 
 expressions of joy and comfort," 
 
 Wellsburg, eighty-seven miles from 
 Pittsburg, on the Ohio river, has a bank, 
 a courthouse, five churches, with several 
 manufactories, and about two thousand 
 inhabitants, 
 
 Bktiiany is eight miles east from 
 Wellsboro'. It is a small village, but 
 is the seat of 
 
 Bethany College, an institution with 
 about one hundred pupils. 
 
350 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 Pocahontas. — No othei* Indian fe- 
 male ever rendered such a service to a 
 white man as Pocahontas, under cir- 
 cumstances so well calculated to excite 
 admiration. All have read the simple 
 narrative of her intercession to save the 
 life of Captain Smith, at that critical 
 period when his death would probably 
 have led to the extirpation of his little 
 suffering colony. But perhaps many 
 have lost sight of one circumstance which 
 is calculated to enhance its effect upon 
 the feelings. We refer to the tender 
 years of the heroine : she was a child 
 of only twelve or thirteen years of age. 
 
 From the accounts we have of the 
 case, we see abundant reason to believe 
 that nothing could have directed her in 
 the course she pursued, but a strong 
 natural dictate of humanity. Yet why 
 she should have been so affected in that 
 case, it is difficult to say, as it may be 
 presumed she had witnessed scenes of 
 cruelty, bloodshed, and murder, among 
 the savage race, and in the savage fam- 
 ily to which she belonged. Many of 
 the actions of Indians, we find on nearer 
 acquaintance with them, ai'e dictated by 
 some of their strange superstitious no- 
 tions. A dream, an unusual sight or 
 sound, or some other trifle, they often 
 believe to be connected with something 
 which gives it importance. This is es- 
 pecially true of the men, whose dreams 
 in their initiatory fasts decide some im- 
 portant point for life. 
 
 We have no particular reason, how- 
 ever, to assign such a motive to Poca- 
 hontas, any more than to the celebrated 
 Indian princess who figures so remark- 
 ably in the early history of New Eng- 
 land — the wife of Mononotto, the Pequod 
 sachem, whose refinement and dignity, 
 as well as her humanity, excited the ad- 
 miration of Governor Winslow, familiar 
 as he was with the manners of the Eng- 
 lish court. 
 
 It was in the gloomy year when the 
 little colony at Jamestown (the first 
 which survived the trials of the settle- 
 ment) was reduced to such sufferings by 
 the scarcity of food, that Smith, with 
 the determination of relieving them, ven- 
 tured among the Indians in the interior, 
 and after proceeding up James river in 
 
 a boat, left it with his companions at 
 the landing, and went on toward the 
 dwelling of Powhatan. This would, 
 probably, have appeared only a bold 
 step, if he had met with no difficulty ; 
 but we are so prone to judge of an act 
 by its consequences, that when we see 
 him falling into a snare, laid on a rock, 
 and a war-club raised to dash out his 
 brains, we are ready to call him incon- 
 siderate and rash. He appeared to Imve 
 retained his presence of mind through 
 all his dangers, and by happy expedients 
 twice obtained a short reprieve, viz. : 
 by showing the savages his pocket com- 
 pass, and by sending to Jamestown for 
 medicine to cure a sick Indian. These 
 and other circumstances may have had 
 their influence on the feelings of the 
 young princess. But, whatever was the 
 cause, she behaved like a heroine ; and 
 not in one case only, or toward a single 
 individual. By a timely message, sent 
 no doubt with great personal risk, she 
 warned the infant colony of the mur- 
 derous plots of the savages. 
 
 Through her intercession, an English 
 boy, named Henry Spilman, was saved 
 from death, and afterward lendered the 
 colonists much service. So strong was 
 the friendship of Pocahontas for the 
 whites, that she left her home, and re- 
 sided with the Patamowekes, whose 
 sachem, Japazas, was a friend of Smith's, 
 that she might not witness the death of 
 English prisoners, whom she could no 
 longer rescue from the bloody hands of 
 her father. Strange as it may seem, 
 however, she was sold by that sachem 
 to Captain Argall for a copper kettle, as 
 he thought her father's attachment to 
 her might prevent him from prosecuting 
 his bitter persecutions of the colony. 
 Her father sought to recover her ; but, 
 before any arrangement was made for 
 the return of the interesting captive, she 
 gave her consent to marry an English- 
 man named Rolfe, who had long before 
 contracted an affection for her. 
 
 The character of Powhatan is a very 
 marked one. His attachment to his 
 dauf^hter alone would be enouQfh to vin- 
 dicate the red race from the charge of 
 being without natural affection. He at 
 first opposed her marriage, but after- 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 351 
 
 ward gave his consent, despatched an 
 officer to witness the ceremony, sent a 
 deerskin to Pocahontas and another to 
 her husband, and maintained thereafter 
 the most friendly terms with the col- 
 onists. 
 
 Yet Powhatan refused to give his 
 younger daughter in marriage to Gov- 
 ernor Dale, though solicited by him and 
 her sister — saying to the messenger : — 
 
 " Go back to your governor, and tell 
 him that I value his love and peace, 
 which, while I live, I will keep. Tell 
 him that I love my daughter as my life ; 
 and though I have many children, I have 
 none like her. If I could not see her, 
 I would not live ; and if I give her to 
 you, I shall never see her. I hold it 
 not a brotherly part to desire to take 
 away two children at once." 
 
 Pocahontas was baptized, and re- 
 ceived the name of Rebecca. In 1616 
 she made a voyage to England with her 
 husband, where she was received with 
 much attention. Her husband had just 
 been appointed to an office in the col- 
 ony, and was preparing to return when 
 she died, at the age of twenty-two. Her 
 only child, a son, was educated by his 
 uncle in Vii-g^inia and his daughter was 
 the ancestor of the Randolphs, and sev- 
 eral other principal families of the state. 
 
 John Randolph. — A writer in the 
 Norfolk Beacon describes a visit to the 
 grave of this remai'kable man, and in 
 speaking of his former residence, thus 
 writes :— 
 
 " After a ride of two or three hours, 
 we entered a forest of tall oaks, and 
 were told by Mr. Cardwell that we were 
 on Mr, Randolph's estate. Shortly the 
 houses that were occupied by the great 
 and eccentric genius appeared through 
 the intervening trees, built up in the 
 midst of the woods. Not a stump to 
 be seen, not a bush grubbed up — all 
 standing as if the foot of man had never 
 trodden there. Mr. Randolph would 
 not suffer the primitive aspect of things 
 to be disturbed in the least. Not a tree, 
 or a branch, or a switch, was allowed to 
 be cut. During his absence in Europe, 
 a limb of an oak, projecting toward a 
 window of one of the houses, drew so 
 near that old Essex, fearing the window 
 
 would be broken, cut off the limb. On 
 Mr. Randolph's return, he at once dis- 
 covered the mutilation ; old Essex was 
 called up, and the reason demanded 
 for cutting off the limb. The old negro 
 told his master he feared the window 
 would be broken. * Then,' said Mr. R., 
 * why did you not move the house 1' 
 
 The writer met John, the former body 
 servant of Mr. Randolph, who treated 
 him with great politeness. He says : — 
 
 " At my request, John directed us to 
 his master's grave, at the foot of a lofty 
 pine, just a few steps in the rear of the 
 summer-house; the place was selected 
 by Mr. R., just twenty years before his 
 death, and by his direction his head was 
 laid to the east instead of the west, the 
 usual position. It was observed to John 
 that his master had ordered his body to 
 be thus laid, that he might watch Henry 
 Clay. John replied that he had never 
 heard him say anything of the kind. I 
 suppose the position was pi^eferred by 
 Mr. Randolph because it is the Indian 
 sepulchral posture ; his descent from 
 Pocahontas, the Indian princess, being 
 one of the things he much boasted of. 
 A rude unchiselled mass of white rock, 
 found by him on a distant part of his 
 estate many yeai's before his death, and 
 used by him at the door of one of his 
 houses as a washstand, marks the head 
 of the grave. A huge mass of brown 
 stone, also selected by him and used as 
 a stepstone to mount his horse, marks 
 the foot of the grave. These rocks were 
 procured and kept for the purpose to 
 which they are now appropriated, and 
 particular directions wei'e given to John 
 on the subject. 
 
 " I can never forget my emotion while 
 standing over the unornamented grave 
 of the gifted and eccentric Randolph. 
 The tall, unbroken forest by which I 
 was surrounded — the silence and gloom 
 that reigned undisturbed amid the de- 
 serted place — the thought of the brilliant 
 mind that once animated the remains 
 then mouldering beneath the sod upon 
 which I was standing — the vanity of 
 earth's promises, hopes, and distinctions, 
 impressed my heart and mind with a 
 degree of solemnity and interest I was 
 unwilling to dissipate." 
 
Like tlie other southern Atlantic 
 states, the coast of North Carolina is 
 uniformly flat, low, and sandy, but lit- 
 tle elevated above the water's level, 
 and generally covered with pine for- 
 ests. It extends 320 miles ; and the 
 low, sandy region referred to reaches 
 from 80 to 100 miles westward, to 
 the hilly regions, forming an area of 
 23,000 square miles. All this, with 
 scarcely an exception, is a dead level, 
 with but few spots of good soil, and 
 showing but little cultivation, althi>ugh 
 the live oak grows readily in some 
 parts, and figs and some other fruits 
 are easily cultivated in the most favored positions. *One of the principal occupa- 
 tions of the inhabitants has ever been the collection of tuipentine, pitch, rosin, 
 and tar, the first of which is a spotitaneous effusion of the yellow pine when 
 wounded, and the others the same substance in different degrees of inspissation, 
 effected by the heat of fire applied to the trees when cut in pieces, and partly col- 
 ored by smoke. This same business was carried on in many other of our states 
 in their early periods, but in the most of them the su]iplies of turpentine have 
 long failed, in consequence of the clearing of the pine land ; but the vast extent 
 of tlie terebinthine forests of North Carolina has perpetuated tliis branch of man- 
 ufactures to the present day. 
 
 It may be presumed that such a soil and surface, and such a situation, could not 
 prove favorable to the prosperity of the people. The monotony of the landscape 
 corresponds too nearly with the monotony of life and stationary condition of society, 
 in which the difficulties of elevating iiabits or education are almost insurmountable. 
 The hilly region of the state, which bounds the sandy region on the west, 
 presents a marked and sudden change in climate, soil, and population. It oc- 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OE NORTH CAROLINA. 
 
 35: 
 
 cupies an area of 14,000 square miles, 
 with a gcnei'al, gentle slope to the south- 
 east, cut through, at intervals, by rivers. 
 The Roanoke, Yadkin, Catawba, Tar, 
 Neuse, and Cape Fear rivers, are the 
 pi'incipal streams of the state, but the 
 Catawba and Yadkin, rising in the mid- 
 dle region, empty in South Carolina. 
 
 The Blue Ridge, which in several 
 other states forms the eastern range of 
 high land, is here in the rear of two oth- 
 er hilly ranges, if, indeed, the Blue 
 Ridge can with propriety be said to cross 
 this state. A large part of this region 
 is varied in a pleasing manner by hill 
 and valley; while the soil is good, the 
 climate cool, and the productions those 
 of the temperate regions, including 
 wheat, grass, potatoes, apples, peaches, 
 and Indian corn, which . is the staple 
 product. The villages are numerous 
 and flourishing ; the people industrious, 
 intelligent, and prosperous ; and literary 
 institutions ai'e founded with success. 
 The more elevated parts, as in the ad- 
 joining states, have weather as cold in 
 the winter, as in some of those much 
 farther north. Iron is the only metal 
 found in considerable quantities, and this 
 is mined and manufactured to some ex- 
 tent. Gold has been found on the sur- 
 face, in a range of counties at the dividing 
 line of the two regions, in loose particles 
 or quartz stones, apparently the debris 
 of a stratum of the hilly region, and 
 pei'haps belonging to a long auriferous 
 range, extending from Georgia to Vir- 
 ginia. Some geologists think it may be 
 traced much further. About fifteen years 
 ago, much interest was raised in the 
 North Carolina gold mines, and several 
 companies were formed, in New York 
 and elsewhere, and mining operations 
 were undertaken, partly with steam ma- 
 chines imported from Europe. The 
 sanguine expectations of adventurers 
 were, however, soon disappointed ; but 
 considerable quantities of gold are still 
 annually derived from this state by the 
 U. S. mint. 
 
 The western pai't of the state has a 
 Filope toward the northwest, and is 
 drained by several of the branches of 
 the Tennessee river. 
 
 Althousih settlements were begfun 
 
 within the territory of this state at an 
 eai'ly period, they were retarded by a 
 variety of untoward circumstances, ari- 
 sing partly from the nature of the coun- 
 try, and partly from the influence of un- 
 wise policy and evil men. The weak- 
 ness of the colonists, and the fear of the 
 Indians, long prevented the occupation 
 of land in the interior; and the seacoast 
 offered only tracts of poor, sandy soil, 
 burdened with pine forests, almost inca- 
 pable of improvement, and at a uniform 
 low level, but little higher than the 
 ocean. The higher regions, now so 
 flourishing' and populous, lie far in 
 the interior; but they were long un- 
 known, and longer unoccupied. 
 
 The first attempts to colonize this part 
 of the country, were made by the French 
 under Charles IX., from whose name 
 (in Latin Carolus) the Carolinas derived 
 their appellation. The interference of 
 the Spaniards broke up the settlements. 
 In 1586, Sir Walter Raleigh sent out a 
 small colony from England, under a pat- 
 ent from Queen Elizabeth ; but no trace 
 was ever found of them, and the pre- 
 sumption is that they were destroyed by 
 the Indians. 
 
 North Carolina was included in the 
 patent granted to Sir Robert Heath, at- 
 torney-general of Charles II., in 1630, 
 which extended from Louisiana to the 
 36th degree of north latitude, and, as 
 usual with English patents in those days, 
 west to the Pacific ocean. All this ex- 
 tensive region was named Caro.'ina; but 
 as circumstances did not favor the settle- 
 ment within the specified time, it soon 
 became null, and was afterward super- 
 seded by a grant obtained from the same 
 monarch, by Lord Clarendon, and some 
 of his other friends, which embraced all 
 the territory between the 31st and 36th 
 degrees of north latitude. 
 
 In the meantime, however, settlements 
 had been made north of Albemarle 
 Sound, by colonists discontented with 
 the intolerant measures adopted in Vir- 
 ginia, and several families from Massa- 
 chusetts arrived at Caps Fear, to engage 
 in fishing. The latter, however, were 
 soon obliged to apply for assistance to 
 their friends at the north, which they 
 received. 
 
 23 
 
354 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. 
 
 After tlie new charter had been grant- 
 ed, the colonists at Albemarle were 
 placed under the jurisdiction of the gov- 
 ernor of Virginia, Sir William Berkeley, 
 who soon paid them a visit, and appoint- 
 ed Drummond to be their governor. In 
 1666, they chose the first assembly ever 
 formed in this part of our country, and 
 sent their new governor, Stephens, with 
 a petition for the privilege of holding 
 their lands on the san^ terms as their 
 neighbors in Virginia, which was grant- 
 ed them. A new constitution was also 
 made, which provided for an annual 
 election of members of the assembly by 
 the colonists, while the choice of gov- 
 ernor and half of the council was left to 
 the proprietors. The taxes were to be 
 laid by the assembly. In 1669, the first 
 assembly under this constitution held 
 their first session. 
 
 A constitution for the colony was 
 drawn up this year by the celebrated 
 author John Locke, at the request of 
 Loi'd Clai'cndon; but, as might have 
 been expected, the general views on 
 which it was founded, proved quite in- 
 applicable to the people and the coun- 
 try, and the experiment remains as a 
 warning to all men who would meddle 
 with plans of government for com- 
 munities with which they are unac- 
 quainted. 
 
 A new colony was formed south of 
 Cape Fear, by a band of men from Bar- 
 badoes, under Governor Yeamans, who 
 was created a baronet, and soon after a 
 landgrave, and the district was named 
 the county of Clarendon. Tliis settle- 
 ment was soon divided, and we may now 
 begin to speak of North and South Car- 
 olina as partly distinct ; for, while a 
 part of the settlers removed to Charles- 
 ton, which had just been occupied, the 
 remaiiider were soon united with Albe- 
 marle. 
 
 But many obstacles awaited the north- 
 ern division of Carolina. In 1677 a re- 
 bellion against the government was head- 
 ed by Culpepper, a restless and trouble- 
 some man, who usurped the government 
 and held it for two years, but was super- 
 seded by Governor Eastchurch, after 
 which he went to England, to offer the 
 submission of the colonists on conditions, 
 
 but was saved from punishment by the 
 favor of Lord Shaftsbury. He after- 
 ward purchased the interest of Lord 
 Clarendon, took the government in 1683, 
 and so disaftected the people by his cor- 
 rupt policy, that they seized and impris- 
 oned him in 1688, and afterward ban- 
 ished him for a year. 
 
 A band of Huguenots arrived from 
 France in 1707, and settled on the Trent, 
 a branch of the Neuse, who were suc- 
 ceeded in 1710 by a party of Palatines 
 from Germany, and each received a grant 
 of 100 acres of land. But most of these 
 unfortunate colonists were soon after 
 massacred, in a sudden and treacherous 
 attack by 1,200 Indians, from several 
 nations, and only a small number escaped, 
 to tell the tale in the southern colony. 
 
 Passing over some years, for even a 
 sketch of which we have no room, we 
 shall barely note the period of the sep- 
 aration of Carolina into two provinces. 
 In 1730, George Burrington was ap- 
 pointed governor of North Carolina, by 
 the crown, and he assumed his office at 
 Edenton, Feb. 25th, 1731. 
 
 To secure the friendship of the In- 
 dians, Sir Edward Cumming was sent 
 to the Cherokee country, which em- 
 braced all the land between North and 
 South Carolina and the Alleganies, and 
 contained 20,000 persons, of whom 6,000 
 were warriors. The chiefs acknowl- 
 edged King George their sovereign, on 
 their knees, and sent a deputation to 
 England. 
 
 As early as 1731 rice had become the 
 staple production of the colony, and was 
 exported in great quantities. 
 
 In 1738, commissioners appointed by 
 the two colonies, began to run the boun- 
 dary line, as fixed by royal command, 
 from the northeast end of Long bay, 
 northwestwardly to the 35th degree of 
 latititude, and thence westwardly to the 
 South sea! After running it 64 miles, it 
 was agreed that the dividing line between 
 the Cherokees and the Catawbas should, 
 for the present, be considered the line of 
 the colonies. The same year, the three 
 counties, Albemarle, Bath, and Claren- 
 don, into which the colony had before 
 this been divided, were abolished, and 
 the precincts were erected into counties. 
 
Provision was made for placing buoys in 
 the rivers, and otherwise improving the 
 navigation. 
 
 Soldiers were raised in North Caro- 
 lina in 1740, for the expedition sent 
 against Pensacola from Charleston, and 
 also to join the expedition against Cuba. 
 The legislature, for the support of the 
 war, laid a poll-tax of three shillings 
 " proclamation money," to be paid in 
 tobacco, rice, Indian-dressed skins, bees- 
 wax, tallow, pork, and beef In Albe- 
 marle, the people were allowed to pay 
 in bills of credit, at the rate of seven 
 and a half pounds for one pound procla- 
 mation money. The ordinary taxes 
 were also made payable in the above- 
 mentioned articles, and warehouses to 
 receive them were ordered to be built in 
 all the counties. To encourage immi- 
 gration, foreigners were offered the priv- 
 ileges of citizens, after seven years res- 
 idence, by taking the oath of abjuration, 
 and receiving the communion in a prot- 
 estant chui'ch ; Jews and quakers being 
 excused from the last. 
 
 The same year, in consequence of 
 complaints made by British merchants 
 against the paper money, the legislature 
 agreed to issue no more without the con- 
 sent of the king. To the expedition 
 against Havana, under Admiral Vemon, 
 in 1741, North Carolina supplied 400 
 men. The legislature divided the col- 
 ony into 14 parishes, regulated the elec- 
 tion of chuich wardens and vestrymen, 
 provided for the erection of churches, the 
 apprehension of fugitives, and the trial 
 and punishment of slaves, defining the 
 rights and duties of masters and servants, 
 and laying restrictions on the emancipa- 
 tion of the latter. 
 
 The legislatui-e, in 1743, although 
 urged by the governor to make spirited 
 preparations for defence against the 
 Spaniai'ds and French, in consequence 
 jf the threatening aspect of affairs, con- 
 sented only to erect magazines in the dif- 
 ferent counties. The next year, John, 
 Lord Carteret, afterward earl of Gran- 
 ville, had one eighth part of theoi'iginal 
 province of Carolina, which had been 
 reserved to him by act of parliament, 
 set apart to him, he resigning his inter- 
 est in the government, and his title to 
 
 the other seven. His territory ex- 
 tended from Virginia to a line drawn in 
 latitude 35 degrees 34 minutes from the 
 Atlantic to the Pacific ! This tract was 
 granted to Lord Carteret (except the 
 powers of government), to be holden on 
 the payment of thirty-threo shillings and 
 fourpence yearly, for ever, with one 
 fourth of all the gold and silver ore. 
 
 War having been declared by Eng- 
 land against France, in 1745, Fort John- 
 son was erected at the mouth of Cape 
 Fear river, for 24 cannon. The village 
 of Powerscreek, on that part of the riv- 
 er, was then expected to become an im- 
 portant port, but Wilmington has in- 
 creased at its expense. Two years af- 
 ter this, a number of the adherents of 
 the Pretender, after the failui-e of his 
 attempt to seize the crown of England, 
 settled in the vicinity of the present town 
 of Fayetteville. The legislature took 
 measui-es to have the laws printed for 
 the use of the people. They had hith- 
 erto been circulated in loose manu- 
 sci'ipts. 
 
 After the passage of the stamp-act by 
 the British parliament, meetings were 
 held in Edenton, Newbern, and Vv'il- 
 mington, to express the strong disap- 
 probation of the people, and their con- 
 currence with the northern colonies. A 
 spirited address was published by an il- 
 literate but patriotic man at Nutbush, 
 Granville county, "containing a brief 
 narrative of our deplorable situation, and 
 the wrongs we suffer, and some neces- 
 sary hints with respect to a reformation." 
 The representatives of Massachusetts, 
 in June, directed their speaker to ad- 
 dress the speakers of the other colonial 
 legislatures, inviting a meeting at New 
 York, on the first Tuesday in October, 
 at wh^ch North Carolina was not repre- 
 sented. The people, however, in all 
 their public meetings, expressed warm 
 approbation of the measures adopted by 
 the northern colonies 
 
 Early in the year 1766, the sloop-of- 
 war Diligence arrived in Cape Fear riv- 
 ei', with stamped paper for distribution; 
 but Colonels Ashe and Waddle assembled 
 the militia at Brunswick, and informed 
 the commander that they would resist 
 the landing of the stamps. They seized 
 
35G 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OP NORTH CAROLINA. 
 
 one of the boats, and carried it in tri- 
 umph through Wihnington. The next 
 day, Col. Ashe led a party to the gover- 
 nor's house, and threatened to set fire to 
 it unless the stamp officer gave them an 
 audience. The latter was induced to 
 resign his office. In February a riot 
 took place in Wilmington, and a duel, in 
 whicli an officer was killed. 
 
 In 1767, the two houses of the legis- 
 lature joined in an address to the king, 
 on the repeal of the stamp-act, after the 
 lower house had resisted all the exertions 
 of the governor to reconcile them to it. 
 The document was written with ability, 
 and disclaimed every disloyal intention. 
 But the vanity of Governor Tryon led 
 him this year to begin a project, which 
 laid the foundation of serious difficulties 
 to the colony. This was the erection 
 of a palace for his residence, at the 
 expense of the people. The houses 
 were prevailed upon to appropriate 
 c£5,000, which he expended in purcha- 
 sing ground at Newborn, and laying a 
 foundation, the money having been whol- 
 ly intrusted to him. He made himself 
 ridiculous, also, by making an ostenta- 
 tious military display, in leading a party 
 westward, to settle the boundary with 
 the Indians. The next year, c£10,000 
 were added to the palace fund, and a mob 
 was soon raised in the west, which set 
 the government at defiance for several 
 years, often overawing the officers and 
 courts by a display of armed companies, 
 sometimes to the number of 1,500 men; 
 the people having bound themselves to 
 pay no taxes, until they should have 
 some security for the proper use of their 
 money. They several times seemed sat- 
 isfied, and made veiy humble acknowl- 
 edgments, pai'ticularly to the king. 
 
 The governor's palace having been 
 completed, in 1770 the legislature were 
 received there, and the edifice is de- 
 scribed as one of great magnificence, 
 even for England. But the attempt to 
 get an obnoxious friend of the governor 
 into the lower house, again excited the 
 mob (or regulators as they called them- 
 selves), who threatened to l)urn the town. 
 A ditch was dug from river to river for 
 defence, and the country militia were 
 ordered to be in readiness to march in. 
 
 The legislature had, before this time, 
 addressed the king on the subject of tax- 
 ation without representation, in the spir- 
 it of Massachusetts and other colonies, 
 though in opposition to the repeated re- 
 monstrances of the governor. In 1770, 
 the sheriffs were ordered to disperse 
 every meeting of ten men, wherever as- 
 sembled, and it was declared to be fel- 
 ony, without benefit of clergy, to diso- 
 bey, or to undertake any unlawflil acts. 
 
 The next year the public troubles 
 came to a crisis. Governor Tryon, at 
 the head of a few hundred militia, met 
 a somewhat more numerous body of reg- 
 ulators at the gi-eat Almance river, and, 
 after repeated attempts to bring them to 
 an accommodation, had a sharp battle 
 with them fi)r an hour, which discipline 
 and cannon decided in his favor. A few 
 executions terminated the whole, and the 
 governor soon sailed for New York. 
 
 In 1774, on the 25th of August, a 
 meetinar of deleg^ates was held at New- 
 bern, representing meetings of the peo- 
 ple in all parts of the state, who had as- 
 sembled to express their feelings on the 
 condition of the country ; and although 
 the governor called the council, they re- 
 fused to ac^ while the convention chose 
 John Harvey, of Perquiman, for speak- 
 er, and adopted resolutions, expressive 
 of unshaken loyalty, but firmly in favor 
 of the country, and opposed to the north- 
 port act, the taxes on tea, &c. They 
 applauded the measures of Massachu- 
 setts, and resolved not to import, pur- 
 chase, nor export, until American griev- 
 ances were removed. They approved of 
 the proposed congress at Philadelphia, 
 resolvetl to hold no intercourse with 
 persons or towns who would not co-ope- 
 rate with them, and agreed to contribute 
 for the relief of Boston sufferers. They 
 then appointed deputies to the congress, 
 William Hooper, of Doange, Joseph 
 Hewes, of Edenton, and Richard Cas- 
 well, of Dobbs county. 
 
 The legislature met at Edenton, on 
 the 4th of April, 1775, at the time when 
 the delegates of the people assembled 
 to appoint members of the congress, 
 many of the delegates being also mem- 
 bers of the legislature, and John Har- 
 vey being chairman of both bodies. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. 
 
 357 
 
 Governor Martin, in a long speech, re- 
 monstrated against the proceedings of 
 the people, and the deputies replied in 
 the plainest and most decided tone. 
 The council, at the proposal of the gov- 
 ernor, struck off tlie name of John Har- 
 vey fi'om the list of justices of his coun- 
 ty; and he afterward collected cannon 
 for the defence of his palace, endeav- 
 ored to enlist the Highlanders and oth- 
 ers in the west to take part with him, 
 and wi'ote a letter to General Gage, at 
 Boston, for arms and ammunition, which 
 was intercepted. But the committees 
 of safety were active throughout the 
 colony, and that of Newbern took away 
 the governor's cannon, and drove him, 
 in fear, to take refuge in Fort Johnson. 
 
 A dangerous plot was discovered on 
 the evening of July 7th, for a massacre 
 of the people on Tar river, by their ne- 
 groes, on the following day, and many 
 of the latter were found armed. The 
 people of Wilmington prepared to seize 
 the arms, «fcc., at Fort Johnson, but found 
 the governor had embarked with them 
 on board the sloop-of-war Cruizei*. They 
 then burned the fort, headed by John 
 Ashe, who had resigned his commission 
 as militia colonel of New Hanover. 
 
 The congress authorized the levy of 
 1,000 men, in North Carolina, if neces- 
 sary, to be regarded as part of an Amer- 
 ican army; the 20th of July was kept 
 as a day of fasting and prayer, and the 
 provincial congress met August 20th, to 
 the number of 184 members ; while the 
 governor issued a proclamation, offering 
 pardons &c. ; 1,000 troops were raised, 
 and 400 placed in Wilmington, the first 
 regiment under James Moore, and the 
 other under Robert Rowe, and 150,000 
 dollars was emitted in bills of ci'edit, to 
 be redeemed by a poll-tax of nine years, 
 to commence in 1777. A battalion of 
 ten companies of fifty minute-inen, was 
 ordered to be raised in each district. 
 The congress also adopted an address 
 to the inhabitants of the British empii-e, 
 drawn up, it is said, by William Hooper, 
 Other arra.ngements were made for de- 
 fence. 
 
 On the 19th of April, 1775, a com- 
 mittee, appointed by the captains of mi- 
 litia of Mecklenburg county, met at Char- 
 
 lotte, and while in session, received news 
 of the battle of Lexington, when, after 
 hearing addresses from some of the mem- 
 bers, they all cried out, " Let us be in- 
 dependent!" and Dr. Ephraim Brevai'd 
 reported resolutions declaring them- 
 selves " a free and independent people.'' 
 They were forwarded to the congress 
 at Philadelphia, but the president said 
 it would be premature to present them. 
 
 Governor Martin now sent emissaries 
 to the regulators and the Highlanders 
 in the southern counties, and a General 
 M'Donald, to induce them to adhere to 
 the royal cause; to counteract which, 
 clergymen were sent to defeat his efforts 
 to deceive them. Lord Dunmore of Vir- 
 ginia at the same time marched for the 
 northern counties, with 120 regular 
 troops, and some tories and negroes. 
 He intrenched himself at the great 
 bridge, and invited slaves to join him; 
 but he was attacked by Lieut. Colonel 
 Scott, while Lieutenant Tibbs, with his 
 boat-guard, six miles off, was attacked by 
 royal troops, which he repulsed. 
 
 General M'Donald, with 1,500 men, 
 offered terms to Colonel Moore, en- 
 camped on Rocky river, and after some 
 time passed him by a rapid march, but 
 was defeated by Colonel Caswell near 
 Wilmington, and made prisoner. 
 
 In May, 1776, Sir Peter Parker's ex- 
 pedition of about 30 vessels reached 
 Cape Fear river, and on the 12th, Gen- 
 erals Clinton and Cornwallis landed at 
 General Howe's plantation in the coun- 
 ty of Brunswick, with 900 men, but 
 failed in their object, which was to sur- 
 prise Major Davis at Ostin's mills, for a 
 sentinel on the shore gave the alarm, 
 they were fired upon while crossing the 
 causeway, and accomplished nothing but 
 the destruction of the mills, and the 
 beating, stabbing, and shooting of three 
 women who fell into their power. They 
 returned on board, with the loss of sev- 
 eral men. The expedition failed, in 
 consequence of the universal patriotism 
 of the people, the defeat of M'Donald, 
 and the refusal of the regulators to co- 
 operate. After waiting in vain for their 
 friends on shore, until they were obliged 
 to kill several horses for food, they sailed 
 on the 29th of May for Charleston. 
 
358 
 
 DESCRirTION OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. 
 
 The constitution of the state was 
 adopted in December, 1776, and in 1835 
 was revised. There are 35 senators, 
 and 120 members of the house of com- 
 mons, who are elected once in two years, 
 as is the governor. The houses elect 
 an executive council of seven, for two 
 years, and the judges of the supreme 
 court, to act during good behavior. The 
 attorney-general is appointed by the 
 legislature for four years. All white 
 males, 21 years of age, inhabitants of the 
 state for 12 months, are allowed to vote, 
 except for senators, for which a freehold 
 of 50 acres of land is necessary. The 
 legislature meets twice a year at Raleigh. 
 
 Little as the lower parts of North 
 Carolina afford of variety, either in sur- 
 face, soil, or natural productions, there 
 is a region in the west, which vies with 
 the most pictui'esque portions of the 
 Union in rudeness and sublimity. The 
 mountain region comprehends some of 
 the highest land this side of the Rocky 
 mountains, and towers far above the 
 common table-land of the western coun- 
 ties. The latter is about 1,800 feet above 
 the ocean, while Grandfather mountain 
 is 5,556 feet. Roan mountain 6,038, and 
 Black mountain 6,476 : a little more than 
 the reported height of Mount Washing- 
 ton, the loftiest peak of the White hills 
 of New Hampshire. 
 
 The rivers, in the upper parts of their 
 coui'ses, wind through some pleasing 
 and striking scenes ; and in their lower 
 parts, several are accessible to vessels, 
 and now visited by steamboats. 
 
 Near the middle of the state, passes 
 the boundary between the high and the 
 low lands; and this line, which extends 
 through several other adjacent states, is 
 connected with some peculiai'ities of 
 great importance. East of it extends 
 the broad and sandy level to the seacoast, 
 through which the rivers flow with a slow 
 and uniform course, whose head-waters 
 come through the high, cool, and more 
 healthful region west of it, with a descent 
 which precludes navigation. The occu- 
 pations of the people, and the state of 
 society, differ considerably in those two 
 parts of the state, as well as the native 
 products of the soil, and the objects of 
 culture and of export. Near that line, 
 
 also, are the gold mines, which, a few 
 years since, began to excite much atten- 
 tion, and which are still wrought with 
 some success. 
 
 The peculiar features of the coast of 
 North Carolina, render it the scene of 
 fi'equent shipwrecks, and of consequent 
 sufferings to crews and passengei's. The 
 land is so level and low, as to render it 
 difficult of discovery from a distance, 
 except in clear weather; and the great- 
 est desolation and solitude generally pre- 
 vail there, which, with the difficulty of 
 crossing the sounds that form so large 
 a part of the eastern boundary of the 
 state, often render the situation of un- 
 fortunate mariners almost desperate, 
 even after they have escaped the perils 
 of the sea, before they can obtain relief 
 from the land. The temptation oft'ered 
 by the exposure of property thrown on 
 shore by the waves, has too often led 
 the solitary, ignorant, and indigent in- 
 habitants, in some places, to theft and 
 inhumanity : but such acts have been rare 
 of late years, and instances of hospital- 
 ity and kindness are much more common. 
 
 In some of the poorest parts of the 
 low country, a habit prevails to a con- 
 siderable extent, which is at once un- 
 natural and injurious: clay-eating. A 
 species of fine clay is found, which many 
 learn to eat while young ; and the prac- 
 tice leads to the formation of an invet- 
 erate habit, which at length produces a 
 peculiar diseased and almost idiotic ap- 
 pearance and dulness of mind, with se- 
 rious injury to the health, ofi;en termina- 
 ting in premature death. 
 
 The Dismal swamp, lying paitly in 
 Virginia and partly in this state, renders 
 a large tract in its northeastern corner 
 uninhabitable, and almost entirely use- 
 less. It lies nearly on a level with the 
 ocean, and presents only a dreai'y and 
 repulsive wilderness of cypress, and oth- 
 er trees and plants able to live in water 
 or marshy soil, with patches of some- 
 what drier land here and there, rising 
 from the immense morasses, and a 
 large pond in the middle called the Lake 
 of the Dismal swamp. The whole tract 
 is 22 miles in length, and it connects 
 the waters of Albemarle sound with 
 Chesapeake bay. There is no passage 
 
 J 
 
thi'ougli it, except the canal which has 
 been cut from Virginia, to bring the 
 produce of that part of the state to Nor- 
 folk. It is a work of considerable im- 
 portance and value : but a more unat- 
 tractive region can hardly be imagined, 
 than that through which it passes. 
 
 The Gold Mines. — According to tra- 
 ditions in some parts of the gold regions 
 (which may embrace a tract of % thou- 
 sand square miles), that precious metal 
 has been found from early times, and 
 sometimes in large masses. It now oc- 
 curs in small lumps and grains, down to 
 minute points, invisible even to the mi- 
 croscope ; for the auriferous quartz often 
 yields a considerable quantity when sub- 
 mitted to the separating process, even 
 when no indication of its presence can 
 be detected by the highest magnifiei's. 
 
 The books of the U. S. mint first re- 
 cord the receiving of gold from North 
 Carolina in the year 1814, when 11,000 
 dollars' worth was obtained. Between 
 that time and 1824, an annual average 
 of only $2,500 was received; in 1825, 
 $17,000; 1826, $20,000; 1827, $21,000; 
 1828, nearly $46,000; and 1829, $128,- 
 000. The best gold-washings (as depos- 
 ites in sand are called), are in the coun- 
 ties of Burke and Rutherford. The 
 miners believe that streams of water 
 formerly flowed where the gold is now 
 found in this condition. The richest 
 mines, properly so called, where the 
 metal is found in rocks and stones, are 
 in Mecklenburg, Rowan, Davidson, and 
 Cabarras counties. There the particles 
 are usually invisible to the naked eye, 
 and are separated by the aid of quick- 
 silver. The best veins have a dip of 45 
 degrees to the horizon, and are from a 
 few inches in thickness to several feet. 
 The process of obtaining it pure is la- 
 borious, tedious, and expensive. In 
 some places excavations have been made 
 120 feet deep. 
 
 The stones are beaten to fine dust, 
 either by common hammers, or by 
 sledges moved by steam, and the mass 
 is then placed in wooden troughs, called 
 rockers, with a quantity of quicksilver, 
 and a small stream of water is made to 
 flow in, while the troughs are kept in 
 continual gentle motion. The quicksil- 
 
 ver readily combines or amalgamates 
 with gold when brought into contact with 
 it, and after this process has been kept up 
 for a time, a lump of the united metals 
 is taken out, and pressed in a deerskin 
 bag, through the pores of which the 
 quicksilver is forced in minute globules, 
 while the gold is left behind in a state of 
 purity. The separation is effected at 
 some foreign gold mines by heat, which 
 distils over the quicksilver. 
 
 During the height of the gold specu- 
 lations, 6,000 persons were employed by 
 one company, and it was supposed that 
 20,000 were occupied in the business in 
 all parts of the gold counties. 
 
 The annual product of gold was once 
 estimated as high as $100,000 a week, or 
 at the rate of five millions annually. The 
 chief part of the laborers were Gemians, 
 Swedes, and other foreigners, speaking 
 not less than thirteen different languages, 
 and most of the gold was exported to 
 Europe. The village of Charlotte, in 
 Mecklenburg county, which is near one 
 of the largest mines, experienced a sud- 
 den growth and a great increase of busi- 
 ness : . but the influence of mining, as 
 carried on in the state generally, has not 
 been favorable to the moral interests of 
 the people. 
 
 In the course of the excavations, evi- 
 dences have been found of former mining 
 operations, on the same ground. Many 
 pieces of machinery have been discov- 
 ered, and ci'ucibles, of considerable size, 
 and, in the opinion of some of the mi- 
 ners, of superior qualities to the best 
 Hessian crucibles of the present day. 
 
 Internal Improvements. — -Exertions 
 have been made to improve the very de- 
 fective channels of trade in this state, 
 and to prevent the products from being 
 cai'ried to the ports of South Carolina 
 and Virginia. In 1815, an extensive 
 system of canals and roads was planned, 
 and much expense has been incurred in 
 connecting the principal rivers by canals, 
 the draining of marshes, &c. Railroads 
 have since been constructed, which add 
 much to the prosperity of the state. 
 
 Education. — The institutions for edu- 
 cation have been much increased since 
 the year 1804, when there were only two 
 academies. They are now established 
 
360 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. 
 
 in difTerent parts of the state ; and the 
 university of North Carolina, at Chapel 
 Hill, 28 miles from Raleigh, is a respec- 
 table and flourishing institution. 
 
 Religious Denominations. — The bap- 
 tists are most numerous, and the meth- 
 odists the next, Aftei- these are the 
 presbyterians, Lutherans, episcopalians, 
 united brethren, and friends. 
 
 The Manufacture of Tar and Turpen- 
 tine. — The following description of the 
 process of making tar and turpentine, 
 we copy from a letter from a traveller in 
 the South, which appeared in a late news- 
 paper : — 
 
 '* This turpentine business has become, 
 within the last two years, a very lucra- 
 tive one indeed. The boundless forests 
 of fir which cover North Carolina, offer 
 material to the enterprising for a couple 
 of centuries to come. The forests can 
 be purchased for a dollar an acre. Some 
 farms have been sold for ten cents an 
 acre ! and the highest I have heard did 
 not exceed two dollars. 
 
 " Many speculators have latterly en- 
 tered into this turpentine manufacture. 
 One negro man will collect 200 barrels 
 in a season, which will sell for about 
 $800 ; about $100 will feed and clothe 
 the negro; thus there is a pretty full 
 margin of profit for the capital embarked 
 in the land and negroes. It is better by 
 far than cotton-raising — many cotton 
 planters ai'e going into it, and the expan- 
 sion of manufactures and arts, at home 
 and abroad, keeps pace with the in- 
 creased number of those who are enter- 
 ing into this profitable business. 
 
 "For the benefit of those who have 
 never been in a turpentine country, I 
 may describe the process of gathering 
 and distilling this subtle spirit. The 
 trees are cupped in the spiring ; about 
 eighteen inches square of the bark is 
 peeled of; the cupping is made by one 
 or two cuts of an axe, of peculiar shape, 
 near the root. In the summer and fall 
 the turpentine oozes out through this 
 vent. The negro comes round from tree 
 to tree, and gathers this oozed matter 
 into his bucket. The trees are contin- 
 ixally exuding during the season. The 
 ensuing year they are cut a little higher 
 than before, when a new ci'op is ob- 
 
 tained. The process may be repeated 
 for five or six years, cutting higher up 
 the trunk each year; after which the 
 trees are cut down and chopped into 
 short logs, and piled together in peculiar 
 heaps, called "kilns," when a slow fire 
 is put under the heap, and thus pitch 
 and tar are obtained from the heated 
 pile. The fatty matter, or raw turpen- 
 tine, is'jjacked into barrels — brought to 
 the distilleries, boiled and evaporated 
 in the common way in which spirit is 
 extracted in the alcohol distilleries, the 
 steam passing through a large worm or 
 refrigerator, which is set in an immense 
 vat of cald water. The surface of the 
 water, being the hottest, passes off", while 
 the attendant keeps pumping cold water 
 through a pipe that forces it to the bot- 
 tom, causing the hot water, created on 
 the surface, to pass off". The steam 
 comes out in spirits of turpentine below, 
 and is barrelled tightly and sent to all 
 the markets of the world, and the resi- 
 due is rosin. 
 
 " North Carolina sends out an immense 
 quantity of Indian corn, staves, turpen- 
 tine, pitch, tar, and rosin, besides which, 
 she is beginning to manufacture cotton 
 and woollens." 
 
 Raleigh, the seat of government, 
 is situated nearly in the centre of the 
 state, 6 miles distant from the river 
 Neuse, 164 southwest from Richmond, 
 and 288 southwest from Washington. 
 It was named in honor of that conspic- 
 uous statesman of Queen Elizabeth, who 
 makes so interesting a figure in the his- 
 tory of her reign, and displayed so much 
 zeal in prosecuting discoveries, and 
 planting protestant colonies in this part 
 of America. 
 
 Raleigh is a small town, containing 
 only about 3,000 inhabitants, but it is 
 pleasantly situated, and laid out with 
 taste, having a square of ten acres in 
 the centre, called Union square, from 
 which the four principal streets, of a 
 fine breadth, viz., 99 feet, diverge at 
 right angles. Between these are four 
 smaller squares of four acres each. 
 There are two academies, and several 
 other public buildings. The capitol, 
 which was destroyed by fire several 
 years ago, contained the finest and most 
 
3G2 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. 
 
 valuable piece of sculpture ever seen in 
 America: a statue of Washington, by 
 Canova. With a degi'ee of taste and 
 patriotic spirit which are highly credit- 
 able to the state, the legislature em- 
 ployed that gi'eatest of modern sculp- 
 tors to execute the noble work, on which 
 he was employed as early as 1819. It 
 was placed in the capitol, and excited 
 general admiration, being made of the 
 finest Carrara marble, in a dignified sit- 
 ting posture, with an expression and 
 features much like those of the Father of 
 his country. The costume was that of 
 a Roman senator. In the destruction 
 of the statehouse, this most valuable of 
 its contents was ruined; but although it 
 can never be replaced, the history of it 
 will reflect lasting honor upon the char- 
 acter of the state. 
 
 The old statehouse (which is repre- 
 sented in our engraving) was a well- 
 proportioned edifice, of plain architec- 
 ture, and consisted of a main bxiilding 
 and a projection at the centre, with a 
 basement of hewn stone, and a front of 
 four Ionic half-columns, while a large 
 dome, with a cupola, rose from the mid- 
 dle of the roof. A broad yard in front, 
 offered a fine approach ; and the building 
 was of sufficient size to affbi'd large halls 
 for the legislature, and various offices, 
 and other appropriate apartments for 
 public purposes. 
 
 The present statehouse is of granite, 
 on the plan of the celebrated temple of 
 Minerva at Athens, called the Parthe- 
 non, 166 feet in length, 90 in breadth, 
 with a range of noble columns of gran- 
 ite, 30 feet high, and five and a half in 
 diameter. 
 
 The other public buildings are the 
 courthouse, the governor's house, five 
 churches, four academies, two banks, 
 and a theatre. 
 
 Wake Forest College is at Forestville, 
 15 miles from Raleigh. It has three 
 professorships, and a library of 4,700 
 volumes, and was founded in 1838. The 
 number of pupils is yet small. 
 
 Edcnton is a small town, situated on 
 the bay at the mouth of Chouan river, 
 and contains a handsome courthouse, two 
 churches, an academy, and a bank, with 
 a population of about 1,600. Stage- 
 
 coaches go to Norfolk three times a 
 week, distant 86 miles. 
 
 Tarhorough stands on the south side 
 of Tar river, and contains a courthouse, 
 two churches, a bank, and an academy, 
 with about 800 inhabitants. Stage- 
 coaches go every other day to Raleigh 
 and Washington. 
 
 Warrenton, 62 miles noitheast fi'om 
 Raleigh, is a small town, containing 
 about 800 inhabitants, now frequently 
 visited on account of its proximity to a 
 favorite watering-place, which is resort- 
 ed to, in the warm season, by many trav- 
 ellers. This is the 
 
 Shocco White Sulphur Springs, 12 
 miles from Warrenton, with which there 
 is a daily communication by stage-coach- 
 es. The water is charged with sulphur- 
 etted hydrogen and carbonic acid gases, 
 and contains the sulphates of lime and 
 magnesia, oxyde of iron, muriate of soda, 
 and carbonate of lime, and is recom- 
 mended for diseases of the skin and the 
 liver. 
 
 Wilmington. — This is the principal 
 town in the state for trade and most oth- 
 er kinds of business. It contains a pop- 
 ulation of about 12,000, of whom 9,000 
 are whites. It stands on the eastern 
 bank of Cape Fear river, just below the 
 confluence of the two branches, 13 miles 
 from the ocean, at the head of naviga- 
 tion for vessels of 300 tons, although 
 steamboats go up to Fayetteville a part 
 of the year, 120 miles. The town is 
 chiefly built on four streets, and in some 
 parts shows some of the ruins caused by 
 several destructive fires, from which it 
 has successively suffered. The houses 
 are built of pitch pine, which renders it 
 difficult to arrest the progress of the 
 flames when once enkindled. Much 
 lumber is brought down the river, a;; J 
 sawed up by steam -mills erected on the 
 shore, where vessels receive their freight 
 for the West Indies, and some of the 
 northern ports. The railroad has in- 
 creased the population in six years, kbout 
 6,000. 
 
 Great quantities of turpentine, tar, &c., 
 are also brought here from the country. 
 Considerable quantities of spirits of tur- 
 pentine are made, about twenty man- 
 ufactories having been recently erected. 
 
We must conclude our sketch of North 
 Carolina with a brief account of one of 
 the most courageous acts in the his- 
 tory of the revolutionary war in this 
 state. 
 
 In Ramsay's history of South Carolina, 
 mention is made of an enffasfement, 
 which took place at Williams' planta- 
 tion, in the upper part of South Carolina, 
 on the 12th of July, 1780, between " a 
 pait of the corps commanded by Col. 
 Sumter," and a detachment of British 
 troops and tories under the command 
 of Captain Huck. The historian does 
 not inform us, however, who commanded 
 this ^'partif from the corps of Col. 
 Sumter, nor are we told by him the 
 particulars of this brilliant little engage- 
 ment, which w^as the first check given 
 to the royal foi'ces after landing in 
 South Cai'olina on the 11th of February, 
 1780. The following account of it is 
 from the speech of Col. W. C. Beatty 
 of Yorkville, delivered on the anniver- 
 sary of the battle, in 1839. 
 
 Captain Christian Huyck was said to 
 be a native of Philadelphia. He bore 
 the commission of a captain in the Brit- 
 ish army and was distinguished for his 
 profanity and bloody deeds in the upper 
 part of South Carolina. His enmity to 
 the presbyterians displayed itself in 
 burning the library and dwelling-house 
 of their clergyman, Mr. Linyman. At 
 the moment of his attack and defeat, "a 
 number of women," says Dr. Ramsay, 
 "were on their knees, vainly soliciting 
 his mercy, in behalf of their families and 
 property." He had been despatched 
 by Col. Turnbull, the commander of the 
 British forces at Rocky Mount, with 
 the following orders: " You are hereby 
 ordered, with the cavalry under your 
 command, to proceed to the frontier of 
 the province, collecting all the royal 
 militia with you in your march, and 
 with said force to push the rebels, as 
 far as you may deem convenient." 
 
 Previous to the issuing of the above 
 order. Colonel Bratton, Major Wynn, 
 and Captain M'Clure, had attacked and 
 defeated a body of tories assembled at 
 Mobley's meetinghouse in Fairfield dis- 
 trict. This gallant adventure on the 
 part of a few bold whigs, had induced 
 
 Col. Turnbull to send Captain Huyck 
 into York district to chastise the rebels 
 — " push them as far as he might deem 
 convenient." *' The evening before his 
 defeat he arrived at the house of Col. 
 Bratton and demanded of Mrs. Bratton 
 where her husband was. She replied 
 that he was in Sumter's army. He 
 then proposed to her, if she would get 
 her husband to come in and join the 
 royalists, he should have a commission 
 in the British service. Mrs. Bratton 
 replied with heroic firmness that she 
 preferred her husband's remaining and 
 dying in the army of his country." For 
 this bold and spirited reply, a soldier, 
 under the command of Huyck, attempt- 
 ed her life, and was prevented executing 
 his purpose by the interference of an 
 officer second in command. She was 
 then ordered to prepare supper for Cap- 
 tain Huyck and his officers. While 
 doing so, the idea occurred to her that 
 "she might play," in the language of 
 Col. Beatty, " a Roman's part and take 
 a deadly revenge on the enemies of her 
 country." She had poison in the house 
 and could mix it with the food. But a 
 moment's reflection taught her that this 
 food might fall into the possession of 
 the whigs, who were closely watching 
 the footsteps of the enemy. Her own 
 brave husband might, by some mishap, 
 be the victim of her treachery, instead 
 of his enemies. The idea was quickly 
 abandoned. 
 
 Huck and his officers slept in William- 
 son's house the night preceding the 
 battle. His troops lay encamped around 
 it. A road enclosed in a lane passed 
 the door, and sentinels were posted along 
 the road. The guard kept negligent 
 watch, and the troops lay in fancied 
 security — undreaming of to-morrow's 
 scenes — unknowing that they were al- 
 ready marked for defeat and death. On 
 that same day. Col. Bratton, with one 
 hundred and twenty -five men, principally 
 his neighbors, left Mecklenburg county. 
 North Carolina, under the conviction 
 that some royal force, would shortly visit 
 their neighborhood to avenge the defeat 
 of the tories at Mobley's meetinghouse. 
 During the march, about fifty of the 
 men dropped off", and thus only seventy- 
 
364 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. 
 
 five were left to attack the enemy, in- 
 stead of one hundi'ed and thirty-three, 
 as stated in the history of Carolina. 
 With this force, Col. Bratton arrived 
 that night near their encampment. In- 
 telligence of the enemy had passed up, 
 and their number, had been received 
 during the day. After concealing their 
 horses in a swamp, the whigs impatient- 
 ly awaited the dawn of day, to commence 
 the attack. At length it came, and with 
 it victory. One half of the men, led by 
 Ccl. Bratton and Capt. Moffit, came up 
 the lane, while the other halfj command- 
 ed by Capt. M'Clure, of Chester, a 
 brave and daring officer, were sent round 
 to the head of the lane. Thus the enemy 
 were enclosed, speedily routed and con- 
 quered. When the attack commenced, 
 Huck and his officers were in bed, and 
 were aroused from their slumbers by the 
 roar of the American guns. The captain 
 quickly mounted his horse and attempted 
 to rally his men. This he several times 
 effected, but all his efforts were unavail- 
 ing — the determined spirit of the whigs 
 cai'rled all before them — and as soon as 
 Huck fell, his men threw down their 
 arms and fled. Huck, Col. Ferguson 
 of the British army, and thirty-five or 
 forty men, lay dead on the field or were 
 wounded unto death. How many per- 
 ished in the woods is not known — the 
 rest escaped. Of the whigs, only one 
 was killed — whose name was Campbell, 
 as stated by Col. Gill. The rest, though 
 in the thickest and hottest of the fight, 
 escaped unhurt, to fight other battles 
 and do further service in the cause of 
 their beloved country. This battle is 
 said to have lasted one hour. 
 
 This victory was not only brilliant and 
 gloi'ious in itself, but it had the most 
 salutary and important effect on the des- 
 tinies of the state. It was the first time 
 since the fall of Charleston, that any 
 power dared to meet the hitherto victo- 
 rious enemy. This victory reanimated 
 the drooping spirits of the country. The 
 citizens were buoyed up with new life 
 and fresh hopes. It brought them con- 
 fidence, and taught the enemy to dread 
 the vengeance of freemen, fighting for 
 their liberties, their lives, and domestic 
 altars. It had the direct and immediate 
 
 effect of embodying the whigs, and in a 
 few days afterward, six hi^ndred new 
 troops joined the army of Sumter. Thus 
 reinforced, on the thirtieth of the same 
 month, Gen. Sumter made a spii'ited at- 
 tack on the British forces at Rocky 
 Mount, and in eight days afterward 
 gained a complete victory over the en- 
 emy at Hanging Rock. 
 
 After the engagement was over, the 
 officer who had saved the life of Mrs. 
 Bratton the evening before, was about 
 being put to death by the whigs. He 
 asked the favor of being carried into the 
 presence of Mrs. Bratton, who immedi- 
 ately recognised him, related her obli- 
 gation to him, and implored that his life 
 might be spared, which was done. Thus 
 she had an opportunity of proving that 
 she was as grateful in the hour of tri- 
 umph, as she had been bold and spirited 
 in the time of danger. 
 
 Col. W. Bratton, who was chief in 
 command on the occasion, was a gallant 
 officer throughout the American revolu- 
 tion. He was in the battles fought at 
 Guildford courthouse. Hanging Rock, 
 Blackstocks, Rowsam's mills, and Mob- 
 ley's meetinghouse, beside the one al- 
 ready recounted. In all of these engage- 
 ments, he fought with great spirit, cour- 
 age, and determined bravery. In the 
 dai'kest period of his counti-y's distress, 
 he stood firm in her cause, and by his 
 influence and example, encouraged and 
 cheered on his whig neighbors, and 
 "bid them hope for brighter and better 
 days." As an evidence of his uncom- 
 mon daring, it is said, that on the night 
 befoi'e the battle at Williamson's, he re- 
 connoitred the encampment and ad- 
 vanced entirely within their line of sen- 
 tinels. By this bold adventure, ho ac- 
 quired information which gi'eatly con- 
 tributed to the victory which they gained. 
 
 The distinction and honor of having 
 killed the famous Captain Huck, or 
 Huyck, as his name was more properly 
 written, belonged to John Carroll, who 
 greatly distinguished himself in many 
 engagements by his extraordinary bold- 
 ness and daring. Huck was shot while 
 endeavoring to rally his men. This 
 battleground is now known as Brattons- 
 ville. 
 
This state, although piesenting 
 many of tlie leading featuies which 
 V chaidctpuze Noith Caiohna, enjoya 
 some counteibalancing advantages, 
 of much impoi tance to commei ce and 
 agnciiltuie. Theie is a good haibor 
 at Chaileston, and seveial of the iiv- 
 eis and inlets along the coabt aie 
 moie accessiV)lc, and navigable to a 
 gieatei distance. The luwland which 
 borders the ocean has many tracts of 
 good soil, among which are numerous 
 rice-fields. The line between the 
 high and the low lands is still more 
 marked than in North Carolina, in its 
 influence on trade and the position of 
 towns. Rice and cotton in the low grounds, and cotton and grain in the middle 
 regions, and apples and other northern plants in the mountains, mark their ap- 
 propriate sections, while maize yields abundantly in all parts. The oak and palm, 
 as well as the pine and walnut, are prevailing native trees, and many others have 
 been introduced. 
 
 A few of the events in the early history of South Carolina have been given in 
 the preceding pages, in speaking of the first settlements of North Carolina, with 
 which it was for a time connected. Oyster Point, near Charleston, was first occu- 
 pied by a colony under William Sayle, who, having made a survey of the coast 
 some years previously, arrived on the coast in 1670, and after several changes of 
 place, finally chose the spot at the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper rivers, 
 near that now covered by the large and flourishing city of Charleston. The 
 tiumber of the colonists was soon increased, as we have before remarked, and the 
 name of South Carolina was conferred on the new settlement. 
 
 JJ 
 
In 1674, Joseph West was elected 
 governor, and exercised the chief author- 
 ity for several years, with much ability. 
 The principal offices were filled by the 
 cavaliers, although the puritans were in 
 greater numbers ; and considerable addi- 
 tions were soon made by the arrival of 
 English dissenters and protestants, driv- 
 en by religious intolerance from several 
 Roman catholic countries. 
 
 The site of the present flourishing 
 city of Charleston, was first occupied 
 in 1673, by a number of Dutchmen from 
 the New Netherlands, now New York, 
 and, the advantages of its situation be- 
 coming at length obvious, it was finally 
 taken by the colonists at Oyster Point. 
 
 The year 16S0 was unfortunately sig- 
 nalized by the first Indian war. A con- 
 siderable number of prisoners were ta- 
 ken, who were sold as slaves by the gov- 
 ernor to West India planters ; for which 
 inhuman policy he was removed by the 
 proprietors, in 1683, and Governor Mor- 
 ton was appointed his successor. An 
 Irish and a Scotch colony came out the 
 same year. The latter at first settled on 
 Port Royal island, but were soon driven 
 to Charleston by fear of the Spaniards 
 at St. Augustine. They afterward re- 
 turned, when their settlement was laid 
 waste in 16S6. Governors West, Kyrle, 
 Quarry, and Morton, in turn succeeded to 
 the chief-magistracy, but in the short 
 space of three years, gave place to Col- 
 leton, in 1686. The inhuman practice of 
 kidnapping and selling Indians was al- 
 lowed, to the discredit of the colony. 
 
 A large and valuable addition was 
 made to the colony at this time, by the 
 arrival of many French Huguenot fam- 
 ilies, who, having been deprived of the 
 protection of the laws in their native 
 couritry, by the revocation of the edict 
 of Nantes, sought an asylum in the new 
 world. Some of the principal families 
 of South Carolina at the present day, 
 bear the names of some of those refu- 
 gees ; and there, as elsewhere, they have 
 done honor to their principles, and the 
 land of their adoption, by the characters 
 they have sustained in the country of 
 their choice. 
 
 One chief source of difficulty between 
 the colonies of South, as well as North 
 
 Carolina, and their governors, had been 
 the payment of quit-rents to the propri- 
 etors ; and Colleton was deposed, in 
 1687, in consequence of his attempt to 
 enforce it. After a period of anarchy, 
 Seth Sothel assumed the chief-magis- 
 tracy, in the character of a friend of the 
 people, who unwisely trusted him after 
 his misconduct in the northern colony. 
 They soon however found it necessary 
 to banish him, and elected in his place 
 Ludwell, who had succeeded him in 
 North Carolina. 
 
 The introduction of rice into the col- 
 ony, an event of particular interest, took 
 place during the administration of Gov- 
 ernor Smith, the successor of Ludwell. 
 A vessel from Madagascar stopped at 
 Chai'leston, and the captain presented a 
 bag of that grain to the governor, who 
 distributed it among his friends, and the 
 culture of that valuable staple was thus 
 commenced, with results most important 
 to agriculture and commerce. 
 
 Governor Blake, a dissenter (son of 
 Admiral Blake), with great liberality, 
 sustained religious liberty; but after his 
 death, in 1700, Governor Moore, sus- 
 tained by Loi"d Granville, one of the 
 proprietors, by intrigue induced the as- 
 sembly to pass a bill establishing epis- 
 copacy, and thus introduced religious 
 persecution. The majority of the people 
 being dissenters, many of them prepared 
 to leave the colony; but the house of 
 lords having voted against the law, and 
 Queen Anne having annulled it, the 
 threatened evil to the colony was pre- 
 vented. 
 
 In 1702, England being at war with 
 Spain, Governor Moore undertook a wild 
 expedition against St. Augustine, and 
 sailed from Port Royal with a part of 
 the force raised. Colonel Daniel and 
 his enlisted Indians, took and robbed 
 the town : but, while the governor was 
 waiting for cannon to batter the fortress, 
 into whicli the enemy had retired, two 
 Spanish ships appeared, and he made a 
 hasty retreat. To meet the expense of 
 this expedition, six thousand pounds, 
 the first paper-money, was emitted in 
 Carolina, which depreciated after a few 
 years, 
 
 A happy termination was at lengti 
 _J 
 
368 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 
 
 put to the old difficulties between the 
 people and the proprietors, by the wise, 
 moderate, and cowciliatory policy of 
 Archdale, a quaker, who arrived from 
 England in 1695, with authority to bring 
 the matter to a close; he was succeeded 
 in the government by Blake ; but from 
 his death, in 1700, under Governors 
 Moore and Johnson, the colony was dis- 
 tracted by wars with the Indians and 
 Spaniards. In 1703, the savages com- 
 menced hostilities, instigated by the 
 Spaniards, but were conquered by Gov. 
 Moore, who destroyed about SOO. In 
 1706, the Spaniards made a new attack 
 upon Charleston, but were unsuccessful, 
 and retired with much loss; while the 
 colony failed in an attempt on St. Au- 
 gustine. 
 
 The Tuscai'ora and Cosee Indians as- 
 saulted the western settlements in 1712. 
 
 A great advantage was gained over 
 them by Col. Barnell, and a decisive vic- 
 tory by Col. Monro soon after, both of 
 them being aided by lai-ge bodies of 
 friendly Indians. The Tuscaroras were 
 so discouraged, that they migrated to 
 the north, in 1713, and settled on lands 
 granted them by their ancient allies, the 
 celebrated Five Nations, or Iroquois of 
 the present state of New York; with 
 whom they were incorporated, as the 
 sixth member of the confederacy. They 
 are now in a state of much improvement, 
 under the influence of missionaries, by 
 means of schools and churches ; and 
 many of them are respectable farmers. 
 (See Schoolcraft's Census of the N. Y. 
 Indians, 1846.) Their residence is a 
 few miles from the falls of Niagara. 
 
 After the departure of the Tuscaroras, 
 the other Indians proposed terms of 
 peace with South Carolina, and never 
 again caused any disturbance. 
 
 The close of the wars with the sava- 
 ges, formed an epoch quite important 
 in the histories of both of the Carolinas. 
 It was not till that time that the nature 
 of the interior lands became known. 
 The fear of Indians being passed, and 
 no obstacle now existing to the estab- 
 lishing of settlements inland, consider- 
 able numbers of colonists came from 
 Pennsylvania, and other northern parts, 
 to occupy them. The nature of the 
 
 country, and the character of the climate, 
 combined to encourage a diti'erent sys- 
 tem of agriculture; and the state of so- 
 ciety has naturally been much influenced 
 by the circumstances which surrounded 
 the people. Manual labor is not re- 
 garded as intolerable or discreditable to 
 the owners of the soil, who often go to 
 the fields with their slaves, and work at 
 their side. They do not di-mand so 
 lai-ge a number of servants, to perform 
 the work on an upland farm a^.)n a low- 
 land plantation, and more simplic.ty and 
 economy are obsei*ved in the style of 
 living. 
 
 Our limits do not allow us to give 
 even so much as an outline of the French 
 or revolutionary wars in this state. In 
 the latter, the people suffered exceeding- 
 ly from the conflict of parties nearly 
 equally divided, and the repeated prev- 
 alence of the royal authority; as well as 
 from the want of power or firmness 
 among the friends of the country. 
 Charleston was once saved from capture, 
 by the bravery of a few men in Fort 
 Moultrie. Marauding parties were oc- 
 casionally sent out under Tarlton and 
 others, from that city, when it afterward 
 lay in the power of the British ; and 
 these were repeatedly harassed or 
 checked by small bands of patriots. 
 Among the partisan leaders who became 
 prominent and useful in those trying 
 times, was General Marion, who estab- 
 lished a high character for skill and 
 bravery, in a long course of irregular 
 military operations in the interior. A 
 characteristic anecdote is told of him, 
 which does peculiar honor to the Amer- 
 ican character. 
 
 A young English officer, in wander- 
 ing through the woods, unexpectedly 
 found himself among the soldiers of 
 Marion, and was kindly received by the 
 generous outlaw, who hospitably invited 
 him to partake of his fare. His food 
 was of the plainest kind, and his lodging 
 was upon the bare ground. The for- 
 eigner, fascinated by the character of 
 his host, remonstrated with him, in the 
 most urgent terms, against the desperate 
 and dangerous course of life in which 
 he had engaged, offering to procure him 
 a pardon and rewards, if he would join 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 
 
 369 
 
 the party of the king. The soldier de- 
 clined in the most spirited manner, de- 
 claring that he v/ould not exchange his 
 poverty and humble fare, with his faith- 
 fulness to his country's cause, for all 
 that the king had to bestow. He then 
 took leave of his/ new acquaintance, 
 whom he allowed to retire without hin- 
 derance. But it is related that the in- 
 terview so far enlightened the mind of 
 the young officer on the real nature of 
 the American war, and so deeply affect- 
 ed his heart, that he soon obtained leave 
 to I'eturn to England, and took no further 
 part in the contest. 
 
 Two of the principal battles fought in 
 this state, were at Columbia: one in 
 1780, August 7, by General Gates against 
 Lord Cornwallis, and the other between 
 Geneial Greene and Lord Rawdon, 
 April 23, 1781. A third was at the 
 Cowpens. 
 
 Such was the unsettled state of South 
 Carolina during a great part of the war, 
 that many cases occurred, in which men 
 of difierent classes changed from side 
 to side, and many took the oath of alle- 
 giance to the king, after having been 
 for a while on the side of the revolution. 
 In order to present, in a striking manner, 
 some of the events of those disastrous 
 times, with a picture or two of the 
 scenes which they produced, we make 
 the following abridgment of a history 
 of "the Cunninghams of South Caro- 
 lina," from the appendix to the second 
 edition of the "Journal of Kirwen," by 
 Mr. Ward. 
 
 The first decided outbreak of the civil 
 war, originated in the unjustifiable ar- 
 rest and imprisonment of Robert Cun- 
 ningham, in November, 1775, at Charles- 
 ton. There he was destined to remain 
 till the ensuing July, when the English 
 having been expelled from the country, 
 the council of safety, deeming it prudent 
 to try the effect of conciliatory measures, 
 released him and the other state prison- 
 ers, without any conditions whatever as 
 to their after conduct. He repaired 
 immediately to the headquarters of an 
 army under the command of General 
 AVilliamson, which had been collected 
 to repel a threatened invasion of the In- 
 dians, and offered his services as a vol- 
 
 unteer. To prevent a mutiny in the 
 camp, Williamson was obliged to de- 
 cline his proffered services. 
 
 After this time, till the year 1780, no 
 public mention is made of any of the 
 Cunninghams. They had all removed 
 to the city of Charleston, where they 
 lived quietly attending to their private 
 affairs. 
 
 In the spring of 1780, Charleston 
 capitulated to Clinton, and nearly the 
 whole of South Carolina returned to 
 their allegiance. In December of this 
 year, Patrick Cunningham was made 
 colonel of the Little river regiment, and 
 he seems to have had superintendence 
 over some of the confiscated estates. 
 Robert was made a brigadier-general in 
 the British service, and sent to command 
 a fort about seventeen miles from " Nine- 
 ty-six," called Williams' fort, with a gar- 
 rison of 150 men. After the surprise 
 and slaughter at Hammond's store, 
 which was about thirty miles distant, 
 many of the fugitives arrived, on the 
 evening of the same day, at Fort Wil- 
 liams, on their way to " Ninety-six," the 
 stronghold of the British in the country. 
 They reported that Washington was at 
 Hammond's store, having a large foi'ce 
 under him, with which he intended to 
 march directly on "Ninety-six," taking 
 Fort Williams on his way. These re- 
 ports were confirmed by many arrivals 
 of wounded men and stragglers during 
 the night, and General Cunningham de- 
 termined to retreat upon "Ninety-six," 
 so as to increase the force of the garri- 
 son, while there was yet time to carry 
 off as much arms and ammunition as 
 each man could bear, rather than, by a 
 fruitless opposition to an overwhelming 
 force, not only lose all his military stores, 
 but cause also a useless sacrifice of hu- 
 man life. They accordingly maicned 
 the next morning, leaving only a few 
 men to take care of such of the sick 
 and wounded as were unable to go with 
 them. 
 
 In July, 1781, when Lord Rawdon 
 returned to "Ninety-six," from a short 
 pursuit of General Nathaniel Greene, 
 whom he had forced temporarily to re- 
 treat, he called the chief of the loyalists 
 together, explained to them the neces- 
 
 2t 
 
370 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 
 
 sity of abandoning the district, and ad- 
 vised them all to retreat within lines 
 which the British troops were able to 
 maintain. Every preparation was ac- 
 cordingly made by Colonel Cruger for 
 immediate departure. Half of all the 
 British force was left with him to cover 
 their retreat, which was commenced on 
 the 8th of July. All would then have 
 left, but for a letter addressed to them 
 by General Gi'eene, in which, declaring 
 himself to be their protector, he prom- 
 ised all who should remain his favor and 
 support. Relying on these assurances, 
 some were induced to remain, but soon 
 had cause bitterly to regret their deter- 
 mination. 
 
 It would be in the highest degree un- 
 just to impute bad faith to General 
 Greene in this matter, but it was impos- 
 sible for him to restrain his subordinates, 
 and to guai'd against their excesses. 
 But no sooner did he hear of them, than 
 General Sumter was despatched to re- 
 store order and capture the ringleaders; 
 in the meantime, much mischief had 
 been done, and many cruel and disgrace- 
 ful outrages perpetrated. In Novem- 
 ber, General Cunningham was sent with 
 700 men into the neighborhood of Oi'- 
 angeburg, where he encountered Gen- 
 eral Sumter's brigade of equal force. 
 The latter was oblio^ed to fall back, and 
 met with some loss, in consequence of 
 one of his officers having allowed him- 
 self to be drawn into an ambuscade; he 
 continued, however, to act as a check on 
 Cunningham's further advance into the 
 country. After the capitulation of 
 Charleston, a great many whigs renewed 
 their oaths of allegiance to the king, and 
 yet when success appeared to favor the 
 whig cause, they reassumed arms against 
 the British. Cornwallis issued orders 
 that all such, when taken, should bo put 
 to death as rebels, who had forfeited 
 their lives by breaking the oaths of feal- 
 ty they had so short a time previously 
 taken. Major William Cunningham, 
 then an officer in the British service, 
 was one of those who received these or- 
 ders, and who executed them rigorously 
 on all such ofl'enders as fell into his 
 power. 
 
 After the retreat of the loyalists from 
 
 " Ninety-six," in July, 1781, those who 
 had been induced by General Greene's 
 proclamations to remain, were treated 
 with the greatest barbarity. Among 
 the whigs who distinguished themselves 
 by their cruelties toward these helpless 
 torics, were a Colonel Hays, and a Mr. 
 Turner. Complaints having been made 
 to Major Cunningham, of injuries com- 
 mitted by these men against the inno- 
 cent wives and children of some of the 
 soldiers of his corps, who had adhered 
 to him in every danger, he did not hes- 
 itate to leave the English camp at 
 Charleston, and to pass into district 
 "Ninety-six," with a party of not ex- 
 ceeding one hundred and fifty men, for 
 the purpose of inflicting punishment on 
 those against whose inhumanity neir 
 ther age nor sex had afforded any protec- 
 tion. Both Turner and Hays occupied 
 military " stations." Turner's was the 
 first encountered. It was taken, and 
 the men put to death. On their way to 
 Hays' "station," some of the men, led 
 on by one " Elmore," seizing the oppor- 
 tunity of Cunningham's being at a con- 
 siderable distance behind, proceeded to 
 Captain Caldwell's house, and finding 
 him at home, they killed him, and burned 
 the house. When Cunningham came up, 
 he regretted what his men had done, but 
 it seems doubtful whether, even had he 
 been present, he could have restrained 
 them, bearing as they did, such deter- 
 mined hatred toward their victim. The 
 party then proceeded on their way to 
 Hays' station. Col. Hays had been 
 warned of his danger the night before, 
 by a Captain Brooks, \vho sent an ex- 
 press advising him to disband his men, 
 and leave the ground instantly, as Cun- 
 ningham was in the country, had taken 
 Turner's station, and killed nineteen 
 men. Hays, distrusting this informa- 
 tion, as he had just returned from scour- 
 ing that part of the country, and had 
 heard nothing of Cunningham, did not 
 think fit to follow the advice, but merely 
 sent off to another station for assistance 
 in case of need. 
 
 It was on a fine morning toward the 
 end of November, when, at lO o'clock, 
 the party of loyalists, led on by Captain 
 John Hood, rode up to the station at 
 
full gallop. This Hood was a very 
 daring fellow. He went close to the 
 piazza in front of the house, and called 
 out in a loud voice, that '"none should 
 fire from within, or they should all be 
 put to death." Those within, disre- 
 garding this warning, fired through the 
 openings, and killed one man. Major 
 Cunningham arriving shortly afterward, 
 sent a flag of truce with a written mes- 
 sage, demanding "instant stirrender," 
 and promising, if they did so, "to spare 
 all flieir lives," but declaring at the same 
 time, that "if they should resist, and so 
 cause the spilling of his men's blood, he 
 would give them no quarter, but put 
 them all to death." Col. Hays, trusting 
 to receive a reinforcement before the 
 station could be carried, refused to sur- 
 render, and answered, "he should hold 
 out to the last, at the risk of the lives of 
 his whole party." After some shooting 
 on both sides, Cunningham succeeded 
 in setting fire to the "station," which 
 was of wood, by means of a ramrod 
 wrapped round with tow, dipped in 
 pitch, and thrown in a blazing state on 
 the roof. Half-suffocated, Hays and his 
 party at length surrendered at discretion. 
 Cunningham immediately hanged Hays 
 and another man called Daniel Williams 
 on the pole of a f )dder-stock, the former 
 for his cruelty to w^omen and children, 
 and the latter for having murdered in 
 cold blood his favorite follower, Thomas 
 Ellison, whose death he had sworn to 
 avenge. Before they were dead, the 
 pole broke, and Cunningham, drawing 
 his sword, slew them both with his own 
 hand. Being told that Cook, the man 
 who with Ritchie and Moore had 
 whipped his brother to death, was among 
 the pi'isoners, he ordered him out from 
 the 7-est, and slew him with his sword. 
 
 He then gave pei'mission to his men 
 to do as they pleased with the rest. All 
 who had rendered themselves obnoxious 
 by acts of cruelty and plunder, were 
 slain without mercy. The others were 
 saved. Each of Cunningham's men 
 singled out whomsoever among the pris- 
 oners had been guilty of murdering any 
 of his relatives, and killed him forthwith. 
 The execution took place about sunset. 
 
 At the affair of Turner's station, there 
 
 was no surrender made, nor quai'ter 
 asked, and of course such a party as 
 Cunningham's could not burden them- 
 selves with prisoners. At the time they 
 were attacked, the people of that station 
 were busy cutting up some beeves of 
 which they had just plundered the tories. 
 To conceal their occupation, they had 
 fastened up blankets before the windows. 
 The call for vengeance upon these ma- 
 rauders, which had reached Cimningham 
 and his followers in Charleston, received 
 an additional impulse from learning their 
 present employment. The house was 
 surrounded, and the inmates cut down 
 as they attempted to fly. Only one man 
 escaped the general massacre. Seven 
 were saved at Hays' station, and were 
 next morning set free without terms or 
 conditions. 
 
 On their way back to Charleston, the 
 party encountered one "Oliver Toles," 
 famous for stealing tory cattle. Cun- 
 ningham had him hanged with a then"- 
 cut from a tory cow's hide. 
 
 By this time the country had become 
 fully alarmed. Parties under Pickens, 
 Leroy Hammond, &c., commenced a vig- 
 orous pursuit, and before they arrived 
 at Charleston, Ringtail's mettle was well 
 tried. Seven fresh parties started in 
 pursuit of Cunningham, one after the 
 other, but Ringtail carried his master 
 safe off from the whole of them. It was 
 at the expense, however, of his own life, 
 for he died twenty-thi-ee days after they 
 reached the city, of fatigue, and the vio- 
 lent exertions he had been forced to 
 make. Major Cunningham, "Bloody 
 Bill," "the heartless, unfeeling mon- 
 ster," "the coldblooded demon," as they 
 called him, wept like a child over his 
 poor favorite and friend, as he was wont 
 to term him. He had him buried with 
 all the honors of war, th(; bells of Charles- 
 ton were tolled and volleys were fired 
 over the hero of many fights. 
 
 When the English evacuated Charles- 
 ton, Major Cunningham, instead of em- 
 barking with them, chose to proceed to 
 Florida by land, accompanied by five of 
 his followers. One day having pitched 
 his tent near the region of Greenville, 
 in the fancied security of a deep wood, 
 they laid aside their arms, unsaddled 
 
 l:^=r 
 
372 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 
 
 their horses, and began to cook and get 
 ready their dinner. In the midst of this 
 interesting occupation, they were sud- 
 denly interrupted by the unwelcome ap- 
 pearance of a Captain Butler and twenty 
 men of the revolutionary party. Taken 
 thus by surprise, each man sprung as 
 he was, without arms, on his unsaddled 
 horse, and made off, as he best could. 
 The tent, arms, and everything, except 
 themselves and their barebacked horses, 
 fell into the hands of the gallant captain 
 and his band. The odds of twenty-one, 
 well armed, to six unarmed men, was 
 rather too great, even for Bloody Bill; 
 so, thinking in this case that disci'etion 
 was decidedly the better part of valor, 
 he and Captain Hood, who kept close 
 to him, made off as fast as their horses' 
 legs could carry them, and were soon 
 beyond the reach of danger. 
 
 He arrived safely in Florida, and af- 
 terward went to England with General 
 Cunningham. He was presented at 
 court, and during the rest of his life, 
 enjoyed the half-pay of' a major in the 
 British service. 
 
 Cotton, the principal product of South 
 Carolina, is of three kinds : the long- 
 staple or black-seed, the short-staple, 
 green-seed or upland, and the nankeen. 
 
 The first of these is the most valuable 
 kind of cotton, and is raised on the small, 
 low, fertile islands, and on the immedi- 
 ate coast, in South Carolina and Georgia. 
 The fibres are much longer and finer 
 than those of the other kinds, and it is 
 highly prized for the manufacture of 
 some of the finest fabrics, in Europe as 
 well as in this country. 
 
 Tlie second kind is extensively culti- 
 vated in the interior, and in much the 
 greatest quantity: but the culture and 
 supply were greatly restricted for many 
 years, in consequence of the difilculty 
 of separating the seeds, to which the 
 fibres adhere very closely. There was 
 no other way known to effect the neces- 
 sary separation, until the invention of 
 (he cotton gin, by Mr. Eli Whitney, 
 of Connecticut, which was soon exten- 
 sively introduced, and is now in univer- 
 sal use, to the incalcul«1)le benefit of the 
 culture, commerce, and manufacture, of 
 cotton, by greatly reducing the cost and 
 
 the time devoted to its preparation for 
 market. The inventor of this invaluable 
 machine was, however, long unrewarded 
 for his skill and ingenuity; for, while 
 on a tour of visitation in the south, after 
 it had become extensively introduced, 
 he was informed that it would be unsafe 
 for him to prosecute a claim for viola- 
 tions of his patent. He afterward, how- 
 ever, received sums of money from some 
 of the states most benefited, as a small 
 return for the favor he had conferred 
 upon them. 
 
 The nankeen cotton is of a clear and 
 lasting buff color, and has been intro- 
 duced with success into the middle and 
 northern parts of the state, where it is 
 much employed for home use. It is that 
 kind of which the nankeen cloths of 
 China are made. 
 
 Rice, as we have before remarked, is 
 one of the principal productions of South 
 Carolina. Being a water plant, its cul- 
 ture is confined to the lowlands, to which 
 water can be brought in. It is a crop 
 which requires peculiar care and atten- 
 tion, as may be presumed from the vari- 
 ous processes necessary in its cultiva- 
 tion. 
 
 On the tide-lands, or those which lie 
 on the coast and are open to the ocean, 
 so that the supply of water is obtained 
 from it, rice is sown about the 20th of 
 March, while on those inland, which are 
 irrigated from fresh-water streams, the 
 sowing-time is about three weeks later. 
 The soil is turned up with the hoe or 
 plough, and then formed into drills or 
 trenches. From one to two bushels are 
 sown upon an acre, and then the water is 
 let in, and left standing from two to four 
 days, to kill the worms, and make the 
 grain germinate. The water is then 
 drawn off, and the hoeing commences, 
 which is soon repeated, the grass being 
 now picked from among the young grain 
 by hand. The water is again let in af- 
 ter the third hoeing, for ten days and 
 often more, sometimes for twenty. The 
 water is then suffered to run off by de- 
 grees, and the rice branches out, each 
 branch at length bearing an ear of from 
 100 to 300 grains. Three months after 
 sowing it begins to blossom, and then 
 the floodgates are again opened and the 
 
374 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 
 
 water flows in, where it remains till har- 
 vest, which takes place in August on the 
 coast, and in September inland. But 
 the great obstacle in the way of rice- 
 culture, is the unhealthiness of the neigh- 
 borhood, caused by the miasma raised 
 by the heat of the sun, which is most 
 deadly to wliite men, and very injurious 
 also to the negroes. The rice-planters 
 generally leave their homes during the 
 summer, and take their families to the 
 cities, or to the uplands, to avoid this 
 evil. 
 
 From 600 to 1,500 pounds of rice are 
 obtained from an acre inland, and on 
 the coast from 1,200 to 1,500, and even 
 sometimes 2,400. 
 
 The separation of families from each 
 other, in a country whei'e the plantation 
 system is universal, and the scarcity of 
 villages and even smaller settlements, 
 necessarily throw many obstacles in the 
 way of social improvement. Children 
 can hardly be collected in schools, or 
 the people in churches, while social in- 
 tercourse must be limited, even though 
 there may be much hospitality, leis- 
 ure, and love of society, such as are 
 generally found in this and other south- 
 ern states. 
 
 Railroads. — South Carolina distin- 
 guished herself by her early enterprise, 
 in constructing one of the first great 
 railroads in the Union, on a plan whose 
 success has proved its sagacity. It was 
 constructed across an extensive region, 
 oftering indeed few obstacles of surface, 
 but encouraged by few of the advanta- 
 ges found in a thickly-populated coun- 
 try. The grand object lay in opening a 
 communication with the Savannah river 
 overland, by which the delay and expo- 
 sure of the sea voyage might be avoid- 
 ed; and a large part of the great cotton 
 crops, annually gathered on its banks, 
 is now carried in safety and at a rapid 
 rate to the city of (Jharleston, the great 
 commercial port of the south, lo be 
 shipped for New York and Europe. 
 
 Keowee lake (see page.373). — This 
 secluded little lake lies among the wild 
 scenes of a region little changed by cul- 
 tivation or the neighborhood of man. 
 A bold and wooded hill rises on the right 
 with a sudden swell, while a path, wind- 
 
 ing along the left bank, is shaded with 
 a variety of trees, presenting a diversity 
 of form and foliage. A white sail, seen 
 at a distance, intimates that the placid 
 waters aie sometimes disturbed by a 
 passing boat, while the group of visiters 
 in the foregroimd, reminds us, that the 
 beautiful scene has attracted the atten- 
 tion of the admirers of nature. 
 
 The falls of the charashilac- 
 TAY. — This view is inserted here, to give 
 an idea of the bold and picturesque 
 scenery which abounds in some parts of 
 the high, western, regions of the state. 
 The stream, whose singular, aboriginal 
 name has been preserved, after flowing 
 some distance, meets an abrupt, mural 
 precipice in its course, and falls, in a 
 beautiful sheet, interrupted by two suc- 
 cessive projecting shelves of the rock, 
 to the bottom of the gulf which opens 
 beneath. The effect is very striking, es- 
 pecially when viewed from below, the 
 bare ledges in front, whitened by the 
 glistening foam of the falling stream, 
 being crowned with foliage, and half 
 shaded by trees, which line the banks, 
 and spring from the crevices. 
 
 Charleston is the principal Atlantic 
 seaport of the southern states, and a 
 large and flourishing city. It stands 
 upon a peninsula, at the mouths of 
 Cooper and Ashley rivers, which empty 
 into a spacious bay, with depth of water 
 sufficient to form an excellent harbor. 
 By the aid of several islands, advanta- 
 geously situated, it is well protected from 
 the waves of the ocean, and fortified 
 against foreign attack. The population, 
 including the Neck, in 1850, was 42,806. 
 
 Although the site of the city is level 
 and low, like the neighboring land, its 
 appearance is favorable from the water. 
 The buildings, however, are chiefly of 
 wood, and the streets are narrow, ex- 
 cept the two principal ones, which cross 
 each other, and traverse the city in its 
 length and breadth. The principal pub- 
 lic buildings are the city-hall, court- 
 house, college, orphanhouse, medical 
 college, guardhouse, hospital, poorhouse, 
 customhouse, jail, St. Andrew's hall, 
 and state building, with several church- 
 es. The city suffered from a great con- 
 flagration in 1835, which laid waste a 
 
Cliarleston Hotel. 
 
 considerable extent of ground. The 
 private houses are generally of a plain 
 style, but many of them are neat and 
 substantial; and the appearance of the 
 city is much improved by many gardens, 
 in which some of the finest fruits ai'e 
 cultivated, with a success which well re- 
 wards the taste and care of the inhabi- 
 tants. Oranges, figs, pomegranates, 
 grapes, &:c., abound, with a great vari- 
 ety of flowers and ornamental shrubs. 
 Of these a charming display is annually 
 made, in the exhibitions of the horticul- 
 tural society. 
 
 The inhabitants, who amount to about 
 43,000, include many persons from the 
 eastern states, and a considerable num- 
 ber of French. In the summer months 
 the city is the residence of many of the 
 planters from the neighboring estates 
 and the interior, who are driven from 
 home by the unhealthiness of the country. 
 
 Our engraving of Meeting street pre- 
 sents two churches in the distance, while 
 Charleston Hotel (a fi-ont view of which 
 is given above) is seen on the left. This 
 edifice has a fine colonnade of fourteen 
 tall Corinthian pillars, rising from the 
 second story, and supporting the roof 
 above the fourth, with a broad piazza 
 within, while the tall pediments below, 
 aPfjrd between them entrances to the 
 basement story from the street. 
 
 The Charleston College, the oldest in- 
 stitution of the kind in the state, was 
 
 founded in 1795, and has four professors, 
 with a library of 3,000 volumes, and 
 about 50 or 60 students. 
 
 The Medical College of the state was 
 founded in 1833, and has eight profes- 
 sors and about 150 students, and enjoys 
 a high reputation. 
 
 The Orphan Asylum is an interesting 
 and highly useful institution, containing 
 about 200 friendless children. 
 
 Free Schools have been supported in 
 all parts of the state, at considerable 
 expense, by the legislature. The an- 
 nual appropriations of money, as early 
 as 1828, were nearly 40,000, the num- 
 ber of schools 840, and of pupils 9,000. 
 
 The Guardhouse, which has been men- 
 tioned among the public buildings, is 
 large, and the headquarters of the city 
 guard, a part of which consists of mount- 
 ed men, who form the regular night pa- 
 trol. 
 
 The Citadel, \\\\\ch was formerly used 
 as the gnardhouse, is now occupied as 
 the state military school. 
 
 The Literary and Philosophical Soci- 
 ety is an association creditable to the 
 state, ankl possesses a valuable collection 
 of specimens in the different departments 
 of science. 
 
 The City Library contains about 
 20,000 volumes. 
 
 The ApprcTitices* Library contains 
 about 10,000 volumes, and supplies the 
 members with a course of lectures. 
 
378 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 
 
 L 
 
 Among the objects in the vicinity of 
 Charleston worthy of particular atten- 
 tion, is Sullivan'' s Island, which was the 
 scene of important military operations 
 in the revolutionary war. Fort Moul- 
 trie, which commands the entrance of 
 the harbor, was gallantly defended by 
 a very feeble force, against a British 
 squadron sent to take the city. 
 
 The harbor now presents a scene of 
 great activity. Besides the regular for- 
 eign and coasting vessels, which are nu- 
 merous, steamboats and packet vessels 
 arrive or depart every day, chiefly for 
 the transport of passengers. There is 
 a daily line of steamboats to Wilming- 
 ton, North Carolina, and other lines to 
 Savannah and St. Augustine. Regular 
 lines of fine ships sail at stated times for 
 New York, &c., &c. Railroad cars 
 start every day on the great track, for 
 several important cities, to which the 
 branches lead, Columbia, Augusta, and 
 Savannah, and onward to more distant 
 places beyond the last two: Mobile, 
 Montgomery, Ala., and Memphis, Tenn. 
 Stage-coaches offer the means of con- 
 veyance to other towns, near and distant. 
 
 Beaufort, 75 miles from Charleston, 
 is situated on Port Royal river, and has 
 one of the largest and best harbors in 
 South Carolina. With a population of 
 about 1,600, it contains an academy, a 
 library, and three churches ; and has 
 communication with Charleston and Sa- 
 vannah by steamboats. 
 
 Columbia, 130 miles from Cliaileston, 
 is the capital of South Carolina, and 
 stands on a large plain, about 200 feet 
 above the level of the Congaree river, 
 which flows at a little distance south of 
 it, crossed by a bridge. The town makes 
 a handsome appearance, being laid out 
 with regularity, in long and broad stieets, 
 planted with shade trees. Steamboats 
 and railroad cars keep up a daily com- 
 munication with Charleston. 
 
 The Statehousc is a handsome edifice 
 of two stories, and 170 feet in length; 
 and the town contains two banks, a the- 
 atre, an academy, and several other pub- 
 lic buildings, including six churches of 
 different religious denominations. The 
 population amounts to 6,100. 
 
 The College of South Carolina, at ^ 
 
 Columbia, was founded in 1801, by an 
 act of the legislature, and has been sup- 
 ported in a great degree by the treasury, 
 which, previously to the year 1833, had 
 expended about $200,000 hi erectinsr 
 edifices, procuring a library and appa- 
 ratus and other contingencies, besides 
 an annual sum of $15,000. There are 
 six tutors, about 150 students, and a 
 library of 15,000 volumes. The com- 
 mencement is held on the first Mon- 
 day in December. 
 
 The Southcrji Theological Seminary, 
 which also is situated in this place, has 
 a library of 4,000 volumes, two profes- 
 sors, and as yet, only a small number of 
 students. It was founded in 1831. 
 
 Cheraio stands on the great Pedee 
 river, 93 miles from Columbia, and, like 
 it, at the dividing line between the high 
 and the low rec^ions, at the head of nav- 
 igation. The town is on a considerable 
 elevation, about 100 feet above the water, 
 but is small, containing only about 1,400 
 inhabitants. The pul)lic buildings are 
 the bank, the town hall, five churches, and 
 two academies. Steamboats come from 
 Georgetown, and stage-coaches daily to 
 Columbia and Raleigh. 
 
 Camden, 33 miles fi'om Columbia, 
 stands on a plain on the left bank of the 
 Wateree, and contains several fine pub- 
 lic buildings ; the city-hall, courthouse, 
 masonic hall, bank, library, academy, 
 and four churches. 
 
 The Monument, in De Kalb street, 
 was founded in 1825, when the corner- 
 stone was laid by General Lafayette, in 
 honor of Baron De Kalb. The Indian 
 mound, a few miles west of the town, 
 is said to be f)ne of the remains of the 
 Catawbas, f irmerly a powerful tribe. 
 
 Spartanshurg is a pleasant town, in 
 a hilly part of the state, much resorted 
 to by travellers, on accouni 'if ilie water- 
 ing places in the vicinity; the Limestone, 
 Pacolet, Cedar, and Glenn Sulphur 
 springs. 
 
 Greenville stands near the bank of 
 Reedy river, which has several falls. 
 The town is laid out with taste, and en- 
 joys a healthful situation. It contains 
 a courthouse, two academies, a library, 
 and several churches. It is 107 miles 
 from Columbia. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA. 
 
 379 
 
 This state, extending from Tennessee 
 to Florida and the ocean, and lying 
 between South Carolina and Alabama, 
 has the same variety of surface, soil, 
 and climate, as most of the other south- 
 ern states, but differs from the Cai'olinas 
 in having much less seacoast. The area 
 of the state is 62,083 miles ; and from 
 the mouth of St. Mary's river to the 
 northwest corner (the lony^est straight 
 line that can be drawn within its boun- 
 daries), is 394 miles. 
 
 The general surface of Georgia pre- 
 sents a great slope toward the south, of 
 which the peninsula of Florida is a mere 
 continuation. The rivers which descend 
 it flow eastward into the Atlantic, or westward into the gulf of Mexico. On 
 the coast, the slope descends to the very level of the salt water, forming the rich 
 islands and shores which produce the celebrated sea-island cotton; while in 
 the north it presents a general elevation of 1,200 feet, which is overlooked by 
 the still hiofher mountain ranges. It is remarkable that the temperature is two 
 degrees higher on the Atlantic coast than on the gulf where the latitude and ele- 
 vation are equal ; and this is proved by the vegetation, as well as by scientific 
 experiments. The gieat length of the state, with its variety of surface, gives 
 Georgia a greater extent of vegetable production that any other state in the Union, 
 producing wheat in the north, and sugarcane in the south, with the various plants, 
 in different parts, between these two extremes. 
 
 The natui-e of the surface requires us to distinguish three zones in this state, 
 like those of North and South Carolina. The sea-border has an almost tropical 
 climate, and is so nearly on the water level, as to be in part overflown by the 
 daily tides; and where the soil is rich and dry enough, sugarcane flourishes, as 
 vrell as the orange, date, and other palms, with a variety of plants not found 
 
 ij 
 
380 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA. 
 
 further noi'th. The islands and shores 
 on which the long-staple cotton is culti- 
 vated, above alluded to, ai'e bordered by 
 narrow, and often intricate channels, 
 navigable by vessels, which appear from 
 a distance as if moving upon the land. 
 This species of cotton is well-known, 
 and most highly valued in all the ports 
 and manufacturing cities of Europe, as 
 well as of this country ; and all attempts 
 made, at home and abroad, to produce 
 a rival have pioved unsuccessful. The 
 length and fineness of the staple or fibre 
 fit it for some of the most costly fabrics; 
 and the demand is always great, and the 
 prices high. A considerable proportion 
 of this first and lowest region of the 
 state, however, has a poor and even bar- 
 ren soil. 
 
 The second district, which is both 
 sandy and hilly, has considerable ti-acts 
 of worthless land, though other parts 
 yield corn and cotton; but the most val- 
 uable portion of the state is the higher 
 region beyond, which presents a more 
 varied surface, and a soil of supei'ior 
 fertility, well watered by numerous 
 streams; while the sultry and unhealthy 
 atmosphere of the lower country is re- 
 placed by cool, pure, and wholesome 
 air. 
 
 The grand primitive formation of the 
 United States commences at Milledge- 
 ville, in this state, and extends, with the 
 highest ridge of the Allegany moun- 
 tains, through several northern ones, 
 forming the boundary between the great 
 western valley of the Mississippi, and 
 the eastern slope to the coast of the 
 Atlantic. This range is distinguished 
 through a great part of its length, by a 
 remarkable feature. It terminates ab- 
 ruptly at the border of the extensive 
 alluvial region which forms the broad 
 band between it and the ocean. This 
 character accompanies it as it passes 
 west of Washington and Philadelphia, 
 to the Hudson river, and is attended 
 with several circumstances and effects, 
 of great practical importance, which 
 have been referred to in our notices of 
 the geography of North and South Car- 
 olina. Beyond the Hudson the same 
 primitive range extends eastward, and 
 spreads over the New England states. 
 
 reaching down to the coast, and lining 
 the shore with a range of rough granite 
 rocks. 
 
 Westward, the same primitive range 
 extends almost to Tennessee, being 
 bounded beyond by a transition range, 
 which intervenes between it and the 
 secondary region of the Mississippi. 
 
 The Chatahoochee riveris said to have 
 derived its name from a rock of a pecu- 
 liar appearance, which stands on its 
 bank, a short distance above Columbus. 
 It is marked with various bright colors, 
 so intermingled as to make it appear as 
 if overgi'own with various plants, in full 
 bloom. Hence the Indians bestowed 
 upon the stream the name which it has 
 retained, and which signifies the "flower- 
 rock waters." Many parts of this fine 
 stream ai-e interesting, on some account 
 or other, between its source, in the north- 
 east quarter of Georgia, and Appalachi- 
 cola bay, which is four hundred and 
 thirty miles below Columbus. The sce- 
 nery just above that city is remarkably 
 wild and picturesque ; rocks projecting 
 from the banks, and many rising from 
 its bed, impeding the current, and in- 
 creasing the roughness of the stream, 
 rendered hasty by the descent of the 
 channel. Its course is, for several imiles, 
 a succession of falls and rapids, within 
 four of which the declivity is more than 
 one hundred feet. 
 
 Along its shores have been some of 
 the most rapid improvements made in 
 the state. Columbus has already be- 
 come a considerable town, although but 
 a few years ago an Indian village. Be- 
 low its site many villages are to be seen 
 from the steamboats, in which the trav- 
 eller makes his way through the heait 
 of the state. 
 
 The Lover's Leap. — The place bear- 
 ing this name is a romantic spot on the 
 Chatahoochee, and is represented in the 
 vignette at the head of this slate. It is 
 a high and ragged cliff, which is the ter- 
 mination of an ascending knoll of dark 
 rocks, and projects boldly into the river. 
 One of the most beautiful scenes of na- 
 ture can be viewed from this rock. In 
 a straight line on the left, the river pur- 
 sues its downward course to the city. 
 The water foams and frets over the 
 
Tullulah Falls. 
 
DESCRIPTJON OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA. 
 
 I rocks, in angry surges. A deep ravine 
 
 I lorms the bed of the stream, and it is 
 
 walled hy li.fty and irregular cliffs, cov- 
 
 j ered to their tops with forest-trees of 
 
 beautiful growtli. 
 I The fills of Coweta are enveloped in 
 a thick mist, which partially obscure^ Jl 
 the surrounding objects, among which 
 are the steamboats which constantly ply 
 upon the river, and the bridge which 
 stretches across the river. 
 
 The river at the leap suddenly turns 
 so as to form a right angle With its 
 course below, flowing in a narrow chan- 
 nel, which is so regularly lined on each 
 side with rocks, and of so uniform a 
 width, as greatly to resemble a canal; 
 but a httle distance above, it again forms 
 a right angle, and moves onward in itsl 
 old course. The beauty of the view 
 which we have described, does not ex- 
 ceed that of the other parts of the land- 
 scape, for the scene on the right, and in 
 the foreground, is scarcely less beautiful 
 and picturesque. 
 
 " Dr. F., the guide and life of our 
 party," says Richards, "remarked, that 
 a_ surprising change, indeed almost ma- 
 gical, has come over the scene upon 
 which we gaze, since 1828, when the 
 Indians lighted their council fires in the 
 town of Coweta, an Indian settlement 
 where now the fair city of Columbus, 
 obedient to the will of civilization and 
 commerce, erects her noble head. Then, 
 the fields over which we have rambled 
 to-day, had never felt the ruthless share 
 ploughing their virgin soil. The trees, 
 J which now spread their bare and de- 
 caying arms to the sky, were enrobed in 
 I tlieir primeval greenness and strength. 
 Ihe chff, which we now behold, had 
 rarely echoed to the woodman's axe. 
 Its voices were responsive to the occa- 
 sional rifle of the wild hunter, and the 
 more frequent yell of the savage, and 
 roar of the wild beast." 
 
 The spot derives its name from an In- 
 dian tradition : A young woman of the 
 tribe having fallen in love with a vouth of 
 a neighboring one, just before hostilities 
 occurred between them, she was pur- 
 sued as a traitress, and the lovers threw 
 themselves into the stream, and were 
 carried to destruction down the falls. 
 
 The Falls op Tui.lulaii.— In the 
 midst of the picturesque region which 
 torms the county of Habersham, in the 
 northeastern corner of the state, we find 
 tlie falls of Tullulah, twelve miles from 
 Clarkesville. The road is rou-h, and 
 ai"-.oet dangerous to carriages ; and there 
 is not a single habitation to be seen 
 except a log house, two miles from the 
 spot, where visiters stop for refi'eshment 
 A small stream, called by the Indians 
 the lorrora, rushes impetuously from a 
 remarkable rent in the Blue Ridcre 
 which extends several miles, and every- 
 where presents a most impressive, and 
 often a terrific scene. The granite rocks 
 which compose the banks are precipi- 
 tous, and about a thousand feet in heicrht • 
 though the breadth of the narrow ^ulf 
 between hardly exceeds that distance 
 Ihe engraving on page 381 presents the 
 reader with the view from the most fa- 
 vorable point, which is a mass of rock 
 called "the Pulpit," that projects from 
 the face of a precipice overhanirino- the ' 
 narrow valley, and looking down, from 
 a considerable height, upon the roarincr 
 brook, as it pours furiously over three ol" 
 the principal cascades in its course. 
 
 Some distance above, a steep and bro- 
 ken path leads down the bank, and ladies 
 have sometimes descended to the marcrin 
 of the stream, though it is not free from 
 danger, and the return is laborious. The 
 visiter may also find access to the foot 
 of the second fall, by a path too hazard- 
 ous to be prudently passed, namely, by 
 creeping on his hands and knees alono- 
 the brow of a precipice, a fall from 
 which would be almost certain death. A 
 gentleman, as we are informed, once fell 
 m making this experiment, plunired into 
 the stream, and wa.s carried rapidlv alon^r 
 till he reached the cataract and was 
 swept down it, sixty feet, yet escaped 
 without serious injury. 
 
 The Indian name of this stream, which 
 IS written by Americans Terrora and Tel- ' 
 lula, is said to signify terror, presentiu"- 
 a singular, though doubtless an accideii^ 
 tal resemblance to its meaning in Eno-- 
 lish and Latin. ° 
 
 Rock Mountain. — Within view of 
 the Blue Ridge, and at a short distance 
 from the course of the Chatahoochee, 
 
<1 384 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA. 
 
 rises the Rock mountain, a tall and con- 
 spicuous eminence, nine hundred feet 
 high, with a gentle slope toward the 
 west, and a precipitous termination 
 toward the east. The road winds along 
 the base, till it reaches the foot of the 
 eastern bluff, where the sublime emi- 
 nence, rising far above, produces an im- 
 pression of wildness and grandeur, diffi- 
 cult to describe. The rock above pre- 
 sents a convex surface, with a rapid 
 descent to the plain, channeled by nu- 
 merous ravines, down which, in every 
 storm, pour numerous torrents, whose 
 channels again become as speedily dry. 
 We present the reader with a handsome 
 eno-raving of this mountain, on page 383. 
 On the summit of the mountain has 
 been erected an octagonal tower, built 
 of wood, one hundred feet square at the 
 base, and one hundred and sixty-five 
 feet high. This singulai construction, 
 so convenient to the visiter, and eleva- 
 ting his eye to a superior sphere, has 
 already stood several years, although 
 it rests upon the bare rock, without any- 
 thing except its own weight to keep it 
 in its position. In the lower part is a 
 small hotel, which contains even a piano. 
 The view from the top of the tower is 
 very extensive and interesting, ranging 
 over a long extent of the blue ridge, 
 with varied tracts of country below, 
 chiefly covered with forest. 
 
 The Cross-Roads are two remarkable 
 fissures in the rocks, which cross each 
 other at a point where they are five feet 
 wide ; and at that spot they are covered 
 by a large, flat rock, twenty feet in 
 diameter. 
 
 The Fort. — The whole summit of the 
 mountain is enclosed by the remains of 
 an ancient entrenchment, of the history 
 of v/hich the Indians disclaimed all 
 knowledge, except that it was of a date 
 prior to that of their ancestors. 
 
 The circumference of Rock mountain 
 is about six miles, and the height of its 
 summit 2,230 feet above the level of the 
 ocean. It exhibits, in different parts, a 
 great variety of vegetation ; plants, flow- 
 ers, and berries of many different kinds, 
 presenting themselves to the visitor, as 
 he winds along its base, climbs tlu; 
 rocky sides, and wanders over its lofty 
 
 eminences, amid the exhilarating atmo- 
 sphere of a superior region. 
 
 History. — Georgia was one of the 
 original thirteen states of the American 
 Union, but the youngest in respect to 
 the time of settlement. Its increase in 
 population, however, has been among 
 the most rapid since the revolution. 
 The first colonies were planted under 
 authority of a patent granted by George 
 II., in 1732, to twenty-one persons, who 
 were called " the trustees for settling the 
 colony of Georgia," a name bestowed in 
 honor of the king. The first party of 
 emigrants reached Charleston in 1733, 
 under the direction of General James 
 Oglethorpe, and the settlement of Savan- 
 nah was begun in the spring.^ In conse- 
 quence, however, of injudicious restric- 
 tions laid on the colonies, the increase 
 of the population was checked, and its 
 prosperity retarded for some years. 
 
 Unfortunately, this part of the country 
 was easily accessible to the Spaniards, 
 who claimed it as their own ; and the fear 
 of invasion, as well as the actual at- 
 tempts made to gain possession, greatly 
 retarded the increase of the colony. 
 Retaliation on the part of the English 
 served to increase the difficulties of the 
 community. In 1742, General Ogle- 
 thorpe made his unsuccessful attempt to 
 capture St. Augustine ; and two years 
 after, the Spaniards invaded the colony, 
 but were in their turn defeated. The 
 Georgians were thus burdened by heavy 
 debts, like the Carolinians, and by the 
 same causes, from which they were soon 
 able to recover, in consequence of the 
 more favorable circumstances in which 
 they were placed by coming under the 
 royal government, as a colony of the 
 king. This occurred in 1752. 
 
 A general representative assembly 
 was formed in 1755; and in consequence 
 of the cession of Florida to Great Brit- 
 ain, the country between the Altamaha 
 and St. Mary's rivers was ceded, much 
 to the advantage of Georgia. Symp- 
 toms of increasing prosperity soon be- 
 gan to appear; but the Cherokees, a 
 powerful and warlike nation of Indians, 
 occupied the western and northern parts 
 of the territory ; and several others were 
 near them ; and a period of danger and 
 
6 W££££.S Sa 
 
 Palaeki Monument— Christ Chozill, Savannah. 
 
 1=.^^ 
 
1 386 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA. 
 
 wars soon commenced, which caused 
 great suffei'ings, and greatly checked the 
 increase and extension of the settle- 
 ments. 
 
 During the revolution, Georgia suf- 
 fered in common with the country at 
 large ; and since the close of that war, 
 she has ceded to the general government 
 a larger extent of tei-ritoiy than any of 
 her sisters, except Virginia, embracing 
 all Alabama and Mississippi, north of 
 latitude 31°: about 100,000 square miles. 
 
 The first constitution was adopted in 
 the year 1777, and the second in 1785. 
 The latter was amended in 1789 ; and 
 the present was adopted in 1798. The 
 senators and legislators are elected an- 
 nually. A senator must be twenty-five 
 years of age, nine years a citizen of the 
 United States, one year a resident of the 
 district, and the owner of an estate of 
 five hundred dollars, in the county, or of 
 taxable property of one thousand dol- 
 lars. Each county sends one senator. 
 The number of representatives is pro- 
 portioned to the number of whites, and 
 thiee fifths of colored persons, of whom 
 an enumeration is made every seven 
 years. Each county has one member, 
 but none can elect more than seven. A 
 repi'esentative must be twenty-one years 
 old, seven years a citizen of the United 
 States, three years an inhabitant of the 
 state, a resident in the county the pre- 
 ceding year, and owner, for a year, of a 
 freehold of two hundred and fifty dol- 
 lars, or five hundred dollars' worth of 
 taxable property, cleared of incum- 
 brance. 
 
 The governor is elected by the assem- 
 bly, for two years. He must be thirty- 
 six years old, have been a citizen of the 
 United States for twelve years, six years 
 a citizen of Georgia, and the owner of 
 five hundred acres of land in Georgia, 
 and four thousand dollars in other prop- 
 erty. A voter must be a citizen, twen- 
 ty-one years of age, and a payer of 
 taxes. 
 
 Education was quite neglected in 
 Georgia before 1811, about which time 
 academies sprang up in almost every 
 town. Since that period, few persons 
 have grown up in entire ignorance, 
 while thousands, born before the year 
 
 1800, it has been said, " knf)w not a 
 letter." The baptists and methudists 
 are the most numerous denominations in 
 the state, and after them the presbyte- 
 rians and episcopalians. 
 
 Printing was first intiodiired into 
 Georgia in 1762, by Jitmes Johnston, a 
 Scotchman, who commenced the puldi- 
 cation of a newspaper, calh»(l "The 
 Georgia Gazette," in the follovvini^ year. 
 The first number of it was published 
 on the 17th of A])ril. He continued 
 the publication twenty-seven years, after 
 which it was published by his succes- 
 sors. This was the only nevvspa])er 
 printed in the limits of Georgia ])efore 
 the revolution. 
 
 Savannah. — This chief town and j)r'<n- 
 cipal seaport of Georgia is situated on 
 the western bank of the river of the 
 same name, fifteen miles from its mouth, 
 one hundred miles southwest from 
 Charleston, and one hundred and sixtv- 
 seven miles southeast by east from Mil- 
 ledgeville; in l^atitude, 32^ 5', and west 
 longitude, 4° iB'. Population 30,000. 
 
 The streets of Savannah are sandy, 
 but shaded by China-trees, and the 
 houses are generally of wood. There 
 are eighteen public squares in different 
 parts of the city. The commercial ad- 
 vantages which it enjoys, from the abun- 
 dant crops of cotton, &:c., raised along 
 the banks f)f the river, and the free ac- 
 cess of ships drawing not more thati 
 twelve or thirteen feet of water, ren- 
 dered it an important town, even while 
 the place was made unhealthy by the 
 practice of wet culture on the neighbor- 
 ing rice-plantations, which has been 
 abandoned since the year 1817, in con- 
 sequence of an act of the legislature, 
 passed at that time. In 1820, Savatuiah 
 suffered to the amount of four millions, 
 from a devastating fire, which swept 
 irresistibly over a large part of the city. 
 
 Care has been taken to embellish the 
 city, by providing abundance of shady 
 trees for the numerous public squares. 
 Among these the celebrated Pride-of- 
 India is conspicuous, whose graceful 
 form and delicate foliage, with its semi- 
 tropical aspect, render it peculiarly ap- 
 propriate to such a use. Among the 
 liouses, the city now presents a cor>.sid- 
 
388 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA. 
 
 erable number of handsome, well-built 
 dwellings, while the following are the 
 principal public edifices : the arsenal, 
 exchange, courthouse, barracks belong- 
 ing to the United States, theatre, hos- 
 pital, market, banks, public library, 
 three academies, thirteen churches, &c. 
 
 The Pulaski Monument was erected 
 in the year 1825, in memory of Generals 
 Pulaski and Greene, of the revolutionary 
 army. It is a neat and simple obelisk 
 of white marble, fifty-three feet high. 
 The base of the pedestal is ten feet four 
 inches by six feet eight inches, and its 
 height thirteen feet, the needle which 
 surmounts the pedestal being thirty- 
 seven feet in height. It is built upon 
 a platform of granite, three feet above 
 the ground, and the whole is enclosed 
 by a cast-iron railing. It has a very 
 advantageous position, in the middle of 
 one of the public squares. See p. 385. 
 
 MiLLEDGEviLLE. — This towH is the 
 capital of the state. It stands on the 
 southern side of the Oconee, one hun- 
 dred and fifty-eight miles from Savan- 
 nah, on an irregular surface, at the head 
 of steam navigation. The streets cross 
 ^ach other at right angles ; those run- 
 »ang in one dix'ection lying parallel to the 
 ^iver. At the distance of three quarters 
 Bf a mile from its banks is a fine public 
 jquare, on the summit of a hill, which is 
 adorned with the statehouse. This is a 
 ouilding in the Gothic style ; and the 
 representatives' hall, which is sixty feet 
 in length, and fifty-four in breadth, 
 IS ornamented with full-length portraits 
 of Generals Oglethorpe and Lafay- 
 ette, while those of Washington and 
 Jefterson are in the chamber of the 
 senate. 
 
 In different parts of the city are the 
 arsenal, magazine, market, academy, 
 three banks, three churches, and the 
 governor's residence. 
 
 Columbus, two hundred and eighty- 
 four miles from Savaimah, stands on the 
 ^.eft bank of the Chatahoochee, at an 
 elevation of sixty feet above the water. 
 The falls, which extend for three miles 
 ibove the town terminate steamboat 
 navigation. They are a succession of 
 rapids, descending, in all, one hun- 
 dred and eleven feet. The two prin- 
 
 cipal streets are one hundred and sixty 
 feet wide, and run north and south, 
 crossed by twelve others, ninety-nine 
 feet wide. The academy, market, school- 
 houses, five banks, and five churches, 
 are among the public buildings, and the 
 place contains a numlier of cotton-fac- 
 tories, mills, &c. The population is 
 about eight thousand. A flourishino- 
 trade m cotton employs several steam- 
 boats, and it is a place of much busi- 
 ness, although so late as 1827 it was a 
 council-town of the Coweta Indians, and 
 the commissioners appointed to appor- 
 tion the lots of the city began their work 
 so late as the 10th of July, 1828. The 
 Cowetas, who inhabited this region, and 
 made this spot the chief settlement, 
 were one of the seven tribes of the 
 Creek nation. 
 
 The Courthouse is a fine building, with 
 a basement, two stories, and a steeple 
 one hundred and ten feet high, and two 
 Grecian porticoes on the front. 
 
 The Planters' and Mechanics' Bank 
 has a portico, in the style of the cele- 
 bi'ated Temple of the Winds, in Athens. 
 
 The private buildings of Columbus 
 display a good degree of taste, as do the 
 decorated yards and flower-gardens 
 which are here and there displayed. 
 
 The Cotton Warehouse, on the bank 
 of the river, is one of the largest in 
 Georgia, an extensive fireproof building, 
 covering an acre and three quarters. In 
 the year 1838, 42,000 bales of cotton 
 were shipped here, and the amount has 
 increased considerably 
 
 Athens, on the right bank of the 
 Oconee, contains about three thousand 
 inhabitants, and has a pleasant and 
 healthy situation, seventy five miles from 
 Milledgeville. It is the seat of 
 
 The Georgia University, founded in 
 1785, which has six professors and about 
 eighty students, with a large philosoph- 
 ical apparatus, and libraries containing 
 about twenty thousand volumes. 
 
 The railroad affords the means of a 
 daily communication with Augusta. 
 
 Madison Spring. — This fashionable 
 resort is named after the county in which 
 it is situated, and is found in the midst 
 of a wild region, near Oconee river, 
 seven miles distant from Danielsville, 
 
390 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA. 
 
 the county town. It is convenient to go 
 in a stage-coach from Athens. The na- 
 ture of the water has been known about 
 twenty years, but the place has but re- 
 cently attracted much notice, since ac- 
 commodations have been provided for 
 visiters. A large hotel has been erected, 
 surrounded by small tenements, for the 
 summer residence of families ; and an 
 avenue, several hundred yards in length, 
 leads through the forest to the spring, 
 which is provided with conveniences, as 
 represented in our engraving. The wa- 
 ter, which flows from a marble curb, is 
 chalybeate, in a greater degree than the 
 springs of Cheltenham and Brighton, in 
 England. A sulphur spring has been 
 discovered at three miles' distance. 
 
 Macon is already a considerable and 
 flourishing place, with seven thousand 
 inhabitants, although so hitely as the 
 year 1822 there was but a single house 
 on the spot. The situation is favorable 
 for business, being at the head of steam 
 navigation on the Ocmulgee river, which 
 flows through the middle of it, and is 
 crossed by a fine bridge, three hundred 
 and eighty feet long. A great quantity 
 of cotton is annually received at this 
 place, and sent down the river, while 
 there is a daily communication with Sa- 
 vannah by the railroad. 
 
 Entrance to the Madison Springs. 
 
 An institution for female edu nation 
 
 was opened here in 1839, under the 
 name of the Georgia Female College, 
 which is in a flourishing condition, hav- 
 ing about one hundred pupils, under the 
 charge of a president, three professors, 
 and several other instructors. 
 
 Augusta. — This town is situated on 
 the Savannah river, one hundred and 
 thirty-five miles from its mouth, and one 
 hundred and twenty north of Savannah. 
 It is a place of much trade, receiving 
 large quantities of produce from the 
 neighboi'ing country, especially cotton, 
 and being connected with Charleston by 
 the great railroad, which extends beyond 
 it, still further into the interior. During 
 a certain part of the year, the river is 
 navigable by steamboats. 
 
 The streets are regular, and planted 
 with shade-trees, and the houses are 
 generally of brick. Among the public 
 buildings are the courtliouse, city-hall, 
 medical college, hospital, theatre, ar- 
 senal, female asylum, sevex'al academies 
 and churches. 
 
 The Medical College of Georgia. — 
 The first proposal to establish a medical 
 school in this state was made by Dr. 
 Antony, in 1827; but active measures 
 for it were not taken until the year 1830, 
 when the legislature passed a bill, incor- 
 
392 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA. 
 
 poratingthis institution, and authorizing 
 them to confer the degree of Doctor in 
 Medicine on persons who have complied 
 with the requisitions of the most respec- 
 table institutions in the United States. 
 In 1835, the faculty addressed a circular 
 to all the medical schools, proposing a 
 convention in Washington city, wh.ch 
 has not been held, but the honor of the 
 project is due to this state. In 1833, a 
 donation of $10,000 was made by the 
 legislature, and another of $5,000, by the 
 city council of Augusta, on condition 
 that the college should supply the hos- 
 pital, for ten years, with attendance and 
 medicines. These sums enabled the 
 trustees to erect the fine edifice which 
 they at pi'esent occupy. It is a large 
 structure, in the Doric style, with ac- 
 commodations and arrangements well 
 adapted to the nature of the institution, 
 and which has been pronounced by good 
 judges, eqvial, in this respect, to any 
 other in the Union. It enjoys a fine and 
 pleasant situation, admirably adapted to 
 its use, in the vicinity of the town, on a 
 lot appropriated to it by the trustees of 
 Richmond academy. 
 
 In 1834. ten thousand dollars were 
 raised by the faculty, who sent one of 
 the professors to Europe, to purchase 
 an anatomical museum, chymical appar- 
 atus, and surgical cabinet. In 1835, the 
 legislature conferred on the institution 
 a second grant, amounting to about 
 twenty-five thousand dollars, which af- 
 forded them a fund for contingent ex- 
 penses. The first class was instituted 
 1833-'4, and amounted to thirty; and 
 the members have been increasing al- 
 most every year, although the institution 
 suffered a severe reverse, in consequence 
 of the fatal epidemic of 1839, when, 
 among many other losses, the valuable 
 life of Dr. Antony fell a sacrifice to his 
 humane exertions for the benefit of the 
 sick. 
 
 The lectures begin on the second 
 Monday in November, and close early 
 in March ; and the expense of the whole 
 course, including practical anatomy and 
 matriculation, is only twenty-five dol- 
 lars. In the first ten years of its exist- 
 ence, the medical college of Georgia had 
 three hundred and ninety-seven students, 
 
 of whom one hundred and nineteen re- 
 ceived degrees. 
 
 Georgia Female College. — The va- 
 rious religious denominations in this 
 state, by combined contributions, having 
 collected more than six hundred then- 
 sand dollars, for the support of educa- 
 tion, which has been appropriated to 
 different institutions, ip all parts of the 
 state; and this college, so creditable to 
 the intelligence of Georgia, and so well 
 calculated to confer upon it the highest 
 benefits, owes its existence to the en- 
 lightened spirit and indefatigable labors 
 of a few individuals in the city of Macon. 
 Twenty thousand dollars were raised, 
 to found a female college, in conformity 
 with a resolution passed at a public 
 meeting, and soon after, placed at the 
 direction of the annual conference of the 
 methodist episcopal church. In 1836, 
 the legislature incorporated the trustees 
 appointed by that body, and granted 
 twenty-five thousand dollars to the in- 
 stitution. 
 
 The college edifice enjoys a command- 
 ing situation, on a fine eminence between 
 Macon and Vineville, overlooking the 
 former (which lies upon the plain be- 
 neath), and the surrounding hills, beau- 
 tified by many neat and tasteful edifices. 
 On the west is the village of Vineville ; 
 and on the north Fort Hawkins shows 
 its remains, consisting of old block- 
 houses and trenches, while the forests 
 spread far away on the east, and bound 
 the distant horizon. The college build- 
 ing is one hundred and sixty feet long, 
 and sixty in breadth, four stories high 
 in the middle, with a cupola. Foui 
 large columns, in the centre of the 
 front, support a roof over the entrance; 
 and the building contains fifty-six rooms 
 Most of those in the basement are occu 
 pied as recitation-rooms. The stew- 
 ard's apartments are also below, v.diete 
 some of the officers have accommoda 
 tions. The chapel is forty feet by sixty, 
 on the second story, where are also the 
 library, music-room, and president's 
 apartments. The young ladies attend- 
 ing this institution provide 'their own 
 furniture; and their lodging-rooms, 
 which occupy the third and fourth sto- 
 ries, accommodate four each. 
 
394 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA. 
 
 The yard extends over four acres ; 
 and the rest of the section of land de- 
 voted to the institution is judiciously 
 left covered with groves of fine oak- 
 trees, so that ample opportunities are 
 afforded for agreeable and healthful ex- 
 ercise. Si.v acres of ground opposite 
 have been reserved for a botanical gar- 
 den — the gift of the city council. 
 
 The college was opened in 1839, and 
 has a president, three ])rofessors, with 
 the principal of the primary depart 
 ment, professors of music and drawing, 
 a matron, and a superintendent of do- 
 mestic economy. The methods of in- 
 struction are thorough and practical. 
 The regular coui'se includes the French 
 language ; but Latin, Greek, and Span- 
 ish, are taught, only in extra classes. 
 There is but one term in the year : from 
 the first Monday in October, for ten 
 months. Pupils are not received under 
 twelve years of age. 
 
 Oglethorpe University. — This in- 
 stitution is situated at Medway, in J3ald- 
 win county, on account of its central 
 position, in a pleasant and healthful re- 
 gion, being a place easily accessible from 
 all directions. The spot is elevated, on 
 a ridge lying east and west, two miles 
 and a half south of Milledgeville, and 
 ending at the bluff on Oc(mee river, on 
 which are the ruins of old Fort Wilkin- 
 son. The foundation of the edifice is 
 on a level with the top of the cupola of 
 the statehouse; and the view is exten- 
 sive on every side, embracing an undu- 
 lating surface of twenty miles round, 
 including Milledgeville. 
 
 The erection of the principal building 
 was begun in 1836, and completed In 
 1838. It is of brick, two stories high, 
 with abasement, in the Doric style; and 
 being painted white, and of great extent, 
 makes a striking appearance. The chapel 
 occupies the centre, forty-eight feet by 
 sixty, with a colonnade and vestibule. 
 The wings are each thirty feet in fnnit, 
 and three stories high, with piofessors' 
 and recitation rooms, while other rooms 
 are appropriated to the library, museum, 
 apparatus, &cc. Two ranges of small 
 buildingfs stand at some distance on each 
 side, each containing two students 
 rot -ns ; while the house of the presi- 
 
 dent stands on the south side of the 
 cam}) us. 
 
 The institution commenced operation 
 in January, 1838, with six professors; 
 and the first class was graduated in 1 839. 
 It is under the direction of the piesby- 
 terlan synod of South Carolina and 
 Georgia, but its advantages are fiee to 
 all. There are two sessions* in the year : 
 one from the first Monda} in January 
 to the second Wednesday in May; after 
 which is a vacation of four weeks. 
 Commencement is held on the Monday 
 succeeding the second Monday in No- 
 vember. 
 
 Oglethorpe university owes its origin 
 to two manual labor schools, under the 
 Education society of Georgia. That 
 association was dissolved, and in 1835, 
 the trustees of the Medway seminary, 
 which was one of those Institutions, 
 offered it to the Hopewell presbytery, 
 who received it, and soon constituted it 
 a college, under their government and 
 control, with a charter from the legisla- 
 ture. That charter forbids any shop to 
 be opened, within a mile and a half of 
 the institution, on penalty of five hun- 
 dred dollars, or more; while deeds of 
 university lots provide for the forfeiture 
 to it of lots on which such shops may 
 stand. This feature has since been in- 
 troduced into other charters, and has 
 doubtless prevented many of the evils 
 to which other literary institutions are 
 often liable. 
 
 The Falls of the Towaliga, eight 
 miles from Indian springs. This pic- 
 turesque scene is presented by the little 
 river whose name it bears, at the spot 
 where it poms down a rocky ledge, 
 which there disturbs its generally gentle 
 course, and gives it an aspect of wild- 
 ness, elsewhere foreign to its shores. 
 
 The Towaliga has an Indian name, of 
 uncertain imporb, pronounced with the 
 accent on the last syllable. The stream 
 has its origin in Henry county, and pur- 
 sues a course of seventy miles, to the 
 Ocmulgoe, of which it is a tributary. 
 Just before it reaches the falls (which 
 are lepruseiited in the engraving on 
 page 123), the bed has a rapid descent 
 for some distance, where the surface of 
 the water is broken in rapids, overlooked 
 

306 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA. 
 
 from the summit of a hill, over which 
 passes the road leading to the spot. A 
 mill occupies one of the banks; and a 
 lofty bridge, erected across, was partly 
 destroyed, a few years since, by a 
 flood. 
 
 The falls, seen from below, make an 
 impressive appearance. The breadth of 
 the bed is there about three hundred 
 feet, and a mass of rock, at the brow of 
 the first precipice, divides it into two 
 sheets, which descend perpendicularly 
 about fifty feet, in beautiful foam, made 
 in the course of its tumultuous passage 
 down the rapids. Here it is received 
 by a deep gulf, wliich suddenly checks 
 its fury; but, before it has time to re- 
 cover its tranquillity, it reaches the brow 
 of the second rapids, down which it hui*- 
 ries, with roar and turbulence, a distance 
 of two hundred feet, and then- pours 
 over the second fall, in a current broken 
 into several cascades, when it soon sub- 
 sides, below, to comparative quietness. 
 The height, roughness, and thick shade 
 of the banks, greatly inci"ea.se the effect 
 of the scene. The I'eadcr may form 
 some correct conception of the interest- 
 ing spot, by a glance at the accompa- 
 nying engraving, which is copied from 
 a print in that elegant work, " The Sce- 
 nery of Greorgia," to which we have 
 been indebted for many interesting facts 
 on these pages. The drawing was made 
 from the northern bank of the stream, a 
 spot rather difficult of access, and not 
 easily attained by many spectators, who 
 generally find it more convenient to con- 
 tent themselves with a view from the 
 opposite side. There are, however, 
 many favorable points of view, both near 
 and more distant, especially from some 
 of the rude rocks which border and 
 overhang the water, in different parts of 
 its romantic and terrific course. 
 
 A short distance below the falls, a 
 little island occupies the middle of the 
 river, dividing it into two currents, which 
 are narrow, but rapid. This vicinity 
 was formerly a favorite resort of the 
 deer, which visited it in considerable 
 numbers, to feed on a peculiar kind of 
 long and delicate plant, resembling moss, 
 which grows to the length of two feet, in 
 the sluices of the falls. They have, 
 
 however, been destroyed or driven away 
 by the hunters. 
 
 TocKOA Falls. — The most remark- 
 able waterfall in this state is that of the 
 Tockoa creek, which flows from the 
 southern extremity of the Alleganies, 
 at Cunawhee mountain. It descends 
 one hundred and eighty-seven feet, from 
 a precipice, in a narrow stream, twenty 
 feet in breadth, which, in the rainy sea- 
 son, forms an unbroken sheet of foam to 
 the bottom. At the oi'dinary height cf 
 water, the supply is so small, that it is 
 said to be dissipated in vapor before it 
 reaches the level below. 
 
 Remarkable Incidents in the His- 
 tory OF Georgia. — As we have not 
 room to give a connected history of this 
 state, it may be interesting to our read- 
 ers if we recount a few incidents rela- 
 ting to some of its most important 
 periods. 
 
 Yamacraui, the Indian name of the 
 bluff on which Savannah now stands, 
 was the spot on which the treaty was 
 held with the Creek Indians by General 
 Oglethorpe, at which tlie first tract of 
 land was ceded to him. The place was 
 then occupied by a small tribe of that 
 nation, called the Yamacraws. 
 
 In 1733, General Oglethorpe brought 
 out from England a band of one hun- 
 dred and thirteen colonists, Avho landed 
 at Charleston. They were there kindly 
 assisted, and furnished with boats, &c., 
 by which they were enabled to proceed 
 to the place of destination, and soon 
 reached the Savannah river. The fol- 
 lowing year they were joined by five or 
 six hundred more, who were provided 
 with tracts of wild land, but soon proved 
 ill-qualified for the task they had under- 
 taken, and ere long difficulties arose, 
 as many of them had been collected 
 from among the poor and idle popula- 
 tion of European cities. The trustees 
 of the colony therefore took measures 
 to secure emigrants of a better class; 
 and, in 1735, about four hundred arrived 
 in Georgia, from Scotland, Switzerland, 
 and Germany. 
 
 Mary Musgrove was the name of an 
 Indian woman, or half-breed, who ren- 
 dered material service to General Ogle- 
 thorpe, in promoting his plans for the 
 
r 
 
 Tockoa Falls. 
 
398 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA, 
 
 benefit of the colony. She was able to 
 speak both languages, and appears to 
 have been a woman of much address, 
 acting as int»*rj)reter at several import- 
 ant treaties which terminated favorably. 
 In gratitude, he bestowed upon her a 
 hundred pounds a year, in addition to 
 the presents with which he had secured 
 her interest. Fifty Creek chiefs pre- 
 sented themselves at the treaty of Savan- 
 nah, at which the great land-grant was 
 obtained, and among these was Tomo- 
 chichi, who, in the name of the others, 
 thus addressed Oglethoi-pe, in reply to 
 the general's speech, in which he had 
 dwelt on the power and wisdom of the 
 British king : — 
 
 " Here is a little present. I give you 
 a butfalo-skin, ad(jrned on the inside 
 with the head and feathers of an eagle, 
 which I desire you to accept, because 
 the eagle is an emblem of speed, and 
 the buffalo of strength. The English 
 are swift as the bird, and strong as the 
 beast; since, like the former, they flew 
 over the vast seas to the uttermost parts 
 of the earth, and like the latter, they 
 are so strong that nothing can withstand 
 them. The feathers of the eagle are 
 soft, signifying love; the buffalo's skin 
 is warm, and signifies protection : there- 
 fore I hope the English will love and 
 protect their little families." 
 
 But, although this treaty terminated 
 in so amicable a manner, difficulties, ere 
 long, began to arise, being fomented by 
 one of those restless, unprincipled, and 
 dangerous men, so often the bane of 
 young colonies. Thomas Bosomworth, 
 the cha])lain in Oglethorpe's regiment, 
 for his own selfish and ambitious views, 
 wrought upon a petty prince, named 
 Mahitchie, king of Frederica (near Sa- 
 vannah), till he persuaded him to as- 
 sume the ridiculous title of Emperor of 
 the Creek Nation. Bosomworth then 
 married Mary Musgrovc, and set up for 
 her a claim to the empire, on prettMice 
 of her being the elder sister of Mal- 
 atchie. The Indians were incited to 
 support her, and escorted her to Savan- 
 nah, to establish her claim. 
 
 The president of the colony, and his 
 council, were alarmed at their appr >ach, 
 and at first knew not what course to 
 
 pursue. The militia, however, were 
 soon under arms, and Captain Noble 
 Jones, by his resolute conduct, induced 
 the Indians to lay by their weapons, when 
 Bosomworth, with his queen, escorted 
 by the chiefs and their warriors, solemnly 
 paraded the streets, and struck the fee- 
 ble colonists with fear. They, however, 
 made such fair promises, that their arms 
 were returned. Bosomworth was soon 
 after seized and confined, which so irri- 
 tated his wife that she threatened ven- 
 geance, and excited the savages to hos- 
 tile demonstrations. By great prudence 
 and coolness, the governor succeeded in 
 tranquillizing them, two or three suc- 
 cessive times, though Mary and Mal- 
 atchie as often again enkindled their 
 passions, and misled their judgment. 
 The storm was at length dispelled by 
 the decision of Captain Noble, who en- 
 tered the council-room with a guard, 
 and made the Indians surrender. Bo- 
 somworth was subsequently induced to 
 lay aside his ridiculous claims, and re- 
 ceived a pardon, while the Indians de- 
 parted in peace. It was not long, how- 
 ever, before Bosomworth presented his 
 case in England, which remained pend- 
 ing in the courts for twelve years. The 
 result was, that the island of St. Cath- 
 arine was granted to him and his wife, 
 of which they took possession. She, 
 however, died soon after. 
 
 In the year 1778, Savannah was occu- 
 pied by General Howe, with six hundred 
 regular troops and a few militia, when 
 it was attacked by a British army of six 
 thousand men, under Lieutenant-Colonel 
 Campbell, who had arrived from New 
 York by water. The defenders were in 
 too small force effectually to resist such 
 numbers, but did not yield without a 
 severe struggle. An obstinate battle 
 was fought, in which our countrymen 
 lost about six hundred men killed, and 
 thirty-eight officers and four hundred 
 and fifteen soldiers prisoners, with forty- 
 eight guns, twenty-three mortars, and 
 all the vessels lying in the river. 
 
 The enemy remained in possession of 
 the city until 1779, when Count d'Es- 
 taing. commander of the French fleet, 
 then in the West Indies, being invited 
 by General Lincoln to make a combined 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA. 
 
 399 
 
 attack upon Savannah, proceeded to the 
 river with twenty ships-of-the-line, two 
 of fifty G^uns, and eleven fritrates. Lin- 
 coln, with the militia of Georgia and 
 South Carolina, proceeded toward Sa- 
 vannah; but, before his arrival. Count 
 d'Estaing, after demanding a surrender, 
 had granted a suspension of hostilities 
 for twenty-four hours, before the expi- 
 ration of which, a reinforcement of eight 
 hundred troops arrived at Savannah, 
 from Beaufort, who encouraged the gar- 
 rison to reject the demand of a surren- 
 der. The siege of the town was there- 
 fore comm(;nced on the 4th of October, 
 with thirty-seven cannon and nine mor- 
 tars, on land, and fifteen cannon from 
 the water. An assault was, however, 
 determined on; and on the 9th, at day- 
 break, a strong force attacked the Spring 
 Hill battery, which was taken, and, held 
 for a short time, but soon recovered, and 
 the invaders retreated, abandoning the 
 enterprise. A regular siege, it is be- 
 lieved, would have soon reduced the 
 place; but the French officers objected 
 to hazarding their fleet so long on the 
 coast. 
 
 Count Pulaski, a Polander, distin- 
 guished by his birth, and exploits in 
 Europe, who had recently been made a 
 brigadier-general in our army, received 
 a mortal wound in that engagement. 
 In memory of him, Congress ordered 
 the erection of the monument, which is 
 described on page 388. 
 
 We will close our brief account of 
 that interesting period, by mentioning a 
 remarkable exploit performed by six 
 Americans, just before the attack on 
 Savannah. It is equally remarkable for 
 the sagacity of the plan and the cool- 
 ness and bravery of the execution. 
 
 On the Ogeeche river was a British 
 force f)f about one hundred and forty 
 men, of whom one hundred were under 
 Captain French, of the royal army, and 
 forty were sailors, composing the crews 
 of five small vessels lying in that stream, 
 four of them armed, and the largest with 
 fourteen guns. The six men above re- 
 ferred to, formed an ingenious plan for 
 capturing this force. They made pi-ep- 
 arations for kindling numerous fires, at 
 short distances from each other, and 
 
 lighted them all at once, in the evening, 
 presuming the Englishmen would mis- 
 take them for the camp-fires of a large 
 body of troops. In order to counte- 
 nance such a deception, they resorted to 
 other measures which their ingenuity 
 dictated; and then, in due form, and in 
 a peremptory manner, summoned the 
 enemy to surrender. 
 
 Colonel John White, of the Georgia 
 line, and Captain Elholm, were the lead- 
 ers in these movements, which required 
 so much skill and caution ; and with 
 such success did they perform their 
 parts, that the British were completely 
 blinded, and tliei^' commander, "to pre- 
 vent the effusion of blood," promised to 
 suri'ender. It was now extremely im- 
 portant for the captors to avoid the ex- 
 posure of their weakness; and Colonel 
 White represented to Captain French, 
 that he was af'-aid to bring forward his 
 troops, because they were exasperated 
 against the invaders of their country, 
 and offered to give him three faithful 
 men, as guides, who would conduct 
 them to safe and comfortable quarters. 
 The offer was thankfully accepted ; and 
 the Englishmen marched off in haste, 
 leaving the colonel, with his whole "re- 
 serve" (his servant and one other man), 
 to bring up the rear. To perform this 
 last-remaining duty required a little 
 time, for he immediately hurried away 
 to call out the militia; but he soon fol- 
 lowed on, and made his ap])earance 
 with a respectable force, which had been 
 collected rather later than the enemy 
 supposed. 
 
 General Lee declares, that this exploit 
 was of so extraordinary a nature, that he 
 could never have persuaded himself to 
 record it, if it had not received general 
 credit, without ever having been contra- 
 dicted.* 
 
 * For tlie pictures which accompany this article, 
 we are indebted to the pencil of T. Addison Rich- 
 ards, Esq . the first, if not the only ai tist, who has 
 sought thcmt's of study amid tlie beautiful scenery of 
 the south. It is tu his works, which have been en- 
 graved on st°el, wood, anil stone, and widely circu- 
 lated, that we owe our acquaintance with the beau- 
 tiful mountains, valleys, and cascades of the southern 
 states No work of the kind, in this country, has 
 equalled in beauty his interesting publication, '• Geor« 
 gia Illustrated " 
 
400 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA. 
 
 Among the numerous men who per- 
 formed important parts in the early pe- 
 riods of our colonial history, there are 
 few more remarkable for activity, enter- 
 prise, and purity of principle, than 
 Oglethorpe. He performed a variety 
 of duties, and generally with equal skill 
 and success. As circumstances requir- 
 ed, he could confer with the friends of 
 America in England, on plans for plant- 
 ing colonies, then, collecting bands of 
 emigrants, and placing himself at their 
 head, conduct them across the Atlantic, 
 and transport them to the places assign- 
 ed for their habitation. He would con- 
 duct negotiations with the savages, pro- 
 vide for the sustenance and defence of 
 the community, encourage his compan- 
 ions under adversity, protect tiiem from 
 invaders, and even march, with a band 
 of white men and Indians, through the 
 wilderness, to seize the post of a dan- 
 gerous enemy, or to intimidate them, 
 when an attack was to be apprehended. 
 
 Oglethorpe combined in his character 
 much strength of purpose, and boldness 
 and perseverance, with philanthropy 
 and active zeal. Had he been of a less 
 manly disposition, he might have chosen 
 a less exposed and less dangerous thea- 
 tre to act upon ; but the peculiar posi- 
 tion of the country now forming the 
 southern part of Georgia, offered attrac- 
 tions for such a spirit as he possessed. 
 It was wholly unoccupied by civilized 
 men ; for, although it was included in 
 Heath's old patent, that instrument had 
 been declared void, on account of the 
 failure to fulfil the terms on which it 
 had been granted, viz., that settlements 
 should be made on the land. But the 
 time had now ari'ived, when it was high- 
 ly important that some of the principal 
 military points should be occupied : for 
 the Spaniards in Florida, and the French 
 in Louisiana, had the power to traverse 
 it at will, and were at liberty to enter it 
 with whatever force they could com- 
 mand, and might soon annex it to their 
 own territories. 
 
 The exposed situation of that district 
 excited much solicitude in England ; 
 and to interpose a protecting power be- 
 tween it and the rival Spanish neigh- 
 bors, whose antipathies were religious 
 
 as well as national, was the principal 
 motive for the first settlements made in 
 the territory of Georgia. A charter was 
 therefore granted to Sir James Ogle- 
 thorpe, and several other noblemen and 
 gentlemen, in 1732, of the country ly- 
 ing between the Savannah and Altama- 
 ha rivers; and they proposed to form a 
 colony of criminals taken from the pris- 
 ons, on the plan afterwai-d practised 
 on a larger scale in New Holland. The 
 project was approved by the benevolent, 
 and a considerable sum of money was 
 collected in different parts of England, 
 while the house of commons granted, at 
 several times, appropi'iations to the 
 amount of thirty-six' thousand pounds, 
 to the enterprise. We have already 
 given a brief outline of some of the 
 principal events, and shall now only at- 
 tempt to supply some of the important 
 particulars, not included in our cursory 
 glance. 
 
 On his first visit to Savannah, Ogle- 
 thorpe in a short time erected a fort, 
 formed his colonists into a military com- 
 pany, consummated his treaty with the 
 Creek Indians, and, appointing two of 
 his officers, named Scott and St. Julian, 
 to exercise the government of the colo- 
 ny during his absence, returned to Eng- 
 land. He gave them charge to make a 
 treaty with the Choctaws, which they 
 successfully accomplished, and thus se- 
 cured the friendship and protection of ' 
 another powerful native nation, of great 
 importance in the infancy of the colojiy. 
 
 The principal chief of the Creeks ac- 
 companied the governor to England, 
 with his wife and several of his inferior 
 sachems. They were received with 
 much honor in London, being introdu- 
 ced to the king and nobility, and enric];- 
 ed with numerous presents, estimated 
 to be worth four hundred ]iounds. Af- 
 ter a stay of four months they returned 
 with Oglethorpe, in a vessel which 
 brought out a new band of colonists. 
 Among the numerous emigrants who 
 soon after arrived from Germany and 
 Switzerland, were several of the associ- 
 ates of the celebrated Moravian mission- 
 ary. Count Zingendorf ; and a no less fa- 
 mous individual of that age, John Wes- 
 ley, came from England in the same 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA. 
 
 401 
 
 year, A 735. The character and history 
 of this man, then in his youth, are wox'- 
 thy of a much more particular notice 
 than can be given in a work like the 
 present. It is pleasing to recur to this 
 early enterprise of one so eminently 
 distinguished by Christian philanthropy, 
 directed to a class of men, and a region 
 of the New World, presenting so little 
 to incite the interest of any person not 
 devoted to doing good. 
 
 John Wesley,vvith his brother Charles, 
 had become known to Oglethorpe, in 
 London, in consequence of their labors 
 in the prisons, for the instruction and 
 improvement of criminals. They had 
 formed a society, in company with 
 George Whitfield and a few pious young 
 men, while In college, for that truly be- 
 nevolent object, in whicli tliey persever- 
 ed, in spite of the jeers of some of their 
 acquaintance, who called it in contempt 
 the Godly Club. What important ef- 
 fects have resulted from that associa- 
 tion ! It may have been the original 
 model of those societies since formed 
 for kindred purposes, especially of those 
 for the reformation of delinquents and 
 criminals, whose influence has been so 
 salutary and extensive. 
 
 It was through Oglethorpe's persua- 
 sion that the two Wesleys were induced 
 to visit the new colony ; and they were 
 accompanied by three or four of their 
 associates, and a company of three hun- 
 di'ed other persons, including a hundred 
 and seventy more Moravians. After a 
 short period of religious exertions, he 
 returned to England : and Whitfield 
 soon after came out, with similar objects. 
 He proposed the foundation of an or- 
 phan asylum, which, as appears from his 
 published letters, was a favorite plan, 
 and pursued with his characteristic 
 zeal and perseverance. It exists at the 
 present day ; but it has never proved 
 successful in the degree anticipated by 
 its founder. This may be partly ac- 
 counted for from the fact, that compara- 
 tively few orphans, in our country, need 
 such provision for their support. Vice, 
 rather than the mere loss of parents, re- 
 duces children to destitution and dis- 
 tress ; for the means of living are easi- 
 ly obtained in our new settlements and 
 
 smaller towns ; and no great number of 
 children are cast off wholly unprovi- 
 ded for. Public or private charity steps 
 in for their relief. 
 
 A fort was soon built at Augusta, for 
 the defence of the Savannah river; a 
 second at Frederica, which v/as a con- 
 siderable work with four bastions ; and 
 a third on Cumberland island, to com- 
 mand the entrance of Jekyl sound, the 
 only ship passage to Frederica. These 
 were constructed at the expense of par- 
 liament, which appropriated ten thou- 
 sand pounds for their erection and main- 
 tenance. Before they were completed, 
 a message was received from tlie Span- 
 ish commander in Florida, that a con- 
 ference was desired with the governor, 
 and the news came that a reinforcement 
 had arrived from Havana. A peremp- 
 tory demand was made for the immedi- 
 ate evacuation of the territory south of 
 St. Helena sound, with a threat that 
 the king of Spain would seize Ids own 
 possessions by force of arms in case of 
 refusal. Oglethorpe, being unprovided 
 with adequate means as well as author- 
 ity, immediately embarked for England, 
 and there received the appointment of 
 major-general of all the fr rces of South 
 Carolina and Georgia, and a regiment 
 of military emigrants, with whom he 
 hastened back. 
 
 On his arrival, he learned that the 
 Spaniards had been busy in attempts to 
 draw off" the Indians from his interest, 
 and that some of the Creek chiefs were 
 then at St. Augustine. 13ut he had the 
 addi'ess to counteract the enemy ; he 
 sent invitations to the Indians to visit 
 him at Frederica, whither they repaired 
 after their return from Florida, and by 
 his influence were easily confirmed in 
 their friendly relations with the English, 
 
 liut it was not long bef(.)re alarming 
 symptoms of treachery were discovered 
 among the English troops. One of the 
 soldiers had served at Gibraltar, and 
 there acquired an acquaintance with the 
 Spanish language, through the medium 
 of which he had held a traitorous com- 
 munication with the enemy ; and, after 
 being corrupted himself, he had found 
 means to excite disaffection among his 
 comrades. The first intimation received 
 
 26 
 
by the general, was made in an attempt 
 to assassinate him, which fortunately 
 failed, and the conspirators were execu- 
 ted. 
 
 By a report made to the trustees of 
 the colony in 1740, it appears that at 
 that time twenty-five hundred persons 
 had been sent out as settlers, and that 
 the amount of money expended was 
 half a million of dollars ; but it was 
 so far from yielding any returns to the 
 proprietors, and even from supporting 
 itself, that it still required annual aid. 
 The character of the colonists was far 
 different from that of many of the earlier 
 settlements; though when we consider 
 the natural advantages of the country, 
 we may well be surprised at the discour- 
 aging result. A mixed population, how- 
 ever, especially with a large proportion 
 of the dregs of European cities, and 
 even of the prisons of England, could 
 not rationally be expected to bring a 
 colony to such a condition as was early 
 attained by the Pilgrims in the north, 
 the Friends in Pennsylvania, the patient, 
 economical Hollanders at New York, 
 or the bands of farmers and others, who 
 at different periods occupied different 
 points along our extensive seacoast. 
 Perhaps, we might rather be surprised 
 that Oglethorpe was able to accomplish 
 as much as he did for the benefit of the 
 colony, amidst the numerous obstacles 
 which surrounded him. 
 
 We have before mentioned his attempt 
 to seize St, Augustine, and his want of 
 success, in consequence of an unexpect- 
 ed reinforcement of the Spanish garri- 
 son at that place. We have also spoken 
 of the invasion made in retaliation ; but 
 a few particulars may here be added, 
 which show at once the perilous condi- 
 tion of affairs at that juncture, and the 
 military abilities of the general. 
 
 The expedition which sailed from 
 Havana for the Altamaha river in 1742, 
 consisted of six thousand men ; and its 
 object was finally to destroy the south- 
 ern colonies, and to seize upon the ter- 
 ritory for the ci-own of Spain, An en- 
 ergetic demand was immediately made 
 upon South Carolina for troops ; but all 
 assistAnce v/as refused, and he was left 
 to his own resources. His policy was 
 
 therefore to be adapted to his weakness ; 
 and, instead of offering such resistance 
 as he would have wished on the front- 
 iers, he retreated as far as Frederica, 
 having only about seven hundred Euro- 
 peans under his command, with a body 
 of Indians. After this show of timidi- 
 ty, or of prudence, however, he boldly, 
 but secretly, moved on toward the ene- 
 my, intending to take them by surprise, 
 and had already marched within two 
 miles of their camp, with every prospect 
 of success, when a French deserter 
 among his ranks, fired his musket and 
 fled back to the enemy. Although thus 
 disappointed, Oglethorpe's ingenuity 
 still found a resource, and sitting down, 
 he v/rote a letter to the deserter, in 
 terms calculated to lead the Spaniards 
 to suspect the runaway as faithless to 
 them, in the style of instructions to him, 
 for his guidance in the enemy's camp. 
 In this he requested him to represent 
 that Fi-ederica was defenceless, and 
 ought to be immediately taken. If the 
 Spanish commander should appear un- 
 willing to take that step, the French- 
 man was instructed to use his utmost 
 exertions to persuade him to remain 
 three days longer in his present posi- 
 tion, as that would allov/ time for the 
 '•emoval of six thousand troops, who, he 
 pretended, were on their way to rein- 
 force the British army, and six ships, 
 expected on the coast. The letter in- 
 sisted particularly on the greatest cau- 
 tion being used, to avoid any allusions 
 to Admiral Vernon's plan of attack up- 
 on St. Augustine, as a secret of the ut- 
 most importance. The letter was then 
 put into the hands of a Spanish desert- 
 er, who was set at liberty under a prom- 
 ise to deliver it to the Frenchman. On 
 reaching the Spanish camp, however, 
 he took it to the commander, who was 
 completely imposed upon by the ingeni- 
 ous device, and thinking he had happily 
 obtained important information, seized 
 the Frenchman, and put him in irtms. 
 In the midst of doubts and fears, in- 
 to which this letter had thrown the ene- 
 my, a fortunate event occurred, which 
 turned the scale in favor of Oglethorpe. 
 South Carolina had slowly yielded to 
 the request he had made for assistance, 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA. 
 
 403 
 
 so fai' as to send three vessels with 
 troops ; and these arrived off the mouth 
 of the Altamaha just in season to be 
 mistaken by the invading- general, for a 
 part of the naval reinforcement alluded 
 to in the intercepted letter. Such appa- 
 rent confirmation of the document con- 
 vinced him of its truth ; and he imme- 
 diately destroyed his fortifications, and 
 embarked for Florida in consternation, 
 leaving, in his haste, a number of his 
 cannon, &c., and some military stores. 
 
 The success of this stratagem, the in- 
 genuity of which is certainly very re- 
 markable, secured the deliverance of 
 the colony, when it was in its most crit- 
 ical condition, and threatened with final 
 destruction. Without the loss of life, 
 and at a small expense of money, the 
 sagacious Oglethorpe was thus able to 
 deliver the colony of an enemy far too 
 numei'ous to be resisted, and from the 
 threatening prospect of falling irretriev- 
 ably into the hands of a foreign power, 
 opposed to that of Great Britain in pol- 
 icy, laws, and religion. 
 
 Having accomplished so important a 
 service, and fin ling nothing important 
 to demand his future presence, he em- 
 barked for England for the last time, 
 and spent the remainder of his life in 
 tranquillity. On the commencement of 
 hostilities in America in 1775, he receiv- 
 ed the offer of the command of the Brit- 
 ish forces, prepared to suppress the spir- 
 it of opposition, but accepted only on 
 condition of being authorized to assure 
 the colonies that they should have justice 
 done them. This reply appears to have 
 been unsatisfactory to the ministry, for 
 Sir William Howe was appointed com- 
 mander in his stead. Oglethorpe re- 
 mained in retirement until the close of 
 his life. He attained an extraordinary 
 age, surviving the unha.ppy contest be- 
 tween his native country and the colo- 
 nies which he had so faithfully served. 
 He witnessed the first nine years of 
 peace which succeeded the revolution, 
 during which, the colony that he had 
 planted, nursed, and defended, became 
 an independent state, connected with a 
 young republic which already showed 
 signs of that rapid increase, in popula- 
 tion, wealth, and improvement, which it 
 
 has since experienced, and is likely lono- 
 to enjoy. 
 
 Among the numerous striking chan- 
 ges which have been produced in our 
 country by the lapse of a short period 
 of time, that effected on the ancient seat 
 of Yamacraw may be appropriately 
 mentioned. One hundred and eighteen 
 years ago, a small band of settlers late- 
 ly from England, driving a few " hogs 
 and cows," which had been given by 
 people at Charleston, " to begin their 
 stock," arrived near the spot, escorted 
 by "the rangers," and aided by "the 
 scout-boats," sent by the governor of 
 South Carolina. 
 
 " Oglethorpe and Bull explored the 
 country ; and, having found a high and 
 pleasant spot of ground, situated on a 
 navigable river, they fixed on this place 
 as the most convenient and healthy sit- 
 uation for settlers. On this hill they 
 marked out a town ; and from the Indi- 
 an name of the river which ran past it, 
 called it Savannah. A small fort was 
 erected on the banks of it as a place for 
 the defence of the colony. The people 
 were set to work in felling trees and 
 building huts for themselves ; and Ogle- 
 thorpe animated and encouraged them, 
 by exposing himself to all the hardships 
 which the poor objects of his compas- 
 sion endured. He formed them into a 
 company of militia, appointed officei'S 
 from among themselves, and furnished 
 them with arms and ammunition. To 
 show the Indians how expert they were 
 in the use of arms, he frequently prac- 
 tised them. 
 
 " Having thus put his colony in a 
 good state of defence, the next object 
 of his attention was, to treat with the 
 Indians for a share of their possessions. 
 The principal tribes that at this time oc- 
 cupied the territory were the upper and 
 lower Creeks : the former were numer- 
 ous and strong ; the latter, by diseases 
 and war, had lieen reduced to a smaller 
 number ; both tribes together were com- 
 puted to amount to about twenty-five 
 thousand, men, women, and children. 
 
 "At a little distance from Savannah, 
 is a high mound of earth, under which 
 the Indian king lies interred who held a 
 conference with Sir Walter Raleigh." 
 
404 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA. 
 
 rv^—-^^ EVERGLADES 
 
 FLORIDA. 
 
 The history of Florida, from the ear- 
 Hest expedition of discovery almost to 
 the present hour, has been but a record 
 of disappointments and disasters. Hav- 
 ing neither mines of gold, nor any pe- 
 culiar advantages for agriculture or com- 
 merce, the Spanish character of the 
 people, while occupying it for three 
 hundred years, had a full opportunity to 
 display its imbecility; while our own 
 government, since entering upon the 
 possession a few years ago, have exhib- 
 ited, in a manner no less lamentable, a 
 disregard to humanity in their treatment 
 of the poor remains of the original red 
 race. 
 
 Florida is one of the few great peninsulas of America, and presents several 
 peculiar features, one of which is its very important position. As has been 
 remarked, in speaking of Georgia, this long point is only the continuation of the 
 southern slope of that state. ,It nowhere presents any considerable elevation; 
 and the greatest part of the surface is a level, raised but little above the ocean, 
 with vast tracts too wet for use, and even wholly or chiefly impassable, or sub- 
 merged in water. 
 
 The western coast of Florida extends six hundred miles, from the Perdido 
 river to Cape Sable ; while the eastern, from St. Mary's river, including the 
 southern, to Cape Sable, is four hundred and fifty. The Atlantic ocean 
 bounds the eastern coast, and the southern extremity is washed by the Bahama 
 and Cuba channels. The northern boundary runs from the mouth of St. Mary's 
 river to the mouth of Flint river, up the Chatahoochee, to latitude 31 deg. 40 
 min., separating it from Georgia. Thence the line proceeds along the limits of 
 
Alabama, two hundred and forty miles, 
 to Perdido river, and down that stream 
 forty miles, to its mouth. The whole 
 outline of Florida is about fifteen miles, 
 and it extends through six degrees of 
 latitude. 
 
 The climate is more uniform than in 
 any other tract of equal extent, north 
 and south, in the United States. This 
 is owing to the little variation of surface, 
 and the proximity of the sea. Pine pre- 
 vails amons: the forests, as the soil is 
 generally poor; but the variety of other 
 trees is very great. Rice and Indian 
 corn, sweet potatoes, cotton, indigo, and 
 sugarcane, are the chief productions of 
 agriculture, while oranges, limes, pome- 
 granates, and figs, grow in abundance. 
 
 The surface of Florida presents a 
 great proportion of waste land and wa- 
 ter, with all the varieties of bays, creeks, 
 and lagoons, along the coast ; and in- 
 land, of hammocks, savannahs, and ever- 
 glades. The hammocks vary in their 
 nature from dry to wet, and many of 
 them are impassable, or with a few in- 
 tricate intervals of hard and shallow 
 grounds, wholly under water; never 
 known to any except the Indians, whose 
 superior acquaintance with the country, 
 during the late lamentable Florida war, 
 often gave them advantage over our 
 troops, in the hammocks and everglades. 
 The various plants which grow abund- 
 antly in some parts of those swamps 
 and lakes, often add their obstacles to 
 the traveller ; especially saw-grass, which 
 soon cuts in pieces the clothes of men, 
 and even their flesh. It would be diffi- 
 cult to give an adequate idea of the for- 
 bidding aspect of those extensive and 
 desolate regions. Yet, in some places, 
 verdant tracts occur even among those 
 low and swampy districts, where flow- 
 ers in profusion display their beauties 
 throughout the year. 
 
 The eastern coast is dangerous for 
 large vessels, in easterly g;iles, as the 
 numerous inlets are generally too shal- 
 low for ships, having water only for 
 vessels of a light draught. On the west, 
 however, are the harbors of Perdido, 
 Pensacola, Choctawhatchee, St. An- 
 drew's, St. Joseph's, Appalachicola, Ap- 
 pelachee, Tampa, Carlos, and Gullivain. 
 
 St. John's river is very crooked, and in 
 some parts, four or five miles wide. 
 
 Pensacola, in north latitude 30 deg. 
 23 min., and longitude 10 deg. 19 miti. 
 west from Washington, stands on the 
 northwestern shore of the bay of the 
 same name, and enjoys the advantages 
 of a fine and safe harbor, with a bar 
 passable by vessels drawing twenty-one 
 feet of v/ater. The anchorage is good, 
 but the water is shallow near the land. 
 
 The city was founded in the year 
 1699, by a Spanish officer named Don 
 Andre de Riola. The entrance to the 
 bay of Pensacola is narrow, between 
 St. Rose's island and Barrancas point, 
 eight miles from the city. 
 
 St. Augustine is the principal town 
 and seaport on the Atlantic coast of 
 Florida, in north latitude 29 deg. 48 
 min., and longitude west from Washing- 
 ton, 40 deg. 21 min. It is the oldest 
 settlement in the limits of the Amer- 
 ican Union, and even older than the first 
 Canadian colony, having been founded 
 in 1565, by the Spaniards. The harbor 
 has twenty-eight or thirty feet of water, 
 and is safe and commodious, being pro- 
 tected from the sea by Anastatia island. 
 The town extends along its side, on a 
 peninsula, elevated only twelve feet 
 above the level of the sea, and is of an 
 oblong form, about a mile in length, but 
 not very compactly built. The shell- 
 limestone which forms the coast is the 
 building material. It presents a very 
 attractive appearance from without, as 
 orange-trees in abundance grow in the 
 yards and gardens ; but many of the 
 streets are crooked and narrow. The 
 climate is as mild as that of southern 
 Europe, and this city is therefore a re- 
 sort of many invalids from the north. 
 The sea-breezes by day, and the land- 
 breezes by night, co-operate to keep 
 the tempei-ature mild and uniform. 
 Steamboats go to Savannah and Charles- 
 ton. Population about 3,000. 
 
 The square near the water is orna- 
 mented with an obelisk of stone, erected 
 in the centre by the Spaniards, in the 
 days of the constitution. It is surround- 
 ed by two churches, the courthouse, 
 and a number of handsome private 
 buildings. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA. 
 
 407 
 
 Fort Marion, at the mouth of the 
 harbor, is intended for seventy guns and 
 one thousand soldiers. 
 
 The harbor of Pensacola receives the 
 two rivers, Yellow Water and Escam- 
 bia; Ch(jctaw river falls into the bay of 
 the same name; while the Appalachi- 
 cola forms a delta, and the Suwanee 
 empties into Vacasausa bay, in latitude 
 29 deg. 25 min. The St. John's differs 
 from all tlie other rivers in the Union, 
 in taking its rise from low, flat grassy 
 plains, which extend to about latitude 28 
 deg. It then flov/s a little westward of 
 north, for a considerable distance paral- 
 lel to the coast, and has the appeai'ance 
 of a sound. 
 
 The low and uniform character of the 
 coast of Florida renders it very danger- 
 ous to navigation, especially on the east- 
 ern side ; and the perils of the seaman 
 are greatly increased by the numerous 
 shoals and banks which line the south- 
 ern coast. 
 
 The Florida Keys are celebrated 
 for the numerous shipwrecks which have 
 occurred upon them. They are now the 
 resort of wreckers, who often afford im- 
 portant assistance to vessels in distress, 
 for rewards proportioned to the value 
 of their services. They have hereto- 
 fore been infested by pirates, at differ- 
 ent periods, and stained with the blooil 
 of many of their unfortunate prisoners. 
 The Keys consist of a long lineof sar.d- 
 banks, reefs, rocks, and small islands, 
 some bare, and others thickly overgrown 
 with grass, reeds, or bushes, which for- 
 merly gave complete shelter and con- 
 cealment to the outlaws who lay in wait 
 for prizes, and the last of whom were 
 destroyed and captured by some of our 
 arnitd ships, a few years ago. 
 
 Tallahassee. — This town, the capi- 
 tal of Florida, 210 miles from St. Au- 
 gustine, stands on a considerable emi- 
 nence, and contains above two thousand 
 inhabitants, with several public squares, 
 a courthouse, statehouse, masonic hall, 
 land-ofhce, market, and three churches. 
 There is a valuable mill-stream which 
 passes along the eastern side of the 
 town, and has a fall of sixteen feet, 
 a short distance from the place where it 
 sinks into the earth, and disappears. 
 
 Jacksonville, thirty-eight miles from 
 St. Augustine, and thirty from the sea, 
 is a piea.sant town, on the bank of St. 
 John's river, with less tlian one thou- 
 sand inhabitants. 
 
 Appalaciiicola stands at the mouth 
 of the river of the same name, on the 
 gulf (jf Mexico. It contains about fif- 
 teen hundred inhabitants, and has con- 
 siderable trade in cotton. Steamboats 
 go to New Orleans, and Columbus, Geo. 
 
 Curiosities. — Among the natural cu- 
 riosities of Fhjrida are : — 
 
 T/ie White Halpliur Spririir, on the 
 bank of the Suwanee river. The water 
 makes its appearance in a large basin, 
 thirty feet in diameter, and ten feet deep, 
 from which it flows in a strong current. 
 It is so highly impregnated with sul- 
 phur, that the taste and smell are very 
 disagreeable; and it is celebrated for its 
 efficacy in various cutaneous and other 
 diseases. 
 
 Srihterranean Streams. — Williams, in 
 speaking of this state, says, Florida is, 
 in itself, a natural curiosity. It is (as 
 all who are acquainted with the outline 
 of the United States will allow), a sin- 
 gularly-formed peninsula. Mr. Sea- 
 gi'ove alleges that it is a sand-bank ; but 
 Mr. Williams supposes it to be a calca- 
 reous fragment of the Appalachian 
 mountain, clothed with some sterile 
 sand-banks, some rich, variegated clay- 
 banks, and some beautiful coralines. 
 It is remarkable that, although Florida 
 has many beautiful streams, some of 
 them are found pursuing a considerable 
 part of their course under gi-ound. 
 Pretty streams of sweet and pure water 
 often rush headlong into some wild 
 opening in the rocks, and entirely dis- 
 appear; and it is quite common to see 
 streams jet forth from the earth. Mr. 
 Williams gives the following description 
 in his work on Florida, published in 
 1837:— 
 
 " The Wakidhj River rises about ten 
 miles northwest of St. Mark's, from one 
 of the finest springs in Florida, or, pei'- 
 haps, in the world. It is of an oval 
 form, the largest diameter of which is 
 about six rods. It is of an unknown 
 depth, and perfectly transparent. In 
 looking into it, the color resembles a 
 
408 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA. 
 
 clear blue sky, except near the border, 
 where it has a slight tinge of green, 
 from the reflection of the surrounding 
 verdure, which hangs over it in droop- 
 infr branches and wavinfj festoons. The 
 eastern side presents a rugged, rocky 
 precipice; all else is an abyss of boupd- 
 less depth. Squadrons of fishes are seen 
 careering round their own world, in per- 
 fect security. The water is moderately 
 cold, and highly impregnated with lime. 
 The beauty of the fountain, the luxu- 
 riance of the foliage around it, and the 
 calm retirement of the whole scene, 
 render this one of the most chai-ming 
 spots that West Florida affords." 
 
 Liimc-Sinhs. — All over the territory 
 are scattered lime-sinks, or sink-holes, 
 which mark the course of the subterra- 
 nean rivers. Holes in the ground, 
 where the earth caves in, and where the 
 hollow is filled with water, form these 
 lime-sinks. Williams says : " They are 
 often very deep, and from them I have 
 often taken fine strings of trout. Two 
 instances have occurred, within our 
 knowledge, where persons have camped 
 under the pines for one night, and the 
 next, earth, trees, and all, have disap- 
 peared, and an unfathomable sink has 
 supplied the place." 
 
 Caves. — A large part of Florida (that 
 is, the limestone region) abounds in 
 caves. The rock is porous and soft, and 
 slowly dissolves in water. Swift-running 
 streams rapidly wear and tear away mass 
 after mass, and from time to time new 
 channels are formed, by which means 
 the old are left dry. In many places, 
 channels are worn under ground, and 
 there considerable rivers pursue their 
 way, for greater or less distances, be- 
 neath the surface, some of which reap- 
 pear, and others fall into the sea by un- 
 known passages. Such is the nature of 
 a number of streams in Europe, some 
 of which have been connected with my- 
 thological traditions and poetical asso- 
 ciations. Wherever an old subterra- 
 nean channel is deserted, a cavern is 
 left; and among those which have been 
 discovered in Florida, the most curious, 
 perhaps, is 
 
 The Arch Cave. — This remarkable 
 excavation is about three miles from 
 
 Chipola river, in Jackson county. At 
 the foot of an immense limestone bluff 
 is an opening, only five feet in height, 
 and thiity feet wide. Having entered, 
 the visiter finds a descending passage of 
 fifty feet, when he pei'ceives that he has 
 reached a spacious apartment, a hun- 
 dred feet across and fifty in height, along 
 the southern side of which flows a stream 
 of pure, cold water, which soon disap- 
 pears. A narrow passage leads onward 
 to the northwest, with a pointed arch 
 overhead, like a Gothic aisle. After 
 proceeding sixty yards, a stream, twenty 
 feet wide and five feet deep, crosses the 
 path, which abounds in white cray-fish. 
 The passage next turns northeastwardly, 
 to a chamber one hundred feet long, 
 with a floor of red clay, scattered with 
 fragments of fallen rock, and blocks of 
 stalagmite, formed by the water drip- 
 ping from the numerous stalactites 
 above. These, of different forms and 
 sizes, almost conceal from view the lofty 
 roof; while a collection of the longest, 
 united in one undivided mass, extends 
 from the ceiling to the floor, forming an 
 immense, but well-proportioned column, 
 which seems erected to suppoit the roi^k 
 above. The entrance of visiters into 
 this hall with torches, disturbs a large 
 flock of bats, which have their residence 
 far above; and on their rapid wings, 
 after fluttering about awhile, they dis- 
 appear among the inner recesses of the 
 extensive cavern, making a sound like 
 that of a rushing wind. 
 
 A narrow and winding passage mxt 
 opens, to conduct the stranger to a new 
 hall, from which several paths branch 
 off* in differcTit directions, where several 
 streams ai'e observed rushing through 
 crevices of different sizes, and annually 
 producing changes in their subterranean 
 courses. The stalactite formations, at 
 the same time, gradually fill up some of 
 the chambers in which they are found; 
 and the beauty of these it is difficult to 
 describe, and even to imagine. They 
 are masses of small crystals, more or 
 less regular, though endlessly varying in 
 form. The sides of the cavern are cov- 
 ered with them in many parts, while the 
 pendants above, like icicles, usually 
 have a corresponding mass of the same 
 
material forming on the floor below; and 
 thus the light of the torches is reflected 
 in a thousand spangles, from every 
 fjuarter. 
 
 This cavern has been explored about 
 SIX hundred yards, and many more hol- 
 lo'vs are known to exist in its vicinity. 
 Several wells, sunk by Colonel Stone, 
 opened into dark caves, by which the 
 workmen became too much alarmed to 
 continue their labors. 
 
 Tim Ladies^ Cave is another remark- 
 able opening in the earth, about a mile 
 distant, in a southeast direction. The 
 entrance is large, and the interior more 
 spacious. The passage at first divides 
 into two, of which that on the left soon 
 leads the visiter to a deep stream, which 
 disappears under an arched rock, cov- 
 ered with crystals. The other, after a 
 longer coui'se, and leading through sev- 
 eral halls, is interrupted by water, be- 
 yond which is seen a large room. 
 
 The Everglddes. — This peculiar fea- 
 ture may be ranked among the natural 
 curiosities of Florida. South of the 
 twenty-eighth degree of north latitude, 
 Florida has very much the shape of a 
 dish, the border of which is raised toward 
 the coast. Near to the cape this border 
 lies at the distance of from twelve to 
 twenty miles from the shore. It is com- 
 posed of the same calcareous rock 
 which forms this peninsula. This ex- 
 tensive basin is intersected by numer- 
 ous lakes and lagoons, and is filled by 
 mai'shes and wet savannahs, which form 
 a labyrinth, and are called the ever- 
 glades. It is drained on the north by 
 the St. John's, on the east by the St. 
 Lucia, Greenville, Jupiter, New river, 
 Rattones, and Miami, and by the Snake, 
 Swallow, Delaware, Caloosahatche, and 
 Macaco, on the west. As one approaches 
 the level of the glades, he is surprised 
 by the appearance of a field of grass 
 before him, which seems like the ocean, 
 without bounds. He may then pass on 
 westward, from six to twelve miles, till, 
 by degrees, the grass disappears, and 
 he is left in an unexplored, grassy lake, 
 the limits of which his eye can not dis- 
 cover. The grass is so tall and thick, 
 that, although the borders of the lake 
 are usually covered in winter with water, 
 
 it is never so deep as to cover it. For 
 ten miles from the limbered land, 
 the earth is generally hard and dry in 
 summer. This tract of country would 
 afford a fine place for cattle to range, 
 and is always well stocked with wild 
 game. La Vega tells us, that pearls 
 were known to abound in this region, 
 at the time of the invasion by De Soto. 
 Mr. Williams says : " An old manuscript 
 in my possession asserts, that a governor 
 of Florida appointed a commission, for 
 the purpose of seeking pearls in these 
 lakes, which was successful." Mr. Wil- 
 liams seems to infer from this and other 
 facts, that it would be of much advan- 
 tage to drain this portion of the country. 
 He asserts, that if the waters could be 
 lowered ten feet, it would probably 
 drain six hundred thousand acres; and 
 if this should prove to be a rich soil, as 
 it appears to be, what a field would it 
 open for tropical productions! 
 
 History. — We have only room for a 
 few leading events in the history of 
 Florida: — 
 
 1497. — Discovery by Sebastian Cabot, 
 under the English flag, who merely 
 saw the coast, without landing. 
 
 1512. — Visited by Ponce de Leon, in 
 search oi " the fountain of health,'" re- 
 ported to him by an Indian girl. He 
 landed from Hispaniola at Cape Sable, 
 on Easter day, and gave it the name of 
 Florida, which the Spaniai'ds afterward 
 used to embrace all the country to Can- 
 ada. After a long search for the foun- 
 tain (which may have been the Sulphur 
 Spring), he returned, with the loss of 
 many men. 
 
 1516. — He made a second search for 
 gold, and was driven away by the 
 Indians. 
 
 1524. — The king of Spain having 
 granted Florida to Guerray, his succes- 
 sor, Allyon, attempted to seize the 
 country, but was repulsed by the na- 
 tives. 
 
 1528. — Pamfilo de Narvaez, with four 
 hundred foot and forty horse, after many 
 sufferings, and much perfidious conduct 
 toward the Indians, lost almost all his 
 men; eighty only reached Mexico in 
 boats. 
 
 1539. — Fernando de Soto next at- 
 
410 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA. 
 
 tempted to occupy the country, having 
 sold Iiis claims on the Peruvian con- 
 quest, to vv^hich he had contributed, for 
 one and a half millions. Landing at 
 Tampa bay with one thousand men, and 
 assisted by Ortez, a survivor of the last 
 expedition, who was a favorite with a 
 chief in the interior, he proceeded far 
 without interruption, treating the na- 
 tives with kindness, until he had won 
 their confidence, and had an opportunity 
 to seize one of their large towns. A 
 numerous body of Indians ambushed 
 him some time after, but were repulsed 
 in an obstinate battle. He pursued his 
 way through Florida, though bravely 
 and powerfully resisted; and, led on by 
 the hope of finding gold, two years 
 afterward died on the Red river, having 
 crossed the Cumberland mountains and 
 the Mississippi. 
 
 1562. — A Huguenot colony, sent out 
 from France by Admiral Coligny, ar- 
 rived on the coast, but proceeding north, 
 landed at Beaufort. After extreme suf- 
 ferings, however, they abandoned their 
 undertaking. 
 
 1564. — A second and larger colony 
 was established at May river, supposed 
 to be the St. John's, where they built 
 Fort Caroline, six leagues from the sea. 
 General Menendez sailed from Spain to 
 destroy them, as heretics, as his catholic 
 majesty had received from the pope a 
 grant of the new worM, on condition 
 that he should convert the Indians to the 
 Romish faith. He succeeded, partly by 
 perfidy, in butchering the colonists ; and 
 in revenge, the Chevalier Dominique de 
 Gourges, though born a Romanist, led 
 an expedition to Florida, and, with the 
 assistance of a body of Indians, cut off 
 the Spaniards at Caroline. Finding the 
 remains of his countrymen hanging on 
 trees, with the inscription: '^ Not as 
 Frenchmen, hut as heretics," he hung 
 the Spaniards in their places, and put 
 up signs bearing these words: ^' Not as 
 Spaniards, but as devils." 
 
 1574. — Menendez, governor of Saint 
 Augustine, sent out many friars among 
 the Indians. 
 
 1583. — The last of the Indian nations 
 formed treaties with the Spaniards, and 
 a missionary system was established for 
 
 all Florida, the head of which was at 
 the Franciscan convent in the capital. 
 The convents, whose ruins are now seet 
 in different parts, were built about this 
 time. 
 
 1702. — Governor Moore's unsuccess- 
 ful siege of St. Augustine, with the troops 
 of the southern English colonies. Two 
 years afterward, by a land-expedition, 
 he seized the north of Florida, and ex- 
 cited the Indians to revolt and mas- 
 sacres. After various Indian ware, in 
 
 1718 — M. Chateauque, f\-om Louisi- 
 ana, captured the fort at Pensacola with 
 eight hundred Indians, twenty-two years 
 after its erection. It was soon retaken 
 by a S])anish fleet, but fell again into 
 the hands of the French, who demol- 
 ished it. 
 
 1725. — Governor Palmer, to retaliate 
 for a Spanish and Indian invasion of 
 Georgia, laid the country waste to St. 
 Augustine. 
 
 1740. — Governor Oglethorpe's expe- 
 dition, mentioned in our description of 
 South Carolina and Georgia. After an 
 invasion of Georgia by the Spaniards, in 
 
 1763 — Florida Vvas ceded to Great 
 Britain, when only six hundred poor 
 Spaniards were found inhabiting the 
 country, and these soon removed to Cuba. 
 The land was therefore parcelled out 
 among half-pay officers and disbanded 
 soldiers, who had served in the Ameri- 
 can war; while colonists of diflerent 
 classes arrived from Great Britain. 
 
 1767. — New Smyrna, seventy miles 
 south of St. Augustine, was settled by 
 1,500 Greeks, Corsicans, and others, 
 under Dr. Turnbull, who for several 
 years treated them with great injustice 
 and barbarity. In 1776, they were 
 placed in an independent situation by 
 the government, and took up their resi- 
 dence in St. Augustine, where many of 
 their descendants now reside. 
 
 1781. — Pensacola was besieged and 
 taken by the French from Louisiana. 
 
 1783. — Florida was ceded back to 
 Spain, and the maimfacture of sugar, 
 and other enterprises introduced by the 
 English, were abandoned, the British 
 subjects leaving the country. The Greek 
 colony alone preserved signs of pros- 
 perity. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA. 
 
 41] 
 
 1811. — Seven commissioners were 
 sent to Pensacola by the president of 
 the United States, to obtain, if possible, 
 a cession of Florida, but were unsuc- 
 cessful. The next year, Fernandina 
 and Amelia island were captured by 
 Com. Campbell and an American force; 
 and the place was a great resort of 
 smugglers and slave-traders, during the 
 American embargo. 
 
 1813. — The place was restored to the 
 Spaniards. 
 
 1814. — Colonel Nichols, with an Eng- 
 lish fleet, took Pensacola, and armed 
 the Indians against the Americans. On 
 the 6th of November, in that year, Gen. 
 Jackson appeared before Pensacola with 
 a strong force, and soon took the place, 
 but the British escaped in their ships. 
 Gen. Jackson destroyed the fortifica- 
 tions and evacuated the place, leaving 
 pi'ivate property wholly uninjured. 
 
 1819. — A treaty of amity, settlement, 
 and limits, was concluded between Spain 
 and the United States, by which Florida 
 was ceded to this country. Gen. Jack- 
 son was appointed governor. 
 
 1822. — Florida was made a teri'itory; 
 and the following year Tallahassee was 
 made the seat of government. 
 
 The improvements made in popula- 
 tion, agriculture, arts, and commerce, 
 have been rapid since that epoch, though 
 much retarded for several years by the 
 war with the Indians, who, in spite of 
 their claim to their own country, and the 
 bravery and skill with which they de- 
 fended it, have been removed beyond 
 the Mississippi. 
 
 A careless and wasteful plan of agri- 
 culture, too common in some of the 
 southern parts of the Union, has ex- 
 hausted great tracts of land in Florida. 
 Williams says it " has destroyed the na- 
 tive fertility of the soil, from the Ches- 
 apeake bay to the St. Mai-y's river, with 
 i'ew exceptions. The object has been 
 to cultivate as much land and with as 
 few hands as possible ; to exhaust the 
 soil and turn it common, and then to re- 
 move and pursue the same course again, 
 upon new land." He remarks that 
 abundance of seaweed and marsh mud 
 are to be found all along the coast of 
 Florida, and that all experience proves 
 
 that it is much less expensive to manure 
 old land than to clear the timber from 
 new. 
 
 Sea-island cotton on the sea-border, 
 and green-seed cotton inland, have here- 
 tofore been the principal crops ; but the 
 cultivation of sugar is now fast gainino- 
 the ascendency in the middle and east- 
 ern parts of the country; and experi- 
 ments have proved that the cane will 
 flourish anywhere, while it is more cer- 
 tain and valuable in most places, and 
 there can be no danger of glutting the 
 market with this article. 
 
 There are three kinds of sugar-cane 
 cultivated in Florida : the Creole, the 
 Otaheite, and the Ribbon ; the first of 
 which is thought to yield more sugar, 
 though slower in ripening. Tiie Rib- 
 bon is better adapted to a more northern 
 climate, as it ripens in a short time; but 
 the grinding is more laborious, on ac- 
 count of the superior hardness of the 
 stalk. It has another advantage, in not 
 fermenting as speedily as the Creole. 
 The yellow varieties are preferred south 
 of thirty degrees latitude. Transplant- 
 ing is best performed at the season of 
 ripeness. Excellent stalks have been 
 raised six successive years from the 
 same roots ; and we are yet unable to 
 say how much longer it might be done 
 with depreciation. 
 
 In the spring it is useful to cutoff the 
 tops several times, to make the plant 
 spread and destroy the weeds ; and the 
 heads cut oft' are excellent food for cat- 
 tle and horses. Williams assures us 
 that the culture and manufacture are 
 carried on with full success on small 
 farms, as well as on the largest estates : 
 for a press may be made by the farmer, 
 at little cost, which will perform the 
 work as well or even better, than a mill 
 costing ten thousand dollars 1'his 
 branch of business has some peculiar 
 advantages, particularly in the small 
 amount of labor required in the cultiva- 
 tion of a sugar plantation. No work 
 upon it is necessary from midsummer 
 until harvest, though at that time many 
 hands must be employed. 
 
 Indigo was the principal product un- 
 der the British, and silk might be well 
 made in the northern districts. 
 
412 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA- 
 
 cept its southeast and southwest angles. 
 
 This state lies between thirty degrees 
 ten minutes, and thirty-five degrees, 
 noith latitude, and between eight and 
 ele\en degrees, west longitude from 
 Washington. From north to south it 
 occupies a tract of land three hundred 
 and seventeen miles long, and one bun- 
 dled and seventy-four miles broad, con- 
 taining forty-six thousand square miles. 
 In 1850, the population was numbered 
 at 771,050. 
 
 Alabama is situated in the valley of 
 
 Tennessee, and the basin of Mobile, ex- 
 
 The southern part borders on the gulf 
 
 of Mexico for the space of fifty or sixty miles, and is nearly covered with pines, 
 and low and level. In the central part it is hilly and varied by prairies, and broken 
 and somewhat mountainous in the north. The soil, in the northern portion of the 
 state, is excellent ; but in the southern, it is sandy and barren. The native trees 
 in the northern and middle sections are black and white oak, hickory, poplar, ce- 
 dar, chestnut, pine, mulberry, &:c. The arable land of southern Alabama, may 
 be found mostly on or near to the water-courses, and is called by two difl'erent 
 names, alluvion and intermediate. The intermediate has a kind of soil between 
 the open pine woods and the alluvial river-bottoms. Although it comprises the 
 much greater part of the state, it is sterile. It abounds more in the southern 
 than in the northern sections. 
 
 Alabama has a number of fine rivers, of which the Mobile is the principal. 
 The Alabama is a very fine river, and is navigable to Claiborne, sixty miles above 
 its junction, for vessels drawing six feet of water. At the mouth of the Cahawba, 
 one hundred and fifty miles further, it has four or five feet of water, and in the 
 shallowest places, to the junction of the Coosa and Talapoosa, the rivers by which 
 it is formed, it is never less than three feet. 
 
 The Toynhighce is four hundred and fifty miles long, and is navigable for 
 schooners to St. Stephen's, one hundred and twenty miles, and for steamboats to 
 Columbus, Mississippi. Indeed, it is beatable for the greater part of its course. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA. 
 
 413 
 
 It has a large branch which is called the 
 Black V/arrior. This river is naviga- 
 ble to Tuscaloosa. 
 
 Another river, the Chatahoochee, 
 forms a boundary of Alabama ; and the 
 northern part is watered by the Tennes- 
 see. 
 
 Mobile river, properly the lower part 
 of the principal stream in the state, is 
 formed by the confluence of two others, 
 the principal of which is the Alabama, 
 and the second the Tombigbee. And 
 the Alabama, in its turn, is formed by 
 the Coosa and the Talapoosa. It is to 
 be regretted that this hicorrect plan in 
 naming streams has been adopted here, 
 as in some other places, as it leads to 
 confusion and often to false impressions. 
 A stream should bear one name from 
 its source to its mouth, and each branch 
 should be named in the same manner. 
 
 The Coosa, which is regarded as the 
 main branch of the Alabama, ought to 
 have been named as the main stream ; 
 and we shall so consider it, and follow 
 the order of natui'e, and the proper 
 practice of geographers, in our brief 
 description. It rises in Tennessee, be- 
 tween the sources of the Hiwassee and 
 Chatahoochee, in latitude thirty-five de- 
 srrees five minutes south, the hitJ^hest 
 point of all the waters flowing directly 
 into the gulf of Mexico, east of the 
 Missis3ip[)i. The head stream bears 
 the name of the Conessauga, and flows 
 first in a westwardly direction, and then 
 southwestwardly and south. At the dis- 
 tance of seventy miles in Georgia, it re- 
 ceives the Etowah, and there assumes 
 the name of Coosa. About ten miles 
 beyond it crosses the line of Alabama, 
 and tui'ns southwest, south, and south- 
 east, till it receives the Talapoosa and 
 changes its name again, as beforemen- 
 tioned, to Alabama river, at Coosanda, 
 in latitude thirty-two degrees twenty- 
 eight minutes, longitude nine degrees 
 twenty-two minutes west from Wasli- 
 ington. In this part of its course, the 
 Alabama (or Coosa) flows about four 
 hundred miles, including its windings, 
 while it gains only two hundred and 
 forty, measuring in a straight line, drain- 
 ing an area of about nine thousand square 
 miles. 
 
 The Alabama now flows westwardly 
 until it receives the Cahawba, and then 
 turns south-southwest, until it is joined 
 by the Tombigbee, and changes its 
 name to the Mobile. The lower part 
 of the channel is no less crooked than 
 the ujjper ; for while the distance in a 
 direct line from the Talapoosa is but 
 one hundred and twenty miles, the nav- 
 igation is not less than two hundred and 
 fifty. 
 
 Mobile bay is of a triangular shape, 
 about thirty-two miles across, and into 
 it empties the Mobile river, by several 
 mouths. The outer bar has sixteen feet 
 water ; but Dog river bar, which is 
 seven miles below the harbor, has only 
 eleven. The principal entrance is be- 
 tween Dauphin island and Mobile point. 
 There is another: the pass of Heron, 
 Vv'hich aflf'ords a communication between 
 Pascagoula sound and the harbor, be- 
 tween Dauphin island and the continent. 
 This has six feet of water at middle i 
 tide, and is taken by steamboats and 
 coasting vessels on the way to New Or- 
 leans, by the Rigolets, Lake Pontchar- 
 train, and Bayou St. John. Anchorage 
 can be found in any part of that route, 
 in mud, shells, and sand. 
 
 The basin of Mobile river contains 
 an area of 37,120 square miles, in the 
 draining of which that stream and its 
 branches perform their parts. It ex- 
 tends north to the borders of the basin 
 of the Tennessee, and east to that of the 
 Chatahoochee. 
 
 When we consider the variety of sur- 
 face, soil, and productions, in Alabama 
 the extent of its navigable routes, and 
 the facilities for commerce, together 
 with the mildness of its climate, it might j 
 seem strange that it shoidd so long 
 have remained almost uncultivated and 
 uninhabited, if we were not aware of 
 the various unfavorable circumstances 
 connected with its situation. It has 
 lieen shown, in our notices of the Car- 
 olinas, that the colonists near the coast 
 remained for a generation ignorant of 
 the advantages of the upper country in 
 the interior : those elevated regions, 
 which enjoy a climate more favorable to 
 health and bodily exertion, and abound- 
 ing in productions unknown among the 
 
 I 
 
414 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA. 
 
 low, hot, and often sandy and barren 
 plains on which they had pitched. 
 
 The feebleness of the young colo- 
 nies, the distractions caused among' them 
 by ignorant and evil counsellors and ru- 
 lers, the danger of foreign invasion by 
 sea, and still more the fear of the pow- 
 erful Indian tribes on their western 
 frontiers, afforded sufficient explanation 
 foi' this delay in extending their borders 
 in that direction. These reasons apply 
 with double force to Alabama, for it lay 
 still further beyond ; and, in addition to 
 this, the territory was in the vicinity of 
 another enemy or rival of the English : 
 the French on the Mississippi. A por- 
 tion of it, indeed, and that the most im- 
 portant part, in fact, the key of the 
 whole, was early occupied by them: we 
 mean Mobile ; which, being placed at 
 the mouth of the chief river, and on a 
 good harbor, commanded the whole ac- 
 cessible portion of the country. 
 
 Since Alabama has come into the 
 possession of the United States, and has 
 risen to the dignity of a state, it has had 
 to struggle with obstacles arising from 
 its backwardness ; and by the superiority 
 of New Orleans as a great mai't of com- 
 merce, long established, the difficulty of 
 concentrating business at a small place 
 in its neighborhood is much increased. 
 The natural obstacles of the interior are 
 in many parts great, as may be perceiv- 
 ed from some of the particulars we have 
 given ; and thus several circumstances 
 combine, which are likely to retard the 
 rapid increase of settlements for some 
 time to come. 
 
 The prolonged disputes and contests 
 for territory between England, Spain, 
 and France, brought an innumerable 
 host of evils upon the early colonies, and 
 es})ecially upon those most accessible 
 to invasion. Alabama lay so far from 
 the Atlantic coast, so near to the French 
 settlements on the Mississippi, and so 
 totally within the Indian territory, that 
 an occupation of any part as a British 
 colony, or even a visit to it, was not to 
 be I'egarded as a possible thing, for a 
 long time. Until the year 16G7, there 
 had never been any treaty or under- 
 standing entered into between England 
 and Spain, for the prevention or ar- 
 
 rangement of difficulties arising out of 
 conflicting claims to territory in Amer- 
 ica. 
 
 It was then, however, happily agreed, 
 in due form, between those two powers, 
 in a treaty framed by Sir William Go- 
 dolphin, that, " the king of Great Brit- 
 ain should always possess, in full right 
 of sovereignty and property, all the 
 countries, islands, ana colonies, lying 
 and being situated m the West Indies, 
 or any part of America, which he and 
 his subjects then held and possessed, 
 inasmuch that they neither can nor ought 
 to be thereafter contested on any account 
 whatsoever." The buccaniers were 
 suppressed, and the navigation of the 
 American seas was freely opened to 
 both nations. It was also agreed, that 
 all ships in distress entering any of the 
 ports, should be admitted and treated 
 with humanity, and fi-eely permitted to 
 depart. The Spaniards then gave up, 
 by this treaty, all claim to the Caroli- 
 nas ; and the prosperity of the British 
 colonies would have been increased by 
 it, had that power observed it in good 
 faith. 
 
 Soon after this event, a treaty of neu- 
 trality was concluded between Great 
 Britain and France, by which limits 
 were fixed, with greater precision than 
 before, to the various possessions of 
 these three powers in America, and the 
 fi'eedom of commerce and navigation 
 was better secured. 
 
 But the happy results which might 
 naturally have been expected from these 
 measures, were greatly diminished by 
 the arrogant pretensions advanced by 
 one of the religious orders in Spain. 
 The Franciscan monks, claiming the 
 authority of the pope as paramount to 
 international agreements, found means 
 to gain a footing in Florida, where, un- 
 der the protection and favor of Spanish 
 fortresses and troops, they soon gained 
 over to their direction the Indians, and 
 established a missionary system through- 
 out that coxmtry, by which they raised 
 up a power hostile to Great Britain, as 
 a protestant nation, from which a long 
 series of evils resulted, that continu- 
 ed through several generations. Hence 
 arose the hostility of the Florida Indi- 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA. 
 
 415 
 
 ans and some of the more northern 
 tribes, with many of the disasters which 
 they produced ; and hence, and from a 
 similar cause, viz., the long and contin- 
 ued intrigues and open military expedi- 
 tions of the French Jesuits in Canada, 
 the sad scenes of fire, murder, and cap- 
 tivity, which spread a gloom over the 
 history of the colonies of New England 
 and New York. 
 
 The planting of the coh)nies along 
 the Mississippi, in the year 1709, is wor- 
 thy of notice as one of the great causes 
 of the delay in the occupation of the 
 tei'ritory of this state by the English. 
 Louis XIV. of France having granted 
 a large tract of land about the mouths 
 of that river to Secretary Crozat, the 
 settlement was soon commenced ; and, 
 although the place was considered by 
 the southern British colonists as lying 
 within their patent, no attempt was 
 made to interrupt the intruders, and the 
 steps they were taking were not even 
 protested against. The French gradu- 
 ally won to their interest some of the 
 Indians, and extended plantations in 
 different directions, while they establish- 
 ed forts and trading stations still further 
 in advance. In 1725, they built a fort 
 on Alabama river, at a considerable dis- 
 tance above its mouth. That position, 
 called Fort Alabama, afforded them fa- 
 cilities of intercourse with the Creek 
 nation, whose hunting grounds extend- 
 ed to that vicinity; and when a friend- 
 ly standing had- been established with 
 them, the Cherokees were, ere long, 
 brought into correspondence; and thus 
 the foundations were laid of an exten- 
 sive rival interest to the British colonies, 
 the evil effects of which were long felt. 
 
 To oppose the intrigues of the French, 
 who soon brought the Choctaws, Chick- 
 asaws, and other tribes, imder their in- 
 fluence, the president of Carolina em- 
 ployed Captain Tobias Fitch, to act as 
 his agent among the Creeks, and Colo- 
 nel George Chicken among the Chero- 
 kees ; but they were unable to prevent 
 all connexion between those nations and 
 the French, who generally supplied 
 thera with tomahawks and firearms, 
 which they adopted instead of their 
 bows and arrows, and thus became far 
 
 more hold, formidable, and destructive 
 enemies than they would else have been. 
 
 In 1730, after the colony of Carolina, 
 with the extensive territory which it 
 then included, had been purchased by 
 the crown, Sir Alexander Gumming 
 came from England to America, to se- 
 cure the friendship of the Cherokees 
 by a formal treaty ; and met the chiefs 
 of the nation at Nequassee, a place 
 about three hundred miles in the interi- 
 or, where he was received on the most 
 friendly terms. Five of them accompa- 
 nied him to England, where they made 
 a treaty of peace and amity, agreeing 
 never to trade with any other people but 
 the* British, to aid and fight for them, 
 &c. ; " not to permit the white men 
 of any other nation, to build any forts 
 or cabins, or plant any corn among them, 
 upon lands which belong to the great 
 king, to restore runaway negroes, to 
 submit to English laws in case of mur- 
 der on either side," &c. The Indians 
 returned the following year, highly sat- 
 isfied with their success. Governor 
 Glen, in 1755, had the treaty confirmed, 
 and obtained a vast cession of land. 
 But this promising aspect of affairs was 
 not of long duration ; and the scenes of 
 war and distress which followed, as we 
 have briefly stated in our accounts of 
 the older colonies, condemned the ter- 
 ritory of Alabama to the long neglect 
 which it suffered, in consequence of the 
 hostile state of its savage inhabitants. 
 
 Thus we have seen that a small por- 
 tion of the present state of Alabama 
 was occupied by the French, early in 
 the last century, when, soon after the 
 founding of Louisiana, they built a fort 
 at Mobile, and settled at several points 
 upon the river ; while the English left 
 the territory unoccupied, and made no 
 attempt tosettle any part of that large 
 portion of it which was included in the 
 charter of Georgia, so that nearly the 
 whole territory remained in the undis- 
 puted possession of the Indians. In 
 1802, it was ceded to the United States 
 by Georgia, and annexed to the Missis- 
 sippi territory. In 1817, it was made a 
 distinct territory, and on the 2d of Au- 
 gust, 1819, admitted as a free and inde- 
 pendent state into the American Union. 
 
■IIG 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA. 
 
 The constitution of Alabama is re- 
 markably liberal it its provisions for the 
 support of education, as it contains a 
 long section on the subject, of which the 
 following is the commencement : — 
 
 "Schools and the means of education 
 shall for ever be encouraged in this 
 state." It requires the legislature to 
 take measures to preserve the lands ap- 
 propriated for the support of education, 
 to apply the funds, (fee. The income 
 from the lands is devoted to the support 
 of a university. The number of com- 
 mon schools is already six hundred and 
 fifty, and there are one hundred and 
 twenty academies and grammar-schools. 
 
 The constitution likewise secui'es to 
 slaves, accused of any crime higher than 
 petty larceny, a trial by a pettit jury. 
 
 Printing was commenced in this 
 state sometime between 1810 and 1820; 
 but as early as 1821 there were no less 
 than eleven newspapers. 
 
 State of the Country, h^c. — In so new 
 and extensive a region as Alabama, im- 
 provements must necessarily be back- 
 ward, especially where the inhabitants 
 are few, and the means of communica- 
 tion difficult, where facilities have hard- 
 ly been introduced. Commendable en- 
 terprise has already been displayed, by 
 both the legislature and the people, in 
 introducing important improvements, 
 and in devising more. That the p' og- 
 ress of the state, in many important re- 
 spects, will hereafter be great, we have 
 flattering reason to expect, when we rec- 
 ollect the provision made for the gener- 
 al and lasting support of education in 
 the constitution. Intelligence, litera- 
 ture, and science, united with religion, 
 must necessarily render a people great 
 and happy ; and it is gratifying to see 
 that means are employed in Alabama 
 for their diffusion. Steam has already 
 begun its career of civilization and im- 
 provement on both land and water. 
 
 The establishment of steamboats on 
 the Alabama river, affords one of the 
 principal channels of travelling and 
 trade in the state of Alabama. A safe 
 and rapid passage is afforded by that 
 route from Mobile to Montgomery, the 
 head of navigation. Wetumpka, fifty 
 miles higher up the river, by water, but 
 
 only eighteen by land, is the highest 
 point accessible in light boats. From 
 Montgomery to Atlanta, a railroad ex- 
 tends 185 miles, whence a stage-road 
 of one hundred and thirty miles leads 
 to Notasulga, and there the traveller 
 finds himself on the Augusta railroad, 
 one hundred and thirty-six miles in 
 length. The part of this route which 
 lies in this state, and most of that part 
 in Georgia, is wild and almost uninhab- 
 ited. A traveller in 184G thus describes 
 some of the features of this unreclaim- 
 ed wildness and the primitive state of so- 
 ciety existing among the few people who 
 inhabit it : — 
 
 "The whole country through which 
 we passed, from Augusta to Montgom- 
 ery, is as dull and deficient in interest, 
 as the most misanthroj)ic could desire. 
 It was sufficiently rolling, sometimes 
 stony, and had numerous clear rivulets 
 meandering on it. But the imj^rove- 
 ments were mostly a sad blotch on na- 
 ture. It is bad enough to find log-shan- 
 ties, slipshod fences, &c., in a decidedly 
 fresh and untamed country ; but to see 
 these, so old as to be already in their 
 dotage, and comparatively little to re- 
 deem the general forbiddingness of the 
 scene, is, to say the best, the reverse of 
 gratification to a traveller. 
 
 " The log-houses on their best estates 
 consist of a room at either end, with a 
 passage between (but seldom enclosed 
 with doors), through which a loaded 
 team could be driven, and the enclosed 
 rooms would generally afford a tolerably 
 distinct view jf the opposite scenery 
 through the uncJmncked double walls. 
 The chimneys in most of the country, 
 and some of the city houses, from Ma- 
 ryland to the Gulf, are placed on the 
 outside of one or both ends, and are 
 built entirely independent of the houses, 
 though connected with the first floor by 
 a single fireplace. This may abate a 
 little the intense heat of summer; but it 
 has a most unsightly and forbidding ap- 
 pearance. The best houses are some- 
 times painted, and the chimneys are 
 well laid up in brick and mortar, while 
 those attached to the poorest are more 
 frequently made of mud and sticks, and 
 the surrounding buildings are limitetl 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA. 
 
 417 
 
 to a rough hovel or two, about as closely 
 housed in, as a field under a well-laid 
 worm fence. 
 
 " The shuck provided for the winter 
 forage of the cattle, is one or more stacks 
 of corn-blades or husks, some twelve or 
 fifteen feet Iiigh, and five or six in diam- 
 eter. The working mules or horses are 
 fed with corn ; but all the remainder of 
 the quadrupeds betake themselves to 
 the woods for brouse. As the range is 
 illimitable, and vegetation has a torpid 
 existence through the winter, they will 
 fretjuently do very well on it, though 
 they have in many cases to go so far for 
 it, that they do not think it worth while 
 returning to report progress till the feed 
 has ao^ain become deservinij their atten- 
 tion at home. Of course, milking the 
 cows is out of the question, unless half 
 of one's time is used in pursuit of them. 
 
 " Where there are canebrakes, as is 
 frequently the case on rich bottom lands, 
 the animals have a good winter subsist- 
 ence oil the young shoots of this gigan- 
 tic grass. Its rich evergreen leaves ac- 
 quire a palatable nutritiveness after the 
 frosts, which it does not possess during 
 the summer and autumn, and when 
 abundant, cattle will fatten on tiiis alone. 
 The swine through this country are the 
 vilest brutes a farmer's eye ever rested 
 on. They are of all colors, but princi- 
 pally black, gray, red, blue, or striped 
 and dotted like a hyena, which comely 
 beast, and its congener, the wolf, they 
 more nearly resemble than any of their 
 own well-bred family. Even the fatten- 
 ing porkers are only in a passably-gi'ow- 
 ing condition, while the nomads could 
 hardly lay claim to hide enough to hold 
 their bones together. As the stages 
 rattled along, they rushed out of the 
 woods in all directions, to follow the 
 horses. I asked the di'iver the cause of 
 their leanness when the woods were full 
 of oaks and chestnuts. He said the 
 former bore no acorns, and the people 
 gathered the latter. 
 
 "We were glad to get on a boat at 
 Montgomery. Had the river been at 
 moderate height, we should have passed 
 down the four hundred miles to Mobile 
 in two days instead of five, owing to our 
 frequently grounding. 
 
 " The Alabama is a fine winding 
 stream, hemmed in by banks from twen- 
 ty to eighty feet high. These are some- 
 times worn, and shelve off from the ac- 
 tion of the stream ; but are generally 
 fringed with a great variety of forest- 
 trees, shrubs, and frequently the cane, 
 which, springing up from the water's 
 edge, surmounts the banks, and extends 
 for miles in one impenetrable mass. It 
 I grows from fifteen to twenty feet high, 
 straight as an arrow and almost as thick 
 j as standing wheat. It throws out deli- 
 I cate branches near the tops, whose 
 I gracefully tapering foliage, at a distance, 
 j nearly resembles a field of luxuriant 
 hemp, and these become so closely in- 
 terwoven at their tops as to resemble 
 one vast carpet of resplendent green. 
 A variety of beautiful branching ever- 
 green, and deciduous oaks, are found on 
 the banks and bordering tablelands, and 
 occasionally the pine and other resinous 
 trees. Here and there a magnolia may 
 be seen shooting up with perfect sym- 
 metry for fifty to seventy feet, and bear- 
 ing the dai"k-hued evergreen leaves, in a 
 beautiful cone. In May and June, this 
 is gemmed over its entire surface with 
 beautiful snowy flowers, five to seven 
 inches in diameter and of great fia- 
 grance. The cypress that everywhere 
 fills up the low grounds south of Vir- 
 ginia, is always to be found in its appro- 
 priate place here ; and from nearly ev- 
 ery tree, of whatever species, the cling- 
 ing moss hangs in graceful festoons. 
 This appears to be exclusively an air- 
 plant. Its slender stem throws out mi- 
 nute tendrils or branches, some two in- 
 ches long, and about the same distance 
 from each other, and it is suspended 
 from the twigs solely by the mechanical 
 attachment of the stem. When this 
 has become dead for a long distance 
 from the point of its origin, the fresh 
 shoots continue to multiply and grow 
 on with undiminished vigor. Cattle are 
 said to be fond of it, and if suited to 
 impart nourishment to them, it seems 
 improvident that such vast quantities of 
 it are hung so far above their reach. 
 This moss is expoi-ted largely to the 
 northern states, and is used for stuffing 
 cushions, beds, &c. 
 
 27 
 
418 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA. 
 
 " The soil on both sides of the river is 
 almost invariably good, as is much of 
 that in central Alabama." 
 
 Montgomery, the capital of the state, 
 is built on a high bluff, on the left bank 
 and at the head of steamboat navigation, 
 on Alabama river, three hundred and 
 thirty-eight miles from Mobile by the 
 course of the river, and two hundred 
 miles in a direct line; one hundred and 
 twelve miles southeast from Tuscaloosa, 
 and eight hundred and fifty miles from 
 Washington city. Its contains a court- 
 house, seven churches, two academies, 
 and about seven thousand inhabitants. 
 The cotton shipped from this place 
 amounts to forty thousand bales annu- 
 ally. Montgomery has recently been 
 made the capital of the state, and prep- 
 arations are already in progress for 
 building an elegant statehouse. 
 
 Mobile stands on a low plain, only 
 about fifteen feet above the water at 
 high tides, but commands a view over 
 the spacious harbor, and lies open to 
 the sea-breezes. The distance from the 
 coast of the gulf of Mexico is thirty 
 miles, and from New Orleans, one hun- 
 dred and sixty-four. The population is 
 about twenty thousand, and the princi- 
 pal public buildings are the United 
 States naval hospital, courthouse, city 
 hospital, three banks, seven churches, 
 theatre, and Burton academy. Provision 
 has been made for a supply of water for 
 the city from Spring Kill, two miles dis- 
 tant. The cotton trade of this port is 
 very great, the amount received and ex- 
 ported annually being larger than that 
 of any other city in the Union except 
 New Orleans. 
 
 The entrance of the harbor is defend- 
 ed by Fort Morgan, on a sandy point 
 opposite Dauphin island ; and a light- 
 house is erected for ships entering. 
 Mobile has been in possession of the 
 United States only thirty-four years, 
 having been ceded by Spain in 1813. 
 
 Spring Hill College, two miles from 
 Mobile, has about four thousand vol- 
 umes in its library, and seventy students. 
 
 Steamboats depart daily for New Or- 
 leans, Columbus, Miss., and Montgome- 
 ry- ... 
 
 Tuscaloosa, lately the capital, is sit- 
 
 uated on the left bank of the Black 
 Warrior river, in latitude thirty-three 
 degrees and twelve minutes, and longi- 
 tude ten degrees and forty-three min- 
 utes, one hundred and fifty-five miles 
 southwest from Huntsville, two hundred 
 and seventeen miles a little north of 
 east from Mobile, and eight hundred 
 and fifty-eight miles southwest from 
 Washington, by post-route. Its posi- 
 tion is at the foot of the lower falls, at 
 the head of steanlboat navigation, on an 
 elevated plain. The old statehouse, 
 courthouse, land-oflnice, masonic hall, la- 
 dies' atliEeneum, four churches, academy, 
 and institute, ai'e the public buildings. 
 The streets are broad, straight, and 
 regular, and the inhabitants about five 
 thousand. 
 
 The University of Alabama, founded 
 in 1828, is situated at the distance of 
 one mile from Tuscaloosa. It has a 
 library of six thousand volumes, seven 
 professors and tutors, and about sixty 
 students. The commencement is held 
 on Wednesday after the first Monday in 
 December. 
 
 Deriopolis, on the Tombigbee, two 
 hundred and twenty miles from Mobile, 
 situated a little below the mouth of the 
 Black VV^arrior river, communicates daily 
 with Columbus, Miss., and Mobile, by 
 steamboats. Stage-coaches go three 
 times a week to Tuscaloosa and Mobile. 
 The principal public buildings are three 
 churches, two academies, and the land- 
 oflfice ; and the population is about one 
 thousand. 
 
 Gainesville, a smalltown, about two 
 hundred and eighty -three miles from 
 IMobile, is on the Tombigbee, and a 
 place of much trade in cotton. It con- 
 tains only about two hundred inhabi- 
 tants, but is daily visited by the steam- 
 boats from Columbus and Mobile, and 
 stage-coaches go three times a week, to 
 the latter place and Jackson in Missis- 
 sippi. 
 
 St. Stephen's, with a population of 
 one thousand, is the second settlement 
 in the state in point of age. It stands 
 on the Tombigbee, one hundred miles 
 from Mobile, and has tw^ churches, a 
 land-ofiice, and an acad iny. 
 
 Cahawua, on the west side of Alaba- 
 
420 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA. 
 
 ma river, two hundred and forty miles 
 from Mobile, and once the capital town, 
 contains about one thousand inhabitants. 
 It has a courthouse, an academy, and 
 two churches, and the river steamboats 
 touch there daily, while stage-coaches 
 go to Mobile, Tuscaloosa, and Hunts- 
 ville. 
 
 Selma, si.\.teen miles above Cahawba, 
 on the right bank of the river, has two 
 academies, three churches, and about 
 on€! thousand inhabitants. 
 
 Fossil Bones, &c. — Alabama, more 
 than most other parts of our country, 
 abounds in ancient bones, which are 
 found in various positions, but most 
 abundantly in a peculiar stratum, which 
 in some places lies many feet beneath 
 the natural surface, but in others, is laid 
 bare, or cut through by the wearing 
 away of streams of water, &c. In cer- 
 tain districts, these remains of ancient 
 and often unknown animals, have been 
 long familiar to the present inhabitants, 
 as well as to their predecessors the In- 
 dians ; but their remote situations have 
 prevented many of them from being 
 either generally seen or accurately de- 
 scribed. 
 
 Dr. Koch of Germany made a tour of 
 exploration in this and several other 
 states, thi'ee years ago, and discovered 
 and brought away a collection of bones, 
 many of which were exhibited by him 
 in our principal cities. A great num- 
 ber of them were arranged by him, in 
 the order in which he supposed them to 
 have been naturally placed, judging 
 from their relative positions when dis- 
 covered in the earth. When thus pla- 
 ced, they seemed to form the skeleton 
 of an immense serpent, which the dis- 
 coverer named the Hi/drargos SiU'imanii, 
 and described, with a sketch of its prob- 
 able habits, food, &c., after the manner 
 of many of his predecessors, some of 
 whom have published pictures of the 
 animals of extinct species, as when re- 
 stored, by the addition of the decayed 
 flesh, &c. 
 
 Naturalists, however, did not gener- 
 ally adopt the opinions of Dr. Koch ; 
 and more evidence is thought necessary 
 before the existence of such an animal 
 can bo admitted. The lighter bones 
 
 connected with this skeleton, were found 
 in a state of dislocation, particularly 
 those which he placed as ribs. The 
 vertebrce are so entirely separate, and 
 generally so much worn away, by decay 
 or attrition, that no evidence of their re- 
 lation to each uthei', could l)e obtained 
 from their form or size ; and their alle- 
 ged proximity when discovered, is not 
 of itself sufficient ground on which to 
 proceed in constructiHg an animal of 
 such an extraordinary kind. Besides, 
 the bones placed as the head, and which 
 are said to have been found lying at 
 that end of the skeleton, but inverted, 
 have little or no resemblance to those 
 of a serpent's head. 
 
 The parts of which this collection 
 consists are unquestionably natural re- 
 mains of some gigantic animai or ani- 
 mals, and were taken from the earth in 
 Alabama; but to what kind of animal, 
 or to how many individuals they be- 
 longed, we pretend not to decide. They 
 present a striking specimen of innumer- 
 able remains of a similar kind existing 
 in abundance in some parts of Alaba- 
 ma : and future discoveries and resear- 
 ches may probably shed important light 
 upon the interesting subject. 
 
 The following statements we derive 
 from a letter of Professor Silliman : — 
 
 "Dr. Koch, the proprietor of the 
 skeleton now in this city, made a jour- 
 ney of discovery a year since, into Ala- 
 bama and other southern regions, with 
 particular reference to this animal. He 
 had the rare good fortune, as the result 
 of his perseverance, aided l)y the kind 
 assistance of the inhabitants, to disinter 
 the stupendous skeleton which is now 
 set up for exhibition here. 
 
 " It has evidently been done at great 
 expense and personal toil; and the pub- 
 lic, while they owe a debt to Dr. Koch, 
 will, when paying it, receive a high 
 gratification in contemplating the re- 
 mains of a race of animals whose length 
 exceeded that of all other creatures 
 hitherto discovered ; the spinal column 
 of this skeleton as now arranged meas- 
 ures one hundred and fourteen feet in 
 length. The skeleton having been 
 found entire enclosed in limestone, evi- 
 dently belonged to one individual, and 
 
 rdJ 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA. 
 
 421 
 
 there Is the fullest ground for confidence 
 in its genuineness. The animal was 
 marine and carnivorous, and at his death 
 was imbedded in the ruins of that an- 
 cient sea which once occupied the region 
 where Alabama now is ; having myself 
 recently passed 400 miles down the Al- 
 abama river, and touched at many pla- 
 ces, T have had full opportunity to ob- 
 serve, what many geologists have affirm- 
 ed, the marine and oceanic character of 
 the country. 
 
 "Judging from the abundance of the 
 remains (some of which have been sev- 
 eral years in my possession), these ani- 
 mals must have been very numerous, 
 and doubtless fed upon fishes and other 
 marine creatures — the inhabitants of a 
 region, then probably of more than trop- 
 ical heat ; and it appears probable also, 
 that this animal frequented bays, estua- 
 ries, and seacoasts, rather than the main 
 ocean. As regards the nature of the 
 animal, we shall doubtless be put in pos- 
 session of Professor Owen's more ma- 
 ture opinion, after he shall have I'eview- 
 ed the entire skeleton. I would only 
 venture to suggest, that he may find lit- 
 tle analogy with whales, and much more 
 with lizards, according to Dr. Harlan's 
 original opinion. 
 
 *' Among the fossil lizards and saurus, 
 this resembles most the pleisiosaurus, 
 from which, however, it differs very de- 
 cidedly. 
 
 " Most observers will pi'obably be 
 struck with the enake-like appearance 
 of the skeleton. It differs, however, 
 most essentially from any existing or 
 fossil serpent, although it may counte- 
 nance the popular (and I believe well- 
 founded) impression of the existence in 
 our modern seas, of huge animals to 
 which the name of sea-serpent has been 
 attached. For a full ai.d satisfactory 
 statement of the evidence on this sub- 
 ject, see a communication by Dr. Bige- 
 low of Boston in the second volume of 
 the American Journal." 
 
 Projected Improvements. — Among 
 the projects for improvements which 
 now attract the attention of the people 
 of this state, is the establishment of a 
 line of transportation on a gx'and scale. 
 A glance at the principal river and its 
 
 branches, is sufficient to discover, that 
 thousands of miles lie along and near 
 their borders ; and that, even were the 
 proportion of land susceptible of culti- 
 vation much less than it is, sufficient 
 would still remain to furnish support for 
 an immense population, if judiciously 
 managed, and furnished with convenient 
 means of sending the products to mar- 
 ket. The steamboats already plying 
 daily upon the main stream, and the 
 railroads now in use, with the advanta- 
 ges which they afford, intimate what 
 further benefits might bo secured by ex- 
 tending the improvements to every part 
 of the state which may be accessible to 
 them. But something more than this is 
 contemplated, by a system of public 
 works proposed to the people. 
 
 The western parts of Georgia and 
 South Carolina are still unprovided with 
 adequate channels of transportation ; and 
 the slightest examination of the maps, 
 will go far to justify the assertion of 
 those who maintain, thnt it is easy to 
 adopt measures now which shall bring 
 all their trade to Mobile, The exten- 
 sion of steamboat i-outes as far as possi- 
 ble upon the streams, then a resort to 
 railroads, and finally the improvement 
 and multiplication of common roads, it 
 is insisted, will accomplish this ; while 
 the profits can hardly fail to justify and 
 richly to reward the expense, and in a 
 moderate period. 
 
 But this is not all. The valley of the 
 Tennessee river is separated from that 
 of the Alabama by only a narrow ridge ; 
 and if that barrier can be surmounted, 
 another very rich and extensive region 
 will be added to the vast commeixial 
 territory of Mobile. It is proposed to 
 construct a railroad across that tract ; 
 and thus to draw off the trade which 
 seeks a slow and difficult channel down 
 the Tennessee to the Mississippi. But 
 the system of improvements projected 
 stops not here. The route may be ex- 
 tended northward ; and it is seriously 
 proposed to carry it to the mouth of the 
 Ohio. From Selma to the Tennessee, 
 a railroad route has been surveyed, and 
 part of it graded ; but the work has 
 been abandoned, at least for the present. 
 Such favorable views, however, are held 
 
422 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OP ALABAMA. 
 
 forth, that it is supposed the project will 
 yet be accomplished. From some of 
 the recent publications on the subject, 
 we derive the following facts respecting 
 the country along the route. It will be 
 perceived that the mineral treasures now 
 embosomed in the earth, and of little or 
 n ^ value on account of their inaccessible 
 
 i position, are among the chief advantages 
 promised by the advocates of the plan 
 of improvement. The coal lands abound- 
 ing in that region, are capable of afford- 
 ing abundant supplies of fuel for the use 
 of steamships in all parts of the gulf of 
 Mexico, and steamboats on the rivers, as 
 well as for the locomotives on railroads, 
 
 ' so far as it may be wanted. 
 
 ( The distance from Selma to the Ten- 
 nessee river, by a line running north, is 
 about one hundred and fifty miles ; and 
 the point at which it would be reached 
 is at Decatur. Such a line would pass 
 through the midst of the coal region, 
 and those parts of it which border on 
 the Cahawba and Warrior rivers. Be- 
 tween Mulberry creek and Cahawba 
 river, the line passes along the water- 
 shed ; and there the soil is peculiarly fa- 
 vorable for the construction of a sub- 
 stantial road, consisting of cretaceous 
 lime-rocks, of a very solid description. 
 The Cahawba coal-field commences at 
 Centreville, and is crossed by the line, 
 as is that part of the coal-region called 
 the Warrior coal-field, which lies just 
 beyond the Mulberry fork, in the east- 
 ern part of Walker county. 
 
 From that part of Decatur the coun- 
 try is of a different foi^mation, but of a 
 very solid, firm nature for a railroad, 
 being of granite. Decatur is a town ol 
 considerable business, being advantage- 
 ously situated for trade, at the head of 
 the falls of the Tennessee, at the foot 
 of an extensive line of navigation on 
 that river above the falls, and with the 
 advantages of a railroad to Tuscumbia, 
 on the part of the river below the falls. 
 But another route is also proposed, 
 which offers some important advantages 
 to recommend it, not promised by that 
 just described. There is a railroad al- 
 ready formed and in use, between Mont- 
 gomery and Westpoint, to which we 
 have before alluded. A route laid out 
 
 from some convenient point on that, to 
 Tennessee river, would be about one 
 hundred and forty miles long, only one 
 hundred of which remains to be provi- 
 ded for, and this would cost but about 
 ten thousand dollars a mile, including 
 machinery, &c. Of course, the whole 
 expense of the one hundred miles, at 
 this estimate, would be but a million of 
 dollars ; which the results would well 
 warrant, if the anticipations entertained 
 should prove well founded. If the pi'o- 
 posed work should commence at Mount 
 Jefferson (a point on the Montgomery 
 and Westpoint railroad), it would pass 
 through the counties of Chd.mbers, Tal- 
 lapoosa, Randolph, Talleaeg^a, and Ben- 
 ton, to the Double Spriiicjfj, on Coosa 
 river, and thence forty miles to Gunter's 
 Landing, on the Tennessee, on which 
 part a railroad has alreadv been project- 
 ed, and funds appropriated. This route 
 has thex'efore but one hundred miles of 
 I'ailroad to be provided for, is much 
 shorter than the other (from Selma to 
 Decatur), and passes through a more 
 fertile and populous part of the state, 
 and a region rich in minerals of value. 
 
 A chief object proposed by the friends 
 of these improvements is, to connect 
 the interests of the two parts of the 
 state. Northern and southern Alabaipa 
 are now so far divided, by having ditfer- 
 ent channels of trade, that but little of 
 that sympathy exists between them, 
 which is so desirable in the same state, 
 and necessary to its harmony and pros- 
 perity. Plans are proposed in Georgia, 
 for the opening of new routes of trans- 
 port, by which the trade of the north- 
 eastern counties is likely to be perma- 
 nently drawn oft' into other channels. 
 The railroad just described would effec- 
 tually counteract such measures, and at 
 the same time prove so convenient to 
 the northwestern parts of the adjoining 
 state, that several large counties of 
 Georgia would become tributary, in a 
 commercial point of view, to the city of 
 Mobile. 
 
 Alabama has thus much to expect 
 from the extension of internal improve- 
 ments. Although, by circumstances, 
 she has been long prevented from ma- 
 king rapid progress, and was even so 
 
situated, as to be unable to begin for a 
 century or more after her older sisters 
 of the Union, her exertions made since 
 she has had the power, are very ci'edit- 
 able to her leading men, and the results 
 have been such as to stimulate her to 
 new projects and new labors. Notwith- 
 standing the obstacles and discourage- 
 ments presented to the extension of in- 
 ternal navigation and railroads, there 
 are doubtless streams remaining, on 
 which steamboats may hereafter be run 
 with advantage, and numerous tracks 
 may be laid through the most important 
 districts, by which places now unpro- 
 vided with the means of transport, may 
 be rendered accessible. There are, for- 
 tunately, large deposites of coal and oth- 
 er minerals in different parts of the 
 state, which must afford a rich reward 
 to the enterprise of those who shall open 
 channels of transportation, by which 
 they can be brought to the manufactory 
 and the steam-furnace ; while the impor- 
 tant advantages to be expected from the 
 opening of intercourse between distant 
 points of the state and other districts 
 more distant, will annually increase, and 
 become stronger incitements to men of 
 business to give them an improved di- 
 rection, and to bring them within their 
 own reach. 
 
 However important may be this de- 
 partment of the public interest, and how- 
 ever much praise the state may deserve 
 for her early and spirited attention to it, 
 it is but of a physical kind, and, from its 
 own nature, necessarily inferior to the 
 intellectual and moral objects for which, 
 as we have before remarked, provision 
 is made in the constitution of the state. 
 If the spirit of that article should be 
 carried into operation, as promptly and 
 efficiently and with as much perse- 
 verance as has been displayed in the in- 
 troduction and extension of steam-routes 
 by land and water, greater real advan- 
 tages would be secured, and a still more 
 substantial foundation would be laid for 
 the future greatness of the state. In- 
 dustry, commerce, and wealth, may be 
 pursued too exclusively, to the neglect 
 of education. Such must be allowed to 
 be the case in our country generally. 
 If any one of our states should have 
 
 the wisdom to choose the opposite course 
 and to pursue it, what evidences of fun- 
 damental improvement would ere long 
 begin to appear. Schools would not 
 only be opened, but well-filled, well-fur- 
 nished, and well-taught. Academies and 
 colleges would enjoy the patronage and 
 respect of the public, as well as an oc- 
 casional donation from the state treas- 
 ury. Men would be placed in the gen- 
 eral direction of education, not because 
 of their political connexions, ability in 
 intriguing, or want of office; but for 
 their intellectual and moral merits, and 
 their known qualifications to perform 
 well and faithfully those important du- 
 ties. And they should be secured 
 against the evil influence of change in 
 politics. They should be protected 
 against those subversive movements, 
 which have more than once overthrown 
 systems of education, devised and put 
 in operation in other states, merely be- 
 cause they were the works of a party 
 no longer in power. In short, the best 
 men in Alabama, should be at once 
 called upon to take into their hands this 
 great business, invested with all author- 
 ity necessary, and furnished with every 
 facility requisite to favor the most exten- 
 sive and rapid improvement, and insure 
 the greatest regularity and permanenri' 
 Even the fear of improper interference 
 should be prevented; and then, with 
 such measures as good men might de- 
 vise, such zeal and perseverance as they 
 might be expected to display, and such 
 cooperation and support as the people 
 might be soon brought to afford to them, 
 the whole face of society must soon be 
 essentially improved, and, in a single 
 generation, every department of busi- 
 ness, and every town, village, and fam- 
 ily, would share in the benefits. 
 
 Although some other regions are more 
 atti'active to the masses of emigrants, 
 Alabama has received a large increase 
 of population since the commencement 
 of her short history as a territory and 
 a state. The northern counties, be- 
 tween 1810 and 1820, experienced an 
 increase of inhabitants of two hundred 
 and twenty-two per cent. These are 
 the counties of Franklin, Jackson, 
 Lauderdale, Lawrence, Madison, Mor- 
 
424 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA. 
 
 gan, and Limestone, and belong to what 
 we have before spoken of as the Ten- 
 nessee section of the state. On the five 
 tht.'isand and sixty square miles which 
 thej comprise, the population which, in 
 1810, was only forty-six thousand, in 
 1820 had increased to one hundred and 
 two thousand. Like our other states, 
 especially the new ones, Alabama ex- 
 periences tha various evils arising from 
 the mixture of people of different, and 
 often foreign origin ; and these may be 
 most speedily and effectually overcome 
 by a universal, sound, and thorough 
 system of common schools, operating 
 simultaneously and harmoniously v/ith 
 high schools and universities. Men 
 who have been educated together in 
 childhood and youth, will feel moi-e like 
 fellow-citizens through life ; especially 
 if the education be good, and more es- 
 pecially if it be the best. The public 
 interests of all descriptions, imperious- 
 ly demand such a system for the whole 
 counti-y; and whatever state shall lead 
 the way, first and best, will most wisely 
 consult its own permanent good, and in- 
 evitably secure, for the future, the high- 
 est place for itself among the benefac- 
 tors of the nation, and the directors of 
 its destiny. 
 
 The Magnolias. — Having described 
 some of the chief vegetable productions 
 belonging to some of the states, before 
 closing our account of them, on the pre- 
 ceding pages, we may perhaps properly 
 introduce here a description and history 
 of the magnolias, the finest of which 
 are common to most of the southern 
 states. For the following facts, re- 
 specting this elegant genus of plants, 
 we have been largely indebted to a late 
 work : " The Trees of America, by D. 
 J. Browne." 
 
 The sevei'al species, ranged under the 
 genus Magnolia, form a splendid collec- 
 tion, which it would perhaps be impos- 
 sible to rival in the world. They are 
 indigenous to the southern parts of 
 North America, but nowhere on our 
 southern continent; while in the east- 
 ern hemisphere they are not to be found 
 as natives either in Europe, Africa, or 
 Australia. In Asia, are several species, 
 but only in China and Japan, unless. 
 
 perhaps, in Hindostan. The most hardy 
 species are some of our own ; and these 
 are extensively cultivated in England 
 and the middle and southern countries 
 of Europe, and are able to endure the 
 winters without protection. Even the 
 less hardy species usually succeed there. 
 But in the north of Europe they can 
 not live through the year, out of the 
 greenhouse. In England, the seeds will 
 not often come to maturity ; but in 
 France they ripen well. All the spe- 
 cies are much admired, for the beauty 
 of their forms and their flowers. The 
 most elegant, however, is the grandiflo- 
 ra, which abounds in the southern states 
 of the Union, and will be the la^t de- 
 scribed. 
 
 The GlaucoHs-l eared Mas noli a (71/. 
 glauca), called the white bay and the 
 sweet bay in our southern states, is 
 known in more northerly parts of our 
 counti'y by various names ; swamp-sas- 
 safras, swamp-sorrel, swamp-magnolia, 
 beaver- wood, and small laurel. It bears 
 the specific name of glauca, among bot- 
 anists, on account of the sea-green col- 
 or of its leaves ; and the name of bea- 
 ver-tree, given it in certain parts of the 
 Union, is owingc to its roots being eaten 
 with great avidity by beavers. Accord- 
 ing to Micheaux, those animals prefer 
 it, when felling timber to construct their 
 dams, because the softness of its woods 
 renders it very easy for them to gnaw. 
 
 This species is sometimes found forty 
 feet in height, and ten or twelve inches 
 in diameter ; but not usually above 
 twenty feet. The trunk is crooked, and 
 divides into several limbs. Tlie bark is 
 gray and bitter to the taste ; the leaves 
 are five or six inches long, of a shining 
 bluish green above, and greenish be- 
 neath. It is often an evergreen ; and 
 even when not strictly so, sometimes re- 
 tains many of its leaves through the 
 winter. 
 
 The flowering begins in the South 
 late in April or early in May, and often 
 continues in autumn. In New England 
 it begins about six weeks later. 'J'he 
 flowers grow from the extremities of 
 the shoots of the previous years, and 
 are two or three inches broad, with six 
 white concave petals. The fragrance 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA. 
 
 425 
 
 is peculiarly rich and powerful, being 
 perceptible at a distance ; and, when 
 kept in a close room, soon becoming al- 
 most insupportable. The seed-vessel is 
 of a ccnical shape, about an inch and 
 a half in length, full of little cells, which 
 open and let the seeds drop out. They 
 are, however, attached to slender threads, 
 wliich hold them hanging for some time 
 in the air. This peculiaiity belongs to 
 all the magnolias. 
 
 The glaucous-leaved magnoliahas two 
 varieties : the arborea, or tall, and the 
 semper in reus, or evergreen ; and there 
 are several others, some of which are 
 supposed to be hybrids. 
 
 This species is the most extensive in 
 its geographical range near the sea, be- 
 ing found further north than any other 
 of the magnolias. The highest spot 
 where it has been observed, is said to 
 be a sheltered swamp in Manchester, 
 Cape Ann, about thirty miles beyond 
 Boston. It is there but a small tree, 
 and is frequently cut down to the ground 
 by severe frosts. In Florida and Lou- 
 isiana, it is abundant in wet situatitms, 
 and in Georgia and the Carolinas is con- 
 fined to the pine barrens. 
 
 The wood is sometimes used for join- 
 ers' tools, while the bark is sometimes 
 administered in cases of fever. 
 
 The Umhrella Magnolia ( M. tripeta- 
 la), often called the umbrella-tree, and, 
 in Virginia, elkwood, is remarkably 
 uniform and graceful in the arrangement 
 of its leaves. The shoots have a resem- 
 blance to the young horns of the elk ; 
 and hence probably the origin of the 
 name by which it is known in the moun- 
 tainous regions of Virginia. The leaves 
 are deciduous and lanceolate, petals 
 nine, the outer ones pendant. It is very 
 seldom higher than thirty-five or forty 
 feet, or thicker than five or six inches, 
 and usually much smaller. The stem is 
 commonly inclined. The leaves are 
 oval and acuminate at both ends, near 
 twenty inches long, and seven or eight 
 wide. Being thus long and narrow, and 
 often growing around a centre, they 
 give the appearance of an umbrella ; 
 and, when adorned with the flowers, 
 which are about eight inches in diame- 
 ter, in May and June, present an ob- 
 
 ject of great beauty. The fragrance 
 emitted is strong. 
 
 In Octi,ber the fruit becomes ripe, 
 and it is five inches in length, of a rich 
 rose coloi% with thirty or more seeds. 
 It is found as high as the noi'thern coun- 
 ties of New York, and with the M, 
 grandiflora on the alluvial grounds of 
 Cxeorgia. Since its introduction into 
 England in 1752, it has been extended 
 in Europe, and is said to be the most 
 common of the magnolias on the conti- 
 nent. It i-eq.uires a sheltered and shady 
 position. It is best proj)agated from 
 seeds, which must be planted very soon 
 after they fall. It is short-lived, and its 
 wood is of no use ; Ifut it is one of the 
 most ornamental trees. 
 
 The Large-lea lied ISIagnoHa f M. ma- 
 crofyUa) has very large deciduous leaves, 
 oblong-ovate, of about the same size as 
 the preceding, hut much more rare. 
 The bark is smooth and white, by which 
 it is easily known in the winter. The 
 leaves are not less than thirty-five inches 
 long in the forests, slender and pointed, 
 and of a light green. In May, June, 
 and July, it puts forth large flowers, 
 sometimes eight or nine inches in di?m- 
 eter, with a purple spot in the centre, 
 and a rich odor. The fruit nearly re- 
 sembles that of the preceding variety. 
 
 This plant was discovered by the elder 
 Michaux in 1789, and first sent to Eu- 
 rope in 1800. The largest individual 
 in England is at Arley Hall, which, in 
 1837, was twenty-eight and a half feet 
 high. It is raised from seeds with 
 greater facility and certainty than in any 
 other way. 
 
 The Pointed-leaved Magnolia (M. acu- 
 minata), called the cucumber-tree in 
 this country, and the blue magnolia in 
 England, grows most abundantly on the 
 rivers of upper Georgia and western 
 South Carolina. This is one of the no- 
 blest of our forest-trees, growing to the 
 height of sixty feet, and in May, adorn- 
 ed with bluish or yellowish white flow- 
 ers, five or six inches broad, with a del- 
 icate odor. It is called the cucumber- 
 tree, from the resemblance of its fruit or 
 seed-vessel to cucumbers when green. 
 There are several vai'ieties of this spe- 
 cies, chiefly distinguished by the shape 
 
 -^ 
 
r 
 
 426 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA. 
 
 of the leaf. Of these the principal xs 
 the heart-leaved cucumbei'-tree. It was 
 introtluccd into England in 1801. It 
 attains the height of forty or fifty feet, 
 and bears leaves from four to six inches in 
 leno^th, and from three to five in breadth. 
 It blooms in April, and the flowers are 
 yellow, streaked with reddish within, 
 and thi-ee or four inches in diameter. 
 
 The acuminate magnolia grows as far 
 north as Niagara, and abounds in the 
 Cumberland mountains. It was discov- 
 ered in 1736, by John Bartram, sent to 
 England to Peter Collingson, and soon 
 propagated in Europe by layers. Ti-ees 
 of large size ai'e now numerous in Eng- 
 land, France, and northern Italy, forty 
 and sixty feet in height, which bloom 
 abundantly. In the old Bartram botan- 
 ic garden, near Philadelphia, is one 
 eighty feet high, and three feet in diam- 
 eter, which was brought from Lake Erie 
 in 1753, and furnishes most of the seeds 
 of this species annually sent to Europe. 
 Moist situations on declivities or narrow 
 valleys are favorable to this species. 
 
 The wood is remarkably light and 
 chosen for canoes. Where it abounds 
 it is used for joiner- work. 
 
 The Ear-leaved Magnolia (M. auri- 
 colata), or longleaved cucumber-tree, is 
 also known in some parts of the United 
 States by the name of Indian physic and 
 washoo. The leaves are deciduous 
 and smooth, spatulately obovate, cordate 
 at the base, with blunt approximate au- 
 ricles. It grows to the height of thirty 
 or forty feet, straight, with wide branch- 
 es pointing upward. The leaves are 
 eierht or nine inches in length, four or 
 six wide, and of a light green ; and, on 
 young trees, often much larger. There 
 is a round lobe on each side of the peti- 
 ole. The footstalks are short and radi- 
 ating, which gives the clusters of leaves 
 the form of an umbrella. It flowers in 
 April and May, and the petals are white. 
 It is found on a portion of the Allegany 
 range, in North Carolina; and a variety 
 of it in the western parts of Georgia 
 and Carolina. The bark is infused in 
 spirits for a sudorific in fevers. 
 
 The Consjiicuous-leaved Magnolia is a 
 Chinese tree, and the Pur pie- Flowered 
 Magnolia is a native of Japan ; and 
 
 neither of them has been extensively 
 introduced into the United States. 
 
 The Magnolia Grandijlora, or large- 
 leaved magnolia, we have yet to notice, 
 and this is the most splendid spdcies of 
 the kind, the most admired and the most 
 cultivated. It is known by several oth- 
 er names in different parts of this coun- 
 try : as the laurel-leaved and large flow- 
 ering evergreen magnolia, bay-tree, lau- 
 rel-bay, and big laurel. 
 
 It is an evergreen, with oval-oblong 
 leaves, shining on their upper surface, 
 and rusty beneath. The flowers are 
 erect, with from nine to twelve petals, 
 expanding. " Of all the trees of North 
 America," says Browne, "the large- 
 leaved magnolia is the most remarkable 
 for the majesty of its form, the magnifi- 
 cence of its foliage, and the beauty of 
 its flowers. It claims a place among 
 the largest trees of the forest, varying 
 from one hundred feet and upward in 
 height, and from two to three in diame- 
 ter. Its head often forms a perfect 
 cone, placed on a clean, straight trunk, 
 resembling a beautiful column; and, 
 from its dark green foliage, silvered over 
 with milk-white flowers, it is seen at a 
 great distance." 
 
 The leaves are from half a foot to a 
 foot in length, and tb.ree or four inches 
 broad, smooth and polished, and vary- 
 ing considerably in form, being oblong, 
 oval, acuminate, &c., &c. In our south- 
 ern states, the flowers appear in April 
 or May, but in the north, as in England 
 and France, in June or July ; and some 
 of the varieties continue in blossom un- 
 til the frost. In the size of the flowers, 
 as well as that of the entire plant, this 
 splendid species excels its congeners : 
 their diameterbeingfroni six to ten inch- 
 es. The length of the flowering season, 
 is another very great advnnt;ige : most 
 of the other species of magnolia giving 
 out their floweis at once, aiul soon drop- 
 ping them. In autumn, when tlie seed- 
 vessels are left bare, they exhibit a beau- 
 tiful and delicate appearance, being con- 
 ical, and, when they open, dropping out 
 a few seeds, which remain for several 
 days hanging by slender filaments. Be- 
 ing of a blood-red color, they make a 
 very rich and striking display. 
 
DESCRIPTION OP THE STATE OF ALABAMA. 
 
 427 
 
 Peculiar attention has been directed 
 to the M. magtiiflora by foreign garden- 
 ers, and numerous varieties have been 
 produced, which have been regarded by 
 some as distinct races. Among these 
 are distinguislied the obovate, round- 
 leaved, Exmouth, rusty-leaved, lanceo- 
 late-leaved, elliptic-leaved, &c. 
 
 The native regions of the splendid 
 tree is comprised within the maritime 
 districts of South Carolina, Georgia, 
 Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana ; and 
 up the Mississippi to Natchez, extend- 
 ing a little way into North Carolina and 
 Texas on the Brazos. It was intiodu- 
 ced into France in 1732, but not extend- 
 ed until after 1760. It was admired by 
 the Indians, who used the bark of the 
 roots, mixed with snakeroot, in fevers. 
 
 The propagation of this noble and el- 
 egant tree may well excite particular in- 
 tei'est in Alabama, as well as in other 
 of our southern regions, to which the 
 soil and climate adapt it. As twenty or 
 thirty years' gi'owth is necessary to 
 bring one of the plants from the seed to 
 the first flowering season, that manner 
 of propagation should never be resorted 
 to, for purposes of ornament. If layers 
 are resorted to, they must remain two 
 years before they are ready to be potted. 
 Care is required, in transplanting them, 
 td place tlie earth well about the roots, 
 and to keep it well shaded for several 
 weeks. The Exmouth varieties some- 
 times bears flowers the second year, 
 with great care. 
 
 Among the objects worthy of the at- 
 tention of men of taste and public spir- 
 it in Alabama, and our other new states, 
 is the planting of shade-trees in the 
 towns and villages : among which the 
 magnolias hold a prominent place, espe- 
 cially the grandiflora. 
 
 Natural Bridge in Alabama. — The 
 Natural Bridge over Cedar creek, near 
 Lexington, in Virginia, has been noticed 
 at length on a previous page, in our 
 description of the beautiful scenery of 
 that state. Alabama, too, possesses a 
 "natural bridge," which is spoken of as 
 rivalling the far-famed one of Virginia. 
 Professor Toumey of Alabama, state 
 geologist, and an associate, have recently 
 been traversing that state, investigating 
 
 its geological character. While their at- 
 tention was attracted to many natural 
 wonders in the more mountainous le- 
 gions, the most conspicuous among them 
 was the "natural bridge" which they de- 
 scribed as follows : — 
 
 " It is situated in Walker county, 
 about a mile from the road, and on the 
 property of a man by the name of West, 
 but yet would well repay a traveller by 
 the beauty of the scenery for deviating 
 a little from his regular route. It oc- 
 curs in that geological deposite termed 
 the millstone grit, the lowest one in the 
 coal measures — the only rock which, in 
 Alabama, exhibits the truly wild and 
 romantic grandeur of Natui'e. Before 
 reaching it, our imaginations had been 
 considerably elevated by the descriptions 
 given by our guide ; but, notwithstand- 
 ing, when the reality broke upon us in 
 its full magnificence, we found that our 
 expectations fell very far short of the 
 truth. This grand structure of the Great 
 Architect spans about one hundred and 
 twenty feet, while its height is about 
 seventy. A smaller bridge connects it 
 with the bluff beyond. 
 
 " The symmetry of the main arch will 
 make it almost indestructible, though of 
 course its regularity has only been pro- 
 duced by the undermining and breaking 
 down of the rock which, at some by- 
 gone time, existed below it. The cleav- 
 age marks t>f the massive sandstone of 
 which it is formed cause it, even in the 
 more minute construction, to resemble 
 an artificial bridge, as these lines make 
 it appear as if built with regularly- 
 worked blocks. Beneath it are many 
 pieces of broken and partially water- 
 worn rocks — materials, as it were, left 
 by the builders ; and these, together 
 with the mighty escarpments round 
 about, would impart a most grand as- 
 pect, even if that were not produced by 
 tlie bridge itself. A little spring trickling 
 from between these broken masses make 
 it a frequent resort of the deer, which 
 abound in that part of tlfe country, and 
 whose numerous footprints on the soft 
 soil indicate a favorite lick. Lofty hem- 
 locks and beech trees growing on the 
 bridge, and near by, shade it from the 
 rays of the sun." 
 
128 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI. 
 
 This state is bounded north by 
 Tennessee, east by Alabama, south 
 by the gulf of Mexico and Louis- 
 iana, and west by Louisiana and 
 Arkansas, from which it is separated 
 by the Mississippi river. It lies 
 between 30 ^ 8' and 35^ north lat- 
 itude, and 10° 12' and 12° 42' w^st 
 longitude, from Washington. Its 
 entire outline measures ] ,203 miles, 
 of which large portions lie along 
 the Mississippi and the Tennessee. 
 Extreme length from noith to south, 
 337 miles; mean breadth, 135mile» ; 
 area, 45,760 square miles. 
 There is a gentle declivity in the east part of the state toward the Tombigbee 
 river; but the grand general slope is toward the Mississippi, having abrupt ])luffs 
 at a considerable distance from the bank, and leaving a wide, low tract of land 
 between them, which is subject to inundations. That part of the state is crossed 
 by the following streams, which are small tributaries of the great river of North 
 America, viz.: Yazoo, Big Black, Bayou, Pierre, and Homochitto. Pea'l river, 
 a considerable stream, has its source in the central part of the state; and flowing 
 south-southwest, nearly parallel with the Big Black, for a distance of eighfy miles, 
 then turns south-southeast, runs one hundred and fifty miles, and empties 'nto the 
 Rigolets between Lake Pontchai'train and Boyne. 
 
 The soil of the state is generally thin, but in some places very rich, especially 
 on the narrow border of lowlands along the batik of the Mississippi, above men- 
 tioned. Cotton, indigo, and tobacco, flourish so well, that they have been, in 
 turns, the staple productions. Indian corn, potatoes, and various other useful 
 plants, are also cultivated with great success. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI. 
 
 429 
 
 Among fruits, peaches and figs are the 
 most abundant ; but the climate is favor- 
 able to almost every kind except those 
 confined to the tropics. The indigenous 
 trees most abundant are the pine, oak 
 of different varieties and species, hic- 
 kory, sweetgum, liriodendron, tulip-tree, 
 beech, persimmon, blackwalnut, black- 
 locust, honeylocust, redmaple, dogwood, 
 chinquipin, spicewood, papau, &c. The 
 great reedcane (arundo giganteaj for- 
 merly abounded in the low grounds ; but 
 it has been nearly rooted out. 
 
 The temperature at Natchez is varia- 
 ble, and, although usually mild in win- 
 ter, has sometimes been as cold as twelve 
 degrees, Fahrenheit, above zero. Frost 
 is always experienced there, in some 
 degree, in the course of the cold season, 
 and snow is occasionally seen ; so that 
 it is not surprising that neither sugar- 
 cane nor orange-trees ai'e to be found 
 above thirty-one degrees of latitude. 
 The climate is about two degrees colder 
 than on the Atlantic. In summer, heats 
 and drought are often unintermitted for 
 a long period. The state is generally 
 healthy, although intermittent fevers are 
 common along the banks of some of the 
 streams. The prevailing winds, as in 
 the southwestern states generally, are 
 westerly, and chiefly from the north- 
 west. 
 
 The first settlement made in this state 
 by Europeans was by the French at 
 Natchez in 1716, when a fint was built 
 by permission of the Indians, a power- 
 ful tribe, who inhabited the bluff". In 
 1723 the foreigners were involved in a 
 war with the natives, which was ter- 
 minated by a body of French troops 
 marched from New Orleans by Governor 
 Bienville, who were too powerful to be 
 resisted by the savages, and they sub- 
 mitted. 
 
 In 1729, the French having become 
 very numerous at Natchez, the com- 
 mandant (Choteau), by ill-treating the 
 Indians, excited them to revenge ; and 
 by a sudden attack, while the garrison 
 were secure and unprepared, they cut 
 off" about seven hundred persons, of 
 both sexes, leaving alive scarcely enough 
 to carry the news. The Indians, how- 
 ever, were soon driven from their homes 
 
 by the fear of their powerful enemies ; 
 and as the French made no further at- 
 tempt to occupy the place, it was left 
 desolate until the year 1763, when it was 
 ceded to Great Britain. From that time 
 a few respectable settlers arrived from 
 Europe, New England, and elsewhere: 
 but the events which took place for some 
 years subsequently were very unfavor- 
 able to the populating of the country. 
 
 The fort at Natchez was taken sev- 
 eral times by the Spaniaids, English, and 
 Americans. In 1781, Governor Galvey, 
 of Louisiana, conquered Florida, and by 
 the treaty of Paris it was ceded to the 
 United States. 
 
 On the 7th of April, 1798, congress, 
 by an act, authorized the president of 
 the United States to appoint commis- 
 sioners to adjust the claims between 
 Florida, Louisiana, and the acquired ter- 
 ritory north of latitude thirty-one de- 
 grees and west of Chatahoochee river; 
 and on the 10th of that month made 
 provision for a territorial government. 
 A territory was therefore formed, and 
 named Mississippi territory, which in- 
 cluded, not only the present state of 
 Mississippi, but also that of Alabama. 
 An act of congress was passed on the 
 9th of July, 1808, admitting a delegate 
 from Mississippi; and on the 17th of 
 June the assent of Georgia was de- 
 manded to the formation of two states 
 out of Mississippi territory. But, al- 
 though the demand was acceded to, it 
 was not until December, 1817, that any 
 change was made. A petition had been 
 presented on the 21st of January, 1815, 
 from the Mississippi legislature, praying 
 that a state might be constituted. A 
 favorable report on this petition was 
 made in December, 1816; and by an 
 act passed March 1st, 1817, the people 
 were authorized to hold a convention, 
 which assembled in July following. A 
 constitution having been drawn up, it 
 was adopted August 15th, and was con- 
 firmed by congress in December fol- 
 lowing. 
 
 The government consists of a gov- 
 ernor, and a general assembly of two 
 houses (a senate and a house of repre- 
 sentatives). To be a candidate for the 
 senate, a man must be twenty-six years 
 
430 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI. 
 
 of age, a citizen of the Uriited States, 
 for four years previously an inhabitant 
 of the state, and one year an inhabitant 
 of his district ; he must hold, in his own 
 right, three hundred acres of land in 
 Mississippi, or an interest in real estate 
 of one thousand dollars' value, at the 
 time of election and for six months pre- 
 viously. Senators are elected for three 
 years. To be candidate for a seat as a 
 representative, citizenship of the United 
 States is required ; two yeai's' residence 
 in the state, and one year's residence in 
 the county, city, or town of which he is 
 candidate ; an age of twenty-one years ; 
 and the ownership of one hundred and 
 fifty aci-es of land, or five hundred dol- 
 lars in real estate for six months. 
 
 Voters must be free white citizens of 
 the United States ; twenty-one years of 
 age; residents of the state for the last 
 year, and of their district for the last 
 six months ; enrolled in the militia, or 
 exempts ; or have paid a state or county 
 tax. 
 
 The governor is elected by electors, 
 and holds his office two years, and until 
 his successor shall be duly qualified. 
 He must be thirty years of age ; twenty 
 years a citizen of the United States ; a 
 resident of the state five years ; and the 
 owner of two thousand dollars for the 
 past year. 
 
 There is a supreme court, and from 
 four to eight judges of the supreme and 
 superior courts, who hold office during 
 good behavior, but may be removed by 
 address to the governor of two thirds 
 of both houses of the legislature, or by 
 impeachment by the house before the 
 senate. The age of sixty-five limits the 
 term of judgeship. The sixth article 
 of the seventh section of the constitution 
 forbids any minister of the gospel or 
 priest to hold the offices of governor, 
 lieutenant-governor, or a place in the 
 legislature. No officers of the United 
 States, except postmasters, are admitted 
 to offices in the state. 
 
 The geology of the western border of 
 Mississippi has some most remarkable 
 features. The land on the bank of the 
 gi'eat river appears to have undergone 
 wonderful revolutions; and recent in- 
 vestigations in the vicinity of Natchez 
 
 have brought to light curiosities of the 
 most interesting nature. 
 
 On the shore, at the foot of the bluff, 
 are strewn great numbers of tubes, re- 
 sembling, at first sight, the bodies of 
 old trees, formed of iron ore, and filled 
 with earth, and which appear to have 
 fallen from the bank. The remains of 
 numerous kinds of extinct animals are 
 contained in the ground at different 
 depths ; while on the present surface a 
 mound has been opened, which contains 
 bones and implements of men of a race 
 anterior to the present red men ; and 
 trees of great age wei'e growing over 
 the spot. 
 
 Population. — According to the cen- 
 sus of 1850 the population of Mississippi 
 was 605,488, by counties, as follows : — 
 
 Northern District. — Attila, 10,999 ; 
 Bolivar, 2,577 ; Carroll, 18,485 ; Chick- 
 asaw, 16,368; Choctaw, 11,403; Coa- 
 homa, 2,780; De Soto, 18,052; Ita- 
 wamba, 13,311; La Fayette, 14,069 
 Lowndes, 19,547; Marshall, 29,690 
 Monroe, 21,131 ; Noxubee, 16,257 
 Oktibbeha, 9,171 ; Panola, 11,459 ; Pon- 
 totoc, 17,112; Sunflower, 1,060; Tal- 
 lahatchee, 4,643; Tippah, 20,740; Tish- 
 omingo, 15,148; Tunica, 1,314; Wins- 
 ton, 7,986 ; Yallabusha, 17,260. Total, 
 300,561 ; of which number 133,672 were 
 slaves. 
 
 Southern District. — Adams, 18,621 
 Amite, 9,624; Claiborne, 14,903; Clarke 
 
 5.477 ; Copiah, 11,710 ; Covington, 3,348 
 Franklin, 5,904; Green, 2,018; Han 
 cock, 3,672 ; Harrison, 4,875 ; Hinds 
 25,310 ; Holmes, 13,930 ; Issaquena 
 
 4.478 ; Jackson, 3,196 ; Jasper, 6,174 
 Jefferson, 13,393 ; Jones, 2,135 ; Kern 
 per, 12,517; Lauderdale, 8,708 ; Law 
 rence, 6,485 ; Leake, 5,535 ; Madison 
 18,173; Marion, 4,410; Neshoba, 4,560 
 Newton, 4,466 ; Perry, 2,438 ; Pike 
 7,357 ; Rankin, 7,227 ;. Scott, 3,979 
 Simpson, 4,735 ; Smith, 4,071 ; War 
 ren, 19,998 ; Washington, 8,389 ; Wayne 
 2,892; Wilkinson, 16,638 ; Yazoo, 13, 
 582. Total, 304,927, of which 174,495 
 were slaves. 
 
 Natchez, the principal town, is ad- 
 vantageously situated on the summit and 
 side of a high bluff, on the eastern bank 
 of Mississippi river, three hundred and 
 
one miles from New Orleans by the 
 river ; about five hundred miles from St. 
 Louis, and one thousand one hundred 
 and forty-six from Washington city. 
 
 The soil is rich, and the climate de- 
 lightful in the winter. The vicinity is 
 adorned with many fine residences, where 
 elegant houses are seen embosomed in 
 luxuriant groves, amid a wonderful pro- 
 fusion of flowers and fruits. The streets, 
 which are straight and regularly laid out, 
 are chiefly on the high ground, which is 
 ' elevated from a hundred and fifty to 
 two hundred feet above the river. The 
 natui-e of the soil, however, is unfavor- 
 able for the situation (jf a town, as a 
 loose sandstone-rock, which lies so law 
 as to be observable only at low watei", 
 is the only substratum of a high bluff* 
 composed of clay, intermingled in some 
 parts with sand. Violent rains, there- 
 fore, sometimes form large cavities in 
 the surface, which is irregular and often 
 changing. A large part of the lower 
 town was destroyed a few years ago, by 
 the falling of the bank near the waler. 
 
 The houses are generally of wood, and 
 many of them are constructed with taste, 
 and adorned with trees and gardens. 
 There are four churches, a courthouse, 
 three banks, an academy, a female sem- 
 inary, a masonic-hall, theatre, orphan 
 asylum, hospital, &c. The population, 
 at the present time, probably exceeds 
 five thousand. 
 
 The wharves are the scene of active 
 business, as an extensive trade is carried 
 on in cotton, which is produced in great 
 quantities in the neighborhood ; and nu- 
 merous boats, rafts, and steamboats, lie 
 or touch at the wharves. The situation 
 of the town, on a prominent elevation, 
 distinguishes it as the principal place on 
 this part of the Mississippi, where the 
 banks are generally low, and almost in- 
 visible from the waters. It was as much 
 distinguished in former times as at the 
 present day, having been the residence 
 of the rrtost powerful Indian tribe in this 
 region, whose chief, denominated the 
 Great Sun, was undisputed ruler over 
 the surrounding country, which he over- 
 looked from his lofty fort on the summit 
 of the bluff*. This was the chief who 
 permitted the French to erect Fort 
 
 Rosalie on that eminence, but afterward 
 massacred the garrison. 
 
 Steamboats arrive daily from New 
 Orleans, and others depart for that im- 
 portant city ; and a similar communica- 
 tion is kept up with St. Louis, Cincin- 
 nati, and the other principal places above, 
 on the mighty river and some of its 
 branches. Stagecoaches depart three 
 times a week for Jackson and for St. 
 Francisville, Louisiana. 
 
 The Mississippi Railroad leads to 
 Washington, sixteen miles, and Mal- 
 colm, fourteen miles beyond. 
 
 The distance from Natchez to New 
 Orleans by land is only two hundred 
 and eleven miles. The route is first by 
 stagecoach to Coldspring, twenty miles, 
 and Woodville, fifteen miles ; thence by 
 railroad to Laurel hill, eleven miles, and 
 St. Francisville, seventeen miles. The 
 route then passes Port Hudson, Baton 
 Rouge, Manchac, Iberville, New River, 
 Dorialdsville, Bringier's, Bonnet Cai're, 
 and Lafayette, two miles from New 
 Orleans. From Natchez to Cincinnati 
 (Ohio) the land-route is first by the rail- 
 road to Washington and Malcolm, then 
 by stagecoaches through Gallatin, Jack- 
 son, Springfield, Louisville, Choctaw 
 Agency, Columbus, Florence, and Nash- 
 ville, to Cincinnati, seven hundred and 
 sixty miles. 
 
 Some of the most remarkable featui'es 
 of the Mississippi river — the greatest 
 stream of North America, and one of 
 the largest in the world — are most easily 
 observable from the elevated position 
 which Natchez affords to the spectator. 
 The tortuous course which it jrorsues, 
 through a considerable part of its length, 
 causes numerous eddies, one of the 
 largest of which is in this vicinity. These 
 eddies, when known and properly used 
 by pilots, afford important facilities to 
 vessels passing up the stream, as in some 
 places they run northward for a consid- 
 erable distance, at the rate of one, two, 
 or more miles an hour. When not 
 known, or when the navigator is de- 
 ceived by the weather, they sometimes 
 cause great embarrassment and loss of 
 time. Some yeai's ago, a flat-bottomed 
 boat was passing down the river, with a 
 load of produce for New Orleans, when 
 
432 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI. 
 
 the boatmen heard music at night on the 
 neighboring shore. The air was then so 
 misty, that it was impossible to distin- 
 guish distant objects ; and they floated 
 on for some time, until their ears were 
 again greeted with a similar sound. At 
 about an equal interval, music was again 
 heard ; and they came to the conclusion 
 that the inhabitants of the bank were 
 celebrating some general festival, pre- 
 suming that they were passing one vil- 
 lage, or hamlet, after another. Thus 
 they continued to move on through a 
 great part of the night, and judged they 
 were making rapid progress on their 
 voyage. Morning, however, at length 
 dispelled the mists and their delusion. 
 They found themselves in the great ed- 
 dy, which has a regular sweep of about 
 five miles at a particular stage of the 
 water; and they had been floating round 
 and round its wide circle for several 
 hours, passing a solitary house, then dis- 
 tino^uishable on the shore, where a small 
 party had spent the time in mirth and 
 music. 
 
 The looseness of the earth along the 
 banks, and the low level of land in most 
 places, give occasion to some surprising 
 phenomena. The channels are contin- 
 nually liable to changes, as the current 
 is strong enough to wear avyay the earth 
 in any direction to which it may be 
 turned, either by an obstruction or the 
 removal of an obstacle. The earth thus 
 torn away in one place is deposited in 
 another, together with some of the par- 
 ticles brought down from the upper parts 
 of the stream, or its branches, in the an- 
 nual floods. A bank undermined soon 
 falls, often with a mass of timber; and 
 trees then float along, until stopped by 
 some shoal, or entangled at the bottom. 
 These, becoming imbedded by the rapid 
 accumulation of sand, often stand fixed 
 for years, and, if allowed to remain, ex- 
 pose the numerous rafts and boats to 
 danger. The boatmen designate these 
 obstructions by different names, accord- 
 ing to the manner in which they are 
 placed in the ground. A log or tree 
 fixed upright in the bottom of the river 
 is called a planter; one pointing up- 
 ward in a slanting direction, and move- 
 able by the current, is called a sawyer ; 
 
 one with numerous prongs or branches 
 is denominated a snag. Of these the 
 planter is often an object of the greatest 
 dread, when wholly sunken, as it rnay 
 penetrate a boat's bottom in an instant. 
 A sawyer, also, is very dangerous; for 
 while a boat lies against it, and is pressed 
 upon it by the current, the motion of the 
 water keeps the end of the log alter- 
 nately rising and sinking, which may 
 quickly cut through the side or upper 
 works, and cause material injury. 
 
 Such, however, have been the labor 
 and expense devoted by the United 
 States government, for years past, to the 
 clearing of the channels from obstruc- 
 tions, that few of these now remain in 
 situations where they are likely to cause 
 injury — though new changes, of course, 
 require new care. 
 
 Natchez has frequently been visited 
 by the yellow-fever, and with fatal ef- 
 fect; for although the state generally is 
 far more healthful than Louisiana, some 
 parts of it are not safe from this scourge 
 of oar southern regions, and this its 
 principal town has suft'ei'ed most se- 
 verely. This must be assigned as one 
 of the jirincipal causes of the slow in- 
 crease of population. The neighboring 
 low ground, much of which is inun- 
 dated by the river, must be the principal 
 source of the contagion. 
 
 Jackson, the capital, is situated on 
 Pearl river, on a plain about a quarter 
 of a mile from its left bank, and is ac- 
 cessible in small vessels. The streets 
 are regular, and the town contains seve- 
 ral public Ijuildings worthy of particular 
 notice. The statehouse is a handsome 
 edifice, and there are also the state-pen- 
 itentiary, the governor's house, and the 
 United States land-office. The number 
 of iiihabitants in 1850 was four thousand 
 five hundred. 
 
 Centennary College, founded in 1841, 
 is a methodist institution, and has a 
 president, five professors, and about one 
 hundred and seventy students. 
 
 A railroad leads to Vicksburg, and 
 cars arrive and de])art daily ; and stage- 
 coaches go to Nashville (Tennessee) via 
 Columbus and Florence (Alabama), and 
 to Gainesville. Those for Natchez go 
 three times a week. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI. 
 
 433 
 
 Grand Gulp. — This town bears the 
 name of a remaT'kable bend in the Mis- 
 sissippi, on which it is built, three hun- 
 dred and fifty-two miles above New 
 Orleans. It has a townhall, an hospital, 
 two churches, and a theatre. The pop- 
 ulation is about fifteen hundred. It has a 
 daily communication with New Orleans 
 by stearLi, 
 
 Washington. — This town has a pleas- 
 ant situation, on a gentle elevation, six 
 miles east of Natchez, and contains a 
 few detached but neat and handsome 
 dwellings. It has two churches, and is 
 distinguished as the site of 
 
 Washington College. — This institution 
 was founded in 1802, and received from 
 congi-ess an endowment in a grant of 
 land. The buildings are of brick; and 
 it contains a library of about one thou- 
 sand volumes, a chemical apparatus, a 
 geological collection, and specimens of 
 various fossil remains, such as we have 
 before referred to as being found in this 
 vicinity, 
 
 Ellicot's spring is a fine source of 
 water rising on the college grounds ; 
 several other springs in this neighbor- 
 hood ai'e remarkable for their excellent 
 water. 
 
 Port Gibson, — Tins is a small town 
 on Bayou Pierre ; it is eight miles from 
 Grand Gulf, and twenty-five miles from 
 the Mississippi by water. It has three 
 churches, a courthouse, an academy, and 
 over two thousand inhabitants. 
 
 VicKsnuRG. — This town is on the Mis- 
 sissippi, five hundred and thirteen miles 
 Irom New Orleans by water, and is quite 
 flourishing, though of recent date. It 
 contains a courthouse, five churches, 
 three academies, and a theatre, with 
 about five thousand inhabitants. The 
 surrounding region is very fertile, and 
 the town mikes a very picturesque ap- 
 pearance, presenting many clusters of 
 dwellings, scattered along the declivity 
 of several eirfinences, just below the 
 Walnut hills. Steamboats from New 
 Orleans arrive and depart daily, as well 
 as from St. Louis (Missouri). 
 
 Yazoo City. — This town stands on 
 Yazoo river, at the distance of four hun- 
 dred and ninety-three miles fi-om New 
 Orleans, and is connected with it by 
 
 steamboats. Stagecoaches go to Holly 
 Springs three times a week. The pop- 
 ulation is only about eight hundred, but 
 it is a place of considerable business, 
 and contains several large stores. 
 
 Holly Springs. — The situation of 
 this town is elevated, on the summit of 
 a range of hills near the headsprings of 
 Yazoo river. The surrounding country 
 is rich and pleasant. The number of 
 inhabitants is about one thousand seven 
 hundred, and the town contains a court- 
 house, an academy, and three churches. 
 Stagecoaches go to Memphis every day, 
 and depart three times in the week by 
 several routes for La Grange, Tuscum- 
 bia (Alabama), Columbus, Jackson, Y'a- 
 zoo City, and Commerce. 
 
 Con7MBUs. — This town is one hun- 
 dred and forty-one miles distant from 
 the seat of government, on a hill on the 
 left bank of Tombigbee river, one hun- 
 dred and twenty feet above its level. 
 The stream is crossed by a handsome 
 bridge. The public building? consist 
 of a courthouse, an academy, two banks, 
 five churches, a market, a theatre, and 
 a female seminary. The population is 
 about ten thousand. 
 
 Steamboats run from Columbus to 
 Mobile, and stagecoaches depart every 
 day for Jackson and Vicksburg, as well 
 as for Nashville (Tenn.), through Tus- 
 cumbia, and three times a week for 
 Pontotoc, Holly Springs, and Memphis. 
 
 The inundations of the low grounds 
 adjacent to the lower parts of the Mis- 
 sissippi, are among the most striking 
 phenomena connected with it. The bed 
 of the stream is, in some places, much 
 higher than the level of the adjacent 
 fields, and whole plantations are actu- 
 ally below the surface of the river. The 
 flood begins on the lower branches of 
 the Mississippi, some time before the 
 warm season is sufficiently advanced to 
 melt the deeper snows in the more 
 distant northerly parts, near its upper 
 sources. The regions from which the 
 floods are derived lie between latitude 
 forty-two and fifty degrees, and at dif- 
 ferent elevations from twelve hundred 
 to five thousand feet above the ocean. 
 The heat of summer prevails at New 
 Orleans some time before any change 
 
 28 
 
434 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI. 
 
 of elevation is made at the mouth of the 
 river by the water derived from its head 
 streams. About the end of February 
 the vi^aters begin to arrive from the 
 lower tributaries which flow from re- 
 gions of frost and snow. By griidual 
 but irregular increase, the surface con- 
 tinues to rise from the end of that month, 
 when the Red river pours in its early 
 flood, until late in the summer, when the 
 last Bui'plus waters arrive from the snows 
 melted long before on the elevated sur- 
 face near the northern lakes. 
 
 The loneness of the bank of the Mis- 
 sissippi, along a great part of the west- 
 ern border of this state, with the loose 
 nature of the alluvial soil, renders it 
 almost impossible to erect even a single 
 building near the water's edge, except at 
 particular places, many of which are at 
 considerable distances from each other. 
 Yet along this, part of the river it is pe- 
 culiarly impoitant to have depositories 
 of wood for the use of steamboats, which 
 consume fuel in such quantities that a 
 full supply can not be taken in at the 
 commencement of the voyage. So great 
 is the demand, that, in spite of the nu- 
 merous obstacles interposed by nature, 
 wooding stations, as they are called, have 
 been established in considerable num- 
 bers, some by driving piles into the bank, 
 and laying platforms on the top, elevated 
 sufficiently to be above the floods ; and 
 there quantities of wood, cut for the 
 steamers' furnaces, are piled, and small 
 tenements erected barely sufficient for 
 the habitation of a few persons, and 
 sometimes designed only for a single 
 man. These are the only stopping- 
 places for steamboats in long distances, 
 where towns are rare ; and only here 
 has the traveller any opportunity to ob- 
 serve the river's banks, or any of the 
 productloLS of nature, sometimes so at- 
 tractive to a naturalist. 
 
 The reader is referred to the vignette 
 at the head of this description, for an 
 accurate representation of a Mississippi 
 " wooding station ;" as a view of it will 
 naturally impress the mind with ideas 
 of the great loneliness of such a retreat, 
 especially at seasons when least visited 
 by passing boats ; and with those of 
 gloom and danger during the inunda- 
 
 tions, when the inhabitants are situated 
 in the midst of a wide expanse of water, 
 with an irresistible current sweeping 
 along, wearing away the unstable foun- 
 dations of their fabric, and threatening 
 to scatter its parts over the face of the 
 waters, leaving them no ark for safety. 
 
 Antiquities. — Some persons have 
 fancied a resemblance between some of 
 the remains of former inhabitants found 
 in the western mounds, and those discov- 
 ered in the pyramids, catacombs, and 
 other depositories of ancient times in 
 the old world. The following remarks 
 on the subject we abbreviate from the 
 remai'ks of Mr. Squier, who has been 
 successfully engaged in examining many 
 of the remains in the west : — 
 
 " There are many coincidences be- 
 tween the remains of antiquity in the old 
 and new worlds ; but coincidences do 
 not necessarily imply community of or- 
 ijjin, or even regular or accidental inter- 
 course. . . . The wants of man, his hopes 
 and ambition, have always and every- 
 where been very much the same, and 
 have, almost of necessity, resulted, in 
 
 common methods of gratification 
 
 The comparisons which I shall make 
 between the ancient remains of our own 
 country and those of Egypt, are insti- 
 tuted with no view to prove an identity 
 of origin, but as a new and curious il- 
 lustration of the philosophical axiom 
 already laid down. Upon one hand, we 
 have the monuments of a people whose 
 hieroglyphical annals are now resusci- 
 tated by the Champollionists, around 
 whom cluster the recollections of more 
 than five thousand years, the subject 
 alike of sacred and profane history; 
 upon the other, the relics of a race re- 
 specting whom the voice of History is 
 mute, anvl whose very name is lost to 
 tradition itself .... The pyramid is but 
 a developed mound, marking in its su- 
 perior structure only a more advanced 
 stage of man's progress. Many of the 
 large mounds of the Mississippi vailey 
 were places of sepulture — not for the 
 mass of the people, as has been gener- 
 rally supposed, but for chieftains; and, 
 like the pyramids, had sepulchral cham- 
 bers — not lined with polished granite in 
 massive blocks, but built of timber or 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI. 
 
 435 
 
 of unhewn stones. As in the pyramids, 
 these chambers were constructed at the 
 base, and the dead body, after proper en- 
 velopment, deposited within them, with 
 its ornaments and badges of power and 
 authority. The great mound at Grave 
 creek, hke the great pyramid of Ghiza, 
 had two chambers, one placed thiity 
 feet above the other — occupying, indeed, 
 the same relative positions in respect 
 to each other and the structure in which 
 they wei'e contained. The explanation 
 of the circumstance is undoubtedly the 
 same in both cases — the upper part con- 
 taining a subsequent deposite, perhaps 
 the son or successor of the occupant of 
 the lower and earlier chamber. . . . 
 
 " We need not go out of our own 
 country to mark the gradual develop- 
 ment of the mound tombs. As we go 
 southward, we find them incj"easing both 
 in size and regularity. In Louisiana, 
 brick enters into their construction ; and 
 in Mexico, they pass iTito the regular 
 pyramidal form, are built of stone, and 
 rival the monuments of Egypt in size. 
 The large pyramid of Teotihuacan is 
 not less than two hundred and twenty- 
 one feet in height, with a base six hun- 
 dred and eighty-two feet square. It is 
 built of stones cemented together, and 
 the whole was originally coated with a 
 layer of pure white cement. The sec- 
 ond pyramid, which has been most thor- 
 oughly investigated, has interior cham- 
 bers, communicating with the exterior 
 by narrow passages, lined with brick. 
 Surrounding these, as the tombs cluster 
 around the Memphite pyramids, are 
 thousands of small monuments, which 
 were significantly designated, by the 
 ancient inhabitants, the Micoatl, or Path 
 of the Dead. 
 
 " The mound-builders used copper 
 axes, identical with those of Egypt, Pe- 
 ru, and Mexico." 
 
 Mr. Squier has collected several cop- 
 per axes from the mounds, in contrast 
 with those of the several nations above 
 named, between which it was difficult, if 
 not impossible, to distinguish. He also 
 possesses some axes of flint and green 
 stone from Denmark, and others from 
 the mounds, which display an identity 
 of shape and workmanship ; also, some 
 
 copper bracelets from the mounds, per- 
 fect counterparts of some in Mr. Glid- 
 don's collection from Egypt ; also sonie 
 beads of blue and green enamel or glass, 
 the production of one of the western 
 Indian tribes of the present day, hardly 
 distinguishable from similar Egyptian 
 ornaments. He also adverted in further 
 illustration to the subject of pottery. 
 
 " In their pottery," he continues, 
 " we also observe marked resemblances, 
 both in shape, material, and finish. In 
 all primitive earthen vessels (found only 
 in alluvial countries in ancient times), 
 we recognise the gourd as the model : 
 the vessel, in the first ijistance, being 
 formed over the shell, which was after- 
 ward removed by fire. Upon this natural 
 suggestion — a hint which nature every- 
 where holds out — man has improved 
 in his coui'se of development, and the 
 elegant vase has supplanted the gourd- 
 shaped vessel of his primitive artisan- 
 ship. In some of the sculptures found 
 in the mounds, we have singular, but 
 undoubtedly entirely accidental, coinci- 
 dences in form with those to which pe- 
 culiar significance was attached by the 
 Egyptians. The hawk with a human 
 head, sculptured from the hardest por- 
 phyry, closely resembles the symbolical 
 representation of the soul which, appears 
 sculptured on Egyptian tombs. The 
 crane in the attitude of striking a fish, 
 also exquisitely sculptured in porphyry, 
 is the universal hieroglyphical symbol, 
 signifying to fish, fishing, or fisher. . . 
 
 " It has been a very favorite theory 
 to derive the ancient or early Americans, 
 in whole or part, for Egypt and Hin- 
 dostan ; and an equally favorite one to 
 transport them from Palestine, from 
 Tartary, and even from the north of 
 Europe ! Volumes have been written 
 in support of these theories, and the 
 most sweeping conclusions have been 
 advanced, based upon coincidences less 
 striking than those here pointed out." 
 
 In relation to the various quadrupeds 
 which once existed in this region, recent 
 scientific observations have brought to 
 light evidence.^ more definite and certain. 
 The mastodon, mammoth, ice, have left 
 their bones here ; while the origin of the 
 ancient race of men is conjectural. 
 
This state is, in many respects, 
 the most peculiar country on the 
 globe. Its southern border rests 
 upon the gulf of Mexico, a vast in- 
 land sea, in latitude below twenty- 
 nine degrees north ; its northern 
 boundary reaches to thirty-three 
 degrees ; its eastern boundary is 
 the Pearl river, which separates it 
 from Alabama, to latitude thiriy- 
 one degrees, when the great Missis- 
 sippi becomes the dividing line from 
 the state that receives its name; 
 while its western extremity is lim- 
 ited by the Sabine. 
 The whole southern portion hi this state, over three hundred miles in lengtii 
 by aji average width of nearly seventy-five miles, is exclusively an alluvial de- 
 posit*;. If to this be added similar deposites on the gieat river and its tributaries 
 al)ove, it presents a delta of comparatively recent formation, far surpassing any 
 other, within the same compass, in any quarter of the world. Even those of the 
 Nile, the Euphrates, and every other large river except the Ganges, are incon- 
 siderable formations in comparison with this magTiificent encroachment on the 
 ocean bed. And still the struggle is onward and irresistible. The vast body of 
 water which debouches into the gulf from several mouths, has its rise more than 
 five thousand miles above, by the course of the stream ; and from its remotest 
 source, and by every one of its innumerable branches, it is bringing down the 
 ancient elevations, and spreading them over the tidewaters, the future fruitful 
 abode of civilized man. 
 
 Opposite the city of New Orleans, the trunk of the river has a breadth of two 
 thousand five Imndred feet, with an average depth of one hundred, through which 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA. 
 
 437 
 
 the water passes with a mean velocity 
 of two feet per second. During a flood, 
 this velocity is greatly augmented, and 
 the water contains about a thousandth 
 part by weight, and a two-thousandth 
 part by bulk, of purely earthy matter, 
 yielding a daily deposite of nearly one 
 million, four hundred thousand tons ! 
 The effect of this immense floating allu- 
 vion is seen in the gradual deposites 
 and elevation of the lowlands bordering 
 the principal stream, and its numerous 
 bayous and collateral branches, the ac- 
 cretions on the levee opposite the centre 
 of the city (which have extended the 
 bank several hundred feet within a few 
 years), and the constant and rapid ex- 
 tension of the land at the mouth. The 
 late Judge Martin states that " the old 
 Balize, a post erected by the French 
 in 1724, at the mouth of the river, was 
 two miles above it in 1827." 
 
 Evei'ywhei'e on the banks of the pass- 
 ing stream the land is highest ; as the 
 water charged with floating matter over- 
 flows its brim, and becomes compara- 
 tively stagnant, allowing a large portion 
 of the solid material to subside, while 
 the partially-purified water passes on- 
 ward through other channels to the gulf 
 The result of this is to give a higher 
 arable surface for some distance from 
 the banks, while that portion of the land 
 remote from them subsides into irre- 
 claimable swamps, and frequently nav- 
 is^able lakes and laaroons. The natural 
 elevation of the banks is not yet sufficient 
 to prevent the overflow from floods ; and 
 this object is secured by artificial levees, 
 or embankments, on both sides, which 
 extend in a continuous line for hundreds 
 of miles on the main stream and its col- 
 lateral channels. The slow accumula- 
 tion and consequent elevation of the 
 surrounding country from deposites, 
 which would otherwise have been going 
 forward, is thus arrested; and the pres- 
 ent low swampy surface must forever 
 continue unreclaimed, lill embankments 
 on the lower sides, and the artificial re- 
 moval of the waters, bring portions of it 
 into a condition for future cultivation. 
 Could the hand of civilization and mod- 
 ern improvement have been arrested for 
 a few centuries- longer, till nature had 
 
 finished what she has so auspiciously 
 commenced, large additions, and in a 
 state far more fitted to rewaid their ef- 
 forts, would have been subjected to their 
 control. 
 
 The delta of the Mississippi is similar 
 in its character, though on an immeas- 
 urably larger scale, to that formed around 
 and below the junction of the Alabama 
 and Tombigbee rivers, and extending 
 into Mobile bay. Here it is apparent 
 that the waters of the bay once extend- 
 ed high up the stream, and embraced 
 what are now the low, level banks on 
 either side. The same is true of the 
 mouths of the Pearl, Pascagoula, and 
 other smaller streams, which lie between 
 those larger rivers ; and we are thus in- 
 evitably forced to the conclusion, that 
 the inner channels which lie within the 
 islands stretching from Mobile to Lake 
 Borgne, inclusive of this, and Lakes 
 Pontchartrain and Maurepas, and the 
 innumerable other smaller lakes and 
 bayous which intersect the whole delta 
 of the Mississippi, have been rescued 
 from the tidewaters within a recent pe- 
 riod. And there is scarcely a doubt 
 that this former arm of the gulf once 
 extended up the Yazoo, the Red river, 
 and some other of the smaller rivers, all 
 of whose banks ai'e intersected by nu- 
 merous channels, through which the 
 waters flow into the adjoining streams, 
 as either has the ascendency from recent 
 floods on its upper branches. These 
 interlocking with each other in every 
 direction, and all at last terminating: in 
 the gulf, separate the entire delta mto 
 a perfect netvvoik of islands. The land 
 seldom rises beyond a few feet above 
 lowwater-mark, and, from the banks, 
 gradually subsides into the swamps, la- 
 goons, and lakes in the rear. The lat- 
 ter are sometimes deep, but are usually 
 shallow, with the slightest declination 
 from a level as they recede from the 
 shore ; while the shorter and more di- 
 rect chauTiels, through which the water 
 flows to the gulf with fearful rapidity in 
 times of floods, are generally narrow 
 and of immense depth, frequently ex- 
 ceeding one hundred feet. The coast 
 is usually a low receding line, so ob- 
 scurely defined as to leave it question- 
 
438 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA. 
 
 able, for miles, where the water ends 
 and the land begins. 
 
 The condition of the surface clearly 
 indicates that draining is the first and 
 paramount object in the cultivation of 
 the alluvial land of Louisiana. This 
 has accordingly been practised to an 
 extent far beyond anything elsewhere in 
 the United States. Large ditches run- 
 ninf from the banks of the river and 
 bayous to the swamps in the rear, inter- 
 sected by numerous cross excavations 
 of a less depth, effectually drain off the 
 surface-water. 
 
 Geology. — The following is an inter- 
 esting detail of observations, made du- 
 rinof an experiment of boring for fresh 
 water to the depth of two hundred and 
 six feet below the surface, at the mouth 
 of Bayou St. John, New Orleans, by 
 the superintendent of the work: — 
 
 " From the surface to 18 feet, vege- 
 table mould, wood, &c., very impure — 
 so much so, that, although in the month 
 of February, the smell was almost in- 
 supportable ; from 18 to 28 feet, blue 
 clay or vegetable mould, but not so im- 
 pure as the first 18 feet ; 28 to 33, sand, 
 shells ; 33 to 40, dark, fine sand, free 
 from shells ; 40 to 43, sand, clay, shells, 
 and vegetable matter, but a very largo 
 portion of shells ; 43 to 66, blue clay, 
 sand, and shells, but mostly clay — the 
 last 10 feet, clear clay, and very hard, 
 dry, and adhesive, the strata growing 
 lighter to pale yellow; 66 to 77, fine, 
 beautiful yellow sand, containing a large 
 quantity of mica, also petrifactions and 
 indurated clay — this stratum was very 
 strongly impregnated with sulphur, so 
 much so as to render the water offensive 
 to the smell ; 77 to 87, pale clay, vege- 
 table mould, and sand, very compact and 
 hard ; 87 to 118, blue clay or mould, in- 
 termixed with some sand; 118 to 119|, 
 sand, clay, and shells; llO^ to 137, the 
 same strata of blue clay or mould, inter- 
 mixed with some fine sand, the color 
 growing a little paler, intermixed toward 
 the bottom with many shells. 
 
 " In passing this stratum from 120 to 
 137 feet, we found a great number of 
 pieces of limestone ; in some parts of it 
 we found it difficult to get our tube 
 down to them, they were so numerous ; 
 
 in fact, the whole stratum is evidently 
 rapidly becoming a limestone-rock. 137 
 to 140, sand, very fine, of a brown color, 
 containing a large portion of mica; 140 
 to 145, alternate thin strata of sand and 
 clay — the clay extremely hard, firm, and 
 beautiful, when fresh not unlike choc- 
 olate in appearance; 145 to 171, clay, 
 or mould, of a variety of colors, inter- 
 mixed with some sand, likewise a sub- 
 stance much resembling fuller's earth. 
 This stratum at first was nearly white. 
 After penetrating it about two feet, it 
 became darker and extremely hard and 
 compact, also very adhesive, and capable 
 of being cut in very thin pieces with a 
 knife. 
 
 " In this stratum, at 168 feet, passed 
 a few inches of sand, but below to 171 
 feet, the stratum the same again ; 171 
 to 184, strata same as above ; 184 to 
 192, sand, shells, and mould : in this 
 stratum we found shells of almost eveiy 
 variety found in this vicinity ; also, what 
 appeared to have been a whole crab, but 
 broken by the instrument in getting it 
 up ; the claws were very perfect, so that 
 the joints might be worked by the fin- 
 ger; also a bone of about two inches in 
 length, and evidently broken, supposed 
 to be a bone of a deer; also pieces of 
 wood, in a high state of preservation, 
 apparently cypress. 192 to 194, sand 
 and mould intermixed, two inches of 
 sand and stones, apparently in a rapid 
 state of formation ; 194 to 196, mould 
 and sand, very hard, of a greenish color ; 
 196 to 199, alternate strata of mould 
 and sand, containing many stones, ap- 
 parently forming rock ; 199 to 201, sand 
 and clay, in alternate veins, containing 
 much water ; 201 to 202$, clay of a light 
 pale color ; 2021 to 203^, clay and mould 
 of a dark color, very hard and be.-iuti- 
 ful — the division in the color was very 
 distinct; 2031 to 206, the same as from 
 201 to 202^. 
 
 " The soil alluded to called clay, is in 
 all probability a formation of vegetable 
 and mud of the Mississippi. I have 
 found that when dry it becomes very 
 light, and some of it has much the ap- 
 pearance of wood or other vegetable 
 substance." 
 
 New Orleans is the principal city of 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA. 
 
 439 
 
 Louisiana, and great connmercial em- 
 porium of the southwest, enjoying ad- 
 vantages possessed by few cities in the 
 world. Indeed, there is probably no 
 other which can be considered equal to 
 it, in the several leading points of being 
 the grand mart of a river so extensive, 
 with so many navigable branches, flow- 
 ing through regions of fertility, occu- 
 pied and fast peopling by a race pos- 
 sessing all the arts of civilization, and 
 all the advantages of our united, free, 
 and powerful government. Under the 
 direction of modern science and art, the 
 rapid current of the Mississippi has 
 been rendered eminently subservient to 
 the commerce of this city ; for, without 
 steamboats, the immense productions of 
 the great valley would still have been 
 retarded, in their way to their only nat- 
 ural market, by the dangers of the de- 
 scending navigation and the difficulties 
 and delays of the return. It is scarcely 
 twenty years since the corn, hogs, and 
 other articles, annually sent to New 
 Orleans, were taken down in arks and 
 on rafts, by men who could hope to ar- 
 rive in safety only by incessant watch- 
 fulness and frequent labor, among the 
 shoals and snags of the river, and who 
 had no resource left them, after reachintj 
 the city, than to break up their vessel 
 (if such it might be called), sell it for 
 lumber, and then travel home on foot. 
 
 Cotton. — The immense cotton trade 
 of the United States, of which a large 
 portion is carried on at New Orleans, 
 has so important relations with the 
 manufactures, commerce, and condition 
 of Europe, and is liable to so many fluc- 
 tuations, that much of the attention of 
 merchants is annually turned to this city. 
 The following facts will assist the reader 
 in appreciating the present importance 
 of our great emporium of the west, 
 though its prospects are so great as to 
 fill the mind with astonishment, when 
 we lo(jk forward to the increase of pop- 
 ulation, and indulge the hope that divine 
 Providence will perpetuate our Union, 
 and continue our national prosperity. 
 
 Europe is almost entirely dependent 
 on the United States for cotton, although 
 England and France have endeavored 
 to secure supplies from other soui'ces. 
 
 Formerly North Carolina and Vir 
 ginia formed our principal depots for 
 American cotton; under the influence 
 of receding prices, these states had to 
 yield to the greater fertility of new land, 
 and Georgia became the largest cotton- 
 growing state in the Union. In its turn, 
 however, Georgia has declined before 
 the productions of Mississippi; and the 
 right bank of the Mississippi river may, 
 in its turn, supply that production, which 
 the cultivation of corn and sugar may 
 supersede, if proved to be the more re- 
 munerating crops. There is, however, 
 a limit to this. So far as we know, cot- 
 ton can only be grown, to any extent, in 
 that portion of the United States known 
 as the southwestern states. In other 
 countries, the cultivation has not suc- 
 ceeded to the desired extent — a weak 
 and useless fibre being the result of 
 much enterprise and capital. But what- 
 ever be the amount of cotton hereaf er 
 raised in Louisiana, Alabama, and Missis- 
 sippi, an immense annual supply of prod- 
 uce must be brought to New Orleans. 
 
 Civil, Divisions. — Louisiana is di- 
 vided into parishes, after the old Fiench 
 plan, as follows : — 
 
 Eastern District. — Ascension, Assump- 
 tion, Baton Rouge (West and East), Fe- 
 liciana (West and East), Iberville, Jeffer- 
 son, La Fourche, Livingston, Orleans, 
 Plaquemine, Point Coupee, St. Bernard, 
 St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. 
 John Baptist, St. Tammany, Terra 
 Bonne, Washington. 
 
 Western District. — Avoyelles, Bien- 
 ville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Cald- 
 well, Carroll, Catahoula, Claiborne, 
 Concordia, De Suto, Franklin, Jack- 
 son, La Fayette, Madison, Morehouse, 
 Natchitoches, Ouchiia, Rapides, Sabine, 
 St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, Ten- 
 sas, Union, Vermillion. 
 
 Population. — In 1785, vhile under 
 the government of Spain, Louisiana con- 
 tained 27,283 inhabitants. In 1810, un- 
 der the giwernment of the United States, 
 it had 75,556. In 1820, 153,407; in 
 1830, 215,575; in 1840, 352,411; and 
 by the census of 1850, 500,762, 
 
 Surface and State of the Coun- 
 try. — Three quarters of the whole state 
 is said to be destitute of evei"ything th 
 
 '\ 
 
440 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF lOUISIANA. 
 
 might be called a hill. A hilly range 
 commences at Opelousas and extends 
 toward the Sabine river, running about 
 equally distant between that stream and 
 Red river. Gradually rising, it _ as- 
 sumes at length the aspect of mountains. 
 Another ridge lies between Red river 
 and the Dudgeraony. The whole state, 
 however, with small exceptions, may be 
 regarded as a succession of pine woods 
 with a gently rolling surface, prairies, 
 alluvions, swamps, and hickory and oak 
 lands. The prairies, in many places, 
 present the peculiar characteristics of 
 those extensive level tracts properly 
 known by that name in other parts of 
 the west and southwest, being unvaried 
 even by a single elevation, and in sum- 
 mer overgrown with a uiiiform coat of 
 grass, luchly besprinkled with flowers 
 of various hues. 
 
 Large quantities of swampy land re- 
 main unreclaimed, which is of a rich soil, 
 capable of yielding abundant crops of 
 sugarcane ; but various obstacles still 
 prevent its improvement. Draining is 
 the first step necessary : but the back- 
 wardness of emigrants in choosing the 
 plains of Louisiana, caused partly by 
 the fear of disease and partly by un- 
 settled land-titles, prevents that advance 
 in prosperity which could be desired. 
 The sickliness of the climate is exag- 
 gerated ; for, although the yellow-fever 
 has often been fatal in some parts of the 
 country as well as in New Orleans, the 
 general impiession at a distance doubt- 
 less exceeds the reality ; and some parts 
 of the state are as healthful as any parts 
 of our country. This is particularly 
 the fact with the pine hills ; and that 
 unwholesome miasmata of the lower, 
 marshy lands would doubtless be in a 
 great degree destroyed, if a good sys- 
 tem of drainage were once formed. 
 
 Sugar-making. — The making of sugar 
 on a lai'ge scale, in this state, is of but 
 recent date ; yet it already foinis a most 
 important and lucrative branch of busi- 
 ness, and is so rapidly increasing, with 
 so great improvements in the different 
 methods and processes, that it threatens 
 almost to absorb the attention, labor, and 
 capital of the state. Science was early 
 called in, and practical experience was 
 
 not overlooked, when this branch of 
 production and manufacture was first 
 zealously commenced in the United 
 States. When it had been ascertained 
 that much of the soil of Louisiana was 
 adapted to the growth of the cane, and 
 that it could be raised with great pecu- 
 niary advantage, the government of the 
 United States had the judgment to em- 
 ploy the distinguished chemist Professor 
 Silliman, of Yale college, to examine 
 the subject in its various aspects ; and 
 his report presented a most valuable 
 collection of facts, for the guidance of 
 congress in making regulations for the 
 encouragement of the business, as well 
 as of tlie agriculturists and manufac- 
 turers entering into it. 
 
 The following brief description of 
 the manufacturing processes, is copied 
 from a series of letters published in the 
 New York Express, in June and July, 
 1847 :— 
 
 " Li the northern states comparatively 
 little is known as regards either the cul- 
 ture or growth of the cane, or the many 
 and varied principles of manufacturing 
 its rich juice into sugar; yet we may 
 anticipate that a more perfect knowledge 
 of this branch of industry will soon be 
 apparent. Texas and all parts south 
 of South Carolina are adapted to the 
 planting of cane, and for several reasons 
 all those places will become sugar-grow- 
 ing districts. Cotton-planting, which 
 used to be prosecuced with sucli vigor, is 
 now gradually dying away ; the staple 
 article, sugar, is fast usurping its place ; 
 the cottonfield is changed to the sugar- 
 cane, and the ginhouse to the sugar- 
 house. The production of sugar has 
 gradually increased up to the crop of 
 1845-3; but the crop of 1846-'7 fell 
 short of even 1841, being only about 
 one hundred and thirty thousand hogs- 
 heads of a thousand pounds each, and 
 about four and a half millions of gallons 
 of molasses. Although this was a very 
 small crop, it sold for more money than 
 the largest crop ever produced in Amei- 
 ica, probably on account of England 
 now admitting slave-grown sugar. The 
 short crop of last year may be partly 
 attributed to the unpropitious season. 
 This year, so far, has the most auspicious 
 
appearances ; the planters have planted 
 upon new principles ; the season has 
 been very dry, but the extraordinary 
 height of the Mississippi has amply 
 made up for it, the transpiration water 
 having found its way through the lands. 
 According to Creole theory, this is a 
 good omen : ' A high river, a great crop.' 
 Thei'e are near two thousand plantations 
 in operation this year; and as I have 
 lately visited the majority of them, from 
 what I can see and learn, the crop of 
 next gathering (all well) will amount to 
 three hundred thousand hogsheads of 
 one thousand pounds each, and nine 
 millions of srallons of molasses. To a:ive 
 some idea to those unacquainted with 
 the manufacturing of this domestic ar- 
 ticle, I will give some data, which I trust 
 will prove interesting. 
 
 " One gallon of cane-juice generally 
 makes one pound of sugar; therefore, 
 three hundred millions of gallons of 
 cane-juice must be expressed to obtain 
 this quantity of sugar. To give some 
 idea of this quantity of liquid, provided 
 it was water, and supposing the city of 
 New York in a state of blockade, it 
 v/ould be sufficient to serve the inhab- 
 itants for four years' subsistence, 
 
 "A large quantity of white and refined 
 sugar will be made direct from the cane 
 next grinding, some planters having pro- 
 cured very expensive machinery and ap- 
 paratus for that purpose. The insides 
 of most of the sugarhouses on the Mis- 
 sissippi are quite familiar to me, some 
 of which have cost over fifty thousand 
 dollars in improvements. A much less 
 quantity of molasses will be made next 
 crop, according to the quantity of sugar 
 produced, than is customary. 
 
 " It is of little use to enter into a 
 description of the old mode of sugar- 
 making. Cane, like other things, may 
 in timebecomi! acclimated ; consequent- 
 ly, experience teaches us how to humor 
 it. We now pl.int cane in rows eight 
 and nine feet apart instead of, as origin- 
 ally, four and five feet. It thrives bet- 
 ter; receives more fresh air, more sun, 
 more nourishment ; grows larger and 
 stronger; requires less seed and labor; 
 and gives more sugar to the arpent. 
 
 " After tho cane is cut, it is brought 
 
 to the mill, where it is ground to express 
 the juice. However, the best of mills 
 do not take out all the juice, some six- 
 teen or eighteen per cent, remainino' in 
 the baggasse or frosh. A second two- 
 roller mill was introduced at consider- 
 able expense, requiring much power, 
 the drawbacks on which will prevent 
 its general adoption ; however, to ob- 
 viate this, and obtain fifteen per cent, of 
 the lost juice, a revolving-doctor is about 
 to be adopted, which, though cheap, 
 will answer every purpose, when ap- 
 plied to old or new mills. The cane- 
 juice is now carried into large wooden 
 boxes called clarifiers, where it is heated 
 to two hundred degrees Fahrenheit, by 
 steampipes, and receives a small dose 
 of flake-lime ; this regulates acidity, and 
 cleans the juice to a certain extent. 
 The juice is now at about nine and a 
 half or ten degrees saccharometer ; it 
 is now run off into open boxes heated 
 by steampipes, where it is boiled and 
 scummed, passing from one box, called 
 the grand, to another, called the battery, 
 where it is concentrated until its boilinw 
 point reaches two hundred and eighteen 
 degrees Fahrenheit ; it is now let off 
 into an elevator, so as to be risen up 
 into a cistern of considerable altitude 
 previous to its going through the further 
 operation of filtering, &c. 
 
 " I would here state the reason of its 
 having to go into an elevator : the mills 
 ai'e set too low for the juice to run from 
 one vessel to another, for the purpose of 
 its going through the various processes, 
 according to the new plans of sugar- 
 manufacture. This elevator is a kind 
 of cylinder-boiler set on end ; when this 
 is full, steam is turned into it, which, 
 pressing on the surface of the syrup, 
 forces it through a pipe attached to the 
 cotton leading up to the receiver above. 
 This is far from being an economical 
 mode of raising fluids, but it is better 
 than pumps, as it does not oxydizo the 
 syrup. However, a more simple, cheap, 
 and effective mode, upon the principle 
 of waste steam forming" a vacuum in the 
 upper cistern, will soon come into gen- 
 eral use. The next process through 
 which this concentrated cane-juice has 
 to pass is the bag-filters ; these are a '' 
 
442 
 
 DESClllPTlON OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA. 
 
 L. 
 
 series ot" larc^e fine-duck bags, neatly 
 folded up, and placed in a cylindrical 
 small case of the same material ; they 
 are suspended by the neck on metal 
 rings, and hang down in a square wood- 
 en box, where the juice drips through, 
 leaving dirt, sediment, &;c., inside the 
 bags. This is rather an old-fashioned 
 process. A new plan will shortly take 
 its place, upon a hydrostatical princi- 
 ple — the pure liquid passing through 
 compressed sponge. 
 
 " The next process through which 
 syrups pass is that of the vacuum-pan, 
 of which there is a great variety. The 
 original and perhaps the best one is 
 known as the Howard vacuum-pan — 
 Mr. Howard being the inventor and pat- 
 entee. In fact, all others are mere modi- 
 fications. Another, called De Rosne's, 
 is both simple and good, and very much 
 used ; it is this which I will describe, 
 although there are several others daily 
 coming into use, viz. : the Bevan pan, 
 Morgan pan, and Rillieux pan. This 
 last stands rather high — sugar made by 
 it having received awards and premiums 
 from the Louisiana Agriculturists' and 
 Mechanics' association more than once. 
 Yet the pans of De Rosne and Howard, 
 simple and cheap as they are, have 
 produced the best sugar ever made in 
 Louisiana. 
 
 " The De Rosne pan is a cylinder of 
 cast-iron, with a wrought-irou steam- 
 jacket, for the purpose of admitting 
 steam for boiling the charge. It has 
 also copper pipes passing up and down 
 its inside for the same purpose — that is, 
 to accelerate evaporation. This pan 
 being air-tight and filled with syrup, 
 steam is turned on for the purpose of 
 boiling. At the same time l.he steam- 
 engine is started to work the airpumps, 
 the vacuum being formed and main- 
 tained in the following manner : a pips 
 attached to the dome of the pan, of suf- 
 ficient capacity to carry off all the vapor 
 given off by ebullition, leads into a 
 large, tight iron vessel, constantly sup- 
 plied with cold water. This is the con- 
 denser. The air-pumps remove all the 
 vapor cold-water, and draw in fresh to 
 renew and carry on condensation, and 
 thus is the vacuum kept up as indicated 
 
 by the barometer, from thirteen to four- 
 teen pounds per square inch. The sur- 
 face of the liquid thus relieved from 
 pressure boils at about one hundred and 
 thirty degrees Fahienheit. Thus a large 
 grain and fair sugars are obtained." 
 
 Niiw Orleans. — This city is situated 
 on the left bank of Mississippi river, 
 which has here a singular curve, that 
 places the city on its northwest Pide, 
 and facing to the southeast. It is one 
 hundred and five miles from its mouth, 
 by the course of the river, but only 
 ninety in a direct line. It is about 
 eleven hundred miles from St. Louis, 
 fi)urteen hundred from New York, and 
 twelve hundred from Washington. New 
 Orleans is the fourth city, in point of 
 population, and the third in commerce, 
 in the United States. Its rapid increase 
 in population has not been equalled, 
 probably, by that of any other city in 
 the Union. In 1810, it was 17,242 ; in 
 1820, 27,176; in 1830, 46,310; in 1840, 
 102,193; in 1850, 119,285. 
 
 The old city proper is in foim a paral- 
 lelogram. Above the city are the suburbs 
 of St. Mary and A nnunciation, and below 
 are the suburbs of Marigny, Franklin, 
 and Washington. These are called 
 fauxbouigs. Between the city and the 
 bayou St. John's are the villages of St. 
 Claude and St, Johnsburg. The old 
 city proper was laid out by the French, 
 and now forms not more than one eighth 
 of the city limits, and not more than one 
 fourth of its thickly-settled parts. The 
 coup d'oeil of the city when seen from 
 the river is extremely beautiful. Many 
 of the principal streets making a curve, 
 fi'om the shape of the city, New Orleans 
 has been called the " Crescent city." 
 
 The public buildings are the United 
 States branch mint, which is an edifice 
 of the Ionic order of archilecture, mer- 
 chants' exchange, commercial exchange, 
 city exchange, city-hall, courthouse, 
 the statehouse, formerly the charity 
 hospital, sixteen churches, some of them 
 elegant buildinijs, four orphan asylums, 
 three theatres, and several large and 
 splendid hotels. 
 
 The situation of New Orleans for 
 commerce is very commanding. The 
 length of the Mississippi river, and its 
 
 zzil 
 
k 
 
444 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA. 
 
 connected waters, which are navigated 
 by steam, is not less than 20,000 miles, 
 and the countiy which they drain is not 
 surpassed in fertility by any on the globe. 
 Its advantages for communication with 
 the country in its immediate vicinity are 
 also great. By a canal four and a half 
 miles long, it communicates with Lake 
 Pontchartrain, and its connected ports. 
 This canal costSl, 000, 000. There is als'> 
 a canal, one and one fourth miles long, 
 which communicates with Lake Pont- 
 chartrain through bayou St. John. A 
 railroad, four and a half miles long, con- 
 nects it with Carrollton. A railroad, 
 four and one fourth miles long, connects 
 the city with Lake Pontchartrain one 
 mile east of bayou St. John. The Mexi- 
 can gulf railroad extends twenty-four 
 miles, to Lake Borgne, and is to be 
 continued to the gulf, at the South pass. 
 The Mississippi, opposite to the city, is 
 half a mile wide, and from one hundred 
 to one hundred and sixty feet deep, and 
 continues of this depth to near its en- 
 trance into the ocean, where are bars, 
 with from thirteen and a half to sixteen 
 feet of water. 
 
 An embankment, called the Levee, is 
 raised on the river's border, to protect 
 the city. The Levee is from twenty to 
 forty feet broad, but in front of the sec- 
 ond municipality is extended to five or 
 six hundred feet broad. This forms a 
 splendid promenade, and a very conve- 
 nient place for depositing the cotton and 
 other produce from the upper country, 
 which can be rolled directly from the 
 decks of the steamers to the bank of 
 the river. 
 
 The harbor presents an area of many 
 acres, covered with flat-boats and keel- 
 boats in its upper parts. Sloops, schoon- 
 ei-s, and brigs, ai'e arranged along its 
 wharves, and present a forest of masts ; 
 and steamboats are continually arriving 
 or departing. The amount of domestic 
 articles exported exceeds Sl2,000,000 
 annually, being gieater than those of 
 any other city in the Union, excepting 
 New York. The houses of the city 
 proper have a French and Spanish as- 
 pect, are generally stuccoed, and are of 
 a white or yellow color. 
 
 The city proper contains sixty-six 
 
 complete squares : each square having 
 a front of three hundred and nineteen 
 feet in length. Few of the streets, ex- 
 cepting Canal street, are more than forty 
 feet wide. Many of the seats in the 
 suburbs are surrounded with spacious 
 gardens, splendidly ornamented with i 
 orange, lemon, magnolia, and other , 
 trees. No city in the United States has 
 so great a variety of inhabitants, with 
 such an astonishing contrast of manneis, 
 language, and complexion. The French 
 population probably still predominates 
 over the American, though the latter is 
 continually gaining ground. 
 
 A mistaken impressi(>n prevails in 
 some sections of the Union, in relation 
 to the moral character, and healthfulness 
 of the climate, of the Crescent city. But 
 while not free from those evils incident 
 to all large and crowded populnlions, 
 still, in proportion to its size. New (^r- 
 leans is as free from vice as any other 
 city of the Union. The yellow fever is 
 but little more to be dreaded than those 
 pulmonary complaints which yearly 
 sweep away so many thousands of vic- 
 tims at the north. And as to the damp- 
 ness of the land, that is yearly becom- 
 ing of less account as the cultivation 
 and second soil more and more dwindle 
 away its evil effects. For personal 
 safety, men, women, and children, are 
 as secure from insult or injury there, at 
 all times, and under all circumstances, 
 as in any city in the world. 
 
 The Battle of New Orleans. — This 
 city has been rendered memorable as 
 being the scene of the last battle in the 
 war of 1812-14, with Great Britain, 
 a brief detail of which will close our 
 notice of New Orleans. — In the month 
 of December, 1814, fifteen thousand 
 British troops, under Sir Edward Pac- 
 kenham, were landed for the attack of 
 New Oi leans. The defence of this place 
 was intrusted to Gen. Andrew Jackson, 
 whose force was about six thousand 
 men, chiefly raw militia. Several slight 
 skirmishes occurred before the enemy 
 arrived before the city : during this 
 time, Gen. Jackson was employed in 
 making preparation for his defence. His 
 front was a straight line of about one 
 thousand yards, defended by upward of 
 
DESCRirTION OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA. 
 
 445 
 
 three ihnusaiid infantry and artillerists. 
 The ditch contained five feet of water, 
 and his front, from having been flooded 
 by opening the levees, and by frequent 
 rnins, was rendered slippery and muddy. 
 Eight distinct batteries were judiciously 
 dispo.sed, mounting in all twelve guns 
 of different calibres. On the opposite 
 side of the river was a strong battery of 
 fifteen guns. 
 
 At daylight, on the morning of the 
 8th of January, the main body of the 
 British, under their commander-in-chief. 
 General Packenliam, were seen advan- 
 cing from their encampment to storm 
 the American lines. On the preceding 
 evening they had erected a battery 
 within eight hundred yards, which now 
 opened a brisk fire to protect their ad- 
 vance. They were suffered to approach 
 in silence, and unmolested, until within 
 three hundred yards of the lines, when 
 the whole artillery at once f)pened upon 
 them a most deadly fire. Forty pieces 
 of cannon, deeply charged with grape, 
 canister, and musket bidls, mowed them 
 down by hundreds, at the same time the 
 batteries on the west bank opened their 
 fire, while the riflemen, in perfect secu- 
 rity behind their works, as the British 
 advanced, took deliberate aim, and neai*- 
 ly every shot took effect. Through this 
 destructive fire, the British left column, 
 under the immediate orders of the com- 
 mander-in-chief, rushed on with their 
 fascines and scaling ladders, to the ad- 
 vance bastion on the American right, 
 and succeeded in mounting the parapet ; 
 here, after a close conflict with the bayo- 
 net, they succeeded in obtaining posses- 
 sion of the bastion ; when the battery, 
 planted in the rear for its protection, 
 opened its fire, and drove the Biitish 
 from the ground. On the American 
 i left, the British attempted to pass the 
 swamp, and gain the rear, but the works 
 had been extended as far into the swamp 
 as the ground would permit. Some who 
 attempted it, sunk in the mii'e and dis- 
 appeared ; those behind, seeing the fate 
 of their companions, seasonably retreat- 
 ed, and gained the hard ground. The 
 assault continued an hour and a quarter ; 
 during the whole time, the British were 
 exposed to the deliberate and destructive 
 
 fire of the American artillery and mus- 
 ketry, which lay in perfect security be- 
 hind their breastworks of cotton bales, 
 which no balls could penetrate. At 
 eight o'clock, the British columns drew 
 off in confusion, and retreated behind 
 their works. Flushed with success, the 
 militia were eager to pursue the Biitish 
 troops to their intrenchments, and drive 
 them immediately from the island. A 
 less prudent and accomplished general 
 might have been induced to yield to the 
 indiscreet ardor of his troops; but Gen- 
 eral Jackson understood too well the 
 nature of his own and his enemy's force, 
 to hazard such an attempt. Defeat must 
 inevitably have attended an assault made 
 by raw militia, upon an intrenched camp 
 of British regulars. The defence of 
 New Orleans was the object ; nothing 
 was to be hazarded which would jeopard 
 the city. The British were suffered to 
 retii-e behind their works without moles- 
 tation. The result was such as might 
 have been expected from the different 
 positions of the two armies. Before 
 eight o'clock, the three generals were 
 carried off the field, two in the agonies 
 of death, and the third entirely disabled; 
 leaving upward of two thousand of their 
 men dead, dying, and wounded, on the 
 field of battle. 
 
 On the 9th, General Lambert and Ad- 
 miral Cochrane, with the surviving offi- 
 cers of the army, held a council of war, 
 and determined to abandon the expedi- 
 tion. To withdraw the troops in the 
 face of a victorious enemy, would have 
 been difficult and ha?:ardous. To with- 
 draw in safety, every appearance of a 
 renewal of the assault was kept up, till 
 the night of the 18th, when the whole 
 army moved off in one body, over a road 
 which had been previously constructed 
 through a miry slough, in which a num- 
 ber of the troops perished by sinking 
 into the mire. On the 27th, the whole 
 land and naval forces which remained of 
 this disasti'ous expedition, found them- 
 selves on board of their ships, with their 
 ranks thinned, their chiefs and many of 
 their companions slain, their bodies ema- 
 ciated by hunger, fatigue, and sickness. 
 
 Baton Rouge. — This town, the capi- 
 tal of the state, is one hundred and forty 
 
446 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA. 
 
 miles above New Orleans, on the left 
 bank of the Mississippi, standing chiefly 
 on a plain elevated about thirty feet 
 above the water, except the business 
 streets, which are on the low ground 
 alonor the shore. 
 
 The public buildings are the court- 
 house, state-penitentiary. United States 
 land-oflice, a college, an academy, thi'ee 
 banks, and four churches. The popula- 
 tion is about four thousand five hundred. 
 
 The college was founded in 1823, and 
 has four professors, one thousand vol- 
 umes in its library, and about fifty stu- 
 dents. Steamboats communicate daily 
 with New Orleans, Vicksburg, &c., and 
 stagecoaches run to New Orleans and 
 St. Francisville. 
 
 DoNALDSoNviLLE, ninety miles above 
 New Orleans, stands on the west side 
 of the river, at the point where the La 
 Fourche fork leaves the main stream. 
 
 Galveztown stands on Bayou Mnn- 
 chac, and is in the village of Iberville, 
 at a short distance from the place where 
 it enters Lake Pontchartrain. It is a 
 small town, twenty miles north-northeast 
 from Donaldsonville, and twenty-five 
 southeast of Baton Rouge. 
 
 Springfield is a post village in the 
 southeast part of the parish of St. He- 
 lena, eleven miles southeast of St. He- 
 lena, and eighty miles northwest of New 
 Orleans. 
 
 Madisonville. — This village is also 
 a seaport, and belongs to the parish of 
 St. Tammany, at the mouth of Chi- 
 functe river. It is about twenty-eight 
 miles north of New Orleans, on the op- 
 posite side of Lake Pontchartrain, in 
 latitude thirty degrees twenty minutes. 
 
 The situation is so healthful that the 
 place has been much resorted to by cit-« 
 izens of New Orleans during the warm 
 and sickly seasons, and it contains sev- 
 eral houses designed for the accommo- 
 dation of visiters. Some yeai's ago' the 
 goveinment attempted to establish a 
 navyyard a few miles above, on the riv- 
 er's bank. 
 
 Covington, seven miles above Mad- 
 isonville, is a considerable village, and 
 stands on a branch of the Chifuncte, 
 called the Bogue Falaya. It is the seat 
 of justice for the parish of St. Tam- 
 
 many, and at the head of navigation in 
 schooners. A considerable quantity of 
 cotton is, therefore, aimually shipped 
 here. General Jackson's road, from 
 Lake Pontchartrain to Nashville, passes 
 through Covington. It is one of the fa- 
 vorite places of resort from New Orleans 
 in the sickly months. 
 
 Opelousas, two hundred and seventy 
 miles from New Orleans, is the seat of 
 justice of the parish to which it belongs, 
 had a rapid growth a few years since, 
 and is surrounded by a flourishing re- 
 gion. It stands on Bayou Bourbee, the 
 head branch of Vermilion river, and a 
 branch of Teche river rises just in the 
 rear of the village. Large heads of 
 horses and cattle, abounding on the ex- 
 tensive plain in the neighborhood, with 
 the abundant and varied productions of 
 the earth, give an interesting aspect to 
 this place. Before the addition of Texas 
 to the United States, Opelousas was the 
 most southwest village in the country. 
 
 New Iberia and St. Martinsville are 
 two other villages on the banks of the 
 Teche, both on the west side ; the lat- 
 ter, being at the head of schooner naviga- 
 tion, and surrounded by a fertile coun- 
 try, promises much increase. 
 
 Alexandria, on Red river, seventy 
 miles from the Mississipjii, is situated 
 half a mile below the falls, at the mouth 
 c^ Bayou Rapide. It is in the centre 
 of several extensive and fertile cotton 
 districts, and is a seat of justice. The 
 village is thickly shaded by groves of 
 China-trees, in the midst of a beautiful 
 plain. It is the scene of an active trade 
 in cotton. 
 
 Country Life in Louisiana. — We 
 copy from a late writer the following 
 description of the house of a Louisiana 
 planter, which applies to those common 
 on the banks of the Mississippi : — 
 
 " The house was quadrangular, with 
 a high stoop, a Dutch roof, immensely 
 large, and two stories in height; the 
 basement or lower story being construct- 
 ed of brick, with a massive colonnade 
 of the same material on all sides of the 
 building. This basement was raised to 
 a level with the summit of the Levee, 
 and formed the groundwork or basis of 
 the edifice, which was built of wood, 
 
View on the Mississippi, at Bend No. 100. 
 
 painted white, with Venetian blinds, 
 and latticed verandas supported by slen- 
 der and graceful pillars, running round 
 every side of the dwelling. Along the 
 whole western front, festooned in mas- 
 sive folds, hung a dark-green curtain, 
 which was dropped along the whole 
 length of the balcony in a summer's 
 afternoon." 
 
 The Moth. — The cotton ci'ops are 
 liable to extensive injury by a noxious 
 insect, called the cotton moth, of which 
 the following description was recently 
 published : — 
 
 " The cotton moth, or noctua xylina, 
 appears in the spring, when the cotton- 
 plant is in a fit state to receive the eggs. 
 She places these on the leaves of the 
 plant to the number of from two to six 
 hundred ; these hatch in from two to five 
 days, according to the weather. The 
 young larvae are very minute, but grow 
 rapidly, attaining their full size of one 
 and a half inches in from fourteen to 
 twenty days, during which time, like 
 their congeners, they moult every eight 
 days. The difference in the color of 
 the worms is owing to their moulting. 
 
 as a slight change takes place after each 
 skin is cast off. Their duration in the 
 larva state is six weeks, in which time 
 they feed voraciously; they then spin 
 their cocoons, and remain in the pupa 
 state a longer or shorter time, according 
 to the season of the year. The moths 
 that remain in the jjupa until the follow- 
 ing spring, will be those whose larvae 
 will destroy the summer's crop. Should 
 the fall and winter be favorable to the 
 premature development of the moth, the 
 planters may be grateful, as it will be 
 their greatest safeguard, unless they will 
 gather and destroy the pupa. 
 
 " Mr. Affleck states that the caterpil- 
 lars frequently spin on the old plants." 
 
 View on the Mississippi at Bend 
 No. 100. — So numerous are the curves 
 or bends of this river, and so difficult is 
 it to distinguish them from each other 
 by any natural features, in consequence 
 of the uniformity of the surface, that 
 they are marked on the maps by the 
 numbers one, two, &c., and are com- 
 monly spoken of, by pilots and travel- 
 lers, by that designation. The same 
 may be said of the numerous islands, 
 
448 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA. 
 
 many of which are hardly to be known 
 apart, except by their position. 
 
 Tho scene represented in the print is 
 at ono oi the most considei able '• bends" 
 on the lov^ev part ot the Mississippi. 
 The land is low and flat, wearing that 
 appearance which has before tieen de- 
 scribed, rising but a few feet above the 
 river's level at low-water-mark, and com- 
 posed of such loose materials as to be 
 in constant danger of removal by some 
 of the frequent changes of the currents. 
 The curve which the stream takes at 
 this place, where it sweeps away to the 
 right, is so great, that, if the isthmus 
 were cut through at its narrowest part, 
 the passage would be reduced a great 
 many miles. Preparations have been 
 made to diminish the distance consider- 
 ably, by cutting down the trees near 
 the left-hand side of the print, to permit 
 the river to find an unobstructed pas- 
 sage across at the time of flood, by 
 which means it may probably wear for 
 itself a new channel. 
 
 T'\e tall tree which forms the most 
 conspicuous object in the foreground, is 
 a cypress, of a species which, with the 
 cotton-tree, forms the principal growth 
 in the native forests on this part of the 
 shores. It is much used in building, 
 and often covered with the moss, which 
 i* here represented as forming a thick 
 canopy on its upper branches. 
 
 This parasitical plant does not grow 
 north of latitude thirty degrees, but is 
 well known in the northern states as a 
 very useful article, being purchased in 
 great quantities for the stuffing of mat- 
 tresses, cushions, &c., by upholsterers 
 and coachmakers. 
 
 Canebrakes form a prevailing fea- 
 ture in many of the marshy regions of 
 Louisiana, as well as in other of the 
 southern states. The peculiar nature 
 of the plant which there occupies the 
 so! I, renders a canebrake different from 
 every other kind of growth. It is well 
 known, in its dry state, throughout most 
 parts of our country, being extensively 
 used for fishing-pcles, and to some ex- 
 tent in manufactures. 
 
 The cane grows in one long, blender, 
 upright stalk, from ten to twenty feet in 
 height, giving out but a few thin leaves. 
 
 especially when close together. Though 
 hollow, it possesses great strength ; for 
 it is jointed, and the texture is compact, 
 and the external part is formed of a 
 hard shelly substance containing silex. 
 When green, it is also tough ; and the 
 difllcuiiy of penetrating a canebrake at 
 any season of the year is so great as to 
 be but seidom attempted, except where 
 paths have been formed, by either cut- 
 ting away or iramphng down the canes 
 when young. Paths once opened, and 
 frequently travelled, remain passable, 
 except when overflown by the water — 
 a state in which many of them often lie 
 for a considerable part of the time. But 
 when several paths cross each other, 
 nothing is more easy than for a passen- 
 ger to lose his way ; for the tops of the 
 canes often bend over and meet above 
 his head, so as to shut out a view even of 
 the sky. Some idea may be formed of the 
 peculiar appearance of a canebrake, by 
 the sketch given in the vignette at the 
 head of this description of the state. 
 
 The value of Cotton, the staple pro- 
 duction of this and the adjacent states, is 
 shown in the following extract from a 
 late English paper, giving a brief history 
 of the progress oi a pound of cotton : — 
 
 " There was sent oft' for London, lately, 
 from Glasgow, a small piece of muslin, 
 about one pound in weight, the history 
 of which is as follows : The cotton came 
 from the United States to London ; it 
 was thence sent to Manchester and man- 
 ufactured into yarn ; thence it was sen't 
 to Paisley, where it was woven ; thence 
 to Ayrshire and there tamboured ; thence 
 conveyed to Dumbarton and handsewed, 
 and returned to Paisley; thence to the 
 county of Renfrew, bleached, and again 
 returned to Paisley ; thence sent to Glas- 
 gow, finished, and sent per coach to 
 London. It is calculated that in two 
 years from the time the muslin was first 
 packed in America, its cloth arrived at 
 the merchant's warehouse in London, 
 having been conveyed 3,000 miles by 
 sea, and 920 by land, and contributed 
 to the support of at least 150 people, 
 employed in its cairiage and manufac- 
 ture, by which the value has been ad- 
 vanced 2,000 per cent. Such is descrip- 
 tive of a considerable part of the trade." 
 
Texas was formerly a part of the 
 republic of Mexico, but became in- 
 dependent in 1836, and was an- 
 nexed to the United States by a joint 
 resolution of Congress, passed in 
 March, 1845, and confirmed by a 
 convention of the people of Texas, 
 in July, 1845. It was finally ad- 
 mitted into the Union as a state, 
 by act of Congress passed in De- 
 cember, 1845. 
 
 The boundaries of Texas, as de- 
 fined by an act of the Texan con- 
 gress, were as follows: "Beginning 
 at the mouth of the Sabine river, and running west along the gulf of Mexico, 
 three leagues from land, to the mouth of the Rio Grande ; thence up the princi- , 
 pal stream of that river to its source ; thence due north to the forty-secotid degiee | 
 of north latitude ; thence along the boundary line, as defined in the treaty between | 
 the United States and Spain, to the beginning." An act of Congress, the terras of I 
 which were accepted by Texas, in 1850, established her northern and western bnund- 
 aiies asf )llows: " The stateof Texas will agree that her boundary on the north shall 
 commence at the point at which the meiidian of one hundred degrees west from 
 (rieenwich is intersected by the parallel of thirty-six degrees and thirty minutes 
 north latitc'de, and shall run from said point due west to the meridian of one hundred 
 and three deL-«es west from Greenwich ; thence her boundary shall run due south to 
 the thirty-second degree of north latitude; thence on the said parallel of thirty-two 
 degi'ees of north latitude to the Rio Bravo del Norte; and thence with the channel 
 of said river to the gulf of Mexico. . . The United States, in consideration of said 
 establishment of boundaries, will pay to the slate of Texas the sum of ten millions of 
 
 29 
 
 -Ji 
 
450 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF TEXAS. 
 
 dollars in a stock bearing five per cent, 
 interest, and redeemable at the end of 
 fourteen years, the interest payable half- 
 yearly at the treasury of the United 
 States. Immediately after the president 
 of the United States shall have been fur- 
 nished with an authentic copy of the act 
 of the general assembly of Texas, ac- 
 cepting these propositions, he shall cause 
 the stock to be issued in favor of the state 
 of Texas, as provided for in the fourth 
 article of this agreement." 
 
 The gulf of Mexico forms a line of 
 seacoast of about four hundred miles in 
 extent, on the southeastern boundary of 
 Texas. 
 
 The seacoast is veiy level, but free 
 from marsh or swamp ; the soil is a rich 
 alluvion of great depth. This region 
 extends into the interior seventy-five 
 miles. Most southern staples can be 
 produced in this section in the greatest 
 abundance and of the finest quality. The 
 only peculiar diseases are bilious dis- 
 tempers, and these by no means univer- 
 sal or extremely severe. 
 
 Above the level region commences 
 the " rolling country." The soil is of 
 an excellent quality, a rich sandy loam. 
 The water is pure and healthy, streams 
 clear and rapid, and the atmosphere 
 purer than in the low country. This 
 region covers the greatest proportion 
 of Texas above the level district, and 
 northeast of the Brazos river. No local 
 causes for disease exist ; the facilities for 
 farming are unrivalled ; most kinds of 
 grain and fruit grow luxuriantly ; and it 
 is unnecessary to exercise any further 
 care over cattle and other stock than the 
 herding and marking of the increase 
 during the whole year. 
 
 The northwestern and western por- 
 tion is mountainous and broken, to 
 within one hundred and fifty or one hun- 
 dred and seventy-five miles of the coast. 
 The valleys are rich, and the mountains 
 abound in a variety of mineral produc- 
 tions. Several valuable silver mines, 
 once worked by the Spaniards, but aban- 
 doned on account of the hostile Indians, 
 have been recently discovered ; and 
 some fine specimens of virgin gold. 
 This region abounds with fine streams 
 of crystal water. 
 
 It is a remarkable feature of Texas, 
 that the bulk of the timber is imme- 
 diately on the water-courses. Nearly 
 every stream is lined with an abundance 
 of timber, while the intei-vals between 
 the streams are mostly pi-airie land, with 
 groves, having the appearance of a park. 
 
 The numerous rivers of Texas, run- 
 ning in a parallel course, indicate the 
 general surface to be one inclined plane, 
 with a slope to the southeast. None of 
 the rivers are of much importance for 
 navigation, being in the dry season ex- 
 tremely low, and during the floods im- 
 peded with floating timber. 
 
 The Rio Grande, or Rio del Norte, 
 which forms the western boundary of 
 Texas, is the largest river, having a 
 course of from fifteen to eighteen hun- 
 dred miles ; it is much impeded by rap- 
 ids, and can be forded in nearly all 
 parts of its course except for a distance 
 of about two hundred miles from its 
 mouth. The Sabine is three hundred 
 and fifty miles, the Nueces three hun- 
 dred, and the Trinity river four hun- 
 dred miles in length ; all navigable a 
 part of the year. The Rio Brazos is 
 considered the best navigable stream in 
 Texas ; vessels drawing six feet of wa- 
 ter can ascend it to Brazoria ; and 
 steamboats of light draught to San Fe- 
 lipe de Austin, ninety miles higher. 
 The Rio Colorado rises in the high 
 prairies east of the Puereo river ; and 
 after a course of five hundred miles, falls 
 into Matagorda bay. It is obstructed 
 by a raft, of a mile in extent, about 
 twelve miles above its mouth ; beyond 
 which light vessels may ascend two hun- 
 dred miles. The city of Austin, the 
 seat of government, is situated on its 
 left bank, near the foot of the mountains. 
 La Baca and Navidad rivers are secon- 
 dary streams, flowing into the La Baca 
 bay. The Guadaloupe is a large stream 
 of pellucid water ; two of its tributaries, 
 the San Marcos and the Coleto, have 
 their origin in fountains at the foot of 
 the mountains. The San Antonio en- 
 ters the Guadaloupe some distance above 
 Espiritu Santo bay, and much resembles 
 the Guadaloupe, though the forest on its 
 banks is not so dense. It receives the 
 Cibolo, the Medina, the Salado, Medio, 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF TEXAS. 
 
 451 
 
 and Leon creeks, all rapid and clear 
 streams. The San Jacinto is a minor 
 river, flowing through much good land, 
 abounding in pine timber; it falls into 
 Galveston bay, which receives also the 
 Trinity river, and Buffalo bayou (a small 
 stream navigable to the city of Hous- 
 ton). Galveston bay is a large body of 
 water, having twelve feet on the bar at 
 the entrance, and good anchorage inside. 
 The Trinity river, its principal contribu- 
 tor, is one of the largest rivers in Texas, 
 and is navigable farther up than any 
 other of these rivers. Its banks are 
 lined with the choicest land and the best 
 of timber. Numerous settlements are 
 springing up on its banks. Several beds 
 of coal, and some saline springs have 
 been recently discovered on its margin. 
 The river Nueces is a beautiful and rapid 
 stream of considerable magnitude, and 
 flows into Corpus Christi bay, which is 
 accessible to vessels drawing six feet, 
 with deep water inside. Below Espiritu 
 Santo bay lies Aransazua bay, with a 
 good entrance and twelve feet of water 
 on the bar. It receives several small 
 streams and one considerable river, the 
 Aransas. The estuary of the Sabine 
 fiver is a large bay, with sufficient depth 
 of water foj; vessels of an ordinary 
 draught, and a soft mud bar at the en- 
 trance. There are several thriving towns 
 on the banks of the Sabine, which are 
 frequently visited by steamboats. 
 
 The climate of Texas is mild and 
 agreeable, and, as the country is free 
 from swamps, is more healthful than the 
 corresponding sections of the southern 
 United States. The dry season lasts 
 from April to September, and the wet 
 season prevails during the rest of the 
 year. The cold weather lasts a short 
 time in December and January. The 
 surface of the country is in most parts 
 covered with luxui'iant native grasses, 
 affording excellent pasturage. As al- 
 ready mentioned, timber is abundant, 
 and among the varieties are live oak, 
 white, black, and post oak, ash, elm, 
 hickoiy, musquite, walnut, sycamore, 
 bois d'arc, cypress, &c., and in the 
 southeast parts pine and cedar of fine 
 quality abound. 
 
 Texas is amply supplied with fruits 
 
 and garden products. The climate of 
 the low lands is too warm for the apple, 
 but almost every other fruit of temper- 
 ate climes comes to perfection. Peach- 
 es, melons, figs, oranges, lemons, pine- 
 apples, dates, olives, &c., grow in differ- 
 ent localities. Grapes are abundant ; 
 vanilla, indigo, sarsaparilla, and a vari- 
 ety of dying and medicinal shrubs and 
 plants are indigenous, and on all the 
 I'iver bottoms is a thick growth of cane. 
 Cotton is the principal staple of the 
 state, and generally of a superior quali- 
 ty, mostly cultivated on the Brazos, Col- 
 orado, Red, and Trinity rivers, and 
 Caney creek, but advancing in other 
 quarters. Cotton-planting begins in Feb- 
 ruary and picking in June. Indian corn 
 and wheat are the principal grains cul- 
 tivated. The sugar-cane has attained 
 great perfection in Texas, also tobacco, 
 common and sweet potatoes, and the 
 mulberry-tree. The raising of live stock 
 is the occupation of most of the people, 
 and many of the prairies are covered 
 with cattle, horses, mules, and sheep ; 
 hogs are plentiful, and large quantities 
 of pork are raised for market. Vast 
 herds of buffaloes and wild horses are 
 seen on the prairies, and deer are eve- 
 rywhere abundant. Bears, cougars, pan- 
 thers, peccaries, wolves, foxes, and rac- 
 coons, are among the other wild animals. 
 To illustrate the manner of capturing 
 the wild horses, called by the Spaniards 
 mustangs, on the px'airies of Texas, we 
 insert the following description by one 
 who has often engaged in the exciting 
 chase, as well as an engraving of the 
 scene : — 
 
 " The pursuer provides himself with 
 a strong noosed cord, made of twisted 
 strips of green hide, which, thus pre- 
 pared, is called a lazo, the Spanish word 
 for a band or bond. He mounts a fleet 
 horse, and fastens one end of his If zo to 
 the animal, coils it in his left hand, leav- 
 ing the extending noose to flourish in 
 the air over his head. Selecting his 
 game, he gives it chase ; and as soon as 
 he approaches the animal he intends to 
 seize, he takes the first opportunity to 
 whirl the lazo over his head, and imme- 
 diately checks his own charger. The 
 noose instantly contracts around the neck 
 
452 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF TEXAS. 
 
 of the fugitive mustang, and the creature 
 is thrown violently down, sometimes un- 
 able to move, and generally for the mo- 
 ment dejjrived of breath. This violent 
 method of arrest frequently injures the 
 poor animal, and sometimes even kills 
 him. If he escapes, however, with his 
 life, he becomes of great service to his 
 master, always remembering with great 
 respect the rude instrument of his cap- 
 ture, and ever after yielding immediate- 
 ly whenever he feels the lazo upon his 
 neck. 
 
 " Being thus secured, the lazoed horse 
 is blindfolded ; terrible lever, jaw-break- 
 ing bits are put into his mouth, and lio 
 is mounted by a rider armed with most 
 barbarous spurs. If the animal runs, he 
 is spurred on to the top of his speed, un- 
 til he tumbles down with exhaustion. 
 Then he is turned about and spurred 
 back again ; and if he is found able to 
 run back to the point whence he started, 
 he is credited with having bottom enough 
 to make a good horse ; otherwise, he is 
 turned off as of little or no value. This 
 process of breaking mustangs to the bri- 
 dle is a brutal one, and the poor ani- 
 mals often carry the evidence of it as 
 long as they live. After service during 
 the diiy, they are hoppled by fastening 
 their fore-legs together with a cord, and 
 turned out to feed. To fasten them to 
 one spot in the midst of a prairie, where 
 neither tree, nor shrub, nor rock, is to be 
 found, is quite a problem. But that is 
 accomplished by putting on a halter, ty- 
 ing a knot at the end, digging a hole 
 about a foot deep in the earth, thrusting 
 in the knot, and pressing the earth down 
 arour.d it As the horse generally pulls 
 nearly ir. a horizontal direction, he is 
 unable to draw it out. 
 
 " When a number are caught, they 
 aie generally driven to market, where 
 they are purchased for three or four dol- 
 lars, branded, hoppled, then turned out 
 and abandoned to themselves, until 
 needed. At some future time they will 
 doubtless become a valuable article of 
 export." 
 
 The present population of Texas is 
 estimated to amount to over two hun- 
 dred thousand, nearly all of whom are 
 Americans — emigrants from the other 
 
 United States. The population, accord- 
 ing to the census of 1850, was 187,403, 
 of whom about one fifth were slaves. 
 By the act of Congiess admitting Texas 
 into the Union, that state had two mem- 
 bers of the house of representatives and 
 has the same under the census of 1850. 
 Texas was of course entiiled to two 
 members in the senate of the United 
 States at the date of her admission. 
 
 Texas, at the period of her admission, 
 had but thiity-six organized counties ; 
 she now (1851) numbers ninety. In 
 many of these counties the increase of 
 population, principally by emigration, 
 has, it is estimated, since her admission, 
 been equal to fifty per cent. 
 
 The principal towns in Texas are Gal- 
 veston, the principal seaport, Houston, 
 San Augustin, San Felipe de Austin, 
 Nacogdoches, Austin, the present seat 
 of government, Washington, for a while 
 the temporary capital, San Antonio de 
 Bexar, and a few others. 
 
 In the eighteenth century Texas was 
 nearly unknown, having only been oc- 
 casionally traversed by the Spaniards, in 
 their way from New Oi'leans to Mexico. 
 About 1800, there were only two or 
 three small military establishments, near 
 which a few Spaniards had settled. In 
 1807, Pike made it known that this 
 country was distinguished by fertility 
 of soil. From that time many citizens 
 of the United States wished to form 
 settlements in Texas, but the policy of 
 the Spanish court was not favorable to 
 their designs. When Mexico obtained 
 her independence, the government of 
 the republic adopted a liberal system of 
 colonization, inviting (in 1824) natives 
 and foreigners to settle within the terri- 
 tories of the republic, under very advan- 
 tageous conditions. The first settlement 
 was made by Colonel Austin, of Mis- 
 souri, in his grant on the Rio Brazos, 
 and called San Felipe de Austin. About 
 this time the stream of eniigration from 
 the United States turned toward Texas. 
 In 1833, the people of Texas formed 
 for themselves a separate constitution, 
 and insisted on a separation of their 
 country from the state of Coahuila, to 
 which it was united by a decree of the 
 Mexican government. This being re- 
 
454 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF TEXAS. 
 
 fused, and a central government estab- 
 lished in Mexico, the Texans took up 
 arms in 1835, in defence of their rights 
 and liberties, and the repubhcan princi- 
 ples of the federal constitution of Mex- 
 ico of 1S24. The few Mexican soldiers 
 stationed at Bexar were compelled to 
 leave the country in December, 1835, 
 after sustaining considerable loss in a 
 battle with the Texans. The president 
 of the Mexican republic, Santa Anna, 
 however, marched into Texas at the 
 head of a small army, and succeeded in 
 getting possession of Bexar, the garri- 
 son of which he put to the sword; but 
 ill 1835 he was defeated on the banks 
 of the river San Jacinto, with great 
 slaughter, by a small body of Texans 
 (Americans from the United States), 
 under General Houston. Santa Anna 
 was taken prisoner, but released on cer- 
 tain conditions, among others, that the 
 Mexican troops were to evacuate Texas, 
 passing beyond the Rio Grande. No 
 effective attempt was afterward made 
 by the Mexicans to conquer Texas, and 
 it became an independent republic, be- 
 ing soon acknowledged as such by the 
 United States, France, Great Britain, 
 and some other nations. 
 
 Galveston, two hundred and fifty-five 
 miles from Austin, and three hundred 
 and fifty west by north of the Southwest 
 pass of Mississippi river, is situated on 
 rising ground, compactly built, on the 
 east part of Galveston island, with many 
 good houses and several conspicuous 
 churches and other public buildings. 
 Galveston makes a favorable appearance 
 from the water, and is rapidly extending 
 its population and busines,. The settle- 
 ment was begun in 1837, and has some 
 large stores, several cotton presses, a 
 university, two high schools, and a pop- 
 ulation of about 7,000. The streets 
 are wide and straight. The harbor is 
 fine, and the bar has twelve feet of wa- 
 ter. A regular communication is kept 
 up with New Orleans by steam-packets, 
 a daily line of boats runs to Houston, 
 and other boats go to the Brazos, Trin- 
 ity, and Sabine rivers. 
 
 At Galveston, in the month of Octo- 
 ber, the air has a temperature like mid- 
 September. As you enter the harbor 
 
 through the ci'ooked channel studded on 
 both sides with shoals and breakers, the 
 gloomy pelicans saluting you on every 
 side, the approach is both difficult and 
 dangerous. The low, level, and sandy, 
 but grass-covered island of Galveston, 
 on which the city is situated, is about 
 thirty miles long, and has on it but three 
 small groups of native trees — though of 
 fruit-trees there are plenty in the city, 
 planted by the inhabitants. It is tolera- 
 bly fertile, and, owing principally to the 
 industiy of the German emigrants that 
 have settled there, gardens of all kinds 
 abound. It is healthy for all but those 
 who expose themselves to the hot mid- 
 day summer sun, and bring on attacks of 
 the fever. It is considered more healthy 
 at any season than New Orleans. Gal- 
 veston bay is about sixty miles long and 
 thirty-five wide, and in its deepest parts 
 there is about twelve feet of water ; on 
 its greatest, unavoidable shoals, there is 
 about three feet. There are various 
 islands in different parts of it ; the lar- 
 gest is " Pelican," opposite the city of 
 Galveston. This is, from one extremity 
 to the other, about four miles long. It 
 is destitute of timber, as are all the is- 
 lands on the coast ; nevertheless, it is, 
 during the spring season a great resort. 
 Some visit it for the purpose of making 
 pic-nics or chowders (for the last it is 
 famous), others go for the sail, but most 
 go for the purpose of gathering the 
 myriads of eggs deposited by gulls and 
 other aquatic birds. 
 
 In Galveston bay about eighteen miles 
 from the city is situated Red-fish bar. 
 It is created by the influx of the Trinity 
 and other rivers and extends entirely 
 acroes the bay. It consists of a number 
 of small islands through there are seve- 
 ral navigable passes. Of these, the most 
 esteemed at present is called the "East," 
 but there is a better one still more 
 easterly, not much used at present, but 
 which is superior to any other, having 
 deeper water, and being more direct. 
 It is called " Possum pass," partly be- 
 cause it is a feasting ground for that an- 
 imal which, swimming from one island 
 to another of the chain, repairs there 
 for the purpose of devouring the eggs 
 laid in the vicinity, and partly because 
 
456 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF TEXAS. 
 
 it is hidden fnim sight until approached 
 very near. Here there are spots, of 
 acres in extent, covered with eggs of all 
 flavors, colors, and sizes — and in every 
 state of incubation, small boats make a 
 trade in collecting them for market, and 
 as the robbed birds, with the great- 
 est perseverance, commence laying anew 
 afr«'r each depredation, the egg-hunters 
 reap an unfailing harvest while the sea- 
 son lasts. When the squabs are hatched 
 they make one of the most delicious 
 items in the boatman's bill of fare. Sit- 
 ting round their savory supper, these 
 care-free rovei'S quaff their drams of 
 whiskey, smoke tlieir jjipes, sing songs, 
 and tell stories of wild life, beneath the 
 clear sky, until tired, when, with their 
 blanket* around them, they seek a soft 
 sp'it upon the sand. At the dawn, the 
 shrill cry of the eagle in pursuit of his 
 prey awakes the egg-huntei's to business. 
 Having laid in their stock of eggs, they 
 commence the second but no less pleas- 
 ant part of their trade — this is fishing, for 
 which this place is famous. 
 
 The red-fish is the desired animal to 
 the fishermen ; mullet, buffalo, cat-fish 
 (a species of salmon), and countless 
 numbers of less important classes offish 
 abound. The fisher, with a small spear, 
 commences searching in the various wa- 
 ter-holes in the sand for crabs for bait ; 
 then, fastening a crab to his hook, he 
 casts it in, and in an instant some red- 
 fish is hauled out flouncing upon the 
 sand. Sometimes it is a closely-con- 
 tested question whether the fish shall 
 quit his element or the fisherman take a 
 bath. Red-fish often weigh twenty-five 
 pounds They are a very vigorous fish, 
 and of delicious flavor, either fresh or 
 dried and salted, which is a favorite 
 way f curing them. About eight miles 
 abu»3 Red-fish bar, there is a group of 
 islands famous for the great inducements 
 they hold out to the sportsman — they 
 are called the *' Veintiuno," or Twenty- 
 one isles. In the winter season their 
 little harbors are filled with small craft 
 and the C7 aft with sportsmen, who make 
 a little fortune during that season by the 
 vast numbers of geese, brant, duck, and 
 swan, they kill here — selling their car- 
 casses al Galveston, and curing their 
 
 feathers for various markets. A swan 
 skin will at any time bring a dollar. The 
 appearance of a flock of these stately 
 water-fowls is that of a floatine: island of 
 half a mile square moving gracefully 
 along over the water, now swiftly, now 
 almost stationary, but pouring forth a 
 continual boisterous bird-language. In 
 spite o? their own din, however, they 
 catch the slightest hostile sound. Should 
 the sportsman crack a twig, move a bush, 
 or crush a shell beneath his foot, the 
 noisy conclave stops instantly, and, en 
 masse, both their propellers and their 
 throats. For an instant all is silent and 
 motionless — bang! then go the fowling- 
 pieces, and perhaps one thousand of 
 these birds, so graceful in the water but 
 so awkward in flight, will stretch their 
 wings, knocking each other down in their 
 confusion, and, amid loud cries and great 
 splashing of water, take themselves off 
 as soon as possible, probably leaving 
 thirty or forty of their comrades to be 
 gathered up by the sportsmen. 
 
 Houston, on Buffalo bayou, at the 
 head of tide-water, is eighty-five miles 
 from Galveston, and one hundred and 
 eighty-eight from Austin. The situa- 
 tion of this town is not only favorable 
 and convenient, but, when seen from 
 certain points, quite picturesque. The 
 summit of the gentle eminence on 
 which it is built is crowned by several 
 churches, and the slope is thickly cov- 
 ered with houses, many of which are 
 small and simple in their construction, 
 as in most new, interior towns of Tex- 
 as. The stream which flows at the base 
 of the hill, meanders peacefully along, 
 flowing under a handsome bridge of a 
 single arch, and beneath the shade of 
 some of the trees of the forest which 
 have been spared in clearing the land. 
 The distant scenes are varied by ridges 
 of high ground, which extend far away, 
 with winding valleys between them. An 
 extensive prairie adjoins it, and it is a 
 place of much trade in cotton. Steam- 
 boats run to Galveston, and stage-coaches 
 to Washington, It contains four church- 
 es, a courthouse, a number of large 
 manufactories, and 6,000 inhabitants. 
 
 Austin, the capital of Texas, is situ- 
 ated on the east side of Colorado river, 
 
458 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF TEXAS. 
 
 two liuudred miles from the gulf ofj 
 Mexico, on a plain elevated about thirty i 
 feet. The capitol, on the summit, is 
 conspicuous from its position, and over- 
 looks an extensive region. At a short 
 distance from it is the governor's house. 
 The population amounts to about 4,000. 
 
 The governor of Texas is chosen by 
 the people for two years, but is eligible 
 only two years in six. He must be 
 thirty-two years old, and have been a 
 resident of the state three years previous. 
 The lieutenant-governor is eligible un- 
 der the same restrictions. There is a. 
 supreme court, and such district and in- 
 ferior courts as the legislature shall ap- 
 point. The legislature appoints the 
 judges of the supreme court for six 
 yeai's, with the advice and consent of 
 the senate. The senators are chosen 
 by the people for two years, half being 
 chosen each year. They must be thirty- 
 two years old, and residents for the last 
 three years. The representatives are 
 chosen for two years, by the people, and 
 must be twenty-one years old, citizens 
 of the United States, and residents of 
 the state of Texas for one year, and of 
 the county for the last six months. The 
 legislature meets once in two years. 
 
 Matagorda, one hundred and ninety- 
 eight miles southeast from Austin, and 
 thirty-five from the Caballo pass, stands 
 on the Colorado, and has a customhouse, 
 two chuixhes, an academy, and 700 in- 
 habitants. Steamboats run to New Or- 
 leans and Galveston. 
 
 San Felipe de Austin, on the west 
 bank of the Brazos, is one hundred and 
 twenty miles from Austin, and contains 
 2,000 inhabitants. It was burnt by the 
 Texan army, in the war, but has been 
 rebuilt. 
 
 San Augustin, twenty-seven miles 
 from the Sabine, and three hundred and 
 sixty east-northeast from Austin, is built 
 on the Ayish bayou, and contains about 
 2,500 inhabitants. It is one of the best- 
 built and best-situated towns in Texas, 
 in a healthy region of rolling country. 
 
 The University of San Augustin is in 
 this place. It was incorporated in 1837, 
 and has two professors in the male de- 
 partment, and three instructors in the 
 female. 
 
 The Wcsleyan college has four in- 
 structors and a president, with depart- 
 ments for the two sexes. 
 
 Washington. — This town is situated 
 at the head of ordinary navigation on 
 the Brazos, one hundred and thirty- 
 three miles from Austin, and contains 
 about 3,000 irJjabitants, with a court- 
 house, four caurches, and a number of 
 large manufactoi'ies. 
 
 Nacogdoches, is sixty miles west of 
 the Sabine and two hundred and fifty 
 distant from Austin, near the head of 
 Angelina river. It was foi"merly a mili- 
 tary post, but is now a town of 2,000 
 inhabitants, and contains a university of 
 the same name, with two professors. 
 
 San Antonio de Bexar. — This place, 
 celebrated for the destruction of a band 
 of Texan soldiers in the Alamo or cita- 
 del, in the Mexican war, is ninety miles 
 south by west of Austin, on the upper 
 part of San Antonio river, and formerly 
 contained 8,000 inhabitants, but has now 
 only about 2,000. 
 
 Corpus Christi, two hundred and 
 fifty south of Austin, stands at the head 
 of a bay, and contains a population of 
 about 800, being connected with other 
 towns on the coasts by steamboats. 
 
 Bastrop. — This town stands on the 
 east side of Colorado river, where it is 
 crossed by the road to San Antonio, in 
 the midst of a rich prairie, and has 
 about 700 inhabitants. 
 
 Brazoria is on the right bank of the 
 Brazos river, about thirty miles above 
 the sea. It is a place of considerable 
 trade, and has about 900 inhabitants. 
 
 From Apiil to September the ther- 
 mometer, in did'erent parts of the state, ' 
 has been found at a general average to I 
 range from sixty-three to one hundred ' 
 degrees. These gieat heats, however, , 
 are tempered by continunl and strong | 
 breezes, which commence soon after 
 sunrise and continue till three or four \ 
 o'clock in the ufternoon, and the nights j 
 are cool throughout the year. 
 
 Among the natural curiosities of Texas i 
 are the " Cross Timbers," consisting of j 
 two lines of continuous forest, varying in I 
 width irom five to fifty miles, extending in 
 almost a direct line from the sources of 
 the Trinity noxthward to the Arkansas. | 
 
This state ib boiiiulcd noith by 
 Missouii, eibt hy the Mibbibbippi 
 ii\ei, dud bouth by Louisiana 
 
 It IS nitui illy tlivuled into tbiee 
 distiictb The tist pait is qeii- 
 eially k\cl , and, Ijinj? aloii^r the 
 Mibbibbippi, AVhite, fet Fiancis, 
 and Aikdiibas ineib, ib subject to 
 inundations in the spung Sonje 
 poitions of this section aie pi luie 
 land, but most of it ib co\eicd with 
 forests. When cleared, the soil 
 is generally good. The second or 
 middle district is watered by some 
 of the upper tributaries of the 
 White and Ouacliitta rivers, and the main part of the Arkansas and Red rivers, 
 riie surface is broken, but has large prairies. The third district, in the north 
 and northwest, is mountainous, but with extensive prairies intermingled. 
 
 This state is remarkably well supplied with navigable streams. The St. Fran- 
 cis comes in across the northern boundary, and after flowing one hundred and 
 twenty miles, falls into the Mississippi about sixty miles above the mouth of 
 White river. White river, which is a stream of much superior size, has its rise 
 in two branches north of this state, and, after a course of one hundred and twenty 
 miles, enters the Mississippi fifteen miles above the mouth of the Arkansas. 
 
 The Arkansas is navigable far into the interior, though considerably impeded 
 by falls. The Ouachitta is formed by the confluence of numerous branches, rising 
 in the Masserne mountains, between the Red river and Arkansas. It is naviga- 
 ble, when the water is high, for a distance of two hundred miles, including the 
 windings of the stream, in large boats. Red river has but a small part of its 
 course in this state, crossing the northwest corner. 
 
460 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS. 
 
 Several very extensive salt-prairies in 
 the interior affect the water of nictny of 
 the streams, which has a brackish taste. 
 Salt-springs are numerous. 
 
 The scenery along the Mississippi, in 
 this part of its course, is well described 
 in the following extract from the jour- 
 nal of a late English traveller : — 
 
 " The American forests are generally 
 remarkable for the entire absence of un- 
 derwood, so that they are easily pene- 
 trable by a foot-traveller, and generally 
 even by a mounted one. But in the 
 neighborhood of the Mississippi there 
 is, almost uniformly, a thick undei'- 
 growth of cane, varying in height from 
 four or five to about twenty feet, accord- 
 ing to the richness of the soil. Through 
 this thicket of cane I should think it 
 quite impossible to penetrate ; yet, I 
 have been assured, the Indians do so for 
 leagues together, though by what means 
 they contrive to guide their course, 
 where vision is manifestly impossible, 
 it is not easy to understand. 
 
 " It has been the fashion with travel- 
 lers to talk of the scenery of the Missis- 
 sippi as wanting grandeur and beauty. 
 Most certainly it has neither. But there 
 is no scenery on earth more striking. 
 The dreary and pestilential solitudes, 
 untrodden save by the foot of the In- 
 dian ; the absence of all living objects, 
 save the huge alligators which float past, 
 apparently asleep, on the drift-wood ; 
 and an occasional vulture, attracted by 
 its impui-e prey on the surface of the 
 waters ; the trees, with a long and hid- 
 eous drapery of pendent moss, fluttering 
 in the wind ; and the giant river, rolling 
 onward the vast volume of its dark and 
 turbid waters through the wilderness — 
 form the features of one of the most dis- 
 mal and impressive landscapes on which 
 
 the eye of man ever rested No 
 
 other river in the world drains so large 
 a portion of the earth's surface. It is 
 the ti'aveller of five thousand miles, more 
 than two thirds of the diameter of the 
 globe. The imagination asks, whence 
 come its waters, and whither tend they 1 
 They come from the distant regions of 
 a vast continent, where the foot of civil- 
 ized man has never yet been planted. 
 They flow into an ocean yet vaster, the 
 
 whole body of which acknowledges their 
 influence. Through what varieties of 
 climate have they passed 1 On what 
 scenes of lonely and sublime magnifi- 
 cence have they gazed ? In short, when 
 the traveller has asked and answered 
 these questions and a thousand others, it 
 will be time enough to consider how far 
 the scenery of the Mississippi would be 
 improved by the presence of I'ocks and 
 mountains. He may then be led to 
 doubt whether any great effect can be 
 produced by a combination of objects 
 
 of discordant character, however errand 
 
 . . . . ^ 
 in themselves. The imagination is, per- 
 haps, susceptible but of a single power- 
 ful impression at a time. Sublimity is 
 uniformly connected with unity of ob- 
 ject. Beauty may be produced by the 
 happy adaptation of a multitude of har- 
 monious details ; but the highest sub- 
 limity of effect can proceed but from one 
 glorious and paramount object, which 
 impresses its own character on every- 
 thing ai'ound. 
 
 " The prevailing character of the 
 Mississippi is that of solemn gloom. I 
 have trodden the passes of Alp and Ap- 
 ennine, yet never felt how awful a thing 
 is nature, till I v/as borne on its waters 
 throuofh resrions desolate and uninhab- 
 itable. Day after day, and night after 
 night, we continued driving right down- 
 ward to the south ; our vessel, like some 
 huge demon of the wilderness, bearing 
 fire in her bosom, and canopying the 
 eternal forest with the smoke of her nos- 
 trils. ... I passed my time in a sort of 
 dreamy contemplation. At night I as- 
 cended to the highest deck, and lay for 
 hours gazing listlessly on the sky, the 
 forest, and the waters, amid silence only 
 broken by the clanging of the engine. 
 All this was very pleasant ; yet, till I 
 reached New Orleans, I could scarcely 
 have smiled at the best joke in the 
 world ; and as for raising a laugh — it 
 would have been quite as easy to square 
 the circle. 
 
 " The bends or flexures of the Missis- 
 sippi are regular in a degree unknown 
 in any other river. The action of run- 
 ning water, in a vast alluvial plain like 
 that of the basin of the Mississippi, with- 
 out obstruction from rock or mountain. 
 
 \ 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS. 
 
 461 
 
 may be calculated with the utmost pre- 
 cision. Whenever the course of a river 
 diverges in any degree from a right line, 
 it is evident that the current can no long- 
 er act with equal force on both its banks. 
 On one side the impulse is diminished, 
 on the other increased. The tendency 
 in these sinuosities, thei'efore, is mani- 
 festly to increase, and the stream which 
 hollows out a portion of one bank, being 
 rejected to the other, the process of 
 curvature is still continued, till its chan- 
 nel presents an almost unvarying suc- 
 cession of salient and retiring angles. 
 
 " In the Mississippi the flexures are 
 so extremely great, that it often happens 
 that the isthmus which divides different 
 portions of the river gives way. A few 
 months before my visit to the south, a 
 remarkable case of this kind had hap- 
 pened, by which forty miles of naviga- 
 tion had been saved. The opening thus 
 formed was called the new cAit. Even 
 the annual changes which take place in 
 the bed of the Mississippi are very re- 
 markable. Islands spring up and dis- 
 appear ; shoals suddenly present them- 
 selves where pilots have been accus- 
 tomed to deep water; in many places, 
 whole acres are swept away from one 
 bank and added to the other ; and the 
 pilot assured me that in every voyage 
 he could perceive fresh changes. 
 
 " Many circumstances contribute to 
 render these changes more rapid in 
 the Mississippi than in any other river. 
 Among these, perhaps the greatest is 
 the vast volume of its waters, acting on 
 alluvial matter, peculiarly penetrable. 
 The river, when in flood, spreads over 
 the neighboring country, in which it 
 has formed channels called bayous. The 
 banks thus become so saturated with 
 watei*, that they can oppose little resist- 
 ance to the action of the current, which 
 frequently sweeps off large portions of 
 the forest. 
 
 " The immense quantity of drift-wood 
 is another cause of change. Floating 
 logs encounter some obstacle in the 
 river, and become stationary. The mass 
 gradually accumulates ; the water, sat- 
 urated with mud, deposites a sediment ; 
 and thus an island is formed, which soon 
 becomes covered with vegetation. A 
 
 few years ago, the Mississippi was sur- 
 veyed by order of the government, and 
 its islands, from the confluence of the 
 Missouri to the sea, were numbered. I 
 remember asking the pilot the name of 
 a very beautiful island, and the answer 
 was, * Five-hundred-and-seventy-three,' 
 the number assigned to it in the hydro- 
 graphical survey, and the only name by 
 which it was known. 
 
 " A traveller on the Mississippi has 
 little to record in the way of incident. 
 For a week we continued our course, 
 stopping only to take in wood, and on 
 occasion to take in cargo. 
 
 *' One of the most striking circum- 
 stances connected with this river-voyage 
 was the rapid change of climate. Barely 
 ten days had elapsed since I was trav- 
 ersing mountains almost impassable from 
 snow. Even the level country was par- 
 tially covered with it, and the approach 
 of spi'ing had not been heralded by any 
 symptom of vegetation. Yet in little 
 more than a week I found myself in the 
 region of the sugai'canes. 
 
 " The progress of this transition was 
 remarkable. During the first two days 
 of the voyage, nothing like a blossom 
 or a green leaf was to be seen. On the 
 third, slight signs of vegetation were 
 visible on a few of the hardier trees. 
 These gradually became more general 
 as we approached the Mississippi ; but 
 then, though our course lay almost due 
 south, little change was apparent for a 
 day or two. But after passing Mem- 
 phis, in latitude thirty-five degrees, all 
 nature became alive. The trees which 
 grew on any little eminence, or which 
 did not spring immediately from the 
 swamp, were covered with foliage; and 
 at our wooding-times, when I rambled 
 through the woods, there were a thou- 
 sand shrubs already bursting into flower. 
 On reaching the lower regions of the 
 Mississippi, all was brightness and ver- 
 dure. Summer had already begun, and 
 the heat was even disagreeably intense. 
 
 " Shortly after entering Louisiana, 
 the whole wildness of the Mississippi 
 disappears. The banks are all culti- 
 vated, and nothing was to be seen but 
 plantations of sugai", cotton, and rice, 
 with the houses of their owners, and "^he 
 
46vJ 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS. 
 
 Rocky Bluffs on the Mississippi. 
 
 little adjoining hamlets inhabited by the 
 slaves. Here and there were orchards 
 of orange-trees, but these occurred too 
 seldom to have much influence on the 
 landscape." 
 
 Rocky Bluffs. — In some parts the 
 banks of the Mississippi present an as- 
 pect widely different from that of the 
 prevailing scenery in this state. At 
 that point especially which is represent- 
 ed in the above engraving, the eye is 
 struck by bold outlines rising far above 
 the ordinary level of the alluvion. The 
 three rocky bluffs here seen standing 
 side by side, at equal distances and of 
 nearly equal size, are terminated in small 
 horizontal terraces, which seem to in- 
 dicate that they are the remains of an 
 ancient high plain, elsewhere torn away 
 or sunk by some tremendous convulsion 
 of nature. These eminences stand like 
 castles, fal.-ricated by gigantic hands, or 
 cut out of the living rock, with sides 
 leniarkab^y perpendicular, smooth, and 
 uniform ; and the crevices which here 
 and there mark the surface, occur at 
 such points and of such forms as to bear 
 a considerable resemblance to windows, 
 loopholes, and embrasures. 
 
 The picturesque effect of these bluffs 
 is much increased by their singulai'ity, 
 and the extreme rarity of eminences of 
 all kinds along the lower parts of the riv- 
 er's course. The narrow belt of low- 
 land which intervenes between the water 
 and the bases of the rocks, with the scat- 
 tering trees and groves by which it is 
 partly shaded, and the masses of forest- 
 fuliage which form the background, com- 
 bine to render this wild scene one of the 
 most striking and pleasing to the eye 
 of the traveller. 
 
 In the water is seen one of the flat- 
 bottomed boats before mentioned. They 
 are constructed with skill, and well serve 
 the purpose for which they are designed, 
 although formed of boards fastened by 
 a few timbers. Being filled with large 
 quantities of various articles, they float 
 down to New Orleans with the current, 
 and seldom suffer injury on the way. 
 
 There is an Indian tradition that the 
 Kansas tribe were utterly destroyed at 
 this place by their enemies. Their to- 
 tem, or pretended guardian spirit, was 
 a white fawn. An animal of this de- 
 scription, it was said, afterward haunted 
 the spot at night. 
 
 \ 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS. 
 
 463 
 
 Description op a Prairie, by Al- 
 bert Pike. — The world of pi'airie which 
 lies at a distance of more than three 
 hundred miles west of the inhabited poi'- 
 tions of the United States, and south of 
 the river Arkansas and its branches, has 
 been rarely, and parts of it never, trod- 
 den by the foot, or beheld by the eye, 
 of an Anglo-American. Rivers rise 
 there, in the broad level waste, of which, 
 mighty though they become in their 
 course, the source is unexplored. Des- 
 erts are there, too barren of grass to 
 support even the hardy buffalo, and in 
 which water, except in here and there 
 a hole, is never found. Ranged over 
 by the Camanches, the Pawnees, and 
 Caiwas, and other equally wandering, 
 savage, and hostile tribes, its very name 
 is a mystery and a terror. The Paw- 
 nees have their villages entirely north 
 of this part of the country ; and the war 
 parties, always on foot, are seldom to 
 be met with to the south of the Cana- 
 dian, except close in upon the edges of 
 the white and civilized Indian settle- 
 ments. Extending on the south to the 
 Rio del Norte, on the north to a distance 
 unknown, eastwardly to within thi-ee or 
 four hundred miles of the edge of Ar- 
 kansas territory, and westwardly to the 
 Rocky mountains, is the range of the 
 Camanches. Abundantly supplied with 
 good horses from the immense herds of 
 the prairie, they range, at different times 
 of the year, over the whole of this vast 
 country. Their war and hunting par- 
 ties follow the buffalo continually. In 
 the winter they may be found in the 
 south, encamped along the Rio del Norte, 
 and under the mountains ; and in the 
 summer on the Canadian, and to the 
 north of it, and on the Pecos. Some- 
 times they haunt the Canadian in the 
 winter, but not so commonly as in the 
 summer. It is into this great Ameri- 
 can desert that I wish to conduct my 
 readers. 
 
 Imagine yourself standing in a plain 
 to which your eye can see no bounds. 
 Not a tree, nor a bush, not a shrub, nor 
 a tall weed, lifts its head above the bar- 
 ren grandeur of the desert ; not a stone 
 is to be seen upon its hai-d-beaten sur- 
 face ; no undulations, no abruptness, no 
 
 break, to relieve the monotony — noth- 
 ing, save here and there a deep nai'row 
 track, worn into the hard plain by the 
 constant hoof of the buffalo. Imagine, 
 then, countless herds of buffalo, showing 
 their unwieldly, dark shapes, in evei'y 
 direction as far as the eye can reach, and 
 approaching at times to within forty 
 steps of you ; or a herd of wild horses 
 feeding in the distance, or hurrying away 
 from the hateful smell of man, with their 
 manes floating, and a trampling like 
 thunder. Imagine here and there a sol- 
 itary antelope, or perhaps a whole herd, 
 fleeting off in the distance, like the scat- 
 tering of white clouds. Imagine bands 
 of white, snow-like wolves, prowling 
 about, accompanied by the little gray 
 collotes or prairie-wolves, who are as 
 rapacious and as noisy as their bigger 
 brethren. Imagine, also, here and there 
 a lonely tiger-cat, lying crouched in 
 some little hollow, or bounding off in 
 triumph, bearing some luckless little 
 prairie-dog, which it has caught strag- 
 gling about at a distance from his hole. 
 If to this you add a band of Camanches, 
 mounted on noble swift horses, with 
 their long lances, their quiver at the 
 back, their bow, perhaps their gun, and 
 their shield ornamented gaudily with 
 feathers and red cloth, and round as Ner- 
 val's, or as the full moon ; and imagine 
 them hovering about in different places, 
 chasing the buffalo or attacking an en- 
 emy — you have an image of the prairie, 
 such as no book ever described ade- 
 quately to me. 
 
 I have seen the prairie under all its 
 diversities, and in all its appearances, 
 from those which I have described, to 
 the uneven, bushy prairies which lie 
 south of Red rivei, and to the illimit- 
 able Stake prairie, which lies from al- 
 most under the shadow of the mountains 
 to the heads of the Brazos and of Red 
 river, and in which neither buffaloes nor 
 horses are to be found. I have seen 
 the prairie, and lived in it, in summer 
 and in winter. I have seen it with the 
 sun rising calmly from its breast, like 
 a sudden fire kindled in the dim distance, 
 and with the sunset flushing in the sky 
 with quiet and sublime beauty. There 
 is less of the gorgeous and grand char- 
 
acter, however, belonging to it, than 
 that which accompanies the rise and set 
 of the sun upon the ocean, or upon the 
 mountains ; but there are beauty and 
 sublimity enough to attract the atten- 
 tion and interest the mind. 
 
 I have also seen the mirage, painting 
 lakes, and fires, and groves, on the grassy 
 ridges near the bounds of Missouri, in 
 the still autumn afternoon, and cheating 
 the traveller by its splendid deceptions. 
 I have seen the prairie, and stood long 
 and weary guard in it, by moonlight and 
 starlight, and in storm. It strikes me 
 as the most magnificent, stern, and ter- 
 ribly grand scene on earth. A storm in 
 the prairie is much like a storm at sea, 
 except in one respect — and in that it 
 seems to me to be superior — the still- 
 ness of the desert and illimitable plain, 
 while the snow is raging over its sur- 
 face, is always more fearful to me than 
 ♦he wild roll of the waves ; and it seems 
 unnatural — this dead quiet, while the 
 upper elements are so fiercely disturbed ! 
 it seems as if there ought to be the roll 
 and roar of the waves. The sea, the 
 woods, the mountains, all suffer in com- 
 parison with the praii'ie — that is, on 
 the whole ; in particular circumstances, 
 either of them is superior. We may 
 speak of the incessant motion and tu- 
 mult of the waves of the ocean ; the un- 
 bounded greenness and dimness, and the 
 lonely music, of the forests ; and the 
 high magnificence, the precipitous gi-an- 
 deur, and the summer snow of the glit- 
 tering cones of the mountains : but still 
 the prairie has a stronger hold upon 
 the soul, and a more powerful, if not so 
 vivid an impression upon the feelings. 
 Its sublimity arises from its unbounded 
 extent — its barren monotony and desola- 
 tion — its still, unmoved, calm, stern, and 
 most impi'essive grandeur — its strange 
 power of deception — its want of echo — 
 and, in fine, its power of throwing a man 
 back upon himself, and giving him a 
 feeling of lone helplessness, strangely 
 mingled at the same time with a feeling 
 of liberty and freedom from restraint. 
 It is particularly sublime as you draw 
 ni<Th to the Rocky mountains, and see 
 them shoot up in the west, with their 
 lofty tops looking like white clouds rest- 
 
 ing upon their summits. Nothing ever 
 equalled the intense feeling of delimit 
 with which I at first saw the eternal 
 mountains marking the western edge of 
 the desert. 
 
 The constitution of the state of Ar- 
 kansas was adopted in 1836, in which 
 year it was admitted into the Union. 
 The governor is chosen for four years, 
 and prohibited to hold office more than 
 eight years in twelve. Senators are 
 chosen for four years by the people, and 
 representatives for two years. Elec- 
 tions are made viva voce. The senate 
 can never consist of fewer than seven- 
 teen members, or more than thirty-three ; 
 the house of representatives from fifty- 
 four to one hundred. The legislature 
 meets once in two years. Judges of 
 the supreme court are appointed by the 
 legislature for eight years, those of the 
 circuit court for four years. The judges 
 of the county courts are chosen by jus- 
 tices of the peace. 
 
 Every white male citizen of the 
 United States is entitled to vote after a 
 residence of two years. 
 
 There are ten academies and one hun- 
 dred and fifty common schools in the 
 state. 
 
 Little Rock. — This town is the cap- 
 ital of Arkansas, and is situated on the 
 right bank of the Arkansas river, on an 
 elevated and rocky bluff", one hundred 
 and fifty feet above its level. The dis- 
 tance from New Orleans by the course 
 of the stream is nine hundred and five 
 miles. This is the first place, west of 
 the Mississippi, v.hcre rocks present 
 themselves above the surface of the im- 
 mense alluvion which lies on its west- 
 ern border. 
 
 The town contains the statehouse, the 
 penitentiary, an arsenal of the United 
 States, a land-office, two banks, five 
 churches, a theatre, an academy, and 
 over four thousand inhabitants. 
 
 Steamboats go to New Orleans, and 
 up the river to Fort Gibson. Stage- 
 coaches leave the town three times a 
 week for Washington ; and also for Van 
 Buren, St. Louis via IJatesville, and 
 Frederickstown (Missouri) ; and twice 
 a week for Rock Koe, whence steam- 
 boats go to New Orleans. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS. 
 
 465 
 
 Arkansas Post is on the left bank of 
 Arkansas river, six hundred and eighty- 
 five miles above New Orleans. It stands 
 on an elevated piece of ground, and has 
 a courthouse with about two hundred 
 inhabitants. Steamboats run hence t^ 
 Little Rock and New Orleans. 
 
 Hei-ena. — This is a small town on 
 the bank of the Mississippi, and con dins 
 about five hundred inhabitants. It has 
 a land-office and a courthouse. Steam- 
 boats touch from New Orleans and the 
 principal cities of the Mississippi and 
 its branches. 
 
 Hot Springs is six miles north of 
 Ouachitta river, and sixty miles distant 
 from Little Rock. It contains about 
 one hundred inhabitants with a court- 
 house. It is situated near a mountain, 
 from the base of which, on the western 
 side, flow the springs which have given 
 a name and celebrity to the place ; they 
 are about fifty in number, and empty 
 into a small stream, which is one of the 
 branches of the Ouachitta. The springs 
 are warm, differing in temperature from 
 one hundi-ed and ten to one hundred and 
 fifty degrees Fahrenheit, and bear a 
 high character for their restorative qual- 
 ities, especially in chronic rheumatism, 
 scrofula, gout, and several cutaneous 
 affections. 
 
 Good accommodations are provided 
 for visiters, who resort to the place in 
 considerable numbers. 
 
 The Chahjheate Springs are three 
 miles northeast of the Hot springs, and 
 are no less esteemed. The water is 
 cold, and impregnated with iron. 
 
 The Sulphur Springs, thirty miles 
 from Hot springs, have been known only 
 a short time. 
 
 Statistics. — According to the census 
 of 1840, the whole amount of the popu- 
 lation of the state was 97,574 ; of whom 
 there were 42,211 white males, 34,963 
 white females, 19,935 slaves, and 465 
 free colored persons. By the census of 
 1850, the population of Arkansas was, 
 162,225 whites, 590 free-colored persons, 
 and 45,075 slaves; total 207,890. 
 
 Indians. — Some poor remains of 
 tribes once inhabiting the fertile fields 
 of Arkansas, ai'e still tu be seen, but in a 
 dearraded and wretched condition. The 
 
 following translations of speeches made 
 many years ago by two chiefs, one of 
 them belonging to the Arkansas nation, 
 too plainly indicate the destructive ef- 
 fects of demoralizing intercourse on the 
 one hand, and of the wars by which 
 they wei-e reduced to subjection on the 
 other. 
 
 The following is a speech of an In- 
 dian, from the Arkansas tribe, directed 
 to Bossu, a Frenchman. In the year 
 1770, Bossu, of whom we have a good 
 account of his travels through North 
 America, visited the Arkansas tribe, 
 among whom he had formerly lived many 
 years. They received him in the most 
 friendly manner. After dinner, an In- 
 dian orator arose, and showing hia re- 
 spect to the chief and the nation, thus 
 addi-essed Bossu : " It is a long time, 
 Father, that we have not seen thy face. 
 Our whole nation rejoices to see thee 
 walk again on our earth, which is white, 
 and has never been stained with the 
 blood of thy nation. All thy children, 
 the Arkansas, have wept for thee, not 
 knowing what fate, since fourteen har- 
 vests and six moons, had met ihee. 
 We hope now that thou wilt no more 
 cross the great salty sea, in order to re- 
 turn to the great village of the French- 
 men, where thou hast been, and where, 
 according to reports, thou wast impris- 
 oned in a locked cottage (called Bastile), 
 because bad reports were raised against 
 thee through the speaking bark," mean- 
 ing letters. "If thou hadst remained 
 with us, this would not have happened 
 to thee. Here the strong does not op- 
 press the weak. The malicious is not 
 happy, and good men are not punished. 
 Here the red men do not kill their breth- 
 ren, as the white men do, for land and 
 yellow iron," meaning gold, " which we 
 despise. Here the earth nourishes us, 
 which we cultivate, without trouble. 
 Those to whom it gives the most, do not 
 treasure up their harvest of potatoes, 
 maize, or Indian corn, in order to obtain 
 advantage from the misfortunes of oth- 
 ers, and to rob them of their provisions, 
 like the Europeans. On the contrary, 
 the Arkansas rejoice if they can sup 
 port widows, orphans, the aged, and the 
 helpless. Here we live contented, with- 
 
 30 
 
466 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS 
 
 out being tormented by burning pas- 
 sions, like the white men, and without 
 committing murders or terrific crimes. 
 Every one is here subject to the will 
 of the great Spirit. Here, every man 
 serves him, in the best manner, in a 
 plain temple without decorations, under 
 the shade of an ancient green tree, from 
 which flows an odoriferous gum. Re- 
 main for ever with us, and let our people 
 be thy people." 
 
 In the year ] 720, a savage, from the 
 Chitimachas nation, had murdered a 
 French missionary. Bienville, govei'- 
 nor of Louisiana, declared and made 
 war against the whole nation. Peace 
 was obtained, on presenting the head 
 of the murderer. In producing the cal- 
 umet of peace, one of the Indians ad- 
 dressed the governor thus : " My heart 
 laughs for joy to see thy face. All of 
 us have heard the word of peace which 
 thou hast sent. The heart of the whole 
 nation laughs so for joy, as to hear it 
 beat. Our women, in this moment, have 
 forgotten the past, and have danced, and 
 our children have jumped like young 
 fawns. On thy command, we will run 
 and jump, like deer, to please thee. O 
 how beautiful is the suti to-day, in com- 
 parison with that time when thou wast 
 angry at us ! How dangerous is a bad 
 man ! Thou knowest that only one has 
 killed the praying chief," the mission- 
 arj, " whose death has brought our best 
 warriors to the grave. We are only 
 left with old men, women, and children, 
 who stretch forth their hands to thee as 
 a good fither. The gall which for- 
 merly filled thy heart has been changed 
 into honey. The great Spirit is no more 
 angry against our nation. 
 
 " Thou hast requested the head of 
 the bad man, to make peace, and we 
 have sent it. Heretofore the sun was 
 red, the road was covered with briers 
 and thorns, the clouds were black, the 
 water thick and colored with blood. Our 
 women wept, without cessation, over 
 their dying men and relations, and were 
 afraid even to fetch wood, to prepare 
 our food. Our children wept for fear; 
 our wari'iors were under arms, at the 
 least screech of the night-owl, and they 
 slept in no other manner than with their 
 
 tomahawks in their hands. Our wig- 
 wams were forsaken, and our fields were 
 uncultivated. We all appeared with 
 empty stomachs and long faces. The 
 venison took flight before us ; the ser- 
 pents hissed for anger, and lengthened 
 their stings ; the birds, nestling near our 
 wigwams, by their mournful voices san"^ 
 obituary tunes. But to-day, the sun is 
 brilliant, the sky is clear, the clouds 
 have moved, the roads are covered with 
 roses, our gardens and fields will be 
 cultivated, and we will offer to the great 
 Spirit the firstlings of their fruits. The 
 water is so clear that it represents to us 
 our image ; the serpents take flight, or 
 are changed into eels ; the birds rejoice 
 as by their sweet song; our women and 
 children dance and jump, that they for- 
 get to eat and drink. The heart of the 
 whole nation laughs for joy, that, at 
 present, we thy people can walk united 
 on the same road. The same sun will 
 give light to us both. We will have but 
 one united word, and our hearts shall 
 be one. Whoever will kill the French- 
 men, them will we kill. Our warriors 
 shall go hunting to kill venison for tl»sm, 
 and then we will eat all together. Is 
 this not good 1 What dost thou say to 
 this, father V 
 
 When we take into view the extent 
 of the territory of this state, with its 
 variety of surface and soil — the number, 
 directions, and navigable character of 
 its streams, and the favorable nature of 
 the climate — we can not but anticipate a 
 rapid increase in population and wealth. 
 Unfavorable circumstances indeed exist, 
 but not greater than in many older states 
 in its neighborhood, which have made, 
 and are still making, great advances. 
 
 Early and due attention to public 
 education and moral improvement, can 
 hardly be overlooked by the intelligent, 
 virtuous, and public-spirited inhabitants 
 of Arkansas ; and here, as elsewhere, 
 they will prove the most solid founda- 
 tions of permanent prosperity. With 
 so many sad warnings as are here pre- 
 sented, on the one hand, of the dangers 
 of delay, and, on the other, the noble 
 examples set by some other stntes, the 
 Americans have enough to show them 
 "in what their great strength lieth." 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE. 
 
 467 
 
 This state is bounded north 
 by Kentucky, northeast by Vir- 
 ginia, east by North Carolina, 
 southeast by Georgia, southwest 
 by Mississippi, west by the Mis- 
 sissippi river, which separates it 
 from Arkansas, and northwest 
 by Missouri. The main Appa- 
 lachian ridge forms the boundary 
 line for one hundred and sixty- 
 eight miles, from the south bor- 
 der of Virginia to Macon county; 
 and the entire outline is 1,171 
 miles. It is between 35^ and 
 36^ 7' north latitude, and 4° 39' 
 and 13^ 14' west longitude from Washington. The longest straight line that can 
 be drawn in this state, is from the northeast to the southwest corner — south sev- 
 enty-seven degrees by calculation — almost five hundred miles. The mean length 
 of the state is four hundred miles; the mean breadth, one hundred and fourteen; 
 and the mean area, forty-five thousand six hundred, or above twenty-nine millions 
 of square acres. 
 
 This state is divided into two natural sections. The first and smaller occupies 
 a large part of the valley of Tennessee river, and is two hundred and eighty 
 miles long from southwest to northeast, with a medium breadth of fifty-seven 
 miles, which embraces a little less than one third of the state. Its southern 
 limit is the ridge of Cumberland mountains, and it is elevated, cool, and diversi- 
 fied in surface, with a good soil, pure air, and an abundance of excellent water. 
 It deserves to be ranked am^ng the most attractive portions of the United States. 
 The climate forbids the culture of the staples of the lower and warmer parts of 
 the more southern districts", and grasses and grain are more natural to it. This 
 
468 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE. 
 
 section has a rapid declivity toward the 
 southwest, and is, in fact, the reverse 
 side of the southern and highest section 
 of Kentucky, which occupies the north 
 slope of the same ridge. 
 
 The western section, embracing above 
 two thirds of the state and called West- 
 ern Tennessee, is subdivided by its riv- 
 ers into two parts, the northern of which 
 embraces parts of the Cumberland and 
 Tennessee valleys, the area lying in the 
 former being eleven thousand nine hun- 
 dred square miles, and that in the lat- 
 ter ten thousand square miles. Central 
 Tennessee has a declivity toward the 
 west, though Tennessee river has there 
 a north course. Beyond that region. 
 Western Tennessee slopes toward the 
 Mississippi, into which it is drained. 
 That portion of the state has a super- 
 ficies of seven thousand, seven hundred 
 and forty square miles, and contains the 
 following rivers, which empty into the 
 Mississippi : the Obion, Forked Deer, 
 Big Hatchee, and Wolf These streams 
 have a remarkable resemblance in their 
 courses, all of them flowing in parallel 
 curves, first northwest, then west, and 
 finally southwest. The declivity down 
 which they flow rises at about the dis- 
 tance of twenty-five miles west of Ten- 
 nessee river, and descends westward by 
 a gentle slope. 
 
 This state, when first known to white 
 men, was covered with a thick forest, in 
 which the growth varied greatly, ac- 
 cording to the various elevation, soil, 
 and relative situation of different parts. 
 These are very diversified, from the 
 highest points of Cumberland mountains 
 to the rich valleys beside the principal 
 rivers, and the low, inundated banks of 
 the Mississippi. 
 
 History. — The whole territory of 
 Tennessee was embraced by the second 
 charter of North Carolina, granted by 
 Charles the Second in 1664 ; but the 
 first settlement was made in 1754. This 
 was not a permanent one ; for the few 
 families composing it, being much ex- 
 posed to the Indians in their remote po- 
 sition on Cumberland river, were oljliged 
 to abandon it in the French war. In 
 1757, Fort London was erected on the 
 Little Tennessee river, about a mile 
 
 above the mouth of Tellico river, now 
 in Blount county. This was attacked 
 and taken by the savages in 1760, when 
 two hundred persons, of different ages 
 and both sexes, were killed. In the 
 following year, however. Grant's expe- 
 dition reduced the Indians, and estab- 
 lished a permanent state of tranquillity 
 by treaty, which encouraged the peopling 
 of the country. In 1765, settlements 
 were commenced on the Holston, which 
 increased rapidly in spite of the oppo- 
 sition made by the natives. 
 
 When the revolution began, the inhab- 
 itants, led by Colonel John Sevier, made 
 a successful resistance to the encroach- 
 ments of the savages ; and, assisted by 
 a few Virgin! troops, defeated them in 
 the month of Tune, 1776. Difficulties, 
 however, continued through the war. 
 
 Delegates from Tennessee appeared 
 in the first assembly of the state of North 
 Carolina, and some of her soldiers as- 
 sisted in i-he defeat of the British and 
 tory army at King's mountain, on the 
 7th of October, 1780. So great, how- 
 ever, were the obstacles in the way of 
 a settlement of West Tennessee, that 
 the site and vicinity of Nashville were a 
 wilderness in 1779, 
 
 North Carolina made a provisional 
 cession of the territory of this state to 
 the United States in 1784, This act 
 was soon repealed, but the people ad- 
 hered to their favorite plan ; and, as 
 North Carolina persevered in her oppo- 
 sition to their independence, the country 
 suffered from the evils of an uncertain 
 and unsettled government. The people 
 adopted the name of Frankland for the 
 country; but in 1790 the territory was 
 ceded to the United States, and disor- 
 ders ceased. It received the name of 
 the territory southwest of the river Ohio. 
 The first printing-press was introduced 
 at Rogersville in November, 1791, and 
 on the 5th of that month the Knoxville 
 Gazette appeared — the first newspaper 
 in Tennessee, 
 
 Minerals. — Tennessee abounds in 
 gypsum and marble of different colors ; 
 and burr-millstones are quarried in some 
 parts of the Cumberland mountains. 
 Iron mines are numerous, and several 
 lead mines have been worked. Salt- 
 
 ^ 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE. 
 
 469 
 
 springs are known in many places, but 
 they are not of sufficient strength to 
 be very valuable. Saltpetre abounds in 
 caves. 
 
 HarpetJi Ridge. — In a recent explora- 
 tion in this region (which is in Davidson 
 county), in company with the geological 
 class of the college, new evidences were 
 discovered of the correctness of what 
 has been said of these formations — in 
 the American Journal of Science, No. 2, 
 new series, p. 222 — in relation to their 
 relative age, position, and identity with 
 the corresponding formations of Ohio 
 and New York, The rocks in this vi- 
 cinity correspond with the blue shaly 
 limestone of Cincinnati and the sur- 
 rounding region, above which, in the 
 knobs and ridges in Middle Tennessee, 
 we find a stratum, of a few feet in thick- 
 ness, corresponding with the red en- 
 crinital limestone of the Niagara group. 
 New York ; succeeding which, in most 
 places, are the water-lime, Onondaga 
 limestone, and Marcellus shale, of the 
 New York geologists, which correspond 
 with the water-lime, cliff-limestone, and 
 black shale, of Louisville, Kentucky. 
 Immediately upon the shale was found 
 a stratum composed almost entirely of 
 the columns of encrinites, and occasion- 
 ally a beautiful head, which, from the 
 disintegration of the rock, may be found 
 detached and upon the surface. In this 
 formation at Louisville have been found 
 eight or ten undescribed species of en- 
 crinites, some of which Dr. Troost, state 
 geologist of Tennessee, has figured and 
 described for the memoirs of the Geo- 
 logical society of France. 
 
 Above the lastmentioned rock occurs 
 a layer of dark-brown slate, a few feet 
 in thickness, containing the strophomena 
 sctigera, and tentaculites fissurella, prob- 
 ably corresponding with the Genesee 
 slate of New York. This is succeeded 
 by olive shales and sandstone, corre- 
 sponding with the portage gi'oup of New 
 York. 
 
 In the year 1846 a skeleton was dis- 
 covered in Tennessee, which was at 
 first reported to be a fossil giant. An 
 examination of it, however, by scien- 
 tific men, soon detected the error. We 
 copy the following "remarks on the 
 
 fossil bones recently brought to Nev/' 
 Orleans from Tennessee." 
 
 " The * Gigantic Fossil,' — Consicl- 
 able interest has been recently excited 
 by the announcement of the discovery 
 in Tennessee of the remains of a man 
 eighteen feet high. The papers teem 
 with accounts of the prodigy, and pub- 
 lic confidence was secured by the as- 
 sertion that the distinguished physicians 
 of the west had testified that they were 
 human remains. About the last of De- 
 cember these remains reached this city ; 
 and on the first of January I was re- 
 quested by a distinguished surgeon here 
 to go with him, on the invitation of the 
 proprietor, to examine them, and give 
 an opinion. They had been erected in a 
 high room ; the skeleton was sustained 
 in its erect position by a large upright 
 beam of timber. At a glance it was 
 apparent that it was nothing more than 
 the skeleton of a young mastodon (one 
 of Godman's tetracaulodons, with sock- 
 ets for four tusks). The bones of the 
 leg and ankle were complete, the met- 
 atarsal bones wanting. The bones of 
 the anterior extremities were complete to 
 the metacarpal bones, which were pres- 
 ent in one leg, the phalanges wanting. 
 Most of the vertebrae were present ; the 
 ribs mostly of wood. The pelvic ar- 
 rangement was entirely of wood ; the 
 scapulae were present, but somewhat 
 broken, and were rigged on with a most 
 human-like elevation, pieces of ribs sup- 
 plying the want of clavicles. The os- 
 seous parts of the head were poi'tions, 
 nearly complete, of the upper and lower 
 jaws. Some of the molars were quite 
 complete ; of the tusks, only one little 
 stump remained, but the four alveoli of 
 the upper jaw had large incisive-look- 
 ing wooden teeth fitted into them, and 
 the lower jaw supplied to correspond. 
 The cranium was entirely wanting from 
 the lower margin of the orbits, back ; 
 but a raw-hide cranium was fitted on, 
 which was much more becoming to the 
 animal in his new capacity than the old 
 jne would have been. 
 
 The artificial construction was prin- 
 cipally in the pelvis and head; and, 
 taking it as thus built up — in its half- 
 human, half-beastlike look, with its great 
 
470 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE. 
 
 hooked, incisive teeth — it certainly must 
 have conveyed to the ignorant spectator 
 a most horrible idea of a hideous, dia- 
 bolical giant, of which he dreamed, no 
 doubt, for months. To one informed in 
 such matters, it really presented a most 
 ludicrous figure. 
 
 " The person who had it for exhi- 
 bition was honest, I believe, in his con- 
 victions as to its being the remains of a 
 man, having been confirmed in them by 
 immerous physicians, whose certificates 
 he liad in his possession ; and, having 
 asked and received my opinion, he de- 
 termined to box it up, never again to 
 be exhibited as the remains of a human 
 being." 
 
 Dr. Troost endeavors to show that 
 the bodies which have been found in the 
 caves of Tennessee are not probably 
 mummies, but merely dried cadavers, 
 exhibiting no marks of embahning or art- 
 ificial preparation. He doubts whether 
 one of these, which he examined, was 
 even of remote antiquity. The other 
 questi(jn is respecting the numerous 
 graves found in the western states some 
 years ago, and which were said to con- 
 tain the remains of an extinct pigmy 
 race of human beings. Dr. Troost sup- 
 poses these graves to contain the col- 
 lected bones of the slain in battle. The 
 Indian custom was to carry theii* slain 
 to their own towns, and hang them up 
 in mats on trees. At their general burn- 
 ing festivals, the liones thus preserved 
 were collected and buried, " and thence 
 in my opinion," says the doctor, " those 
 numerous small graves which are attrib- 
 uted, but I believe erroneously, to pig- 
 mies. I have opened numbers of these 
 small graves, and have found them filled 
 with a parcel of mouldered bones, which, 
 judging from some fragments I have 
 seen, belonged to common-sized men. 
 In one of them I found, among these 
 mouldered bones, two occipital bones ; 
 of course, it was a mere mixture of 
 bones belonging to more than one body. 
 These bones lay without any order." 
 The doctor thert considers the circum- 
 stances attending the ancient and exten- 
 sive burying-grounds found in Tennes- 
 see. He mentions one near Nashville, 
 about a mile in length and of unknown 
 
 breadth, in which is found stone coffins 
 so close to one another, that each corpse 
 is separated from its neighbor by only 
 a single stone, tlie side of one coffin 
 forming one of the sides of the next. 
 In a circle of about ten miles in diam- 
 eter, there are six extensive burying- 
 grounds. These graves are supposed to 
 contain the remains of an extinct race. 
 The extinct race is supposed to have 
 been less civilized than the Indians who 
 wei'e found here at the time of Colum- 
 bus. This is inferred from the trinkets 
 and utensils found in the graves being 
 of a very rude construction, and all 
 formed of some natural product — none 
 of metal. Dr. Troost says that the 
 examination of these trinkets, &c., has 
 created in him an opinion that the peo- 
 ple to whom they belonged, and in whose 
 graves they are found, came from some 
 tropical country, and adduces many co- 
 gent reasons for thinking so. That they 
 were idolaters, and, from their idols — 
 several of which ai'e in tlie possession 
 of Dr. Troost — acquainted with some 
 of the idolatrous mysteries of the Egyp- 
 tian and other eastern nations, is very 
 evident. This would seem to indicate 
 that the earliest inhabitants of this con- 
 tinent had an eastern origin, and is cor- 
 roborative of a common opinion. 
 
 Caverns. — The caves may well be 
 ranked among the natural curiosities of 
 the country. One is four hundred feet 
 deep, with a stream of pure water at the 
 bottom ; and one cave, on one of the 
 peaks of Cumberland mountains, is of 
 greater extent than is yet known. Some 
 of them are several miles in extent, and 
 present sides and roofs of remarkable 
 uniformity, with the appearance of hav- 
 ing been cut by art, or worn by the 
 washing of streams. One has been ex- 
 plored for a distance of ten miles. 
 
 Statistics. — According to the census 
 of 1840, the population of the state was 
 829,210; of whom there were 325,434 
 white males; 315,193 white females; 
 183,059 slaves; 2,796 free colored per- 
 sons. According to the census of 1850, 
 the populaiion was 767,319 whites, 6,280 
 free colored persons, and 249,519 slaves ; 
 total 1,023,118. 
 
 Furnaces. — An official report to the 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE StATE OF TENNESSEE. 
 
 471 
 
 legislatui'e of Tennessee sets down the 
 capital employed in the iron business 
 at $4,100,000, and the annual products 
 at the same amount. Three fourths of 
 this capital is employed in Middle Ten- 
 nessee. On the Cumberland river, near 
 Nashville, there are *' twenty-one blast- 
 furnaces, eleven forges, and three splen- 
 did rolling-mills, which yield annually 
 about $800,000." On the Tennessee 
 river " there are twelve furnaces, and 
 eight forges and bloomeries, which pro- 
 duce about 180,000 tons annually." 
 
 The agricultural products of Tennes- 
 see are in value $57,551,820; while 
 those of Ohio are only $57,899,390, and 
 of New York 57,685,400 : showing Ten- 
 nessee to be the third state in the Union 
 in productive wealth. 
 
 The ordinary re\enue of the state in 
 1850 was $200,000. 
 
 " The original settlers," says a late in- 
 telligent letter- writer, "came of a good 
 stock. A strong religious, puritan-like 
 character was that of the leading men 
 among them ; and although multiplied 
 sects have since sprung up, there is a 
 leaven of it still remaining. 
 
 " East Tennesseans are sometimes 
 called the yankees of the south. They 
 have strong sense, shrewdness, and pa- 
 tience in labor, like your New-Eng- 
 lander. There is probably some degen- 
 eracy, howevei', from the heroic age of 
 this people. 
 
 " The early days of Indian fighting, 
 and of manifold struggles and privations, 
 were the days of peculiar energy and 
 fortitude — the like of which are not ex- 
 hibited now in the various departments 
 of peaceful life. There is an aspect of 
 newness visible here and there; there 
 are indications of progress, but there 
 are also signs of decay. Some things 
 aie waxing old and ready to vanish away 
 in this state, which has lived as a state 
 but fifty yeais. 
 
 " Near the Holston is a hill, at the 
 foot of which the first-appointed gover- 
 nor of the southwestern teiTitory landed 
 and selected his residence. President 
 Washington had sent him out. Peace 
 established with Great Britain — the con- 
 stitution formed, and states settling down 
 quietly under it — had not given peace 
 
 or protection to the vast region west of 
 the mountains. Conflicts with Indians, 
 collisions with Spaniards — then our pow- 
 erful neighbors south and southwest — 
 went on for years, with bloody forages 
 and wild adventures on both sides. The 
 federal governor came — a man prudent 
 in policy and conduct. At that time 
 the town where I am writing was com- 
 menced ; it took the honored name of 
 Knox, after the then secretary of war. 
 Andrew Jackson, then a young lawyer 
 recently from North Carolina, was made 
 United States district attorney. On this 
 spot the state government was first set 
 up, and here v/as its seat for many years. 
 The eastern part, for some purposes, is 
 really a state within itself. One day it 
 made the attempt to set up for itself 
 With a little corner of Virginia, and 
 another fragment of North Carolina, 
 East Tennessee constituted itself the 
 state of Frankland, but the effort was 
 premature. It is the Switzerland of 
 the south. The Cumberland mountains, 
 which divide the state on a part of its 
 northern boundary from Kentucky, turn 
 sheer out of their straight course, and, 
 sweeping across the state, terminate 
 abruptly in Georgia. The Unakas, com- 
 ing down fi-om North Carolina on the 
 east, meet them there, and both ranges 
 together hem in this mountainous dis- 
 trict. 
 
 " But, with the tokens of retrogres- 
 sion and decay above adverted to, what 
 shall be done to secure permanence to- 
 gether with true progress 1 Perhaps a 
 fresh infusion of vital force is needed. 
 No portion of the Union, I think, would 
 better please the industrious farmer of 
 New England ; and such men, as a class, 
 would be acceptable to this population. 
 Both would be benefited by the acces- 
 sion. Elements of agricultural and man- 
 ufacturing skill found among them are 
 needed here ; they would do substantial 
 service, and would find their reward. 
 
 " This soil yields a fine increase with 
 no great labor bestowed upon it — with- 
 out scientific, not to say careful culti- 
 vation. In corn, no state equals Ten- 
 nessee. On these hills sheep could be 
 raised in great numbers, if only the 
 dogs were reduced in number at the 
 
same time The climate is very agree- 
 able — most grateful to invalids. People 
 were crossing the ice at Albany and on 
 Lake Champlain, when the peach-trees 
 had long since bloomed with us ; gar- 
 dens were beginning to look well ; in 
 some places, it was already late to 
 make them here, when snow was lying 
 ten feet deep in Vermont the last sea- 
 son. Fruits, flowers, and crops, come 
 some five or six weeks earlier than in 
 your vicinity, and there is abundance 
 for all. Without the oppressive heat of 
 more southern climes, this region has a 
 bland atmosphere, and the freshness and 
 vigorous life of more northern countries. 
 Its position, southern and elevated, gives 
 it that combination. 
 
 " These mountains have sent out no 
 small part of the active men of the en- 
 tire southwest. Many of their fore- 
 most men were trained among these 
 hills." 
 
 Among the curiosities of Tennessee 
 are the celebrated foot-prints on some 
 parts of the Cumberland mountains. 
 The rocks on which they have been ob- 
 served are of limestone, and some of 
 them have been supposed to be the 
 tracks of men, others of horses and oxen, 
 and all of recent date. Some observers, 
 on the other hand, have regarded them 
 as the tracks of bears and other wild 
 beasts, and probably very ancient. 
 
 Petrifactions of various kinds abound 
 in some parts of the state. Near the 
 southern line are three petrified trees, 
 nearly entire. One of them is a cypress, 
 another a sycamore, and the third a wal- 
 nut. They were discovered in conse- 
 quence of the falling of a bank on the 
 south shore of the Tennessee river. 
 Claws, teeth, and bones, of different large 
 animals, have been found in numerous 
 places. Logs, too, in various stages of 
 change, have been dug up at various 
 depths ; and both mineral coal and char- 
 coal have been found at from sixty to 
 one hundred feet below the surface of 
 the ground. 
 
 Cascades. — These are numerous, and 
 many of them very picturesque. One 
 of the most beautiful is the " Falling 
 Water," on a branch of Caney creek, 
 eight miles from its mouth, and sixty 
 
 miles from Carthage. The stream has 
 a rapid course for some distance before 
 it reaches the cascade, having a descent 
 of one hundred and fifty feet within a 
 short distance, when it makes a precip- 
 itous leap of one hundred and fifty or 
 two hundred feet, in a single sheet, 
 eighty feet broad. 
 
 The fall on Taylor's creek is still 
 more remarkable, as the scenery is more 
 wild, and the approach attended with 
 much danger, while the perpendicular 
 descent is greater, being, as some say, 
 from two hundred to two hundred and 
 fifty feet. What adds to the impressive, 
 gloomy, and terrific effect of the scene, 
 is a large overhanging rock, thi-ee or 
 four hundred feet high, which almost ex- 
 cludes the sight of the sky, and throws 
 its shade over the wild and foaming 
 sheets of falling water, which are half 
 converted into foam and spray by the 
 height of the fall and strong currents of 
 air, which I'ush and whirl through the 
 deep and frightful gulf. 
 
 Another fall, only twenty yards distant 
 from this spot, toward the south, offers 
 to the spectator a scene of a very differ- 
 ent nature. A precipice, about three 
 hundred feet high, crosses the channel of 
 another and smaller stream, which, in de- 
 scending it, is divided into innumerable 
 little rills, each of which forms separate 
 cascades, and all together, in the con- 
 trast of the dark rock down which they 
 pour, present a scene remarkable for its 
 richness and beauty. 
 
 Along some of the sti'eams of Tennes- 
 see, where they flow through rocks of 
 limestone, wonderful effects have been 
 produced by the cutting out of deep chan- 
 nels between high and ragged banks. 
 Some of the larger and navigable rivers 
 present scenes of this description to the 
 admiration of the travellei*, who is borne 
 with rapidity along the bases of lofty nat- 
 ural walls, inaccessible to human foot, 
 and sometimes apparently overhanging 
 the stream, and threatening destruction 
 to everything below. When contem- 
 plated from above, the rivers in some 
 places appear to flow through deep chan- 
 nels cut by the labor and skill of man, 
 so uniform is the original surface of the 
 ground, and so smooth and perpendicu- 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE. 
 
 473 
 
 lax- the rocky precipices which descend 
 from the level. 
 
 • Knoxville. — This town is the prin- 
 cipal one in East Tennessee, and stands 
 on Holston river, four iniles below the 
 7Tiouth of French Broad creek. It has 
 about five thousand inh2.bitants, some 
 of whom are engaged in manufactures. 
 The situation and appearance of the 
 town are pleasant ; and it is the site of 
 a very respectable literary institution, 
 East Tennessee university. Here is 
 the head of steamboat navigation, and 
 stagecoaches run three times a week for 
 Washington (D. C), via Abingdon (Vir- 
 ginia) and Staunton ; for Raleigh (N. 
 C.) ; for Charleston (S. C.) via Warm 
 Springs ; for Savannah (Georgia) via 
 Atlanta; for Nashville; and for Lex- 
 ington (Kentucky) via Cumberland gap. 
 
 East Tennessee University. — The 
 buildings of this institution are situated 
 on the summit of a considerable emi- 
 nence, half a mile west of Knoxville, 
 and near the bank of the Holston. The 
 principal edifice, which occupies the 
 centi'e, has on each side a fine building, 
 three stories high, for the accommoda- 
 tion of students. There ai'e also three 
 residences of the professors. 
 
 The institution possesses a philosoph- 
 ical apparatus, a chemical laboratory, a 
 mineralogical cabinet, and a library of 
 about four thousand volumes. Com- 
 mencement is held on the first Wednes- 
 day of August. 
 
 JoNESBOROUGH is a Small town, with 
 about one thousand inhabitants, and the 
 site of Washington college. It is on 
 the bank of a branch of Holston river, 
 ten miles south of the latter, and has a 
 courthouse, three churches, and two 
 academies. 
 
 Washington College was founded in 
 1794, and has a president, three profes- 
 sors, about one thousand volumes in its 
 library, and about fifty students. 
 
 Maysvii.le. — This is also on the 
 bank of the Holston, eighteen miles 
 from Knoxville, and has a courthouse, a 
 church, and about five hundred inhab- 
 itants. 
 
 The SoutMoest Theological Seminary, 
 which is situated here, was founded in 
 1821. It is under the presbyterians. 
 
 and has in its library about six thousand 
 volumes. 
 
 Nashville. — This town, the capital 
 of the state, stands at the head of steam 
 navigation, on the left bank of Cumber- 
 land river, one hundred and twenty miles 
 from its junction with the Ohio. Near 
 it are three lofty bluffs. The situation 
 is fine, the climate healthful and inviting, 
 and the town has been rapid in its 
 growth. 
 
 One of the most striking of the pub- 
 lic buildings is the markethouse, which 
 is one of the finest in the western coun- 
 try. There are 13 churches, a lunatic 
 asylum, the state penitentiary, three 
 banks, a lyceum, and many handsome 
 houses. The population in 1850 was 
 eighteen thousand. The distance from 
 Washington is seven hundred and four- 
 teen miles southwest ; it is five hundred 
 and ninety-four northeast of New Or- 
 leans, two hundred and ninety-four south- 
 west of Cincinnati, two hundred and 
 eighty-eight south of Indianapolis, and 
 nine hundred and thirty-seven southwest 
 of New York. 
 
 The Capitol is constructed of pure 
 white limestone, and upon a plan of the 
 most liberal magnificence, challenging 
 the admiration of the Union. Chaste, 
 yet grand, it will stand through all time, 
 as a noble monument of the taste and 
 patriotism of this age : and to the youths 
 of the state who gaze upon its complete 
 and faultless proportions, it will irresisti- 
 bly convey a lesson in architectural sym- 
 metry and beauty, that books may never 
 teach them. 
 
 Nashville University. — This institu- 
 tion w^s founded in 1806, and has four 
 professors, two tutors, about thi-ee hun- 
 dred alumni, one hundred students, and 
 ten thousand volumes in its libraries. 
 The principal building is two hundred 
 feet long, fifty wide, and three stories 
 high. Commencement is held on the 
 first Wednesday in October. 
 
 Memphis, one of the most busy and 
 flourishing towns in the state, is situated 
 on the bank of the Mississippi, in front 
 of an extensive and productive region, 
 which is naturally tributary to it ; it has 
 lately been selected as the site of the 
 United States navyyai'd on the river. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE. 
 
 475 
 
 Columbia, forty-two miles from Nash- 
 ville, stands on Duck river, and has a 
 courthouse, three churches, an academy, 
 a bank, and about two thousand inhab- 
 itants. There is a daily communication 
 by slagecuaches with Nashville. 
 
 Jackson Co/Ze^e, situated in this town, 
 was founded in 1830, and has four pro- 
 fessors, and about one hundred students, 
 with one thousand two hundred and fifty 
 volumes in its libraries. 
 
 Franklin. — This town, eighteen miles 
 from Nashville, on the left side of Har- 
 peth river, contains a courthouse, five 
 academies, four churches, and about fif- 
 teen hundred inhabitants. Stagecoaches 
 start three times a week for Nashville. 
 
 Clarksville is sixty-five miles from 
 Nashville by the Cumberland road, on 
 the right bank of which it stands, and 
 contains about two thousand inhabitants. 
 There are a courthouse, three churches, 
 two banks, and an academy. It is a 
 place of much business, an active trade 
 being carried on in cotton and tobacco. 
 Steamboats run to Nashville and New 
 Orleans, and stagecoaches start three 
 times a week for Nashville and Smith- 
 land. 
 
 MuRFREEsnoRo'. — This town was for- 
 merly the state capital. It stands on a 
 small branch of Cumberland river, and 
 has a courthouse, three churches, an 
 academy, and fifteen hundred inhab- 
 itants. 
 
 Kingston, on the right bank of Ten- 
 nessee river, and at the mouth of Clinch 
 river, has a courthouse, two churches, 
 and about seven hundred inhabitants. 
 
 Climate and Productions. — The 
 seasons are generally much milder than 
 in Kentucky. On the higher regions 
 the summer heals are moderate, and 
 apples, pears, peaches, and other north- 
 eri: fruils, are successfully cultivated. 
 In W(!3t Tennessee, cotton forms the 
 staple production. Indian corn is plant- 
 ed, in the middle portions of the state, 
 early in April. Where stagnant waters 
 abound in some of the valleys, disease 
 is generated, and the alluvial regions on 
 the lai'ger streams are unhealthy. 
 
 Among the forest-trees, juniper, red- 
 cedar, and savine, prevail in the more 
 elevated regions ; and in the various soils 
 
 and exposures in this extensive terri- 
 tory may be found all the forest-trees 
 known in the southern states. The lau- 
 rel tribe, however, is rare. The prod- 
 ucts of agriculture are very numerous 
 and abur)dant — chiefly cotton, tobacco, 
 flour, indigo, &c. 
 
 Tennessee presents us with a very 
 peculiar form, and a surface, climate, 
 and variety of soils, varying on almost 
 every side. Under a judicious system 
 of moral and intellectual as well as phys- 
 ical improvement, how general — how 
 rapid — how permanent might its pros- 
 perity become, in every department 
 necessary and desirable ! -~ The most in- 
 telligent and truly patriotic of her citi- 
 zens have lonsf shown their hicrh rearard 
 for learning, refinement, and religion, 
 by the establishment and support of in- 
 stitutions which have already reflected 
 honor on the state, while they have 
 contributed to the benefit of the people. 
 That enterprise is not wanting with 
 many of the inhabitants, is farther proved 
 by the abundant products annually ob- 
 tained by agriculture, floated down her 
 rivers and launched upon the Missis- 
 sippi. The appearance of the principal 
 towns, also, bears witness to the good 
 taste and refinement of many (jf the cit- 
 izens, no less than do the iron-works and 
 other manufactoi'ies to the industry, skill, 
 and success of the mechanics. 
 
 Much, however, remains to be done, 
 as well in Tennessee as in other states, 
 and especially our southwestei'n states, 
 to counteract the unfavorable tenden- 
 cies of regions in their peculiar circum- 
 stances. The debilitating effects of a 
 warm climate in some parts, with the lux- 
 ury spontaneously introduced by wealth ; 
 and, in others, the obstacles in the way 
 of improvement among a thin popula- 
 tion scattered over a rough and wilder 
 country, demand great and combined 
 exertions on the part of the friends of 
 education, public intelligence, pure hab- 
 its, and real national advancement, to 
 counteract and overcome them. That 
 such men may arise, duly impressed with 
 the importance of the duty before them, 
 and with a spirit fitted to cope with all 
 the obstacles they encounter, is the ear- 
 nest desire of every friend of the state. 
 
This state is bounded north by 
 Ohio, fiom which it is separated 
 by the Ohio ii\er; east by Vir- 
 e;'inia, fiom which it is separated 
 by Cumbeiland mountains and 
 Sandy iivei; south by Tennes- 
 see , southwest by Mississippi, 
 fiom \\hich it IS separated by 
 Mississippi ii\er; west by Illi- 
 nois, fiom which it is separated 
 by Ohio iivei , and northwest by 
 Indiam, fiom wliich it is sep- 
 al ated by the same river. It lies 
 between the paiallels of 36° 30' 
 and 39° 6' noith latitude, and 
 the meridians of 5° 3' and 12° 
 3S' west of Washington. The superficies is about forty thousand five hundred 
 square miles. 
 
 The longest line that can be drawn in this state is from the southwest corner 
 to the place where Sandy river crosses Cumberland mountains, and is four hun- 
 dred and thii'ty-one miles in length. The greatest breadth is from the northwest 
 corner along latitude seven degrees forty-five minutes, and is one hundred and 
 seventy-one and a half miles. 
 
 This state forms but a part of the great declivity of Cumberland mountains, 
 sloping northwest toward Ohio river. A minor slope, however, toward Tennes- 
 see river, first turns Green, Cumberland, Salt, Kentucky, and Licking rivers, west 
 or southwest; but those waters afterward obey the grand slope, and, running 
 northward, pour into the Ohio. The tillable surface in different parts of the state 
 has a great diversity of elevation, from three hundred and fifty to twelve hundi"ed 
 feet above the gulf of Mexico. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF KENTUCKY. 
 
 477 
 
 There is, therefore, a considerable 
 diversity of temperature and produc- 
 tions ; and these are farther increased 
 by certain peculiarities of the surface. 
 
 The cliannels of the rivers are gen- 
 erally cut remarkably deep into the 
 earth, and have formed, in some places, 
 broad valleys, partly shut out from the 
 full influence of the sun. One third 
 part of the descent, beginning with the 
 first part of the descent from the foot of 
 the Cumberland mountains, is very hilly 
 and broke:: for about one hundred miles, 
 comprising one third part of the state, 
 from the Tennessee line to the Ohio. 
 Beyond this another section extends 
 north, about ninety miles in width and 
 two in length, which rnay be called the 
 hilly part of the state. It contains about 
 eighteen thousand square miles, and is 
 in the form of a rhomb. The middle 
 part of it, however, is much less uneven 
 than the two extremes. But all parts 
 of it are alike in two impoitant respects : 
 they belong to one extent of uneven ta- 
 ble-land, with a similar substratum of 
 limestone, and with a soil generally good, 
 but a frequent scarcity of good water. 
 
 The southwestern section, which is 
 the smallest of the three divisions, is 
 almost level. 
 
 " The Barrens" is a tract of consid- 
 erable extent in the southern and moun- 
 tainous section, with isolated rounded 
 elevations, bearing stunted oak, chest- 
 nut, and elm-timber. The soil, how- 
 ever, even there, is much better than 
 appearances indicate. The more level 
 and unchannelled portions of the cen- 
 tral section were covered by nature with 
 full-grown forest-trees, and abundance 
 of the reed-cane, the limestone soil being 
 there remarkable for its strength and 
 fertility. 
 
 History. — The first settlement of 
 this state by white men was effected by 
 men of great hardihood, and attended 
 with severe privations and extreme dan- 
 gers. A map of the middle British col- 
 onies was published in 1755, by Lewis 
 Evans ; and in 1775, J. Almon, of Lon- 
 don, published an edition of it with a 
 statistical account of the country. At 
 that time, as appears from these, settle- 
 ments had been extended as far as the 
 
 heads of the great Kenhawa, Roanoke, 
 Clinch, and Holston rivers ; but that 
 part, including Kentucky, was left en- 
 tirely blank, as a region of terra incog- 
 nita. 
 
 In 1767, John Finley visited it from 
 North Carolina, and he was followed by 
 Daniel Boone and several other men in 
 1769. Boone remained there until 1771, 
 and returned in 1775 with a small band 
 of resolute settlers. 
 
 Kentucky River, as well as the state, 
 derives its name from the lanaruaffe of 
 the Indians, who called it Cutawa. It 
 is formed by numerous branches, which 
 have their sources in the west slope 
 of Cumberland mountains, interlocking 
 with the head-streams of Sandy, Pow- 
 ell's, and Cumberland I'ivers. The up- 
 per streams of the Kentucky flow north- 
 west from the counties of Pike and 
 Perry, and uniting in Estill county, then 
 turn west from the boundary between 
 the counties of Clarke and Madison. 
 The stream, next turning southwest, 
 runs between Madison and Lafayette 
 counties, and Jessamine and Garrard, 
 when it receives Dick's river from the 
 southeast. Finally, turning north-north- 
 west, it keeps that course until it falls 
 into the Ohio at Port William. Its gen- 
 eral course is nearly northwest. 
 
 The valley of the Kentucky lies be- 
 tween latitude 37° and 38° 40', and lon- 
 gitude 5*^ 40' and 8° 10' ; it measures 
 one hundred and seventy-five miles in 
 length, and has a medium bi-eadth of 
 forty miles, with an area of seven thou- 
 sand square miles, being about one sixth 
 part of the whole state. It contains the 
 following counties, in whole or in part : 
 Anderson, Clai'k, Clay, Estill, Franklin, 
 Gallatin, Garrard, Henry, Jessamine, 
 Lafayette, Lincoln, Madison, Mercer, 
 Montgomery, Owen, Perry, Pike, Scott, 
 Woodford. 
 
 This great stream flows in a channel 
 remarkable for its depth, it being a great 
 chasm, cut far down below the level of 
 the country which it waters. Steam- 
 boats navigate it from Estill county 
 downward, though the current is rapid, 
 and has a considerable descent, although 
 not broken by falls. 
 
 Cumberland River rises in this state. 
 
478 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF KENTUCKY. 
 
 but, after a course of one hundred and 
 twenty miles, leaves it, and crosses the 
 boundary of Tennessee, on its way to 
 the Mississippi. 
 
 Government. — The legislative power 
 is vested in a senate and house of repre- 
 sentatives, which together are styled the 
 general assembly. 
 
 The senators are thirty-eight in num- 
 ber, chosen, one half of them biennially, 
 by the people from single districts for a 
 term of four years. Representatives, one 
 hundred in number, are chosen by tlie 
 people, for a term of two years. 
 
 A governor and lieutenant-goveinor 
 are elected by the people for a term of 
 four years. The governor is ineligible 
 for the four years succeeding the expi- 
 ration of Iris term. The Heutenant- 
 governor is president of the senate, and 
 on him the duties of governor devolve 
 in case the oihce of the latter becomes I in precipices, covered with verdure and 
 
 Population. — According to the cen- 
 ses of 1850, the population consisted of 
 770,061 whites, 9,G67 free colored per- 
 sons, and 221,708 slaves; total 1,001,- 
 496. 
 
 The Mammoth Cave. — The follow- 
 ing brief description we copy from a 
 letter in the New York Recorder. This 
 wonderful cavern is the largest in the 
 world : — 
 
 " During the summer of 1845 I was 
 called into the vicinity of the Mammoth 
 cave, and I determined to devote a few 
 hours to a visit to this renowned cu- 
 riosity. 
 
 " Leaving the main road at Mumfords- 
 ville, we are conducted to the right by 
 a path lately opened for the accommo- 
 dation of visiters. As we approach the 
 cave, the country assumes a wild and 
 picturesque appearance, rising abruptly 
 
 vacant. 
 
 The governor may return a bill passed 
 by the legislature, but a majority of the 
 members elected to each house may 
 pass the bill afterward, and it then be- 
 comes a law notwithstanding his objec- 
 tions. 
 
 The state officers, viz., the treasurer, 
 auditor of public accounts, register of 
 the land-office, and attorney-general, are 
 elected by the people, for a term of four 
 years. 
 
 The judicial power is vested in a court 
 of appeals, circuit courts, and county 
 courts ; the judges of each election by 
 the people. 
 
 The general election takes place on 
 the first Monday of August biennially, 
 and the legislature meets on the fiist of 
 November biennially, at Frankfort. 
 
 Every white male citizen 21 years 
 of age, or over, resident in the state two 
 ! years, or in the county where he offi^rs 
 i to vote, one year next preceding the 
 election, may vote at such election. 
 Elections by the people are viva voce, 
 and not by ballot. 
 
 Productions. — Grain is the staple 
 production, but hemp and flax are pro- 
 duced of excellent quality. Flour, spir- 
 its, salted meat, and live stock, are sent 
 to New Orleans every year, by the 
 Mississip{)i, in great quantities. 
 
 wi'd flowers, or stretching away into the 
 distance its fruitful valleys, diversified 
 with the neat farmhouse of the planter 
 reposing among flowers, and the cabins 
 of the poor peeping humbl}^ firtli from 
 the luxuriant fields of corn. Sometimes 
 the road leads up the steep mountain's 
 side ; then, winding around its summit, 
 suddenly conducts us again to the vale 
 below. After a succession of llK3se ups 
 and downs, the traveller ascends the 
 mountain in which the cave is situated. 
 The first object of interest to the visit- 
 er is the entrance to this underground 
 world ; but for this he looks in vain. 
 He sees only a large white building, sur- 
 rounded by a variety of outhouses, oc- 
 cupying the centre of a clearing of small 
 extent. 
 
 " Having procured a guide at the ho- 
 tel (without whom no one is permitted 
 to enter the cave), I was conducted down 
 a steep declivity to the right of the 
 house, until we entered a deep gully, 
 through which courses a small stream 
 of water, among broken fragments of 
 rocks, scattered about in wild confusion. 
 Following this ravine for a number of 
 rods, we turn suddenly to the right, and 
 the mouth of the cave is before you. 
 But little effint seems to have been made 
 to change its natural appearance, and 
 that little has greatly marred its beauty 
 
s ^^' 
 
480 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF KENTUCKY. 
 
 and interest. The sublime in nature, 
 like great men and noble deeds, should 
 be left to appear in its own native oi'na- 
 ments. The descent is somewhat abrupt 
 and unpromising — a confused mass of 
 unsightly rocks is all that meets the eye. 
 We advance until the appearance is like 
 the gray mists of the early dawn, when 
 the lamps are lighted, and preparations 
 made for the subsequent exploration. 
 Soon after the descent, the passage is 
 through a door built of rough stones, 
 through which rushes a strong current 
 of air, that at first produces an unpleas- 
 ant chilliness; this, however, gradually 
 wears off, as we advance into the more 
 extended galleries of the cave. The 
 bottom over which we pass was once, 
 tsvidently, the bed of a rivei*. It is now 
 deeply marked by the feet of oxen, and 
 ihe wheels of carts, once employed here 
 in the manufacture of saltpetre. The 
 avenue gradually increases, until the 
 eye, unaccustomed to the surrounding 
 gloom, tries in vain to trace the outline 
 of the lofty ceiling. The first object of 
 more than ordinary interest is the ' Gi- 
 ant's Coflfin' — a large rock, sixty feet in 
 length, that, from the point where the 
 beholder stands, presents the perfect 
 outline of a coffin. Next we pass the 
 dilapidated saltpetre works, which great- 
 ly detract from this subliraae work of na- 
 ture. Progressing onward three quar- 
 ters of a mile, we enter the 'Church,' 
 a vast dome where a pulpit and seats 
 have been erected; and as invalid cler- 
 gymen often come here to seek a res- 
 toration of health, the opportunity is 
 improved, and religious services are 
 conducted in this subterranean chapel. 
 I ascended the rude pulpit while the 
 guide was igniting a quantity of salt- 
 petre ; and as it threw its livid glare 
 over the place, revealing the dark open- 
 ings of the various avenues branching 
 out on every side — the vaulted dome 
 sparkling with crystals of various forms 
 and hues — the effect was almost over- 
 powering. I have stood on the verge 
 of Niagara, and beheld its whirl of 
 waters, and listened to the wild, deep 
 music of its voice — I have seen the ocean, 
 in its fury, beating the sounding shore ; 
 the storm of fire, as, with the wings of 
 
 the wind, it swept over the wild prairies 
 of the west ; and the father of waters 
 when he spurned the narrow bounds of 
 his native channel : but never did I com- 
 prehend the nature of true sublimity un- 
 til this moment. It was not the fire, the 
 earthquake, nor the wind ; but it was 
 the still small voice of God, speakino- in 
 this temple made with his oivn hands, 
 as he spoke to Elijah. It was one of 
 those moments, few and far between, 
 when the soul appears to catch one 
 glimpse of its future and tranquillized 
 existence. 
 
 " Having mentioned the name of Mar- 
 shall, the guide informed me that he was 
 employed then as now when Marshall 
 came to the cave. At my request he con- 
 ducted me to the spot where the shanty 
 was erected for his accommodation. It 
 is situated a little more than a mile from 
 the entrance. Here the poor invalid, 
 with his devoted wife, took up his abode, 
 with a hope that the peculiar atmosphere 
 of the place would restore him to health. 
 Vain hope ! His Master said : ' Come 
 up higher' — and he passed from the 
 darkness of this living tomb, to the glo- 
 ries of the upper paradise. Here the 
 affectionate wife watched by the couch 
 of her afflicted husband, leaving him only 
 once a day (as the guide informed me), 
 and then only for a short time, to enjoy 
 the light and sunshine of the outer world 
 above. Portions of this little cabin still 
 remain. I lingered aroi:nd the spot 
 with a melancholy pleasure. 
 
 ** We will pass hastily through ' Pur- 
 gatory;' take a peep into 'Limbo;' 
 tarry a few moments in the ' Hall of 
 Independence;' cross the 'Dead Sea;' 
 make a speech in the ' Whispering Gal- 
 lery' — all of which have their peculiar 
 and indescribable beauties — and we are 
 come to the river ' Styx,' beyond which, 
 as I was informed, are situated the more 
 interesting portions of this immense 
 grotto. But as I could not devote the 
 time necessai-y for further examination, I 
 declined employing the modern Charon 
 who hero plies the oar — who, I must 
 say, demands an exorbitant price for his 
 services. 
 
 " To appreciate fully the beauty and 
 sublimity of this wonder of nature, the 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF KENTUCKY. 
 
 481 
 
 visiter must devote several days to the 
 work of I'xploration. 
 
 " I'lie body of Marshall lies near the 
 hotel, in its unassuming grave, unnoticed 
 by the pleasure-seeking throng, who 
 here congregate to squander away their 
 precious time in idleness and dissipa- 
 tion." 
 
 Indian Curiosities. — We have al- 
 ways — says a western paper — regarded 
 any event or circumstance, calculated to 
 throw light upon the history of the ab- 
 origines of this country, as peculiarly in- 
 teresting and worthy of record. As a 
 nation, we are fast losing sight of the old 
 original landmarks which distinguished 
 the two different races who inhabited and 
 occupied this beautiful country ; and as 
 one of those races is as rapidly disap- 
 pearing as the other is increasing in 
 numbers and power, it becomes a sacred 
 duty with us to preserve as much as we 
 can, for future generations, of their sin- 
 gular character — a character distinctive 
 in itself from all other races of the 
 earth — and whatever evidences may, 
 from time to time, be discovered as we 
 progress in civilization. Some discov- 
 er! as have recently been made in Ken- 
 tucky, and were reported in the Louis- 
 ville Journal. 
 
 " Last fall, when it was first resolved 
 to remove the mound, it had not been 
 dug into more than nine or ten feet be- 
 fore several line specimens of isinglass 
 were discovered. This excited much 
 curiosity, and strict attention was paid 
 to all subsequent removals. The cold 
 weather, however, setting in, stopped 
 the project until the opening of spring, 
 when the work was again commenced, 
 and has been going on ever since. Sev- 
 eral skeletons have been dug up at dif- 
 ferent times in a good state of preserva- 
 tion ; the teeth, particularly, had the 
 enamel on them apparently as perfect 
 as ever. They were buried without 
 any uniformity, some v/ith their heads 
 toward the south, and some sitting up. 
 There were thought to be considerable 
 discoveries ; and indeed they are, for they 
 prove incontestably that the mound is 
 of artificial origin ; but, in speaking of 
 them, the half is not told. 
 
 " Some six weeks ago, near the cen- 
 
 tre of the mound, on the original sur- 
 face, the appearance of two skeletojis 
 was discovered. The dirt was then 
 carefully taken away from one, and there 
 was found about its neck a great num- 
 ber of small sea or lake-shells about the 
 size of periwinkles, and the small end 
 ground oft' so as to string them for the 
 neck. The most supei'ficial examination 
 of them will convince any intelligent man 
 that they have had their origin in the 
 sea or lakes. After the removal of this 
 one, the other was carefully exhumed, 
 and a like quantity of beads was found 
 upon its neck and breast, but of an en- 
 tirely different kind. They are round, 
 with a hole through them, and are made 
 of a solid ivory-like bone, with a very 
 fine polish. There has been great in- 
 genuity, too, in their make : they be"-in 
 with a very large hole in the middle of 
 the strand, which has one edge much 
 narrower than the opposite one, the rest 
 being strung on at each end of the strand, 
 and made pretty much of the same fash- 
 ion, but, gradually diminishing in size, 
 formed a round ring precisely fitted to 
 the neck. The number found shows 
 that the same neck wore several strands. 
 But upon the breast of the same skeleton 
 was found a breastplate of copper, hav- 
 ing a beautiful piece apparently of mar- 
 ble, worked to fit upon it very neatly and 
 mechanically. It is an oblong square, 
 scolloped on the sides and ends, and 
 rounded on the corners, weiofhinsr seven 
 ounces and a half precisely. It is six 
 inches and a half long, and four inches 
 and three eighths in width at each end. 
 There are two holes in the middle of it 
 about an inch and a half apart. The 
 piece of stone weighs seven ounces and 
 a quarter. It is five inches and a half 
 in length, and one and an eightli in 
 width at each end, and two in the mid- 
 dle. It has two holes through it cor- 
 responding to those upon the breast- 
 plate, nnd fits down upon it with a fiat 
 side, the upper part being oval. The 
 holes arc an eighth in diameter on the 
 flat side, but, coming through to the 
 upper oval surface, a pin-head would 
 fill either of them ; they are drilled so 
 smooth and neatly, it would beggar hu- 
 man ingenuity to excel them at the 
 
 31 
 
482 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF KENTUCKY. 
 
 present time. Immediately under the 
 back of the skeleton a whetstone was 
 found, three and a half inches long, and 
 two and a half broad. It is an excel- 
 lent piece of sandstone, and has the ap- 
 pearance of having been greatly used." 
 
 Lexington. — This is the most popu- 
 lous town in the state, and one of the 
 most beautiful in appearance and situ- 
 ation, as well as most distinguished for 
 its flourishing condition, and intelligent 
 and refined society. It stands near the 
 sources of Town creek, which is one 
 of the branches of Elkhorn river, twen- 
 ty-four miles southeast by east from 
 Frankfort, eighty south of Cincinnati, 
 and five hundred and seventeen a little 
 south of west from Washington, in lat- 
 itude 38° 3', longitude 7° 28' west. 
 
 This place, notwithstanding its sub- 
 stantial appearance, was hardly a village 
 in 1785, and in 1795 contained only 
 about fifty dwellings and three hundred 
 a.nd fifty inhabitants. The population 
 in 1820, was 5,279; in 1830, 6,404 ; in 
 1840, 6,997; and ia 1850, about 9,500. 
 It is the oldest town in the state and 
 was once ifs capital. 
 
 It is a place of considerable manufac- 
 tures, especially in cotton, woollen, linen, 
 copper, tin, and ironware ; and grist- 
 mills, papermills, tanneries, ropewalks, 
 &c., are numerous. 
 
 Transylvania Univcrsiti/, situated at 
 Lexington, was founded before the sep- 
 aration of Kentucky from Virginia, re- 
 organized in 1798, and brought under 
 the pi'esent system in 1818. In 1820 it 
 contained one hundred and forty-three 
 academical, two hundred medical, and 
 nineteen law students. The college 
 buildings were partly destroyed by fire 
 some years since, but they are now much 
 enlarged. 
 
 The Canal. — A short but noble canal 
 surmounts, by a cut-off, the rapids of 
 the Ohio, two miles from Louisville. 
 The locks and bridges of this work are 
 on a grand and inassive scale. The 
 noble three-arched bi'idge, under which 
 a large two-decked steamer can pass, 
 is the first attraction. From this point 
 Louisville and its environs present a 
 charming panorama. The country is 
 slightly rolling, and richly diversified by 
 
 forest, field, and habitation. The (.anal 
 cuts through it in a straight line, with its 
 gliding show of steamboats, apparent- 
 ly self-impelled through the meadows. 
 The Ohio, with its sparkling rapids and 
 distant waving outline, and the city, im- 
 bowered in trees, fill up the picture. 
 Out of the scores of fine buildings, some 
 imposing public edifices and three or 
 four stately churches rise and detach 
 themselves ; presenting, altogether, a 
 scene truly beautiful and inviting. 
 
 Louisville. — This city stands on the 
 south bank of the Ohio, just above the 
 rapids, and below the mouth of Bear- 
 grass creek, in latitude 38° IS' north, 
 and 5° 42' west longitude from Wash- 
 ington. It is the most imj^ortant com- 
 mercial town in the state. The naviga- 
 tion of the Ohio, interrupted by 7iature, 
 except only during high water, about 
 ten months in the year, has been im- 
 proved by a canal constructed round the 
 falls. 
 
 The distance from Frankfort is fifty- 
 two miles, a little east of north ; one 
 hundred and twelve from Cincinnati; 
 six hundred and thirty-two from Pitts- 
 burg ; and. one thousand four hundred 
 and eleven from New Orleans. The 
 ground is seventy-five feet above low- 
 water mark, and the streets cross at 
 right angles, giving a favorable appeai*- 
 ance to the city from without, and a fine 
 display to the public buildings. The 
 principal of these are the cityhall, the 
 courthouse, marine-hospital, medical in- 
 stitute, city-hospital, two savings-banks, 
 four insurance-offices, two orphan asy- 
 lums, four markets, a school for the 
 blind, eighteen public schools, thirty se- 
 lect schools, a Magdalen asylum, three 
 banks, and twenty-six churches. The 
 city is lighted with gas, and expensive 
 works are in construction to supply it 
 with good water. This being the prin- 
 cipal place of business in the state, and, 
 to a great extent, of the neighboring 
 country, a very extensive trade centres 
 here ; and where an unknown number 
 of flatbottomed and keel-boats are con- 
 stantly employed in ihe transjiortation of 
 goods, about three hundred steamboats 
 are also in constant activity, running in 
 different directions, to and from the city. 
 
.=:-=}] 
 
464 
 
 DESCRIPTION OP THE STATE OF KENTUCKY. 
 
 The growth of Louisville has been 
 very rRpid. In 1800 the inhabitants 
 amounted to onlv 1,357; in 1830 they 
 were 10,196, and in ISoO about 44,000. 
 Many kinds of manufactures are carried 
 on here. The canal, leadinjif round the 
 falls, is one of the earliest and most im- 
 portant works of improvement under- 
 taken in this part of the country. The 
 charter was granted in 1825, and the 
 canal was opened for use in 1829. The 
 stock was $000,000, of which congress 
 took $100,000. The canal is nearly 
 three miles in length, and in that dis- 
 tance overcomes a descent of twenty- 
 two and a half feet, by five locks. 
 
 The Medical Institute at Louisville is 
 a very important institution, founded in 
 1837, with six professors, and about two 
 hundred and fifty students. The lec- 
 tures commence on the first Monday in 
 November. 
 
 The Kentucky Historical society has 
 a considerable library with numerous 
 manuscripts. The Merchants' library 
 contains 8,500 volumes. The Agricul- 
 tural and Horticultural society has been 
 founded within a few years. 
 
 Communication is daily had by steam.- 
 boats with Cincinnati, Maysville, Cxuy- 
 andotte (Virginia), Wheel-ing, and Pitts- 
 burg, up the Ohio; and with St. Louis, 
 New Orleans, and the Intermediate ))laces 
 below. Stagecoaches go daily for Mays- 
 ville via Frankfort and Lexington, for 
 Cincinnati, for St. Louis through New 
 Albany (Indiana), for Vincennes, fin- 
 Nashville, &c. 
 
 Frankfort, the capital of the state, 
 is twenty-two miles west-northwest from 
 Lexington, fifty-one east from Louisville, 
 one hundred and two south-southwest 
 from Cincinnati. It stands on the right 
 bank of Kentucky river, sixty miles from 
 the Ohio, on a level, elevated piece of 
 ground, nearly two hundred feet above 
 the neighboring surface. The river is 
 subject to great and sudden floods ; be- 
 ing comprised in a narrow channel, it 
 sometimes swells in a short 4imo to a 
 height of sixty feet above its ordinary 
 level. The river divides the town into 
 two parts, one called Frankfort, and the 
 other South Frankfort. 
 
 The Statehouse has a fine portico, in 
 
 the Ionic style, and makes a conspicu- 
 ous appearance. It is built entirely of 
 marble, and contains halls for the cham- 
 bers of the legislature, the court of ap- 
 peals, and the federal court. The stair- 
 case has a fine effect, being placed under 
 the dome. 
 
 A chain-bridge crosses the river near 
 the middle of the town, where the banks 
 are four or five hundred feet high. 
 
 Among the public buildings are the 
 courthouse, state-penitentiary, market- 
 house, bank, academy, theatre, and five 
 churches. There are several manufac- 
 tories of different kinds, and the popu- 
 lation amounts to about two thousand. 
 
 The Stateprison.'- -The following ex- 
 tracts from a late re^^ort of the oflicers 
 will afford the reader correct ideas of 
 the condition and prospects of this im- 
 portant institution : — 
 
 " AVe have availed ourselves of every 
 possible means in our power to carry 
 out the wishes of the leo^islature, and of 
 every true philanthropist, in regard to 
 the moral and religious instruction of 
 this unfortunate portion of our race; 
 and we most heartily acknowledge that 
 it is a source of much gratification to 
 us, to see the manifest disposition on 
 the part of nearly all the })risoners to 
 co;iPjrm to law and good m(jrals, sub- 
 mitting to the laws of the piison with 
 that character of submissiveness which 
 ought to be gratifying to every true lover 
 of man. 
 
 "We look forward with pleasure to 
 a day early in next season, when we 
 will be prepared with a suitable school- 
 room and chapel, where we can carry 
 on the work of moral and religious in- 
 stiuction more perfectly, and wliei'e 
 those ministeis of the different denomi- 
 nations who have labored with us can 
 be rendered more comfortable than we 
 have been able to make them heielo- 
 fore, while they further aid us in the 
 most pleasant part of our duties ; and 
 although a fair proportion of our best 
 energies have been constantly engaged 
 in endeavoring to promote the moral 
 and religious interests of the prisoners, 
 vet, for want of suitable buildings and 
 other means, we have not been able to 
 do what we would wish; but sufiicient 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF KENTUCKY. 
 
 485 
 
 provision having been marie, we most 
 confidently promise to present to your 
 honorable body, at the meeting- of your 
 next session, their condition in a much 
 more favorable light. Ministei'S of the 
 different denominations of our town and 
 its vicinity, generally, have contrihiited 
 to aid us in advising the prisoner for 
 his good, to whom we feel thankful. 
 
 " The disbursements for the year past 
 were as follows : for hemp, iron, lum- 
 ber, leather, &c., .$29,375 02; victualing 
 prisoners, 5,719 57 ; clothes and bed- 
 ding for prisoners, 1,281 63 ; wood and 
 coal for engine, blacksmith shop, &c., 
 2,473 74 ; wagons, hauling hemp, stone, 
 lumber, wood, &c., 1,800 56; pay of of- 
 ficers, physicians, and guaids, 4,387 35 ; 
 cash paid to prisoners ($5 each), as di- 
 rected by law, 285 00 ; tools and imj>le- 
 ments of trade for workshops, 966 41 ; 
 brick and lumber for new buildings, 388 
 24; cash paid town of Frankfort, water 
 privilege for use of engine, and repairs 
 of pipe, 68 70 ; travelling expenses to 
 various points, including trip east, on 
 business of the institution, 227 55', cash 
 paid ferriage and turnpike for wagons, 
 hauling stone, hemp, &c., 176 02; medi- 
 cines and medical instruments for use 
 of prison-hospital, 60 69 ; rewards and 
 expenses incident to arrest and return 
 of escaped convicts, 83 45 ; lot pur- 
 chased for extension of prison-wall, as 
 authorized by act of assembly, 2,400 ; 
 cash paid stonemasons engaged in the 
 erection of prison-wall, 836 63; moral 
 and religious instruction, 237 38 ; sta- 
 tionery for use of office, 52 20 ; print- 
 ing office-blanks, advertisements, &c., 44 
 37 ; postage, letters sent and received 
 on business of institution, 9 05 ; tobac- 
 co for use of prisoners, as directed by 
 law, 166 25 ; two yoke of oxen pur- 
 chased for use of prison, 75 00 : total, 
 $51,114 81. 
 
 " The receipts were as follows : By 
 Ci'aig and Henry, advanced f ti' institu- 
 tion, $2,311 20; cash received for the 
 sale of bagging and baled hemp, and for 
 th» manufacture of bagging, 30,299 11 ; 
 cash received for the sale of articles at 
 prison, 6,287 47 ; cash loaned by the 
 state, per act approved February 23, 
 1846, 6,000 ; cash received for lock-up 
 
 fees, for safe-keeping of slaves, 195 00; 
 by barter (manufactured articles given in 
 exchange), 6,022 03: total, $51,114 81. 
 " The number of prisoners in confine- 
 ment on the first day of December, 1845, 
 was 176; received into the prison froin 
 1st December, 1845, to 1st December, 
 1846, 71 : total, 247. 
 
 " The number discharged during the 
 same time were : by expiration of sen- 
 tence, 32; by pardon of Governor Ows- 
 ley, 22; restoration to rights of citizen- 
 ship by pardon of the governor, one day 
 previous to expiration of sentence, 3 ; 
 by death, 2; escaping, 1 : total, 60. 
 
 " Leaving in confinement, on 1st De- 
 cember, 1846, 187. Of this number, 
 there were 166 white male, and 21 col- 
 ored males. 
 
 " The crimes for which they were con- 
 victed were as follows : for manslauo'h- 
 ter, 13 ; burglary, 9 ; larceny, 72 ; horse- 
 stealing, 32 ; intent to kill 4; assisting 
 slaves to run away, 8; felony, 12; pas- 
 sing counterfeit money, 13 ; forgery, 3 ; 
 highway robbery, 4 ; arson, 3 ; counter- 
 feiting, 3 ; perjury, 3 ; bigamy, 2 ; rape, 
 2 ; mailrobbery, 1 ; poisoning, 1 ; slave- 
 stealing, 1; mayhem, ]. 
 
 " The terms of their sentences were : 
 for 40 years, 3; 22 years, 1 ; 15 years, 
 
 1 ; 12 years, 1 ; 10 yeai's, 15 ; 9 years, 
 
 2 ; 8 years, 7 ; 7 years, 10 ; 6^ years, 1 ; 
 6 years, 10; 5^ years, 1 ; 5 years, 11 ; 
 4| years, 2 ; 4 years, 38 ; 3^ years, 1 ; 
 
 3 years 4 months, 1 ; 3 yeacs, 33 ; 2A 
 years, 2 ; 2 years, 25 ; 1 year 10 months, 
 1 ; 1 year 6 months, 1 ; 1 year 1 day, 
 
 I ; 1 year, 19. 
 
 " Education. — Superior, or those who 
 have a classical or scientific education, 
 3 ; good, or those who have received a 
 general English education, 20; common, 
 or those who can read, write, and cipher, 
 
 49 ; pool-, or those who can only spell 
 and read, 53 ; none, or those who are 
 entirely destitute of education, 62. 
 
 " Ages. — From 15 to 20 years, 20 ; 20 
 to 30, 87; 30 to 40, 44; 40 to 50, 19; 
 
 50 to 60, 14 ; 60 to 70, 2 ; 70 to 80, 1. 
 ^^ Previous Hahits. — Habitually in- 
 temperate, 62 ; occasionally intemper- 
 ate, 95 ; temperate, 30. 
 
 " Married, 75 ; single, 96 ; widowers, 
 
 II ; separated, 5. Total, 187. 
 
 r^J 
 
This state is bounded north by 
 Lake Erie, northeast, by Pennsylva- 
 nia, east and southeast by Ohio riv- 
 er, which sepai'ates it from Virginia, 
 south and southwest by the same 
 stream, which there separates it from 
 Kentucky, west bylndiana and north- 
 west by Michigan. The noble river 
 from which the state has derived its 
 name, extends along its boundary 
 for 440 miles, viz., from the mouth 
 of the Beaver to that of the Great 
 Miami, and its coast on the lake is 
 150. The entire outline is 933 miles, 
 and area nearly 44,000 square miles, or above 26,000,000 of statute acres. 
 
 This state lies between 37° 25' and 41° 58' north latitude, and between 3° 30' 
 and 7° 48' west longitude from Washington. A line drawn nearly straight from 
 the west boundary of Pennsylvania, at a point between the sources of the Ashta- 
 bula and the Shenango branch of Big Beaver, southwest by west, would cross the 
 summit level of the Ohio canal and the ridge dividing the waters flowing into 
 Lake Erie from those flov/ing north into the Ohio. The northern division of the 
 state thus made, is an inclined plane, widening from twenty-five miles, in the 
 northeast, to eighty miles in the northwest, and contains about one fourth of the 
 whole area. The southern declivity is much more gentle; while the north has a 
 descent of 405 feet, that of the south is only 509 in a mean breadth of 247 miles, 
 being only two feet per mile instead of thirteen. 
 
 The southern division might rather be regai'ded as originally a plain, as hif^h 
 grounds near the Ohio river which appear like a range of hills when viewed from the 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF OHIO. 
 
 487 
 
 south, are only the declivity of the broad 
 table-land there broken down. The 
 south slope before spoken of, properly 
 belongs only to the valleys of the 
 streams flowing in that direction into 
 the Ohio. These streams are generally 
 free from falls, except the Muskingum 
 aad a few others ; but those which flow 
 into Lake Erie, passing down a ridge 
 about eight hundred feet high, are too 
 much broken for navigation. Some of 
 them make that descent within five 
 miles. This ridge is visible to a person 
 sailing up the coast, and is seen gradu- 
 ally receding inland until it disappears 
 in the distance near Sandusky. 
 
 The course of the Ohio forms nearly 
 a perfect semicircle along the outline of 
 the state. If one point of the dividers 
 be placed on the map at Worthington, 
 nine miles north of Columbus, and the 
 other at the mouth of Big Sandy river, 
 it will sweep round on or very near 
 the course of the great river. Like its 
 tributaries, it flows through a deep chan- 
 nel, cut down below the original plain. 
 The breadth of this valley varies, above 
 Louisville, from one to two miles, and 
 its temperature is so much warmer than 
 that of the neighboring high land, that 
 vegetation is about six vv'eeks earlier in 
 the spring ; but the cold is greater in 
 winter. 
 
 On account of its rapid increase in 
 population, and the general extension 
 of the improvements of civilization, as 
 well as the intelligence, industry, and 
 thrift, of its inhabitants, the state of 
 Ohio is inferior to no other country of 
 equal extent. Indeed, it may be safely 
 asserted, that none has been equally 
 distinguished in all the points we have 
 enumeiated. 
 
 In consequence of a singular and pe- 
 culiarly favorable concurrence of events 
 and circumstances, the energy of our 
 nation here found an opportunity to dis- 
 play itself, while in its early youth ; and 
 the results show something of the ten- 
 dencies and power of the principles and 
 habits implanted by our ancestors, when 
 left at libei'ty to develop themselves. 
 
 The surface, soil, and climate of Ohio 
 are all highly favorable to agriculture; 
 and her situation, with the natural facili- 
 
 ties offered to navigation, afford oppor- 
 tunities to many parts of it to communi- 
 cate with markets. 
 
 The soil of Ohio is in genei'al veiy 
 fertile ; and the productions are afforded 
 in immense quantities. These are wheat, 
 rye, oats, Indian corn, live stock, and 
 salted meat. Indian corn ripens in all 
 parts, and apples and peaches flourish 
 well, as do nectarines, cherries, plums, 
 grapes, and berries of all kinds. Flint 
 says Ohio " is the appropriate empire 
 of Pomona." 
 
 The principal tributaries of the Ohio 
 flowing in this state are Muskingum, 
 Hockhocking, Scioto, and Great and 
 Little Miami. Their head streams in- 
 terlock with those running into Lake 
 Erie : the Ashtabula, Grand, Cuyahoga, 
 Huron, Sandusky, and Maumee. Nu- 
 merous smaller streams are omitted in 
 this enumeration. 
 
 The Ohio canal extends from Cleve- 
 land, on Lake Erie, up the valley of the 
 Cuyahoga south, about thirty miles, cros- 
 ses Portage summit to the Muskingum 
 or Tuscarawas river, whose valley it 
 follows to Dresden, within fourteen 
 miles of Zanesville, and then, in a south- 
 western direction, crosses the ridge to 
 the Scioto, twelve miles south of Colum- 
 bus, then south down the valley to Cii'- 
 cleville, Chillicothe, Piketon, and Ports- 
 mouth, where it enters the Ohio, beintj 
 three hundred and six miles long. 
 
 The Miami canal extends from Cin- 
 cinnati north through the Great Miami 
 valley, through Hamilton, Middletown, 
 Fianklin, and Miamisburg, to Dayton, 
 a distance of sixty-seven miles. 
 
 The population, in 1800, was 45,365; 
 in 1810, 230,760; in 1820, 581,434; 
 in 1830, 935, 884; in 1840, 1,519,467; 
 and in 1850, 1,977,031. 
 
 The original constitution of Ohio was 
 formed at Chillicothe, in 1802, and con- 
 tinued in operation until 1851, when a 
 new constitution was fi'amed nt Colum- 
 bus, by a convention, March lOlh, and 
 adopted by the people, June 17th, 1851. 
 
 By this constitution, the senators and 
 representatives nre elected biennially, 
 and meet at Columbus on the first Mon- 
 day f)f January fi>llowing. 
 
 The senate consists of thirty-hve mem- 
 
483 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF OHIO. 
 
 ")er8 chosen by single tlistricts, except 
 the first, the county of Hamilton, which 
 is entitled to tliiee senators. The whole 
 numbers of representatives is one hun- 
 dred, who are apportioned among the 
 several counties by a plan laid down in 
 the constitution, on the basis of popula- 
 tion, according to the federal census, or 
 such other mode as the general assembly 
 may direct, once in every ten years, 
 which is to continue for the ten years 
 next succeeding such apportionment. 
 
 The executive department consists of 
 a governor, lieutenant-governor (who is 
 president of the senate), secretary of 
 state, auditor, treasurer, and an attorney- 
 general, who are chosen by the people 
 at the biennial election, on the second 
 Tuesday in October. These officers 
 hold their offices for two years, except 
 the audit-or whose term is four years. 
 The respective terms commence on the 
 second Monday in January. The board 
 of public works, consisting of three mem- 
 bers, is elected by the people, one an- 
 nually for the term of three years. 
 
 The judicial power is vested in a su- 
 preme coui't, in district courts, courts of 
 common pleas, courts of probate, justices 
 of the peace, and in such other courts, 
 inferior to the supreme court, as the 
 general assembly may establish ; the five 
 aupreme court judges h(jld their f)ffice 
 five years, the term of one of the judges 
 expiring annually. There are nine 
 judges of the common pleas, elected by 
 districts for five years. A judge of pro- 
 bate court is elected in each county for 
 Inree years ; a competent number of 
 justices of the peace in each township 
 are elected for the same term. All these 
 elections are by the people. 
 
 The elective franchise is enjoyed by 
 every white mate citizen of the United 
 States, of the age of twenty-one years, 
 who shall have been a resident of the 
 state one year next preceding the elec- 
 tion, and of the county, townsiiip, or 
 ward, in which he resides, such time as 
 may be provided by law. All elections 
 are by ballot. No person in the military, 
 marine, or naval service of the United 
 States, shall by being stationed within 
 the state, be considered a lesident. 
 
 No new debts may be contracted by 
 
 the state, exceeding in the aggregate 
 $750,000. The credit of the state shall 
 neither be given nor loaned to any in- 
 dividual association or corporation what- 
 ever, nor shall the state hereafter, become 
 a joint owner or stockholder in any com- 
 pany or association. The general as- 
 sembly shall never authorize any county, 
 city, town, or township, by vote of its 
 citizens, or otherwise, to become a stock- 
 holder in any joint-stock company, cor- 
 poration, or association whatever: or to 
 raise money for, or loan its credit to, or 
 in aid of, any such company, corporation, 
 or association. The state shall never 
 contract any debt for purposes of inter- 
 nal ijTiprovement. The general assem- 
 bly shall pass no special act conferring 
 corporate powers; corpoiations may be 
 formed under general laws, subject to 
 alteration or repeal. Stockholders in 
 corporations are individually liable fi)r 
 all dues therefrom over and above their 
 stock to a further sum equal in amount 
 to such stock. No act authorizing asso- 
 ciations with banking powers shall take 
 effect until it shall be submitted to, and 
 approved by, the people at a general 
 election. Lotteries anil the sale of lot- 
 tery tickets are for ever prohibited. No 
 license to traffic in intoxicating liquors 
 shall hereafter be granied in the state. 
 
 History. — The time when the settle- 
 ment f)f the state of Ohio commenced, was 
 that when the close of the revolutionary 
 war promised jiermanent peace and se- 
 curity, even to that then distant and wild 
 portion of our territory. A considerahle 
 pai't of the territory had been granted to 
 the soldieis newly disbanded ; and tracts 
 of considerable extent to persons who had 
 been sufferers from the destructive ma- 
 rauding incursions of the enemy, in the 
 course of the war, when seveial Con- 
 ned icur towns were reiluced to ashes. 
 
 The CoiMiecticut claim was founded 
 on the royal charter of the colony, which, 
 after fixing the northern and southern 
 boundaries of Connecticut, carried them 
 through to the Pacific ocean. Under 
 this authority, Connecticut had settled 
 the Wyoming valley in Pennsylvania, 
 and long exeicised jurisdiction over it, 
 but finally abandoned it, together with 
 all other parts of the tract thus conceded 
 
to her, in consideration of a valuable 
 portion of Ohio, afterward called New 
 Connecticut, or the Connecticut Re- 
 serve. It was from that part of the 
 present state of Ohio that the legislature 
 of Connecticut gave the "fire lands," as 
 they were termed, to the sufferers above 
 referred to. 
 
 Under the several inducements above 
 enumerated, the settlement of Ohio be- 
 gan in the year 1788, since which, its 
 ■ increase in population and wealth has 
 ! been such as may well astonish the 
 world, while it affords reason for gi-ati- 
 tude, as well as for self-congratulation, 
 not only to its inhabitants, but to all 
 those who feel a becoming interest in the 
 solid growth of our common country. 
 
 Early Surveys. — The Great Miami 
 river was surveyed for one hundred 
 miles, in 1751, by Christopher Gist, 
 agent of the old English Ohio company; 
 and the English had a fort, or trading- 
 post, on Loramie's creek, forty-seven 
 miles north of Drayton, which was 
 taken by the French. In 1778, the 
 Miami valleys were examined by Daniel 
 Boone, during his captivity, and by 
 Bowman and Clark, on their military 
 excursions. In 1784, '5, and '6, the In- 
 dians ceded the regions ol the Muskin- 
 gum, Scioto, and Miamis, and the set- 
 tlement was immediately commenced. 
 
 Benjamin Stiles, of Redstone (now 
 Brownville), Pa., first proposed to John 
 Cleves Symmes, of New Jersey, the 
 joint purchase of a large tract of land 
 in Ohio, which was afterward made by 
 the latter for himself, and embraced 
 nearly 600,000 acres. Portions having 
 been sold, parties of emigrants left New 
 York and New Jersey in 1788. 
 
 Harmer's Expedition. — In 1790, near- 
 ly twenty pei-sons were killed by the 
 Indians near Cincinnati; and in the au- 
 tumn General Harmer proceeded against 
 the savage enemy, with 320 regulars, 
 833 Kentucky and Pennsylvania militia, 
 and 600 volunteers. After a severe loss 
 in an ambush, he returned without ac- 
 complishing anything important. In 
 1791, General St. Clair, with a force of 
 2,300 men, was attacked in his camp, 
 fifty miles from the Miami villages, and 
 after a severe battle, driven fi-om his 
 
 position, and pursued four miles, with 
 the loss of about 900 men in kitted, 
 wounded, and missing. The following 
 year, the Indians murdered several of 
 the commissioners sent by the United 
 States government to treat for peace. 
 
 Fort Harmer was first occupied in 
 1785 by a part of the first regiment of 
 United States troops, under Major John 
 Doughty, and named after their military 
 commander. In the same year, Gen. 
 Benjamin Tupper, of Chesterfield, Mass., 
 was appointed surveyor, under the sur- 
 j veyor-general of that state, to begin the 
 survey of the country northwest of the 
 Ohio, and went that year as far as Pitts- 
 burgh. The survey was postponed by 
 the hostile movements of the Indians. 
 In the following year, he and Geneial 
 Isi-ael Putnam (the celebrated revolu- 
 tionary officer) published an invitation 
 to disbanded soldiers, who had received 
 deeds of land in Ohio in payment of 
 their services, to proceed with them to 
 the Ohio region. " The Ohio Company" 
 was formed, at their proposition ; and, 
 on the 7th of April, 1788, Gen. Putnam 
 landed at the mouth of the Muskingum, 
 with a party of laborers and artificers, 
 and began to make preparations for the 
 first settlement designed by that associ- 
 ation, at Marietta. 
 
 At that period, the Shawnees were 
 inhabitants of a large part of the best 
 land in the bounds of the present state, 
 especially the valleys of Scioto, Miami, 
 and Wabash. Their pi-incipal chief was 
 Cornstalk, who had distinguished himself 
 by his faithfulness to our countrymen, by 
 his successful opposition to the league 
 fonned against them by the nations be- 
 yond to assist the British in the war. 
 
 In 1794, General Wayne, after many 
 delays, and the erection of several forts, 
 routed a large force of Indians and Cana- 
 dians near Fort Deposite, and after de- 
 stroying the various villages and posi- 
 tions of the enemy along the Miami, 
 brought them to consent to a treaty of 
 peace, which was concluded August 3d, 
 1795. 
 
 The next settlement after that at Ma- 
 rietta, was made at Columbia, six miles 
 above Cincinnati, Nov. 16, 1789, by Ma- 
 jor Stiles and twenty-five others, chiefly 
 
490 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF OHIO. 
 
 from Redstone, as before mentioned, 
 and partly from New York and New 
 Jersey, under Judge Symmes. This 
 colony was formed under circumstances 
 of peculiar danger, the Indians heing 
 numerous and hostile around them, so 
 that the settlers were compelled to take 
 turns as laborers and sentinels, while 
 erecting a block house. 
 
 The third settlement was made by 
 Frenchmen, at Gallipolis, in 1791. They 
 had been induced to come from France 
 by the "Scioto Land Company," so 
 called, an association of men who hoped 
 to obtain from Congress a large grant 
 of land, but were unsuccessful. Many 
 of the settlers afterward dispersed, but 
 the remainder at length obtained a grant 
 of 24,000 acres, in the southeast part 
 of Scioto county, on the Ohio. The 
 tract is now called the French grant. 
 
 The fourth settlement was at Cleve- 
 land, on Lake Erie, in 1796. Another 
 was made at Conneaut, the same yea- 
 Both these were made by emigrants from 
 the eastern states. 
 
 Settlers afterward came in, in great 
 numbers, from difl'erent parts of the 
 country, and from several parts of Eu- 
 rope. 
 
 The first territorial legislature met at 
 Cincinnati, Sept. 24, 1799, whose ju- 
 risdiction extended to all the territory 
 northwest of the Ohio. Gen. Wm. Henry 
 Harrison was the first delegate to Con- 
 jrress. In 1802, Nov. 1, the conven- 
 tion to form a state constitution assem- 
 bled at Chilicothe, which was formed 
 and adopted in three weeks, and remain- 
 ed till 1851, though never formally rati- 
 fied by the people. One of the provis- 
 ions of the constitution, in compliance 
 with a suggestion made by Congress, 
 was, that section sixteen of every town- 
 ship (or a substitute where that was not 
 disposable) should be reserved for the 
 support of public schools. The first 
 general assembly of the state met at 
 Chilicothe, March 1, 1803. The sec- 
 ond, the same year, passed a law allow- 
 ing aliens to hold land. 
 
 The victory of Tippecanoe, by Gen. 
 Ilarrison, was gained in 1811. The 
 first steamboat voyage Avas made that 
 year from Pittsburgh to New Orleans. 
 
 The first resolution ii favor of a ca- 
 nal, was introduced into the legislature 
 in 1817 ; and in 1825 an act was passed 
 " to provide for the internal improve- 
 ment of the state by navigable canals." 
 In that year, also, a general system for 
 common schools was adopted, which was 
 followed by another in 1829, laying a 
 tax, for their support, of three fourths 
 of a mill on the dollar, and authorizing 
 householders to lay taxes for certain 
 school purposes, in their districts. None 
 but negroes and mulattoes are excluded 
 from the schools. 
 
 Ohio presents all varieties of surface, 
 in difierent parts, except the mountain- 
 ous. The most hilly part is' in the 
 southeast, on the Ohio. Along that 
 stream and its tributaries are niany 
 tracts of level meadows, of the finest 
 soil. Some of the largest and richest 
 of these are watered l)y the Miamis, 
 Prairies, or meadows of a particular 
 kin4, are found in several parts of the 
 state, especially near the sources of the 
 Muskingum, Scioto, and the Miamis. 
 They are almost destitute of timber, and 
 some are marshy, others high and poor, 
 while most of them are covered with 
 high, coarse gi'ass. 
 
 Bituminous coal abounds in some cf 
 the eastern parts of the state, and salt 
 springs and iron mines are also found 
 in several counties. There is usually 
 good sleighing for several weeks, in the 
 northern part of the state, along Lake 
 Erie. The winds are generally from 
 the west and southwest. 
 
 There were found no signs of Indian 
 settlements in the limits of the state, 
 though an ancient trail, or Indian road, 
 came down and crossed the Ohio river, 
 at the mouth of the Licking, and led l;i 
 through the Cumberland gap, being the 
 grand route of travel thr(j;igli the vast 
 western forest, between the north and 
 the south. The preceding race, how- 
 ever, of whom so little is known, had 
 left very interesting traces on the very 
 site now occupied by Cincinnati, which 
 have been obliterated. A number of 
 considerable works, of different forms, 
 extended between Ludlow and INIoiind 
 streets, and between Third and Nor- 
 thern row. These were, first, an oval 
 
492 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF OHIO. 
 
 en)baiikment, 830 feet hy 730, and fi-om 
 3 to 7 feet lilgli, with an eastern open- 
 ing of 90 feet. It was from 30 to 40 
 feet wide at the base, and had evidently 
 been much higher. A raised path led 
 from near the opening to the top of a 
 flat mound, at some distance beyond 
 Main street. A similar work, and a 
 small circular one, may also be enumer- 
 ated ; but these were inferior to another 
 oval, 760 feet by 40, lying nearly north 
 and south, with a southern opening, be- 
 yond which was a pit 50 feet wide and 
 12 feet in depth. At the comer of 
 Fifth and Mound streets was a mound, 
 35 feet high, and several smaller else- 
 where, in some of which were found 
 pottery, various shells, &:c. 
 
 The mounds in Ohio fonn part of the 
 long chain which extends from the mid- 
 dle of New York, southwesterly to the 
 Mississippi, and down its course, as is 
 said by some, to Mexico. They are sup- 
 posed by some writers to mark the prog- 
 ress of a numerous and partially civi- 
 lized people, on their gradual retreat 
 before powerful enemies. Amid abund- 
 ant materials for general conjectures, 
 and with few hints of ar ything positive, 
 it is not surprising that a variety of 
 tlieories should have been proposed, to 
 account for their existence. 
 
 One cause of this variety of opinions 
 has been the mistakes made by persons 
 who have investigated the subject too 
 ha'itily. The Crravc Creek mound, four- 
 teen miles below Wheeling, about 70 
 feet high, and 33 rods \n circumference 
 at the l)ase, is one of the largest known 
 to be wholly of artificial origin. A shaft 
 was sunk from the top to the bottom, 
 which exposed to view two rude tombs, 
 one a few feet above the other, and each 
 containing the remains of a human skel- 
 eton, several flat stones, and parts of 
 decayed logs, with a number of imple- 
 ments, or weapons, and ornaments, like 
 those often discovered in other mounds. 
 A small stone, with an inscription re- 
 sembling Runic and some other ancient 
 alphabets, said to have been taken from 
 the place, has recently excited the curi- 
 f)sity of the learned in Europe, as well 
 as ill America. 
 
 At (!!ircleville existed one of the most 
 
 curious and wonderful collections of 
 ancient works in the state. The streets 
 of the town are laid out in curves, cor- 
 responding with the two concentric cir- 
 cles of a fine, large, ancient work in 
 which it is situated. The interior cir- 
 cle is 47 rods in diameter, and distant 
 from the outer 3 rods, with a ditch be- 
 tween them. The outer wall was of 
 clay, which must have l)een brought 
 from a distance, and was used to make 
 bricks in building the town. There was 
 but one entrance through the walls, and 
 that led into a lai'ge square, which had 
 seven other openings. The walls were 
 20 feet high. Several smaller circles, 
 (fee, existed in the vicinity. 
 
 "Fifty-five years ago," said General 
 Harrison, in his discourse before the 
 historical society of Ohio, "there was 
 not a Christian inhabitant within the 
 bounds which now comprise the state of 
 Ohio; and if, a few years anterior to that 
 period, a traveller had been passing 
 down the magnificent river which forms 
 our southern boundary, he might not 
 have seen, in its whole course of eleven 
 hundred miles, a single human being, 
 certainly not a habitation, nor the ves- 
 tige of one, calculated for the residence 
 of man. He might, indeed, have seen 
 indications that it was not always thus. 
 His eye might have rested on some stu- 
 pendous mound, or lengthened lines of 
 ramparts, and traverses of earth, still of 
 considerable elevation, which proved 
 that the country had once been possessed 
 by a numerous and laborious people. 
 But he would have seen, also, indubitable 
 evidences that centuries had passed away 
 since these remains had been occupied 
 by those for whose use they had lieen 
 reared." 
 
 He concluded that their departure 
 must have been a matter of necessity ; 
 for no people would willingly have 
 abandoned s7/ck a country, after a long 
 residence, and the labor they had be- 
 stowed upon it, uv less, like the He- 
 brews, they fled from a tyrant, or un- 
 feeling taskmasters. 
 
 "If they had been made to yield to a 
 more numerous, or more gallant people, 
 what country had received the fugitives ? 
 and what has become of the conquer- 
 
494 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF OHIO. 
 
 ors? Had they, too, been forced to fly 
 before a new swarm from some northern 
 or southern liive?" What was their 
 fate ? and why has so large a portinri of 
 country, so beautiful, inviting, abound- 
 ing in all that is desirable, been left to 
 the wild beasts, or for distant tribes of 
 savajres to min2:le in mortal conflicts 1 
 
 We learn from the extensive country, 
 covered by their remains, that they were 
 a numerous agricultural people, congre- 
 gated in considerable cities, but in pos- 
 session of no domestic animals. It 
 seems probable, if not certain, that they 
 possessed a national religion, "in the 
 celebration of which, all that was pom- 
 pous, gorg30us, and imposing, that a 
 semi-barbarous nation could devise, was 
 brought into occasional display; that 
 there were a numerous priesthood, and 
 altars, often smoking with hecatombs of 
 victims." They had made much prog- 
 ress in the art of building; their habita- 
 tions were probalily small, inconvenient, 
 and composed of slight and perishable 
 materials, as few remains of them are to 
 be discovered. 
 
 General Hari'ison concluded that they 
 were assailed both from the north and 
 the south, receded from both directions, 
 and made their last effort at resistance, 
 on the banks of the Ohio. 
 
 The eno^ineers who directed the exe- 
 cution of the Miami works, he says, 
 must have known the importance of flank 
 defences; and, "if their bastions are 
 not as perfect, as to form, as those which 
 are in use in modern engineering, their 
 position, as well as that of the long line 
 of curtains, are precisely as they should 
 be." 
 
 He denies the occupation of the banks 
 of the Ohio for centuries before its dis- 
 covery by Europeans, but thinks there 
 are indubitable marks of its having been 
 thickly inhabited by a race of men in- 
 ferior and subsequent to the authors of 
 the gi-eat works. Pottery, pipes, stone 
 hatchets, and other articles, ai'e found 
 in great abundance, inferior in work- 
 manship to those of the former people. 
 
 The tribes Avithin the bounds of this 
 state, when the white settlements com- 
 menced, as General Harrison informs 
 us, were the Wyandots, Miamis, Shaw- 
 
 anees, Delawares, a remnant of the Mo- 
 hegans (who had united themselves to 
 the Delawares), and a band of theOttD- 
 was. " There may also have been some 
 bands from the Senecas and Tuscaroras 
 remaining in the northern part of the 
 state. But, whether resident or not, the 
 country, for some distance beyond the 
 Pennsylvania line, certainly belonged to 
 them." As has been before remarked, 
 however, the red men appear to have had 
 no permanent settlements in any part of 
 this extensive region, at least in a long 
 course of time, as none of the usual or 
 supposable marks of their fixed resi- 
 dence were perceptible. 
 
 How difl'erent is now the aspect of 
 the country ! Flourishing villages and 
 scattered farmhouses on every side, 
 amid fields of corn, sometimes extend- 
 ing farther than the compass of vision ; 
 large towns and cities at the principal 
 exits of trade, extending their crowded 
 streets along the shores of the rivers, 
 and crowning the neighboring eminences 
 with villas; houses for the education of 
 the young, and ft)r the worship of God, 
 sprinkled over every part of the terri- 
 tory; and steam laboring with all its 
 power to bear rich freights over the land 
 and the water ! 
 
 There are 87 counties, 784 town- 
 plats, 1010 postoffices, 5 incorporated 
 cities, 45 chartered railroad companies, 
 about 30 canal companies, 30 banking 
 companies, 20 colleges and principal 
 seminaries, an asylum for lunatics, one 
 for tl;e deaf and dumb and another for 
 the blind, and a complete system of com- 
 mon schools. What is, perhaps, of 
 equal importance, Sunday-schools are 
 imiversally established, as in most othei 
 parts of our country, every week, and 
 often every day, bringing the minds of 
 the old and the young to the mutual 
 study of the word of God, and practi- 
 cally training the people to the obser- 
 vance of the Sabbath, its occupation in 
 work appropriate to its institution, and 
 training the people to the important 
 duty of teaching, under circumstances 
 most favorable to its success. 
 
 The population in 1790 was about 
 3,000; in ] 850, 1,977,031, above 6o,000 
 per cent. 
 
496 
 
 DESCRIPTION OP THE STATE OF OHIO. 
 
 The Connecticut Reserve is one of the 
 most flourishing })arts of the state. It 
 contains tlie seven northeastern counties, 
 120 miles east and west, and 52 north 
 and south, with four millions of acres, 
 and was settled chiefly from Connecticut 
 and Massachusetts. 
 
 A striking view of the rapid and solid 
 gi-owth of Ohio is presented by the fol- 
 lowing statistics : — 
 
 The first permanent settlement was 
 made in 1788, and the following are 
 among the returns made to the legisla- 
 ture forty years afterward, in 1836 : 
 Land for taxation, 16,160,029 acres; 
 value of the above, exclusive of town 
 property, $55,242,254 ; value of the town 
 property, excepted, $16,906,854 ; houses, 
 280,562; cattle, 402,376; merchants' 
 capital, $8,899,994 ; pleasure-carriages, 
 2,986. The taxes on the above, for 
 state, county, town, and road pi. /poses, 
 were S995,376. The revenue of the 
 state that year, $301,057. As early as 
 1837, there were 450 miles of navigable 
 canals, with expectation of 1,000 by 
 1839. 
 
 CINCINNATI. 
 
 Cincinnati is the largest city in the 
 western states, and enjoys a situation 
 distinguished by several advantages, on 
 the north bank of the Ohio river, which 
 there rises, with a bold, but not too ab- 
 rupt ascent, to the height of 108 feet 
 above low- water mark, aflbrding a con- 
 venient and commanding elevation to 
 the upper streets. The latitude of the 
 city is 39° 6' 30'^ north, and the longi- 
 tude, 70 24' 45" west. It stands half 
 way l)etween the head of the Ohio, at 
 Pittsbui'gh, and its confluence with the 
 ! Mississip[)i, at Cairo, being 465 miles 
 distant frimi each, measuring the course 
 of the stream. From the following 
 cities the distances by the roads are as 
 follows: Indianapolis 120, C()lu7nbus 
 115, Lexington 90, Nashville 270, Pitts- 
 burgh 298. By the steamboat routes it 
 is 198 miles from Louisville, 655 from 
 St. Louis, 1335 from Natchez, 1631 from 
 New Orleans. By the stage routes, 
 Washington is 502 miles, Baltimore 518, 
 and Philadelphia 617. By the lakes, 
 the distance to New York is 650 miles. 
 
 Cincinnati stands near the head of 
 one of the largest and most fertile of the 
 valleys watered by the Ohio. It is 
 twelve miles in circumference, and en- 
 closed by hills of moderate elevation, 
 which aftbrd a succession of varied and 
 pleasing scenes, though the approach to 
 the city by water aflbrds no striking 
 view. 
 
 The climate is very variable, and the 
 cold in winter severe, but Cincinnati is 
 a healthy city. The want of pavements 
 is a serious inconvenience in wet weath- 
 er, although the sloping ground on which 
 the city is built is favorable to draining. 
 
 Geology. — The rocks at Cincinnati 
 are mountain limestone, below which, as 
 elsewhere, are found beds of coal. They 
 are, however, at a considerable distance 
 beneath. The vicinity appears to have 
 been once a plain, 600 feet above the 
 river at low water, and 1200 above the 
 Atlantic, but cut down by streams, in 
 the course of ages, which expose alter- 
 nate strata of blue clay, marl, and fossil- 
 iferous limestone, nearly pure, and of a 
 bluish color. At different elevations, 
 in alluvial deposites left by the streams, 
 at difl'erent ages, in their former beds, 
 are found old trees, and the remains of 
 elephants. On the larger streams are 
 fine bottom lands, or meadows, of a very 
 rich soil, of an amber color, which, in 
 floods, tinges the river. Wells are 
 sometimes filled with carbonic acid gas, 
 or choke-damp, which proceeds from the 
 limestone. Numerous marine fossils 
 abound in the rocks. 
 
 liaih'oads and canals, as well as steam- 
 boats, greatly subserve the business of 
 Cincinnati. In 1841, there were esti- 
 mated to be 1,125 miles of these three 
 kinds of routes concenti'ating at this 
 city, to cost, when completed, twelve 
 millions of dollars. 
 
 Cincinnati, notwithstanding its pres- 
 ent importance, and the great advantages 
 of its position, was not occupied until 
 most of the other principal points on the 
 western rivers had been planted \vith 
 towns. 
 
 The first surveys were begun by Mr. 
 Filson in 1788; but he soon disappeared 
 in the woods, and was never seen again. 
 Israel Ludlow, Ilobert Patterson, and 
 
32 
 
498 
 
 DESCRIPTION OP THE STATE OF OHIO. 
 
 Mathias Denman, occupied a part of the 
 land at the close of that year and the 
 next, and they gave the place the name 
 of Losantiville, which was fortunately 
 soon changed to that which it still bears. 
 Jan. 7, 1789, thirty men drew lots for 
 portions of the land, but about a year 
 afterward, Joel Williams purchased two 
 thirds of the town. The original price 
 of the whole was $500, in continental 
 certificates, then worth only five shil- 
 lings on the pound. In June, 1789, 
 Fort Washington was erected by Major 
 Doughty, with forty men, and consisted 
 of four blockhouses, with a stockade and 
 bai-racks. In 1790, General Arthur St. 
 Clair arrived, as goveraor of the "ten-i- 
 tory northwest of the Ohio." 
 
 " When I first saw the upper plain on 
 which Cincinnati stands," says General 
 Harrison, "it was literally covered with 
 low lines of embankments. I had the 
 honor to attend General Wayne two 
 years afterward, in an excursion to ex- 
 amine them. The number and variety 
 of figures in which the lines were drawn 
 were almost endless. The cause I tak» 
 to have been continued cultivation; and 
 the probability is, that the people were 
 the conquerors of the original posses- 
 sors." 
 
 Judge Burnet says, that when he went 
 to Ohio, in 1796, the country was liter- 
 ally a wilderness. The entire popula- 
 tion between Pennsylvania and the Mis- 
 sissippi, from the Ohio to the lakes, was 
 fifteen thousand. Cincinnati was a small 
 village of log-cabins, including, perhaps, 
 a dozen of frame houses, with stone 
 chimneys, most of them unfinished. Not 
 a brick had oeen seen in the place. 
 
 Cincinnati in 1800. — This view of our 
 western inland emporium, while in its 
 infancy, possesses a great degree of in- 
 terest. See page 493. How much more 
 cheerful to the eye than the sight of 
 many an ancient European city, in which 
 no trace of improvement is visible, and 
 where no thought of enterprise is found! 
 In our western towns, industry, directed 
 by intelligence, and stimulated by hope, 
 displays itself in prodigies, and strides 
 on like a giant. In this city, however, 
 if anywhere, our countrymen have sur- 
 passed themselves ; and even those of 
 
 us best acquainted with their energy and 
 success may compare this print and the 
 frontispiece, with astonishment. The 
 particulars of the changes which have 
 taken place between 1800 and the pres- 
 ent time, we need not repeat; but we 
 will refer the reader to the preceding 
 pages, where they are recorded. 
 
 Cincinnati in 1848. — The transition 
 from the view on page 493, to the one 
 depicted on p. 495, seems like an illusion. 
 Such a gi"owth, in less than half a cen- 
 tury, appears impossible. Cities have 
 indeed been suddenly erected by mon- 
 archs who had absolute power over their 
 subjects ; but these changes have been 
 produced by the spontaneous labors of 
 individuals. The growth of the place 
 has been natural, and the impulse will 
 be continued. The noble disjilay of 
 steamboats, di'awn up in line, is still in- 
 ferior to Avhat might actually be made ; 
 and the long ranges of stores in fi-ont, 
 as well as the crowded buildings beyond, 
 give but an imperfect idea of their real 
 numbers. 
 
 The streets of Cincinnati are gener- 
 ally wide, straight, and well-built. They 
 cross at right angles, and seven of them 
 are sixty-six feet in breadth. The spaces 
 enclosed between them are 396 feet 
 square ; and one of these is appropriated 
 to public buildings and public puiposes. 
 A portion of another is also devoted to 
 the same use. Main street, Broadway, 
 and Fourth streets, are the finest streets ; 
 but Pearl street, between Market and 
 Walnut, has a fine block of uiildings, 
 in a uniform style, terminated by a large 
 hotel. 
 
 The Landing-Placc. See page 497. — 
 This nearer view of the river's side will 
 give a more just idea of the spacious 
 street which borders the shore, and of 
 the size of the buildings, though it shows 
 but a small part oi the front line of the 
 city. The reader will readily perceive, 
 that th« landing-place is convenient, as 
 it extends far along the bank, up and 
 down the river. It is indeed a landing- 
 place well adapted to the extensive and 
 increasing trade of this commercial me- 
 ti'opolis of the west. 
 
 The principal public buildings are the 
 courthouse, jail, four maikels (one of 
 
500 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF OHIO. 
 
 which is 400 feet in length), the Bazaar, 
 Cincinnati college, the Catholic Athe- 
 noeum, the Medical college, the Mechan- 
 ics' institute, two theatres, two museums, 
 the hospital and lunatic asylum, the 
 Woodward high school, and nearly 
 thirty churches. The town is chiefly 
 built of brick. 
 
 Manufactures. — Within a few years, 
 the amount and variety of manufactures 
 have greatly increased. The principal 
 business is done in heavy iron castings, 
 for steam-engines and machinery. A 
 great deal of cabinet-work is also pro- 
 duced, and numerous steamboats and 
 canal-boats are built every year. The 
 Cincinnati Manufacturing Company have 
 a collection of large buildings on Deer 
 Creek. 
 
 Great quantities of pork are prepared 
 and shipped at Cincinnati. In 1848, 
 not less than 500,000 hogs were killed 
 in the city. The price was then only 
 about two and a half cents a pound. 
 One of the consequences of this busi- 
 ness is the manufacture of great quan- 
 tities of lard and oil. 
 
 Numerous steamboats have annually 
 been built at Cincinnati. In 1843 the 
 number was 43, whose tonnage was 
 8,571, and cost $618,000; in 1844, 89. 
 
 Canal-boats proceed from Cincinnati 
 through the canal, over Lake Erie, to 
 Buffalo. Tolls on the Ohio canals in 
 1850, about $800,000. 
 
 Orphan Asylums. — There are three: — 
 
 1. St. Petei''s orphan asylum, man- 
 aged by the sisters of charity. 
 
 2. St. Aloysius's oi-phan asylum, an- 
 other Roman catholic institution, for 
 boys, 
 
 3. The Cincinnati orphan asylum, 
 erected by contributions of the citi- 
 zens. It is 64 feet by 54, four stories 
 high, and cost $18,000. It stands in 
 Elm street. The children are taught 
 at a good school, and have a good libra- 
 ry, and extensive playgrounds. Morals 
 and religion are carefully inculcated, and 
 the future interest of the pupils provi- 
 ded for. 
 
 The Roman Catholic Church. — The 
 b'lilding is of simple form, and in a neat 
 style of architecture. The walls are 
 straight and smooth, with seven win- 
 
 dows on each side, and a portico pro- 
 jected in front, with ten Corinthian col- 
 umns. The steeple, Avhich is dispropor- 
 tionately high, is conspicuous from a 
 distance, (see engraving, p. 499.) 
 
 The Commercial Hospital and Lunatic 
 Asylum of Ohio is situated in the north- 
 western part of Cincinnati, in a retired 
 and airy situation. The building is of 
 brick, with three stories and a basement, 
 and can contain 250 inmates. The poor- 
 house occupies a separate part of the 
 edifice; and there are two medical de- 
 partments. Boatmen who have paid 
 hospital money, those who have not, and 
 the town poor, are provided for gratui- 
 tously in this institution, by different 
 funds. Other sick persons are admitted 
 at two dollars a week. 
 
 The House of Employment for Fe- 
 male Poor, and the Savings Bank, are 
 also valuable institutions. 
 
 Benevolent Societies. — The Cincinnati 
 Total Abstinence Temperance society; 
 the Colonization society; the Ohio Anti- 
 Slavery society; the Scots' Benevolent 
 society; St. George's society; the Cin- 
 cinnati Typographical assocation; and 
 the Hibernian Benevolent society. 
 
 The Cincinnati Astrono)niral Society, 
 organized in 1842, have an observa- 
 tory, with a large telescope, on Mount 
 Adams, under the care of Professor 
 Mitchells. 
 
 The Western Academy of Natural 
 Sciences was incorporated in 1838, and 
 litis a valuable cabinet. 
 
 The Apprentices' Ijihrarywa& founded 
 in 1821, by private contributions, and 
 is open to all minors in the city, brought 
 up to laborious employments. 
 
 The Young Mc7i's Mercantile Library 
 Association has its library and reading- 
 rooms in the Cincinnati college, which 
 are open daily. It was organized in 
 1835, and chartered the following year. 
 
 Educatfon. — 1. Common Schools. — 
 The common school system of Cincin- 
 nati Avas founded in 1830-'31, and the 
 number of children taught is very large. 
 The number of districts is ten, whicli 
 are now supplied with brick school- 
 houses, with cupolas, and furnished with 
 common ap^jaratus, with seats for from 
 three to five hundred pupils, each, at a 
 
rp- 
 
 502 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF OHIO. 
 
 Kenyon College. 
 
 cost of more than $100,000. They are 
 under three boards, viz.: 1, the trus- 
 tees; 2, the examiners; 3, the corps of 
 teachers. 
 
 2. Academies, or Classical Schools. — 
 There are several in different parts of 
 the city. 
 
 COLLEGES. 
 
 Cincinnati College was chartered in 
 1818-'19, with university powers, and 
 has been endowed chiefly by private 
 contribution. It has a building in the 
 middle of the city, with chymical and 
 philosophical apparatus. 
 
 St. Xavier College, a Jesuit institu- 
 tion, enjoys the privileges of a univer- 
 sity, and has a mercantile, as well as a 
 classical department. It has a library 
 of 6,000 volumes, and a cabinet of nat- 
 ural history. The expenses are $160 
 a year, including board. 
 
 Woodward College was founded in 
 1812, by William Woodward, one of the 
 early settlers, who gave the land on 
 which the building is erected. 
 
 The Medical College of Ohio, on Sixth 
 street. Students are admitted to the 
 lectures for $15, and for $5 more to the 
 hospital, which is large. 
 
 Lane Seminary, a presbyterian theo- 
 logical seminary, is situated at Walnut 
 
 Hills, a short distance from Cincinnati. 
 Rev. Lyman Beecher is president. The 
 course of study occupies three years, 
 and is gi-atuitous, while room-rent is 
 only $5 a year, and incidental expenses 
 $5. This seminary enjoys a fine and 
 conspicuous situation. The building 
 for the lodo^incrs of the students is of 
 four stories and a basement, and has an 
 entrance in the middle, with five win- 
 dows on each side of the door, and suf- 
 ficient depth to afford numerous apart- 
 ments. On a line with it, at the right, 
 is a very neat edifice for the chapel and 
 other purposes, in simple Grecian style, 
 with six Doric columns supporting an 
 architrave, forming a portico, to which 
 rises a broad range of steps. In the 
 rear are the houses of the president ^nd 
 professors ; and the whole is backed by 
 a fine wood, while spacious grounds in 
 front and around are laid out in yards, 
 walks, and gardens. 
 
 GAMBIER. 
 
 Gambler is the seat of Kenyon col- 
 lege. Connected with this are Bexloy 
 Hall (the principal episcopal academi- 
 cal and theological institutions of this 
 part of the country), Milnor Hall (the 
 jimior preparatory school), and Rosse 
 chapel. They are situated in the midst 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF OHIO. 
 
 503 
 
 of a large tract of land, belonging to the 
 diocese, in a secluded and pleasant 
 place, and are under the direction of a 
 board of trustees. In the vicinity are 
 the bishop's residence, the president's 
 house, and the dwellings of five profes- 
 sors, with a number of other buildings, 
 including farmhouses, storehouses, &c. 
 
 Kenyon College. — This edifice is of a 
 plain, Gothic style, built of stone, 190 
 feet in length and 44 in breadth, with a 
 spire in the centre. Funds for its erec- 
 tion having been collected from the con- 
 tributions of friends in England, by 
 Bishop Chase, in spite of much opposi- 
 tion, the main building and sjoire were 
 finished in 1828. The wings were ad- 
 ded in 1834 and 1835, under the direc- 
 tion of Bishop M'Uvaine, by whom 
 further subscriptions were obtained in 
 1833. (see engi'aving, page 502.) 
 
 All the buildings, v/ith 4,000 acres of 
 land surrounding them, belong to the 
 institution, v/hich affords theological in- 
 struction gratuitously, and is supported 
 chiefly by the products of the soil. The 
 whole was estimated, in 1843, to be 
 worth fi-om $175,000 to $185,000. 
 
 The institution was placed in the 
 midst of this tract of land to secure it 
 from all exposure to intrusion. An un- 
 settled I'egion was selected, in the midst 
 of the forest, and the trees have been 
 cleared off since the commencement of 
 the undertaking. 
 
 Bexley Hall is a well-proportioned 
 building, for the residence of the theo- 
 logical students of Kenyon college. It 
 was constructed with funds raised in 
 England by Bishop M'Uvaine, after a 
 plan proposed by an architect in Lon- 
 don. It is 100 feet long and 50 deep, 
 and affords accommodations for a large 
 number of students. It bears the name 
 of liord Bexley, a distinguished and 
 efficient friend of the institution, and 
 well known for his enlightened and 
 Christian zeal. 
 
 Milnor Hall is the preparatory school 
 for Kenyon college. It is of brick, and 
 was erected by money contributed in 
 1833, under the direction of Bishop 
 M'Uvaine. 
 
 Rosse Chapel was raised in 1836, on 
 the site of a larger one, commenced by 
 
 Bishop Chase, and serves both as the 
 college chapel and the parish chui-ch. 
 
 MARIETTA. 
 
 The situation of this village is not 
 unpleasant, but low, yet its institutions 
 and society have given it a distinction 
 worthy of the oldest settlement in the 
 state. It is the capital of Washington 
 county, and stands on the west bank of 
 the Ohio, immediately above the mouth 
 of the Muskingum. It is 61 miles 
 southeast of Zanesville, 109 southeast 
 of Columbus, 93 east by north of Chili- 
 cothe, and 178 from Pittsburgh. The 
 college, and several academies and 
 schools, give a very respectable literary 
 standing. Shipbuilding was formerly 
 carried on. 
 
 Here, as we have before mentioned, 
 was planted the first permanent colony 
 of civilized men within the bounds of 
 the present state of Ohio. Here, on 
 the 7th of April, 1788, landed a party 
 of adventurers, with the celebrated vet- 
 eran, General Israel Putnam, at their 
 head. The fort, erected by United 
 States' troops, had been some time con- 
 structed, the site of which is still pointed 
 out. 
 
 Silver sword oruatueut. 
 
504 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF OHIO. 
 
 Antiquities. — Near the fort, on high 
 ground and a dry soil, was an ancient 
 mound, which was dug away some years 
 ago, and several curious relics were 
 brought to light. Dr. S, P. Hildreth, 
 of that place, published drawings and a 
 description, from which we have derived 
 the following particulars. The objects 
 were buried with a dead body, the re- 
 mains of which existed. 
 
 The object )f this form (see engra- 
 ving, page i!2), made of silver, was 
 found lying beside the remains of the 
 body. It is about six inches long, and 
 two in breadth, and weighs an ounce. 
 It is smooth, with three longitudinal 
 ridges, and four holes for rivets, proba- 
 bly to attach it to the scabbard. 
 
 Remains of the blade were found, but 
 they were mere iron rust ; a portion of 
 which was in the corroded fragments of 
 the copper tip. 
 
 Front and back view of a boss of the sword-belt. 
 
 Three of these wei'e found lying on 
 the foi'ehead of the skull, and one of 
 copper, thickly plated with silver. They 
 are plain,, with a circular depression 
 round the centre, and measure two and 
 a quarter inches across. A bit of leather 
 remained between two of the bosses, 
 preserved by the oxyde of copper. 
 
 Near the feet of the body was found 
 a small piece of copper, of this shaj)e, 
 
 A copper plumb, or pendent. 
 
 weighing three ounces. It appears to 
 have been formed of small pieces of na- 
 tive copper, pounded together, and in 
 the cracks are several pieces of silver, 
 one about the size df a sixpence. 
 
 There v/ere also found a piece of red 
 ochre, and one of iron ore, partly vitri- 
 fied. 
 
 The body lay with the back on the 
 surface of the ground, and its head 
 toward the southwest. Fragments of 
 charcoal and mineral coal, half burnt, 
 lay about the body; and over and around 
 the whole was a circle of thin, flat stones, 
 which seemed to have been laid while 
 the fire was burning. It seemed that the 
 mound had been formed over this tomb, 
 by heaping up the earth from the neigh- 
 borhood, being of clay, sand, and gravel. 
 It was six feet high, and thirty or finty 
 feet in diameter; but had been reduced 
 in height by the action of rain, &c. The 
 remains of the skeleton were imperfect, 
 and some of the bones soon crumbled. 
 It was about six feet in length; the skull 
 was very thick. 
 
 The mound was found by the first set- 
 tlers covered with trees as ancient as 
 those which gi'ew around it, and every- 
 thing indicated antiquity. 
 
 Several other ancitsnt works existed 
 at Marietta, from som.'; of which, bits of 
 pottery have been taken. Dr. Hildreth 
 mentions several cpecimens in his pos- 
 session, which a])jiear to have lain 
 long exposed to tiie elements, on the 
 surface of the gi'ound, yet retained their 
 structure and hardness. They consist 
 of clay and pounded flint. Such as are 
 found on the meadows are composed, 
 he tells us, of clay and broken clam- 
 shells ; and these he refers to ihe pres- 
 ent race of redmen. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF OHIO. 
 
 505 
 
 Ashtabula county is remarkable for 
 containing the first settlements **in the 
 Western Reserve, and, indeed, in all 
 northern Ohio. The first surveying par- 
 ty of the Reserve landed at the mouth 
 of Conneaut on the 4th of July, 1796. 
 It consisted of fifty-two persons, two of 
 whom were women ; and the family of 
 Judge James Kingsley was the first 
 which ever wintered within the limits 
 of that region, now so populous. 
 
 Conneaut Landing, the scene of the 
 above events, is now an important place 
 of transhipment, and has a pier with a 
 lighthouse, with a few buildings. The 
 village, or borough, of the same name, 
 stands at the distance of two miles 
 north. It is twenty-eight miles from 
 Erie, Pennsylvania, and contains four 
 churches, an academy, and about 4,000 
 inhabitants. 
 
 Toledo, on the left bank of Maumee, 
 and on tlie Wal)ash and Erie canal, is 
 one hundred and thirty-four miles north- 
 west from Columbus, two hundred and 
 forty-six miles, by the canal, from Cin- 
 cinnati, and fifty south of Detroit. It 
 extends along the river more than a 
 mile, with two landings, the upper and 
 the lower, where most of the business is 
 done, and where are many large stores 
 and warehouses. The view down the 
 river, from the upper landing, is re- 
 markably fine, being extensive, bounded 
 by headlands, and often enlivened with 
 numerous vessels. 
 
 Fort Industry was built on the site of 
 this town, in 1 800, near the present Sum- 
 mit street, in which the Indian treaty 
 was held, on the fourth of July, 1805, 
 at which the Indian title to the " fire- 
 lands " was extinguished. The tribes 
 represented were the Ottowa, Chippewa, 
 Pottawatomie, Wyandot, Shawnee, Mun- 
 see, and Delaware. 
 
 Toledo was incorpoi'ated in 1836 as a 
 city, and has five churches, two banks, 
 and about 4,000 inhabitants. 
 
 Cleveland has one of the best har- 
 bors on Lake Ei"ie, it being formed by 
 the mouth of Cuyahoga rivei', and im- 
 proved by two pieis, each four hundred 
 and twenty-five yards in length, running 
 int|| the lake on both sides. The Ohio 
 canal, which extends from this place to 
 
 Ohio river, continues the line of navi 
 gation commenced by the Erie canal, 
 from the ocean to that great tributary 
 of the Mississippi, which washes the 
 southern border of this stale, and gives 
 it its name. Immense quantities of 
 wheat and other productions are annu- 
 ally sent through Cleveland to New 
 York, and the exports to Canada are 
 large, thiough the Welland canal. The 
 Ohio and Pennsylvania canal offers a 
 ready communication with Pittsburg; 
 and railroads are proposed to extend 
 from Cleveland to Wellsville, on the 
 Ohio, and to Columbus. 
 
 The Medical College, though of re- 
 cent establishment, is flourishing, and 
 has seven professors, with all the neces- 
 sary apparatus. 
 
 Prepaiations were made in 1837 for a 
 marine hospital, on a tract of nine acres 
 of land on the heights overlooking the 
 lake. The edifice is to be of hewn stone, 
 and in the Ionic style. 
 
 The number of churches is twenty- 
 one, and population which in 1796 was 
 only three, in 1840 was 6,071, and in 
 1850, 17,094, of whom 9,000 were na- 
 tives of the United States. 
 
 Akron, thirty-six miles from Cleve- 
 land, and one hundred and ten northeast 
 of Columbus, stands on the Ohio canal, at 
 the Portage summit, and at its junction 
 with the Pennsylvania canal. The nu- 
 merous locks and Little Cuyahoga river 
 afford an abundance of water-power for 
 manufacturing purposes. There are a 
 courthouse, five churches, an academy, a 
 number of mills and manufactories, and 
 about 4,000 inhabitants. It was laid out 
 in 1825, and at first the inhabitants were 
 all confined to South Akron, just below. 
 It is now a very flourishing place. 
 
 Cuyahoga Falls, five miles from Ak- 
 I'on, stands on the river of the same 
 name, and possesses extraordinary ad- 
 vantages for a manufacturing town, be- 
 ing well supplied with water-power by 
 the sti'eam, which makes a descent of 
 two hundred and forty feet in a short 
 distance. The banks and bed of the 
 stream are rocky, and present a wild 
 scene, with a succession of cascades. 
 Here are four churches, and 1,500 in- 
 habitants. 
 
506 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF OHIO. 
 
 Elyria. — This town is one hunJred 
 and thirty miles northeast of CoUimbus, 
 and twenty-four west of Cleveland, and is 
 the capital of Lorain county. It stands 
 on a level piece of ground, seven miles 
 from Lake Erie, and near the junction 
 of the forks of Black river, which af- 
 fords abundance of water-power, by ma- 
 king falls of forty feet. The population 
 is only about 1,500 inhabitants, but there 
 are several manufactories, six churches, 
 and an academy. The first settlement was 
 made in 1S17, by Heman Ely, of West 
 Springfield, Massachusetts. One of the 
 pi-esbyterian churches is of sandstone, 
 cost $8,000, and is one of the most ele- 
 gant in Ohio. 
 
 Oberlin, the seat of a collegiate in- 
 stitute, is eight miles distant from 
 Elyria. This institution was founded 
 in 1834, and contains a male and a fe- 
 male department, with a president, fif- 
 teen professors and teachers, and about 
 five hundred pupils. It is a manual-labor 
 institution. Stage-coaches run every 
 day to Elyria. The village resembles 
 those of New England, consisting of 
 houses of two stories, painted white. 
 
 Mansfield, sixty-eight miles from 
 Columbus, and sixty-nine from Sandus- 
 ky, has an elevated situation, and con- 
 tains a courthouse, seven churches, an 
 academy, and a population of about 
 2,800. It has a dnily communication 
 with Sandusky by the railroad, and 
 stage-coaches run to Columbus, Woos- 
 ter, &c., three times a week. 
 
 Sandusky City. — This is an impor- 
 tant commercial place, standing on a fine 
 bay, three miles from Lake Erie. Many 
 vessels enter here. The population is 
 about 5,500, and fast increasing. It 
 contains five churches. Much valuable 
 building-stone is quarried in the vicinity. 
 Railroad cars arrive and depart daily for 
 Cincinnati, through Cleveiano, and for 
 Mansfield, while stage-coaches run in 
 several directions. 
 
 Steubenville stands on the western 
 bank of the Ohio, twenty-two miles 
 above Wheeling, and one hundred and 
 forty-seven east by north from Columbus, 
 and is regularly laid out. It is thirty- 
 five miles below Pittsburg, by water, 
 and contains six churches, a courthouse, 
 
 a bank, and two academies, as well as a 
 number of manufactories. Stage-coaches 
 start daily for Pittsburg, and frequently 
 for Washington, Cambridge, Canton, &c. 
 
 This town is named from Fort Steu- 
 ben, which was erected in 1789, near 
 the site of the present female eemiriary, 
 in High street. It consisted of several 
 block-houses, connected by palisade fen- 
 ces. It was occupied by United States 
 infantry, commanded by Colonel Eeatty, 
 until Wayne's victory, after which it 
 was dismantled. Another block-house 
 stood on the opposite side of the river. 
 The town was laid out in 1798, by Bez- 
 aleel Wells and James Ross, of Penn- 
 sylvania, It was incorporated February 
 14, 1805, 
 
 The situation of Steubenville is hand- 
 some, as it occupies a.u elevated plain ; 
 and the neighboring countiy is rich and 
 well cultivated, the soil being esteemed 
 the best for wheat in Ohio. The sur- 
 rounding region is also remarkably well 
 adapted to the raising of wheat. Meri- 
 noes, were introduced here, at an early 
 period, by Messrs, Wells and Dicker- 
 son ; and a woollen manufactory was 
 erected in Steubenville in 1814, which 
 led to the establishment of various man- 
 ufactories in the place. It now con- 
 tains five of woollen, one of paper, one 
 of cotton, one of iron, and two of glass, 
 besides others ; and in the neighbor- 
 hood ai'e seven copperas manufactories. 
 All these employ between eight hun- 
 dred and one thousand hands, and con- 
 sume more than a million bushels of 
 coal annually. This important kind of 
 fuel is derived from mines at a short 
 distance from the town. The popula- 
 tion, in 1810, was 800 ; in 1820, 2,470 ; 
 in 1830, 2,964; in 1840, 4,247; and in 
 1850, about 7,000, 
 
 Steubenville contains five public 
 schools and four select ones, besides 
 a male and a female seminary. The for- 
 mer is named Grove academy, and is a 
 flourishing institution, containing about 
 eicfhty pupils. The latter, situated on 
 the bank of the Ohio, was commenced in 
 1829, at an expense of nearly $40,000, 
 has ten or twelve teachers, and about 
 one hundred and fifty pupils, The^di- 
 fice presents a fine and imposing front, 
 
508 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF OHIO. 
 
 having a central building of four stories, 
 with a piazza, and two long wings of 
 three stories. A broad lawn, shaded 
 with trees, slopes toward the river. 
 
 Portsmouth, on the right bank of the 
 Ohio river, at the mouth of the Scioto, 
 one hundred and five miles from Cin- 
 cinnati, is at the head of the Ohio canal, 
 and contains a population of about 5,000 
 inhabitants. The public buildings are 
 the courthouse, a bank, and four church- 
 es. Iron ore is found in the upper parts 
 of Scioto county, and in Lawrence 
 country, and there are several mills and 
 manufactories. Water, for the supply of 
 the town,israisedfrom the river by steam. 
 Steamboats depart daily for Wheel- 
 ing, Pittsburg, &c., and stage-coaches 
 go daily to Columbus. Portsmouth is 
 the capital of Scioto county. A com- 
 pany of eastern capitalists are ft)rming 
 a basin in the old channel of the Scioto, 
 for the building and repairing of steam- 
 boats. 
 
 Paine sviLLE. — This town has a high 
 situation on the left side of Grand riv- 
 er, three miles from Lake Erie, and 31 
 miles from Cleveland, with a population 
 of about 1,500. There are four churches 
 and a courthouse. Stage-coaches start 
 daily for Buffalo. 
 
 Fairport, the harbor of Painesville, 
 is three miles farther north, nearly at the 
 mouth of the river. 
 
 WiLLOUGHBY. — This is a small vil- 
 lage, eleven miles southwest from Paines- 
 ville, the seat of Willoughby medical 
 college. This institution was incorpo- 
 rated in 1834, and has nine professors, 
 and about one hundred and thirty stu- 
 dents. The lectures commence on the 
 last Monday in October, 
 
 Zanesville enjoys a very handsome 
 situation, on the left bank of Muskingum 
 river, seventy-three miles from Wheel- 
 ing, opposite the mouth of Licking river. 
 The principal public buildings are the 
 courthouse, a market, two academies, a 
 bank, fourteen churches, and the athenas- 
 um, with a reading-room and mineralogi- 
 cal cabinet. A fine bridge crosses the 
 Muskingum, over which passes the na- 
 tional road. The population is about 
 11,000. 
 
 A succession of dams and locks ren- 
 
 ders the navigation to the Ohio uninter- 
 rupted along the valley of the Muskin- 
 gum ; and water-power is obtained for 
 several large flour-mills and iion-woiks. 
 The first settlement was made here in 
 the year 1799, when the village was 
 laid out. Tiie site of the town was 
 granted to Ebenezer Zane (after whom 
 it was named) as a reward for opening 
 a bridle-road from Wheeling to Mays- 
 ville. 
 
 There is a daily communication be- 
 tween Zanesville, and Maysville, Ken- 
 tucky, by stage-coaches, as well as with 
 Cincinnati and Wheeling, and twice a 
 week with Marietta and Cleveland. 
 
 Gai.lipolis, ninety-seven miles from 
 Cincinnati, and three hundred from 
 Pittsburg liy water, stands on the left 
 bank of Scioto river. It has a population 
 of about 2,600 itihabitants, and contains 
 three churches, a courth<nise, a bank, 
 and an academy, and is the capital of 
 Gallia county. Some of the inhabitants 
 are of French descent. 
 
 Chillicothk. — This town, the capital 
 of Ross county, was formerly the seat 
 of government of Ohio. It is situated 
 ninety-thiee miles from Cincinnati, on 
 the left bank of the Scioto, extending 
 south to Point creek, a distance of about 
 three fourths of a mile. It contains a 
 United States land-office, two banks, two 
 academies, and thirteen churches. The 
 population is about 8,000. A number of 
 ancient mounds formerly stood in the 
 town and its vicinity. The Ohio canal 
 passes through the place, and stage- 
 coaches go daily for Zanesville, Colum- 
 bus, Maysville, and Portsmouth. 
 
 Chillicothe has been compared to 
 Philadelphia, in situation and plan, as 
 it stands on a plain, and the streets are 
 regular, and the Scioto and Paint creeks 
 bounding it on both sides, as the Dela- 
 ware and Schuylkill. But the surround- 
 ing scenery is far superior, and equalled 
 by but few other cities. The seat of 
 government of the Northwest territory 
 was established here in 1800, by an act 
 of Congress, and the business was done 
 in a log-house. The old statehouse 
 (now the county courthouse) was com- 
 menced in 1800, and is believed to be 
 the first stone building erected in the 
 
II 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF OHIO. 
 
 509 
 
 territory. In 1816, the seat of govern- 
 ment was removed to Columbus. 
 
 Pickaway County v\^as formed in 
 1810, from Ross, Fairfield, and Frank- 
 lin counties, and contains the Pickaway 
 plains, said to be the richest body of 
 lands in the state. The name is derived 
 from that of the Piqua Indians, a tribe 
 cf the Shawnees. Here resided the 
 celebrated chiefs Logan and Cornplant- 
 er. The county abounds in plain and 
 fertile countiy, and tlie eye may fre- 
 quently overlook an extent of five hun- 
 dred acres of com. The four varieties 
 of Ohio Buii, nowever, are to be found 
 in different parts of the county, viz., 
 woodland, barren, plain and prairie. The 
 barrens were formerly covered with 
 slijub-oak, and received their name from 
 their supposed worthlessness. They 
 have, however, proved to be very good 
 for grass and oats. The first settlers 
 came principally fiom Pennsylvania and 
 Virginia. The chief productions are 
 corn, wheat, oats, grass, pork, wool, and 
 neat cattle. Many of the inhabitants of 
 the west side of Scioto river are tenants. 
 Population in 1850, 21,286. 
 
 In 1774, Lord Dunmore maiched 
 from Virginia with 3,000 men, to attack 
 the Indian towns on the Pickaway 
 plains, but one of his divisions was as- 
 saulted in his camp, at the mouth of 
 the Kenhawa, now Point Pleasant, and 
 barely succeeded in repulsing the sav- 
 ages after a severe loss. The Indians 
 at length sued for peace, after the army 
 had reached Old Chillicothe ; and on 
 that occasion Logan made the speech 
 which has been so much celebrated as 
 a specimen of simple but pathetic elo- 
 quence. His last days were melancholy. 
 He became addicted to intemperance, 
 ai: i wandered about the country, until 
 he was killed by an Indian whom he 
 had offended. 
 
 Among the principal towns in Picka- 
 way county is Circleville which is else- 
 whei-e described. The ancient inhabit- 
 ants, the builders of the mounds, appear 
 to have made this part of the Scioto val- 
 ley one of their most favorite abodes, as 
 the remains of their works are abun- 
 dant. For a most authentic and com- 
 plete desciiption of these, the reader is 
 
 referred to the first number of the Trans- 
 actions of the Smithsonian Institute, 
 now in the press, which contains a me- 
 moir by Messrs. Davis and Squier, by 
 whom many of the works in Ohio have 
 been recently and carefully surveyed 
 and excavated. 
 
 Lancaster is the county seat of 
 Fairfield county, and is situated on a 
 beautiful and fertile valley, on the 
 Hockhocking river and canal, and on 
 the Zanesville and Chillicothe turnpike. 
 It is twenty-eight miles southeast of 
 Columbus, and is a very fiouiishing 
 town. It has seven churches, each one 
 belonging to a different denomination. 
 In 1840, it numbered 2,120 inhabitants, 
 and has since then rapidly increased. 
 
 The land upon which this town now 
 stands, was, when first known to the 
 settlers of Marietta, in the possession 
 of the Wyandot Indians. Their piinci- 
 pal town occupied a large pait of the 
 tract on which Lancaster has since been 
 built. It is said that, in 1790, this town 
 contained five hundred inhabitants, and a 
 hundred wigwams. Its name, which was 
 Tarhe, or, in English, Crane town, was 
 named after the ])rincipal chief of the 
 tribe. Near the fourth lock on the 
 Hockhocking canal, and not far from the 
 junction of a beautiful spring with the 
 Hockhocking river, the hut of this chief 
 stood. It was formed of the bark of 
 trees set on poles, with one square 
 opening, large enough to admit a man. 
 At this time the tribe numbered five 
 hundred warriors. In 1795, the territory 
 was ceded by them to the United States, 
 in the treaty of Gieenville ; after which 
 the larger number removed with their 
 chief, to Upper Sandusky. 
 
 In 1797, a communication having been 
 opened with the eastern states, by what 
 was called Zane's trace, many who 
 were probably desirous of improving 
 their condition in life, removed to this | 
 spot, where, finding everything they 
 could wish to make them comfortable, 
 they determined to fix their abode. 
 Captain Hunter, who in 1798, settled 
 on the bank of the prairie, about one 
 hundred and fifty yards northwest of 
 the present turnpike, is considered as 
 the founder of Fairfield county. 
 
510 
 
 DESCRIPTION OP THE STATE OF OHIO. 
 
 April 30tb, 1803, Franklin was formed 
 from Ross, and named from Benjamin 
 Franklin. The land is generally level, 
 and the prevailing character of the soil 
 is clay, and is very well adapted to gra- 
 zing, more so than to the cultivation of 
 Gfrain, thoucrh on the water-courses, which 
 are very numerous, there are many 
 well-cultivated and flourishing farms. 
 The staple productions ai'e potatoes, 
 hay, oats, corn, wheat, pork, and wool. 
 In 1820, the population of Franklin was 
 numbered at 10,300, and in 1840, it had 
 increased to 24,880; in 1850, 43,000. 
 
 This tract of country was once occu- 
 pied by the Wyandot Indians, who cul- 
 tivated the river bottoms and raised ex- 
 tensive fields of corn, opposite their 
 town, which stood where the city of Co- 
 lumbus now stands. 
 
 In the year 1780, a party of whites 
 pursued some Indians from the mouth 
 of the Kanawha river, and overtook them 
 near Columbus, gave them battle, and 
 overcame them. During the fight, two 
 squaws were observed to hide them- 
 selves in a hollow tree ; after the skir- 
 mish was over they were drawn out, and 
 carried captives to Virginia. As lately 
 as 1845, this tree was standing on the 
 west bank of the Scioto river. 
 
 An old Wyandot chief, named Leather- 
 lips, was executed in this county, in 
 1810, on a charge of witchcraft. 
 
 Coshocton, the capital of Coshocton 
 county, has a fine situation on Muskin- 
 gum river, at the junction of the Tusca- 
 rawas and Walhonding, eighty-three 
 miles northeast of Columbus, and thirty 
 from Zanesville. The buildings are much 
 scattered over a fine piece of ground 
 lying in four terraces, each rising about 
 nine feet above that below it, and the 
 upper being one thousand feet in 
 oreadth. The public square is sixty 
 rods from the Muskingum, and contains 
 four acres, planted with trees, and con- 
 taining the county buildings. 
 
 This town was laid out in 1802, by 
 Ebenezer Buckingham and John Mat- 
 thews, having been first settled a few 
 years previously. It contains four 
 churches, two printing-offices, one wool- 
 len factory, and a flour-mill, and in 
 1850 had 800 inhabitants. Steamboats 
 
 occasionally come up to this place at 
 high water. 
 
 RoscoE stands opposite Coshocton, 
 on the west bank of the Muskingum, and 
 is connected with it by abridge. It was 
 laid off* in 1816, with the name of Cal- 
 dersburg by James C alder. The Wal- 
 honding canal extends from this place to 
 Rochester, twenty-five miles distant. 
 Roscoe is a great depot for wheat, and 
 has abundant water-powei", supplied by 
 the canal. 
 
 The following villages are in this 
 vicinity : East Union, West Carlisle, 
 Newcastle, Rochester, West Bed- 
 ford, Keene, New Bedford, Evans- 
 burgh, Birmingham, Chili, Jacobsport, 
 Lewisville, Plainfield, Van Buren, 
 and Warsaw. 
 
 BucYRUs, the capital of Crawford 
 county, was laid out in 1822, by the 
 first settler, Samuel Norton, who came 
 from Pennsylvania in 1819. The coun- 
 try then abounded in wild animals. 
 
 Massillon. — This village is situated 
 on the left bank of the Tuscarawas riv- 
 er, and on the route of the Ohio canal. 
 The public buildings are a bank and 
 seven churches, and the population is 
 about 2,000. 
 
 Granville, six miles from Newark, 
 has a college of the same name, sit- 
 uated at the distance of a mile. It was 
 founded in 1832, and has four profes- 
 sors, twenty-five students, and a library 
 of about thi'ee thousand volumes. The 
 commencement is held on the second 
 Wednesday iji August. 
 
 Newark stands at the confluence of 
 the three branches of Licking river, and 
 on the line of the Ohio canal, and also 
 on that of the railroad from Sandusky 
 city to Columbus, A branch of the 
 latter it is intended to construct from 
 this point to Zanesville. The public 
 square is the most spacious and elegant 
 in the state. The town was laid out in 
 1801, on the plan of Newark, New Jer- 
 sey, by General William C. Schenk, 
 George W. Burnet, and John M. Cum- 
 mings, who were proprietors of this 
 military section, embracing four thou- 
 sand acres. The first house of hewed 
 logs was erected in 1802, and the first 
 regular church edifice was built in 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF OHIO. 
 
 511 
 
 1817, by a presbytevian congregation, 
 both on the public square. There are now 
 nine churches, three newspapers, two 
 grist-mills, one foundry, and a woollen 
 factoiy, and the population in 1850 was 
 4,000. 
 
 Dayton. — This town is the capital 
 of Montgomery county, and is situated 
 on the east side of Great Miami river, at 
 the mouth of Mad river, and one mile 
 below the soutliwest branch. The dis- 
 tance from Columbus is sixty-seven 
 miles west, from Cincinnati fifty-two, 
 and one hundred and ten from Indian- 
 apolis. It was proposed to build a 
 town here as early as 1788, by the name 
 of Venice, the land lying within the con- 
 tract of John Cleves Symmes : but the 
 project failed in consequence of the 
 revolutionary war. In 1795, soon after 
 Wayne's treaty, a company purchased 
 the land of Mr. Symmes, and the town 
 was laid out on the 14th oF November 
 of that year. It was named after Gen- 
 eral Jonathan Dayton, Springfield, New 
 Jersey, the leader of the enterprise. The 
 first nineteen settlers arrived on the 
 1st of April of the year following. Some 
 of the settlers were afterward obliged 
 to purchase titles from the government, 
 in consequence of the inability of 
 Symmes to fulfil his contract. The 
 Miami canal, commenced in 1827, which 
 has been of great benefit to the town. 
 Both the town and the country stood 
 the second in the state, in point of taxa- 
 ble property, in 1846. 
 
 The first canal-boat from Cincinnati 
 arrived at Dayton on the 25th of Janu- 
 arj, 1829, and the first from Lake Erie 
 on June 24, 1845. The first line of 
 stage-coaches from Cincinnati to Co- 
 lumbus, weekly, was established in 1825, 
 and were two days on the way. There 
 ai'e now three daily lines. 
 
 Urbana, f<n'ty-two miles west-north- 
 west from Columbus, is the capital of 
 Champaign county, and was laid out in 
 1805, by Colonel William Ward, who 
 gave lots for public buildings. The 
 first church was of logs, and built by 
 methodists in 1807. 
 
 Some handsome houses ai"e now built 
 in the environs of the town, which con- 
 tains four churches, two printing-offices, 
 
 one woollen factory, on* iron foundry, 
 and two machine shops. In 1850, the 
 number of inhabitants was 2,000. 
 
 Batavia, the capital of Clermont 
 county, is twenty-one miles east from 
 Cincinnati, and one hundred and three 
 southwest of Columbus, on the north 
 bank of the east fork of Little Miami 
 river. It was laid out about the year 
 1820, by George Ely, and made the 
 county seat in 1824. It contains two 
 churches, and two printing-offices, and 
 had, in 1850, 800 inhabitants. 
 
 Williamsburg, seven miles east of 
 Batavia, stands on the east branch of 
 the Miami, and is a pleasant village. 
 
 There are several other small towns 
 in Clermont county : New Richmond, 
 Moscow, Point Pleasant, Neville, 
 and Chilo, all on the Ohio river: also 
 Bethel, Felicity, and Milford. 
 
 Wilmington. — This is the capital of 
 Clinton county, and a village belonging 
 to the township of Union. It stands on 
 Todd's fork, and is seventy-two miles 
 southwest from Columbus, on a tract 
 of undulated ground. It contains five 
 churches, a printing-office, a high-school, 
 and about 1,500 inhabitants. It was 
 settled chiefly by families from North 
 Carolina, and the first church was built 
 by baptists. 
 
 The following villages are in this 
 neighborhood : Clarkesville, nine 
 miles southwest of Wilmington ; Mar- 
 tinsville, nine miles south ; Port Wil- 
 liam, nine miles north ; New Vienna, 
 eleven miles southeast ; and Burling- 
 ton, eleven miles northwest. Sabina, 
 Sligo, Blanchester, Cuba, Lewis- 
 viLLE, Westboro', Centreville, and 
 MoRRisviLLE, are small. 
 
 Clinton County was organized in 
 1810, and named after Governor George 
 Clinton, of New York, vice-president 
 of the United States. It has a level 
 surface, and a rich soil, well adapted 
 to grass and corn, with some prairie 
 land. The streams afford a good sup- 
 ply of water-power. The chief produc- 
 tions are corn, oats, wheat, wool, and 
 poi-k. The population, in 1850, was 
 18,837, or fiity to a square mile. It 
 was first settled in about 1803, chiefly 
 by people from Kentucky, Pennsylva- 
 
512 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF OHIO. 
 
 nia, and North Carolina. William 
 Smally was the first white inhabitant, 
 in 1797. 
 
 Springfield, forty-three miles west of 
 Columbus, is the county town of Clarke 
 county. It stands on the national road, 
 and the river road from Cincinnati to 
 Sandusky City passes through it. It was 
 laid out in 1S03, by James Demint, and 
 is remarkably beautiful and advanta- 
 geously situated. The adjacent region 
 is fertile and picturesque, and the peo- 
 ple are very intelligent and moral ; so 
 that it is one of the most agreeable pla- 
 ces for residence in the state. The east 
 fork of Mad river, which borders it on 
 the north, is nn excellent mill-stream, 
 never failing in the driest seasons. The 
 Lagonda, or Buck creek, flows through 
 the town, which also affords gO'>d water- 
 power; and there are moie than twenty 
 mill-seats within three miles of Spring- 
 field. 
 
 The main street is broad and fine, 
 being ornamented witli the courthouse, 
 a church, and the academy. The high- 
 school is flourishing, and under the di- 
 rection of the Methodist conference of 
 Ohio. There is a lyceum, which has 
 existed about fifteen years ; and the pub- 
 lic libraries contain about four thousand 
 volumes. There are nine churches, two 
 printing-offices, and a variety of manu- 
 factories. The population is about 6,000. 
 
 Wittcmherg College, situated half a 
 mile from Springfield, has twenty-four 
 acres of fine grounds, and stands in the 
 midst of beautiful scenery. It is a Lu- 
 theran institution, and is organized on a 
 broad plan, with collegiate and theo- 
 logical departments, and provision fi)r 
 six professo7"ships. It commenced op- 
 erations in 1846, with about seventy 
 students. 
 
 Xenia. — This town, the capital of 
 Greene county, is situated sixty-four 
 miles north of Cincinnati, and sixty-one 
 from Columbus, and has broad streets 
 with fine houses, and considerable ad- 
 vantages for business. It was laid out 
 in 1803, on land belonging to John 
 Paul, who gave a large square for pub- 
 lic buildings. The first cabin was 
 erected the next year, by John Mar- 
 shall, in the southwest corner of the 
 
 town. The first meeting c>f the grand 
 jury was held October 3, 1804, under 
 a sugar-tree. 
 
 Zenia now contains eight churches, 
 a bank, a classical academy, two news- 
 paper printing-offices, and about 4,000 
 inhabitants. 
 
 Sidney, the capital of Shelby county, 
 was laid out so recently as 1819, on the 
 farm of Charles Starrett, on a piece of 
 table-land, on the west side of Miami 
 river. The court was held there the 
 following year, and the first frame build- 
 ing was erected in 1820. The first 
 newspaper was printed in 1836. The 
 courthouse stands on a fine square in 
 the centre of the town, and the number 
 of churches is five. There are three 
 flour and four saw-mills, and two carding 
 and fulling-mills. The population prob- 
 ably now amounts to about 2,000. 
 
 Van Buren, a township in Shelby 
 county, is remarkable for containing a 
 large and prosperous settlement of col- 
 ored 2)eople, numbering about four hun- 
 dred. The land is not well situated, 
 being low and wet ; but the inhabitants 
 are industrious, moral, and careful for 
 the education of their children, being 
 as prosperous as their white neighbors. 
 They have also churches of their own. 
 Tn 1840, the slaves emancipated by the 
 will of the celebrated John Randolph, 
 came to this place, and attempted to 
 settle permanently, after they had been 
 driven from Mercer county, but the 
 white neighbors drove them off by vio- 
 lence, and compelled them to scatter 
 about the country. 
 
 Port Jefferson, five miles northeast 
 of Sidney, stands at the head of the 
 feeder supplied by Miami river to the 
 Miami canal, a distance of thirteen 
 miles. It contains about fifty houses, 
 two churches, &c. 
 
 The following villages are in this vi- 
 cinity : Hardin, five miles west of Sid- 
 ney ; Newport, twelve miles west ; 
 Berlin, sixteen miles west-northwest; 
 Houston, eleven miles west-southwest; 
 LocKPOHT, eight miles South ; and Pal- 
 estine, nine miles east. 
 
 Hamilton, the capital of Butler coun- 
 ty, is twenty-two miles north of Cincin- 
 nati, Stands on the left bank of the 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF OHIO 
 
 513 
 
 Groat Miami. It contains seven clnirch- 
 es, a flourishing female academy, two 
 newspaper printing-offices, three flour- 
 mills, three saw-mills, three cotton facto- 
 ries, and two machine shops, and had a 
 population of 2,000 in 1850 ; since 
 which it has increased consideral)ly, and 
 seems destined to be a large manufac- 
 turing town. Large hydraulic works 
 have been erected, which rank among 
 the best west of the Alleganies. The 
 water is brought four miles, fiom the 
 Great Miami, by a canal, and is suffi- 
 cient for two hundred run of four and a 
 half mill-stones. 
 
 Maumee City, the capital of Lucas 
 county, is one hundred and twenty-four 
 miles northwest from Columbus, and 
 eight south of Toledo. It was laid out 
 in 1817, in the old reservation of twelve 
 miles square, at the foot of the rapids 
 uf the Maumee, which was granted to 
 the Indians in 1795. The site of the 
 town is at the head of navigation oppo- 
 site Perrysburg and Fort Meigs, on the 
 Wabash and Erie canal. The ground 
 is about one hundred feet above the 
 Maumee, which here makes a fine, 
 broad bend, from which the banks rise 
 like a vast amphitheatre, about two 
 miles long and one mile wide. A beau- 
 tiful island of two hundred acres, and 
 several smaller ones, ornament the sur- 
 face of the river. 
 
 The French had a trading post a lit- 
 tle below the town, as early as the year 
 1680, where the English built a fort in 
 1794 ; the place was a favorite resort of 
 the Indians. The ruins of the latter fort 
 still remain. A part of Wayne's battle 
 was fought within the limits of this 
 town ; and the British erected several 
 batteries below the town, in the late 
 war, during the siege of Fort Meigs. 
 These were taken by storm by Colonel 
 Dudley, on the 5th of May, 1813; but 
 he was afterward driven back and de- 
 feated. 
 
 The Pork Trade, of the West. — More 
 than four hundred thousand hogs had 
 been packed in Cincinnati, up to the 
 month of January, 1848, for the season 
 of 1847-'8 — an unprecedented number, 
 even for that place. With the excep- 
 tion of a very few places, the same rate 
 
 of increase has occurred in the west 
 generally. 
 
 The pork packed at Cincinnati comes 
 exclusively from Ohio, Kentucky, and 
 Indiana. The supplies from all these 
 quarters were immense. On one road 
 leading to Cincinnati from Indiana, 
 about 70,000 hogs crossed the Miami- 
 town bridge. There are other bridges 
 over the Miami, on roads leading from 
 Indiana. 
 
 For about two months, the passage of 
 hogs up the leading streets, from the 
 Ohio river, seemed to be almost con- 
 stant. So, also, the turnpikes coming in 
 fiom Ohio indicate the same state of 
 facts. 
 
 That we may have an idea of the ca- 
 pacity of these states to increase the 
 number of hogs brought to market, take 
 the following statement. The first table 
 contains the amount for 1840, the second 
 an estimate for 1850. 
 
 1840. Hogs. Corn. 
 
 Ohio, 2,099,746 33,668,1 44 bush. 
 
 Kentucky, 2,310,533 39.847,120 " 
 Indiana, 1,623,608 28,155,887 " 
 
 Total, 6,033,887 101,671,131 bush. 
 
 In 1840, then, the farmers of these three 
 states had six millions of hogs, and more 
 than a hundred millions of bushels of 
 corn. They could have fatted two mill- 
 ions of those hogs, and sent them to mar- 
 ket, on forty millions of bushels of corn. 
 
 1850. Hogs. Corn. 
 
 Ohio, 2,500,000 50,000,000 bush. 
 
 Kentucky, 2,500,000 45,000,000 " 
 Indiana, 2,000,000 40,000,000 " 
 
 Total, 7,000,000 135,000,000 bush. 
 
 There are in the United States 
 30,000,000 of hogs. This is about fif- 
 teen times the number usually slaugh- 
 tered in the whole country for market 
 in one year. Hogs grow upon full size 
 in less than two years. It follows, then, 
 from these facts, that there must be at 
 least five times as many hogs in the 
 counti'y that might be fatted for market, 
 as really are. 
 
 The west being peculiarly adapted to 
 the cultivation of Indian corn (the best 
 food for fattening hogs), renders the rais- 
 ing of hogs a very piofitable business. 
 
 33 
 
This state consists of two great 
 peninsulas, and presents a form 
 and position unlike any other state 
 in the Union. It might be com- 
 pared with Maryland and Virginia, 
 in respect to the separation of its 
 parts by water; but it is different 
 from them in lying far in the in- 
 terior, and in having for its prin- 
 cipal boundaries the borders of 
 three great lakes. It has Lake 
 Superior on the north, with its out- 
 let and the Saut de Sainte Marie 
 on the northeast; Lake Huron on 
 the east, with the Avest end of 
 Lake Erie on the southeast, with Lake Clair and the outlet of Huron, Ohio 
 and Indiana on the south ; Lake Michigan and Wisconsin on the west. 
 
 The advantages offered to commerce and trade by the natural features of the 
 country, and to internal improvements, ai'e equalled only by the agricultural facil- 
 ities and mineral wealth of some parts of the territory. There are several good 
 harbors along the borders of the lakes and their coves, which also abound with 
 fish ; copper mines, of great extent and richness, abound along the shores, on 
 Lakes Huron and Superior; and raili'oads have already been constructed nearly 
 across the isthmus of the grand peninsula. 
 
 This grand peninsula is divided into two inclined planes, by a continuation of 
 the ridge of land which separates the water of the Wabash and the great Miami 
 and Maumee — one of them sloping toward Lake Huron, drained by the rivers 
 Raisin, Huron, Erie, Rouge, Huron of St. Clair, Bell, Black, Saginaw, Thunder, 
 Cheboiang, &c. ; and the other sloping toward Lake Michigan, and crossed by 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 515 
 
 the St. Joseph's, Kalamazoo, Grand riv- 
 er, and many of smaller size. All the 
 rivers have a fall from the table-land. 
 The mouths of these streams generally 
 afford harbors of different depth and 
 size, while few other parts are to be 
 found along the shores, although the 
 depth of the lakes is sufficient for all the 
 purposes .of commerce, and canals to 
 facilitate the passage, Detroit river, &c., 
 will hereafter render commerce still 
 more extensive. The whole line of 
 coast on the different lakes, including 
 the sinuosities, is probably one thousand 
 miles. The shores of Superior and Hu- 
 ron are much more irregular than those 
 of Michigan. Saginaw bay is a gulf, 
 sixty miles in length. 
 
 In point of soil, the best pait of the 
 grand peninsula is in the south, toward 
 Ohio and Indiana, the upper portion be- 
 ing rather barren. The surface is but 
 slightly varied, with a succession of 
 oak-openings and rolling country, often 
 spotted with small hollows and ponds 
 called cat-holes. 
 
 History. — This state was first visited 
 by the French from Canada; and De- 
 troit (or "the strait") was founded in 
 1670. But it was a small town when 
 ceded to the United States by the treaty 
 of Paris. It was not before 1796 that 
 this country was given up to the United 
 States ; it was formed into a tei'ritory 
 in 1805; in 1812 was occupied by the 
 British troops ; recovered in 1813 by 
 General Harrison ; and soon after the 
 return of peace, became one of the prin- 
 cipal objects of emigration, and was 
 greatly favored by the opening of the 
 Erie canal. Fort Brady was built in 
 j 1822, when the settlement of Chippe- 
 j way county, the north part, commenced. 
 
 Population. — In 1820 Michigan con- 
 tained only 8,896 inhabitants ; but in 
 1830, 28,000; and in 1850, 395,576. 
 
 The following remarks on the soil 
 and agi'iculture of the state, are from a 
 recent number of the American Agri- 
 culturist : — 
 
 " A considerable portion of the east- 
 ern part of Michigan consists of a clay 
 soil, and is well adapted to grass and 
 grazing. This quality of land extends 
 from a point some thirty miles south of 
 
 Detroit, to near Lake Huron on the St. 
 Clair river, and for about thirty miles 
 in the interior. As we advance west- 
 ward, the soil, with more or less excep- 
 tion, gradually changes to a gravelly 
 or sandy loam, and in some instances 
 acquires these characteristics to so de- 
 cided an extent as seriously to interfere 
 with its permanent fertility. This is 
 universally true of the large quantities 
 of the oak-openings, which so generally 
 pervade the interior and western part 
 of the state. These lands will bear a 
 few good first crops ; but manures must 
 follow close upon their heels, or ex- 
 haustion and sterility are as certain as 
 blighted leaves after autumnal frosts. 
 There are some moderately good corn 
 lands among this class of soils, and most 
 of it excellent for wheat ; but all the 
 agricultural vigilance of a long-culti- 
 vated country must be generally adopt- 
 ed, or diminished crops will soon drive 
 the occupants into the uncultivated re- 
 gions still farther west. There are many 
 exceptions to these remarks, and none 
 more so than a considerable part of the 
 beautiful valley of the Kalamazoo, whose 
 rich and gracefully undulating fields, 
 clad with their native burr-oak, give un- 
 failing promise of abundant wheat-fields 
 for years to come. 
 
 " There are other and extensive por- 
 tions of the state, possessing consider- 
 able fertility, which yet remain to be 
 occupied, and which, in the inevitable 
 progress of things, will ere long be set- 
 tled, and swell the tide of her popula- 
 tion and wealth, to a respectable approx- 
 imation toward her elder sisters. 
 
 " Sheep husbandry is making consid- 
 erable progress in the state, and prom- 
 ises soon to furnish no inconsiderable 
 pi'oportion of the aggregate of her oc- 
 cupation. Depredaticms from wolves 
 seem already to offer no serious impedi- 
 ment to this department of the farmer. 
 
 " Wheat is the product of the state, 
 and on this the farmers principally i-ely 
 for their available exports. Never did 
 their efforts receive a greater reward 
 than the present season. The estimate 
 of sevei'al judicious citizens is, that the 
 crop fully averaged twenty bushels per 
 aci-e over the state. I was informed of 
 
510 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 a wheat field containing one hundred 
 acres, which averaged over forty-five 
 bushels per acre, and one measured acre 
 of which produced over sixty bushels. 
 A cargo of this year's crop from Mich- 
 igan averaged one barrel of flour for 
 every two hundred and twenty -four 
 pounds of wheat." 
 
 Within eight years the population of 
 Michigan must have increased at least 
 fifty per cent., while its area of land un- 
 der cultivation and the amount of its 
 annual product have probably more than 
 doubled. The export of its great sta- 
 ple wheat (either in the berry or in 
 flour), from the last crop will more than 
 quadruple that from any crop prior to 
 1839. Its annual production of corn 
 and other grains, of cattle and sheep, of 
 wool and the products of the dairy, of 
 ashes, &c., is also very considerable ; 
 but wheat is the great staple of Mich- 
 igan, and will doubtless continue so, 
 unless the ravages of the Hessian fly, 
 now reported as terrible, shall be per- 
 petuated. 
 
 The situation of this state is peculiar. 
 Almost surrounded by water, old Mich- 
 igan — the grand peninsula — is bounded 
 on three sides by the lakes Erie, St. 
 Clair, Huron, and Michigan, with the 
 straits connecting them, and having In- 
 diana on the south. The face of the 
 country is remarkably level, and the 
 soil mainly of a decided fertility. The 
 latter may be said to be naturally di- 
 vided into dry and wet prairie, ' tim- 
 bered openings' (upland) and a heavy 
 proportion of low, flat, wet land, most 
 of which will be dry enough when thor- 
 oughly cleared and cultivated, but which 
 is, as yet, rather swampy — often de- 
 cidedly so. All around, on the three 
 sides bordering on the lakes and straits, 
 there is a belt of flat land, a little ele- 
 vated above the water level, and very 
 heavily timbered. Inside of this, the 
 land gradually rises and becomes gently 
 rolling, being divided into " oak-open- 
 ings (having two or three dozen small 
 and middling oak-trees to the acre, with 
 any quantity of oak-bushes and roots, 
 and an indifferent show of wild grasses) ; 
 " timbered openings" (on which the 
 oak-trees are much more, and the bushes 
 
 less numerous); and open "prairies," 
 or vast natural meadows, with heavy 
 belts of forest intersecting and dividing 
 them, usually on the courses of the 
 streams, or on wet marshy ground. The 
 prairies, especially all the largest and 
 finest, are generally found in the south- 
 ern half of the state, and more of them 
 west than east of a line drawn throusrh 
 its centre. These are pretty easily sub- 
 dued and abundantly fertile ; the oak 
 lands are "brought to" with more la- 
 bor, but also yield largely both wheat 
 and corn. 
 
 Aside from its general depth and fei- 
 tility, much of the soil is strongly im- 
 pregnated with lime, which accounts for 
 its partiality to wheat. The low and 
 luxuriously timbered lands (usually with 
 elm, cucumber, basswood, &c.) have not 
 to any great extent been cleared as yet, 
 being most stubborn and least inviting; 
 but here also the soil in the main is 
 strong. Yet even Detroit appears to 
 be closely hemmed in to landward by 
 the primitive forest, which still covers 
 probably five sixths of the nearest hun- 
 dred square miles. 
 
 On the west side of the state, es- 
 pecially around Saginaw bay, there are 
 extensive forests of choice pine; and 
 far in the North is a great abundance of 
 poor land — extensive sterile swamps and 
 marshes, checkered by barren knolls 
 and hillocks. But nobody thinks of set- 
 tling in that bleak, forlorn region, and 
 the great portion of the soil north of a 
 line drawn through the centre of the 
 state is good, as nearly all south of that 
 line is. Very iew slates exceed this in 
 agricultural capacity, either in the ag- 
 ofrearate, or acre to acre. 
 
 The absence of mountains or any- 
 thing like them through the greater part 
 of the state, is by no means an unmin- 
 gled good. It is the cause of a palpable 
 deficiency of springs andrunningstreams 
 through the better portion of the state, 
 and of a decided deficiency of navigable 
 waters within the state, though it is so 
 nobly provided with them externally. 
 But this again is compensated to a great 
 extent by the signal facilities everywhere 
 presented for the construction of canals 
 and railroads, especially the latter. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 517 
 
 Thus tempted, the state undertook, 
 about the year 1836, the construction 
 of three lines of railroad across the pen- 
 insula — the central, stretching hence to 
 Lake Michigan near the mouth of the 
 St. Joseph ; the southern, from the Mau- 
 rnee near Toledo due westward; and 
 the northern. On the two former a very 
 considerable beginning had been made 
 when the state fell into pecuniary em- 
 barrassments, in part owing to the mag- 
 nitude of her undertaking, and somewhat 
 to a change in the times. The southern 
 road was arrested ; the central road 
 was feebly and haltingly prosecuted, fed 
 by the sale of state lands and the issue 
 of 'i-easury warrants, which sold at a 
 ruu.ous depreciation; and of the rev- 
 enue accruing on the completed portion 
 of the road or roads, nearly all was ab- 
 sorbed. Such was the condition of these 
 works when, more than a year since, the 
 state decided to offer the central road, 
 just as it stood, for sale for two millions 
 of dollars of her acknowledged debt, 
 which then was worth in the market 
 something less than one million dollars. 
 The offer was accepted by a club of 
 Bostonians, the payment made, the road 
 transferred, and instantly placed under 
 very different management. The re- 
 ceipts of the completed portion rapidly 
 increased, expenses were cuitailed, and 
 the work on the unfinished portion vig- 
 orously stimulated, payment therefor 
 being made promptly and in cash. Al- 
 ready the road is in operation to Kala- 
 mazoo, more than . half way across the 
 state, and it is to be entirely completed 
 at farthest wit!;in the next year. Al- 
 ready the finished portion pays a liberal 
 and rapidly increasing profit on its cost 
 to the company, whose stock is at a high 
 premium, and can rarely be bought at 
 all. Already preparations are being 
 made for I'elaying the old track, now 
 very imperfect, with a new and im- 
 proved rail ; while in the city large pur- 
 chases of real estate have been made 
 by the company, mainly on the river or 
 strait just below the present centre of 
 trade, including a watei'-front of sixteen 
 hundred feet, on which a gigantic freight 
 and a passenger depot are to be erected, 
 while the track of the railroad to its de- 
 
 creed terminus is to occupy, for a con- 
 siderable distance, what is now part of 
 the river, which is to be filled in for the 
 purpose. By this means vessels will 
 load and unload directly from the de- 
 pot, whereas now there is a necessity 
 of carting every barrel and bale somo 
 two hundred rods, involving serious ex- 
 pense and waste. On these works a 
 large number of men are now employed 
 here. 
 
 The southern railroad (a much ruder 
 and less promising work) has been or is 
 to be sold for half a million of dollars of 
 state liabilities, in order that it likewise 
 may be pressed onward to completion. 
 
 The usual time of departure from Buf- 
 falo is in the evening. Lake Erie is trav- 
 ersed in about twenty-four hours, stop- 
 ping at Cleveland and Detroit. Passing 
 the beautiful Detroit and St. Clair riv- 
 ers, and the wide-spreading and difficult 
 flats of the latter, you enter Huron, and 
 stretching along an unbroken wilder- 
 ness coast for hundreds of miles, pas- 
 sing Saginaw bay and the Thunder bay 
 islands, reach Mackinaw, the resort of 
 all who delight to enjoy a glimpse of its 
 solitary loveliness, or to breathe its pure, 
 cool, and invigorating atmosphere. This 
 (including the time to wood) occupies 
 two days and a half Thence passing 
 the straits of Michilimackinac, and the 
 Manitou islands, the boat pushes either 
 across Lake Michigan to Sheboigan, 
 Milwaukie, &c., or passing up Green bay, 
 and stopping at, or catching glimpses 
 of, its innumerable islands in all their 
 greenness and beauty, reaches Navarino. 
 Returning thi'ough the passage called 
 " Death's Door," and again entering 
 Lake Michigan, the voyage is pursued 
 to Chicago, stopping at Milwaukie, Ra- 
 cine, and Southport — the populous and 
 rapidly-growing creations of the lake 
 commerce and western settlements : thus 
 terminating the voyage where nature 
 and art combine to fix the seat of a great 
 city — now rapidly rising as such, and 
 combining in a remarkable degree the 
 elements of commerce, business, society, 
 and refinement. In short, nothing can 
 exceed the upspringing vigor of such 
 cities as Buffalo, Milwaukie, Racine, 
 and Chicago; and no one can predict 
 
518 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 perhaps with too glowing a prospective 
 the destiny of the mighty region now 
 just springing into life and being. 
 
 The voyage to Chicago, via Green 
 bay, may be made in five days or less, 
 according to the delays at the places 
 and points of interest on the route. The 
 distance is about 1,350 miles. 
 
 Returning, the excursion may be ex- 
 tended, with additional gratification, 
 from Mackinac to the Sault St. Marie, 
 or even far up into Lake Superior and 
 the mineral region. At least the trip to 
 Chicago should be taken by all who de- 
 sire to understand, not only the breadth 
 and scope of these inland waters, and 
 the cities on their borders, but the teem- 
 ing population — the great and rapidly- 
 advancing free states — to which they 
 afford the avenues of a commerce and 
 intercommunication, already of gigantic 
 extent, and the mighty progress of which 
 the most sanguine may not fully predict. 
 
 LaJce St. Clair. — The St. Clair flats 
 are formed by the division of the waters 
 which issue from Lake Huron through 
 the St. Clair river, by two or three low 
 marshy islands, forming three or four 
 channels or branches, within and just 
 below which division the water, being 
 wide, has in some places a depth of 
 only six or eight feet, or something less 
 than a steamboat will draw, if built 
 stanch enough for the lake trade and 
 tolerably loaded. Of course they gen- 
 erally get aground, and, there being no 
 tide in the lakes, have no choice but to 
 remain aground until a good part of their 
 freight can be transferred to flatboats 
 termed " lighters," which are on hand, 
 ready to be serviceable for a considera- 
 tion. Fifty thousand dollars well ap- 
 plied here would dredge out a deep and 
 wide channel, and the current is so very 
 gentle that it would not move the sand 
 back again. Yet for want of this fifty 
 thousand dollars (vetoed in the harbor 
 bill), the farmers, whose produce, and 
 the emigrants, whose families, as well as 
 the merchant, whose goods, must trav- 
 erse the lakes — are put to an expense, 
 including that of delays, probably not 
 less in one year than the entire cost of 
 dredging out a clear and durable chan- 
 nel. Such is one of the many griev- 
 
 ances which impelled the people of the 
 west to ask their fellow-citizens gener- 
 ally to meet them in convention at Chi- 
 cago, in 1847, to consider the general 
 subject of river and harbor improvement. 
 
 The banks of the St. Clair river are 
 low and level, generally well wooded, 
 except where settlement has driven back 
 the forest for a mile or less. The Brit- 
 ish side appears highest, driest, and most 
 settled. A part of it has been peopled 
 by white men for fifty or sixty years — 
 as a good part of our bank of the De- 
 troit river and Lake St. Clair has for 
 even a longer period. The old settlers 
 are of French origin, and are wedded 
 to old customs ; they are seldom seen 
 out of their settlements. The largest 
 and most active village on either side 
 for a hundred miles above Detroit is 
 Newport, in St. Clair county, famed for 
 steamboat and ship building. Saginaw, 
 a thrifty lumbering village at the bot- 
 tom of Saginaw bay, much further up, 
 is larger, but far away from the steam- 
 boat route to Mackinac or the Sault. 
 
 Detroit. — This city is situated in 
 latitude 42^ 20' and longitude 6° west 
 of Washington, on the shore of Detroit 
 river, which is the outlet of Lake Hu- 
 ron into Lake St. Clair, which lies mid- 
 way between it and Lake Erie. The 
 river is above a mile in breadth, and 
 divided into channels by Peach island, 
 and below by Grand Turkey island. 
 
 The town stands on an inclined plane, 
 rising thirty feet ; most of the streets 
 are regularly laid out at right angles, 
 but obliquely to the bank of the river ; 
 there are several fine, broad avenues, 
 and the situation for trade is highly ad- 
 vantageous. It contains the old state- 
 house, city-hall, a markethouse, eleven 
 churches, four banks, masonic-hall, a 
 land-office, two orphan-asylums, three 
 female academies, several literai-y soci- 
 eties, and twenty-five thousand inhabit- 
 ants. The first steamboat arrived here 
 in 1818. 
 
 The growth of this city has taken 
 the healthy form of expansion in every 
 landward direction, instead of the too 
 common mode of accommodating an in- 
 creasing population by filling up the 
 interstices between old houses with new 
 
520 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 ones, and putting one on the top of 
 another. Nearly all the dwellings stand 
 healthfully apart, and each surrounded 
 by its little garden or grass and flower 
 plat, evincing a fondness for shrubbery 
 an i the minor poetry of nature. Many 
 ol the streets are thickly set with rows 
 of young maples, in some instances two 
 rows on one side of a wide avenue, 
 which will in a few years add greatly to 
 the beauty and comfoi't of Detroit, es- 
 pecially of its favorite promenades. All 
 around are signs of growth and pros- 
 perity, to which the development of the 
 mineral wealth of the Lake Superior 
 region has already, though in its infancy, 
 given some impetus, and is destined to 
 give far more. The only counterpoise 
 to this is the removal, last winter, of 
 the state government to a township in 
 Ingham county, named Lansing, seventy 
 miles northwest of Detroit, wherein is 
 the confluence of the Red Cedar creek 
 with Grand river, which latter, how- 
 ever, does not become navigable until 
 far below this. The location on a cor- 
 ner of a county, in a township as yet 
 mainly in primitive wilderness, remote 
 from natural or artificial, present or 
 prospective facilities of travel and trans- 
 portation, created much surprise at first. 
 Yet the site is pretty central to the 
 whole state, not specially objectionable 
 on any ground, and the selection seems 
 at present to be pretty generally acqui- 
 esced in. 
 
 Agents transport flour hence by way 
 of the Welland canal. Lake Ontario, the 
 St. Lawrence to Montreal, the railroad. 
 Lake Champlain and the Champlain 
 canal, to Albany and New York, for the 
 present charge from Buffalo to New 
 York. 
 
 Monroe is on the right bank of the 
 river Raisin, two and a half miles from 
 its mouth and Lake Erie, and thirty- 
 seven miles from Detroit. It has two 
 banks, a land-oflSce, a couithouse, seven 
 churches, two academies, a reading- 
 room and library of fifteen hundred vol- 
 umes, and a number of manufactories. 
 The number of inhabitants is about 
 5,000. Cars set off" every day for Hills- 
 dale, through Adrian ; and stage-coaches 
 daily for Detroit, and for Toledo, Ohio. 
 
 A branch of the university of Michi- 
 gan is established in Monroe. 
 
 Marshall, on Kalamazoo river, at the 
 mouth of Rice creek, is one hundred 
 and thirteen miles west of Detroit. It 
 contains a bank, four churches, an acad- 
 emy, and a number of mills and manu- 
 factories, with about 4,000 inhabitants. 
 Cars start daily for Detroit and Kalama- 
 zoo. 
 
 Kalamazoo. — This town is situated 
 on the left bank of the river of the same 
 name, at the distance of one hundred 
 and forty-six miles west from Detroit, 
 with which it has a daily communica- 
 tion by the railroad. There are three 
 churches, a land-oflfice, a courthouse, and 
 a branch of the university. 
 
 St. Joseph's is two hundred miles 
 west of Detroit, on the bank of the river 
 of that name, at its mouth in Lake Erie. 
 A part of the town looks out upon the 
 lake, where is a good harbor. It is a 
 place of increasing importance, and con- 
 tains a couithouse, three churches, a 
 bank, and a population of about 900. It 
 has daily communication with Chicago 
 by steamboat, and stages run to the De- 
 troit railroad; and stage-coaches run to 
 Chicago through " Michigan city." 
 
 Mackinac. — This town is situated on 
 the southeast extremity of Mackinac 
 island. The public buildings are the 
 courthouse, two churches, a school of 
 the American board of commissioners 
 for foreign missions, a Roman catholic 
 missionary school, and a branch of the 
 university. It has over 1,000 inhabitants. 
 The harb(;r is large enough for one hun- 
 dred and fifty vessels, and a valuable 
 fishery is carried on, which supplies 
 a considerable export trade, above three 
 thousand barrels of white-fish and trout 
 being sent out annually. A considera- 
 ble amount of business is annually done 
 in the fur trade. 
 
 Mackinac consists of three slight 
 wooden piers, a water street and a back 
 street, with perhaps sixty houses on 
 both. The fort stands to the right of 
 the village, on the brow of the eminence, 
 is built of a porous, shelly limestone, 
 and has a tolerable command of the 
 main passage out of Lake Michigan into 
 Lake Huron; but it happens to be it- 
 
522 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 self commanded by a higher eminence, 
 a mile west of it, which the British si- 
 lently seize^l and fortified at the out- 
 break of the war of 1812, placing guns 
 there in battery and summoning our 
 commandant to surrender before he sus- 
 pected even that war was declared. 
 
 Mackinac has a commanding view of 
 Lakes Michigan and Huron, with the 
 surrounding isles, headlands and bays. 
 The air is very pure, and there is some 
 timber, but it is mainly covered with 
 low, shrub-like evergreens — fir, spruce, 
 &c. It is among the coldest spots with- 
 in the limits of our Union. The apple- 
 tree blossoms, but does not bear there, 
 any more than at the Sault. 
 
 The soil is mostly gravelly and rock 
 of a limestone nature. In traversing 
 the island, which is about ten miles 
 in circumference, we find but three farms, 
 and they not much laid under cultivation. 
 Farming, however, must be profitable ; 
 a ready market being at hand in the 
 village, which now contains by estima- 
 tion not far from 1,000 inhabitants, who 
 are mostly engaged in fishing. 
 
 The village, within the past five years, 
 has begun to wear a greatly improved 
 appearance, several good buildings hav- 
 ing been erected, which are neatly 
 painted, and several new ones now go- 
 ing up. All the upper lake steamers 
 and sail craft stop at the wharf for an 
 hour or two to wood. 
 
 Usually there are a number of Indi- 
 ans visiting the village from the main 
 shores. They come in their bark ca- 
 noes, freighting poles, bark, and matting, 
 for a temporary wigwam. They pitch 
 their tent on the beach during their stay, 
 and are gazed at most intently by the 
 passengers. Apparently they are all 
 happy. Songs and laughter emanate 
 from them in the evening, echoing over 
 the broad expanse of waters. Many of 
 the " curiosity" wares are made by the 
 squaws, and bartered with the merchants 
 for provisions. The sales of these curi- 
 osities to strangers can not be less than 
 $15,000 annually. 
 
 The imports of the place are now es- 
 timated at $150,000 annually. The ex- 
 ports for a great number of years have 
 been mostly furs. This trade declining. 
 
 fish has taken their place. The mer- 
 chants are interested in the business — 
 all of them more or less. But few of 
 them, however, are engaged in catching 
 them. They geneially sell or let nets, 
 furnish barrels and salt, and then pur- 
 chase of the fishermen after they are 
 packed. 
 
 FISH PACKED AT MACKINAC AND VICINITY. 
 
 i'ear. 
 
 White- Fish. 
 
 Trout. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 bbls. 
 
 bbls. 
 
 bhls. 
 
 1835 
 
 1,200 
 
 — 
 
 1,700 
 
 1837 
 
 -*■ 
 
 — 
 
 1,600 
 
 1840 
 
 3,250 
 
 750 
 
 4,000 
 
 1841 
 
 4,500 
 
 500 
 
 5,000 
 
 1842 
 
 6,275 
 
 1,425 
 
 7,700 
 
 1843 
 
 9,S00 
 
 2,110 
 
 11,910 
 
 1844 
 
 12,200 
 
 3,.575 
 
 15,775 
 
 1845 
 
 15,150 
 
 4,270 
 
 19,420 
 
 1846 
 
 16,000 
 
 4,000 
 
 20,000 
 
 These fish were packed and shipped 
 from this place, and were taken at St. 
 Croix, Grande Traverse, Little Traverse, 
 L'Ai'bre Croche, and fishing grounds ad- 
 joining. It will be seen that the trade 
 is flourishing, and in a little over ten 
 years has increased from 1,700 barrels 
 to 20,000. 
 
 The fishing, however, on the upper 
 lakes, is not confined to this place and 
 vicinity. Other points on Lakes Huron 
 and Michigan are profiting by it. We 
 append the statistics of the business at 
 
 SAULT ST. MARIE AND LAKE SUPERIOR. 
 
 Year. White-Fish. Trout. Totai. 
 
 bbls. bbls. bbls 
 
 1835 — — 2,300 
 
 1837 — — 6,100 
 
 1840 8,000 4,000 12,000 
 
 1841 7,000 3,000 10,000 
 
 1842 7,500 3.000 10,500 
 
 1843 2,500 500 3,000 
 
 1845 2,100 250 2,350 
 
 1846 1,550 175 1,725 
 
 During the years 1841 and 1842, the 
 American Fur Company met with 
 heavy losses in the fish trade on Lake 
 Superior, and they abandoned the busi- 
 ness. Since then it has been carried on 
 by various individuals on a small scale, 
 and will not probably regain its former 
 flourishing condition until a canal is 
 constructed around the falls of St. Marie. 
 
 On the St. Mary's river, in the neigh- 
 borhood of St. Joseph's, on the British 
 side, the business is carried on largely, 
 which goes to the Canada market. The 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 523 
 
 catch is generally from 6,000 to 8,000 
 barrels yearly. 
 
 At Beaver island and vicinity, on Lake 
 Huron, a large quantity is taken annu- 
 ally. A gentleman in the trade is of 
 opinion that 10,000 barrels will be 
 packed this season. 
 
 At False Presque isle. Thunder bay, 
 and vicinity, last season, 12,000 barrels 
 were furnished for the Ohio market. 
 
 Of the business at Green bay, Drum- 
 mon's island, Three rivers, the Manistee, 
 Shoboigan and Racine rivers, Saginaw 
 bay, and other giounds, we are without 
 particular information. An old fisher- 
 man estimates the quantity packed at 
 these places last season at 20,000 bar- 
 rels. This is considered a low estimate. 
 
 The fallowing is a recapitulation for 
 1846, in barrels : Mackinac and vicini- 
 ty, 20,000 ; St. Marie and vicinity, 1,725 ; 
 Beaver island and vicinity, 10,000 ; 
 Presque isle, Thunder bay, &c., 12,000; 
 other places on Lakes Huron and Mich- 
 igan, 20,000 ; Canada side, estimate, 
 15,000 ; total, 78,725. 
 
 In addition to barrelling, at several 
 points, large quantities are boxed daily 
 in ice and shipped to Chicago, Milwau- 
 kie, Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, and 
 Buffalo, on sale. The sales at Macki- 
 nac for the consumption of steamers 
 passing, is no small item. It amounts 
 to not far from one hundred dollars' 
 worth per week. The whole catch of 
 all the lakes may, therefore, be safely 
 estimated at 100,000 barrels. When an 
 access to Lake Superior is easy by 
 canal, that almost unexplored lake will 
 annually furnish an equal quantity. 
 
 The number of barrels required gives 
 employment to at least thi'ee to four 
 hundred persons in their construction. 
 The salt consumed is an item of conse- 
 quence to commerce, and the freight is 
 worthy of note. The business may now 
 be considered at half a million of dol- 
 lars per year. A canal completed at the 
 Sault would swell it in five years to a 
 million. 
 
 Ann Arbor is situated on both sides 
 of Huron I'iver, forty miles west of De- 
 troit, with which it has daily communi- 
 cation by the railroad, and also with 
 Kalamazoo. It is divided into the up- 
 
 per and lower town by the river, and 
 the elevated ground which it occupies 
 makes the situation a fine one. It con- 
 tains a bank, courthouse, six churches, 
 and a number of manufactories, with 
 about 3,500 inhabitants. 
 
 The Universki/ of Michigan, sitnated 
 here, was founded in 1837, and has 
 three professors, about eighty students, 
 and libraries containing about five thou- 
 sand volumes. The cabinets contain 
 valuable collections made by the state 
 naturalists. 
 
 Ypsilanti. — This town also stands 
 on Huron river, which furnishes valua- 
 ble water-power at this place. Here 
 are several mills and manufactories, four 
 churches, and about 2,500 inhabitants. 
 Railroads afford daily communication 
 with Detroit and Kalamazoo. 
 
 Jackson stands on the right bank of 
 Grand river, seventy-nine miles west of 
 Detroit, and contains about 3,000 in- 
 habitants. The public buildings are a 
 courthouse, four churches, an academy, 
 and the state penitentiary, with a branch 
 of the university. Cars go daily for 
 Detroit and Kalamazoo. 
 
 Adrian. — This town is on the right 
 bank of Raisin river, at the distance of 
 sixty-seven miles from Detroit, and con- 
 tains four churches, a courthouse, an 
 academy, a number of manufactories, 
 mills, &c., and a population of about 
 3,500. Railcars go daily to Toledo, 
 Hillsdale, and Monroe. 
 
 • Saut de Sainte Mary, or falls of St. 
 Mary (familiarly called the Soo) stands 
 on high gi-ound on the right bank of St. 
 Mary's strait, just below the falls, or 
 rapids. Here are Fort Brady, the tra- 
 ding-house of the American Fur com- 
 pany, three churches, and a courthouse. 
 The population is about one thousand. 
 
 The organization of copper compa- 
 nies commenced here in 1845, and dur- 
 ing the past year at least one hundred 
 were formed. Many of them are good, 
 but not a tew of them will prove mere 
 bubbles. Those who have commenced 
 working on their locations meet with 
 great encouragement. Eight hundred 
 and ninety-six permits for location have 
 been granted by government. The com- 
 panies that have actually commenced 
 
524 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 work, or have left men in charge as set- 
 tlers, are entitled to pre-emption, under 
 the late law for the sale of the lands. 
 Of this class, there are not probably 
 more than twenty-five companies, and 
 they cover much territory, some of them 
 as many as twenty-five permits, or sec- 
 tions. Those, that hold pre-emptions get 
 their lands at two dollars and a half per 
 acre ; the others at five dollars. Rising 
 of twenty companies have expended 
 much money in mining operations — one 
 company over one hundred thousand 
 dollars, and others from five to fifty thou- 
 sand. Of the ultimate success of their 
 operations, few who have visited the 
 country have any doi'bt. The enter- 
 piise is necessarily atter.ded with heavy 
 outlays at the commencviment, for ma- 
 chinery and mining implements. 
 
 It is but a few years sii ce nearly all 
 the iron and lead consumed in this coun- 
 try was imported. It was v>'ith the ut- 
 most difficulty that capitalist,^ could be 
 persuaded to embai'k in it. The lead 
 mines on the Mississippi lay dormant 
 for years, for want of conridence in their 
 productiveness. The exceriment, how- 
 ever, of mining it was trl-rd : and now 
 this country exports the article to va- 
 rious parts of the world, and the stock- 
 holders are amassing a great interest on 
 their investments. The copper busi- 
 ness is more promising at this time than 
 even lead or iron. Many more have 
 visited Lake Superior and gone into it. 
 The Cliff mine has raised 2,495 tons of 
 native copper and vein-stone containing 
 copper. A portion of it was sent to 
 Boston and Roxbury for smelting. Ac- 
 cording to a statement based upon the 
 portion smelted, the amount of pure 
 copper is about three hundred tons, at 
 four hundred dollars a ton, worth one 
 hundred and twenty thousand dollars in 
 the aggregate. A shaft has been sunk 
 one hundred and sixty feet below the 
 bed of Eagle river, and a vein of native 
 copper, four feet wide, was found of 
 great richness. 
 
 The Eagle Harbor company have 
 opened twenty veins containing native 
 copper and sulphurets. Native silver 
 has been found in the copper ores as 
 tested by Professor Mather. Two hun- 
 
 dred tons of ore has been raised from 
 one vein ; forty tons of it was shipped 
 to New York last fall, of which the 
 Waterbury (Connecticut) brass foundry 
 smelted five tons and obtained forty-five 
 per cent, of pure copper. An ingot of 
 it was rolled there for platers' use with- 
 out annealing, which can not be done 
 with even English refined cake-coppers. 
 A smelting establishment has been erect- 
 ed. 
 
 The Northwestern company have sunk 
 a shaft to a considerable depth, and a 
 large quantity of vein-stone, containing 
 copper, has been raised. 
 
 The Bohemian company commenced 
 exploring their location in 1846. A 
 vein of gray sulphuret, of great rich- 
 ness, was found. 
 
 Prince's mine raised a considerable 
 amount of ore, which has been sent to 
 England for analysis. It is supposed 
 that it contained much silver. The bed 
 is worked vigorously this season. 
 
 A company in New York and Phila- 
 delphia have sent & German geologist 
 up the country, to erect smelting works 
 and a laboratory. There is now a suf- 
 ficient ore on the shores of the lake, to 
 keep a large establishment at work a 
 year. 
 
 The Bruce mine begins in or very 
 near the St. Mary's river, a little above 
 the point at which its name is lost in 
 that of Lake Huron, and where its out- 
 let winds among and is divided by the 
 thousands of islands which chequer the 
 north end of that lake. It is on the 
 British mainland, opposite St. Joseph's 
 island, which is also British territory. 
 The usual route of steamboats is on the 
 other side of this island. 
 
 The course of the vein is north forty- 
 five degrees west — neither parallel nor 
 at right angles with the river, but about 
 halfway between; the principal devel- 
 opment has been made sixty rods from 
 the water's edge. The average width 
 of the whole is over eight feet. It is 
 said to grow richer as it descends. 
 
 The ease of quarrying it is wonder- 
 ful, and can not be overstated ; ten thou- 
 sand tons of this ore may be mined and 
 placed on a dock at the river side, ready 
 for shipment, for less than the cost of 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 525 
 
 transporting as much ore already raised 
 and dressed from almost any Lake Su- 
 perior mine to Saut St. Marie, so as to 
 be ready for shipment below. It cer- 
 tainly must be a large estimate to make 
 the cost of delivering ten thousand tons 
 of this ore on shipboard, fifty thousand 
 dollars, or five dollars per ton. If the 
 ore yield but ten per cent, of copper — 
 and it can not be worth less than twenty 
 or twenty-five dollars per ton on ship- 
 board — the profit to be made from work- 
 ing it may thus be roughly computed. 
 
 Another vein just opened on this lo- 
 cation, not fifty rods west of the vein 
 just described, is about six feet wide on 
 the surface. Nearly a mile further west, 
 on the same location, is a vein eighteen 
 feet wide on the surface, but this is less 
 rich than the worked vein. 
 
 The Bruce mines, belonging to the 
 " Lake Huron and St. Mary's river com- 
 pany," are situated on the north shore 
 of Lake Huron, about seventy miles 
 below the Saut, within thirty hours' run 
 by steamer from Detroit ; they were 
 discovered, during the early part of last 
 summer, by an exploiing party under 
 the direction of Captain Keating, late 
 of the Indian department, her Britan- 
 nic majesty's service. In addition to 
 the location on which they are situated, 
 the same company have three others, 
 situated either on the shores of Lake 
 Huron or on the banks of the St. Ma- 
 ry's river, and all below the Saut. The 
 Lake Huron and St. Mary's river com- 
 pany was first organized in Montreal, 
 in the early part of November last, and 
 immediately afterward, Captain Keat- 
 ing, accompanied by Mr. Arthur Ran- 
 kin, of Sandwich, proceeded to the 
 island of St. Joseph, whence the latter 
 gentleman, accompanied by an expe- 
 rienced practical miner, proceeded to 
 the location. After spending two days 
 in examining the veins, &c., he set out 
 in an open boat, for the Saut, on the 
 morning of the 20th of November, in 
 order to take the steamer Champion on 
 her last downward trip for the season, 
 having in one day got out a sufficient 
 quantity of ore to fill sixteen barrels, be- 
 sides several large blocks, one of which 
 weighed six hundred pounds; another 
 
 weighed about two hundred. Part of 
 the ore was taken to Montreal, and the 
 remainder to New York, whence about a 
 ton was sent to Baltimore to be smelted, 
 where it was found to contain twenty 
 and a half per cent, of pure copper. 
 On the 12th of December last, Captain 
 Keating, with one regular miner and 
 four laborers, commenced operations by 
 sinking a shaft in one of the veins on 
 the location. 
 
 Lansing. — The new capital of Michi- 
 gan is just beginning to assume the ap- 
 pearance of a town, and is pleasantly 
 situated in the northwest part of Ino-ham 
 county, near the confluence of Cedar 
 and Grand rivers. Population 2,500. 
 
 Its recent aspect — the smokingheaps 
 of wood, the blackened surface of the 
 ground, the standing girdlings and board 
 shanties — moi'e readily suggest the idea 
 of some immigrating colony, than the 
 capital of a great sovereign state. 
 
 At first view it seems strange that a 
 dense forest, with only here and theie 
 an opening, should have been selected 
 as the site for the city. But when un- 
 derstood, one will not think so. The 
 advantages to the state in general by 
 the removal of the capital from Detroit, 
 will be very great. There it was at 
 one side ; here it is in the centre of the 
 state, and surrounded by a territory, 
 which, in point of fertility and all other 
 agricultural facilities, is scarcely any- 
 where equalled. 
 
 On the river near the town is abun- 
 dance of water power. 
 
 The new statehouse is not designed 
 for the permanent one, and its plan is 
 therefore not very magnificent. The 
 spot selected for the site is on a pleas- 
 ant elevation above Grand river. The 
 foundation of it is laid, fronting on the 
 river ninety-seven feet, and sixty deep. 
 The basement story is of stone, and 
 is designed for offices, &c. ; the super- 
 structure is of two stories, for the two 
 houses of the legislature. 
 
 There is no stone on the soil ; but an 
 abundance of stone convenient for build- 
 ing is found in the river. 
 
 New roads are opened, and settlers 
 fast coming in; and what was formerly 
 regarded an obscure by-place, wiii soon 
 
526 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 be the point for news and intelligence 
 for all this vicinity. A line of stages 
 now communicates between this place 
 and the railroad at Jackson, and the 
 trip from Detroit is easy. 
 
 The Illinois and Michigan Canal ex- 
 tends from Chicago, on Lake Michigan, 
 to La Sallo, at the head of steamboat 
 navigation on the Illinois river, a dis- 
 tance of one hundred and five miles. 
 The canal is constructed the same size 
 as the proposed enlargement of the 
 Erie canal of New York — the water be- 
 ing six feet in depth and sixty feet wide 
 at its surface. The locks are one hun- 
 dred and ten feet long between the gates, 
 and eighteen feet wide, admitting the 
 passage of boats conveying one hundred 
 and fifty tons burden. Upon the ori- 
 ginal plan, this canal was to be supplied 
 with water drawn from Lake Michigan. 
 It is now constructed with the summit 
 level raised eisrht feet above the surface 
 of the lake ; and the supply of water is 
 obtained, in part, through a feeder about 
 seventeen miles long, from the Culmet 
 river, and in part by introducing the Des 
 Plaines river, which runs a considerable 
 distance along the side of the canal, and 
 the surface of which is on a level with 
 the water in the canal at the summit. 
 
 These two sources will supply, in all 
 oi'dinary seasons, a sufficient quantity of 
 water for a maximum trade on the ca- 
 nal ; but in seasons of extreme drought 
 there will be a deficiency of 3,300 cubic 
 feet per minute ; and to supply this pe- 
 riodical deficiency, two steam-engines of 
 one hundred and sixty-three horse power 
 each, are in course of erection at the 
 junction of the canal with the Chicago 
 river, five miles south of the city of Chi- 
 cago. The power of these engines is to 
 be applied in part to cast-iron cylinder- 
 pumps of four and a half feet diameter, 
 and in part to a wheel with float-boards, 
 working in a tight chamber, to raise the 
 water from the river (which is here on 
 a level with the lake) eight feet in height 
 upon the summit level. The surplus 
 power, above that which may be re- 
 quired to these pumps, &c., as well as 
 when the pumps are not required, it is 
 proposed to apply to some kind of man- 
 ufactures. 
 
 The canal occupies the channel of the 
 Chicago river for five miles from the 
 lake ; it then rises by a lock of eight 
 feet lift, to the summit level ; thence to 
 the first lock at the south end of the 
 summit, is twenty-seven miles, or three 
 miles above Lockport. From this point 
 the canal descends along the valleys of 
 the Des Plaines and Illihois rivers, by 
 fifteen locks, overcoming a fall of one 
 hundred and forty feet. At the distance 
 of twenty-four miles from Chicago, the 
 extensive rock excavation commences, 
 and extends nine miles in length, vary- 
 ing in depth from four to twenty feet, 
 making an average depth of fifteen feet. 
 The excavation of this amount of rock 
 has cost an immense sum, but by raising 
 the summit level eight feet, a very great 
 additional amount of rock excavation 
 has been avoided. 
 
 On the final completion of the canal, 
 the immense piles of rock, which had 
 lined the canal banks, became available 
 for the people of Chicago to Macadam- 
 ize and improve their streets, pave their 
 sidewalks, and in brief, for building pur- 
 poses generally. 
 
 This canal has very few mechanical 
 structures in pi'oportion to its length. 
 There are but four aqueducts, and only 
 ten stone ai'ch culverts, of eight to twen- 
 ty feet span, and two stone dams, one 
 across the Des Plaines, and one across 
 the Du Page river. The whole of the 
 canal has been constructed in the most 
 thorough and permanent manner, and 
 reflects great credit upon the skill and 
 scientific acquirements of the engineer- 
 in-chief, William Gooding, Esq. 
 
 One impoitant feature of this canal, 
 and of canals in general, over other 
 modes of communication, is the water 
 power which they create for manufac- 
 turing purposes, the effect of which is to 
 increase directly the amount of business 
 on the canal, by the transportation of 
 the raw materials and of the manufac- 
 turing products, but it has a further 
 effect in its influence upon the more 
 speedy settlement of the country, and 
 the development of the agricultural and 
 mineral resources of the country adja- 
 cent to these lines of improvement. 
 
 It is estimated that above the town of 
 
DESCRirTION OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 527 
 
 Joliet there will be eighty-four runs of 
 stone, on a fall of sixty feet ; and below 
 that place, forty-five runs, on a fall of 
 the same amount ; making one hundred 
 and twenty-nine runs of stone. This 
 quantity of power may be increased by 
 using the whole force of the steam pow- 
 er, to raise the water eight feet high 
 from the Chicago river, and discharging 
 this additional quantity of water at the 
 south end of the summit level over a fall 
 of sixty feet. 
 
 Of course it is impossible, from the 
 rapidity with which this western coun- 
 try is filling up with inhabitants, and 
 not of being able to foresee to what ex- 
 tent changes may take place in the pres- 
 ent roads and routes for the transporta- 
 tion of the great interior commerce of 
 the west, to make any definite calcula- 
 tions as to the amount of business which 
 may be done on this canal. The follow- 
 ing exhibit has been prepared by a per- 
 son who is well acquainted with the sub- 
 ject. It is intended as an estimate of 
 the amount of business and toll on this 
 canal for the second year after its com- 
 jdetion : — 
 
 Tolls. 
 Lumber - 33,472,000 feet. $33,472 
 Salt - - 207,700 bbls. 37,386 
 
 Flour - - 400,000 " 60,000 
 
 Wheat - 2,257,000 bush. 100,650 
 
 Sugar molas's, I 8,625 hhds. 10,781 
 
 and tobacco ) ' 
 
 Merchandise 38,298 tons. 76,576 
 
 AJl other articles - - - 45,000 
 
 Total - . . . $364,865 
 Sheep. — Grain has been considered 
 the principal staple of export. To this 
 we may now add wool-growing. As 
 early as 1834, the farmers of Macomb 
 county gave attention to it — particularly 
 in the towns of Shelby, Washington, 
 Bruce, and Armada. They led in the 
 introduction of sheep into the territoiy, 
 and have continued ever since to in- 
 crease their flocks in quality and num- 
 ber. The state census of 1837 gave the 
 number in that county at 5,365 head, 
 which was then over one quarter the 
 number in the state ; the whole then 
 being but 21,684. 
 
 The United States census taken in 
 
 1840, only three years after, gave the 
 number at 89,934. During the years 
 of 1840 and 1841, a company of gentle- 
 men from Vermont took into the coun- 
 ties of Kalamazoo, Van Buren, and Ea- 
 ton, over 25,000 head, and left them 
 with the farmers on shares. During the 
 same years, many cf the more thrifty 
 farmers sent out to Ohio and obtained 
 many thousands, and sold them in the 
 western counties. Among others. Rev. 
 John D. Pierce was zealously and pa- 
 triotically engaged in getting into Cal- 
 houn and vicinity the best breeds. Mr. 
 Pierce sent east and to Ohio for some 
 four or five thousand, which he sold to 
 his poorer neighbors, on time suflScient 
 for the fleece that could be obtained, 
 would enable them to pay. In those 
 times, a majority of our farmers were 
 poor, for it took two or three years to 
 get a dollar surplus. Most of those to 
 whom Mr. Pierce sold, are now large 
 growers. The increase since 1840 has 
 been almost beyond belief Thousands 
 after thousands have been driven from 
 other states — western New York send- 
 ing her full quota of the best of Meri- 
 noes and not a few Saxonies. 
 
 During this time a large number of 
 cloth-dressing establishments have been 
 ei'ected, and some dozen woollen facto- 
 ries, in various parts of the state. The 
 largest are at Pontiac, Ypsilanti, Ann 
 Arbor, Jackson, and Marshall. The 
 wool now manufactured into cloth in 
 the state can not be far from 500,000 
 pounds, including the home-made flannel. 
 
 The present number of sheep can not 
 be estimated at less than 600,000. The 
 crop averaging three pounds each, would 
 give 1,800,000 pounds. The whole av- 
 eraging twenty-four cents to the pound, 
 give a total of $432,000. Of this quan- 
 tity, say — home consurhption 500,000 
 pounds; for expert 1,100,000 pounds. 
 
 AVe are borne out in this conclusion 
 by the exports of past years, and in- 
 crease of sheep. 
 
 The exports were — in 1841, 23,000 
 pounds ; in 1844, 256,407 ; in 1845, 
 412,081 ; in 1846, from Detroit, 506,103 ; 
 from Monroe, 84,424 ; from St. Joseph, 
 4,000 ; from Toledo, 124,600 : making a 
 total of 716,587 pounds. 
 
52 S 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 This season a large number of east- 
 ern manufacturers are in market, par- 
 ticularly for the coarser kinds, the new 
 tai'iff having done away the duty of five 
 per cent, on foreign coarse wools, that cost 
 abroad seven cents and under, and made 
 a uniform duty of thirty per cent., which 
 tends to keep the harsher qualities from 
 coming from South America to compete 
 with ours. Another branch of manu- 
 facture of which wool of the coarser 
 qualities is a component part, has sprung 
 up at the east — Mousseline dc Laine. 
 Eight or ten large factories have been 
 erected. For years this class of goods 
 has been supplied from France and Eng- 
 land. One of these establishments at 
 Nashua, New Hampshire, will use a 
 million of pounds annually. This new 
 branch of industry will add five millions 
 of pounds to the consumption yearly. 
 The Bake well, English, and South Down 
 sheep, having long wool, are preferred, 
 as it has to undergo a combing process. 
 
 Farmers say it is more profitable to 
 raise wool, at present prices, than to 
 grow wheat at sixty-two and a half cents 
 a bushel. Sheep do not exhaust land, 
 but, on the other hand, fertilize it. If it 
 can be grown at the east with profit, 
 where the very interest on the land is 
 more than the purchase of pasturing in 
 this state, the west, in a short time, will 
 supplant the east in its production en- 
 tirely. Since the west has gone into the 
 business, mark the increasing quantity 
 that has passed through the Erie canal. 
 
 The following is a statement of the 
 arrival of wool at tide water on the Hud- 
 son river, and average price : — 
 
 Year. Pounds. Value. Price. 
 
 1810, 2,876,000 $1,150,400 40 cts. 
 
 1842, 
 
 3,355,000 
 
 1,004,554 
 
 30 
 
 1843, 
 
 6,216,400 
 
 1,678,428 
 
 27 
 
 1844, 
 
 7,672,300 
 
 2,519,474 
 
 38 
 
 1845, 
 
 9,504,039 
 
 2,946,252 
 
 31 
 
 1846, 
 
 8,866,376 
 
 2,571,415 
 
 29 
 
 The amount of wool which arrived 
 at Buffalo from Michigan, in 1844, was 
 256,407 pounds ; in 1845, 412,081 ; and 
 in 1846, 716,587. 
 
 Wool has also become an article of 
 foreign export, there being no duty on 
 it in England. The project was never 
 tried till 1844, when about 300,000 
 
 pounds went from Boston and New 
 York. The quantity has annually in- 
 creased since. 
 
 In almost every village of this state 
 there are wool-buyers. In the principal 
 ones, eastern manufacturers have agents. 
 
 The Pictured Rocks of Lake Supe- 
 rior. — The southern shore of Lake Su- 
 perior is distinguished by long ranges 
 of inaccessible rocks, which form a hope- 
 less obstacle to the unhappy navigator 
 driven before a northerly storm. For 
 miles there is not a spot to be found 
 where even a canoe can effect a landing, 
 or where a man could climb up the lofty 
 perpendicular banks, to escape destruc- 
 tion. The water is deep quite up to 
 the base of the cliff's, and the region is 
 shunned, especially in bad weather. 
 
 In some places, however, where a 
 small accessible point has been found, 
 the Indians formerly made their land- 
 ing-places ; and remains of their rude 
 drawings are still traceable upon the 
 precipices far upon the shore. One of 
 the most remarkable of these is repre- 
 sented in the vignette. The cliffs are 
 high, bold, and apparently perpendicu- 
 lar ; but their faces are marked with 
 drawings of different figures, explicable 
 only by members of the tribe or nation 
 by which they were inscribed, but all 
 significant parts of a record capable of 
 distinct interpretation only by those ac- 
 quainted with the secrets of the system. 
 
 The figure of an animal is usually the 
 token, or aiTnorial representative, of 
 some tribe, family, or individual ; and 
 rude drawings of objects are expressive 
 of things or actions connected with them. 
 By the aid of native intei-preters, the in- 
 scriptions on some, it is said, have been 
 discovered to refer to a great Indian 
 military expedition against a nation on 
 the north side of the lake, to which the 
 pictured rocks of the Mississippi also 
 relate. 
 
 The following description of a visit 
 to this remarkable spot, by a gentleman 
 engaged in sui'veying the upper penin- 
 sula of Michigan, for the United States 
 government, will be interesting to the 
 reader : — 
 
 " I had passed and repassed the ' Grand 
 Portal' of the pictured rocks, three dif- 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 529 
 
 ferent times, and had once made a sketch 
 of it, but it seems I had never ascer- 
 tained the extent of its interest. In 
 passing it lately, all the circumstances 
 being favorable, we determined to enter 
 the arch with our boat ; and though our 
 mast was only about sixteen to eighteen 
 feet high, still the feeling, as we ap- 
 proached, was, that we must take it 
 down to be able to pass under the apex 
 of the arch ; but drawing nearer, the 
 mast seemed to shrink, and the arch to 
 tower upward, until our sail shook un- 
 der a vault one hundred and twenty feet 
 high ! So much is the eye deceived by 
 a general proportionate grandeur. En- 
 tering, we found ample room for a vast 
 ship-of-war, with sails all standing, to 
 conceal herself, turn round, and come 
 out without impediment. Although the 
 water is deep for three fourths of the 
 way, yet at the far end of the cave there 
 is, first, a pile of huge fallen blocks of 
 sandstone ; and, beyond these, a sand- 
 beach, fifty to sixty feet wide. Excited 
 by a work so magTiificent, I determined 
 to make it my observatory until I had 
 ascertained the form and dimensions as 
 accurately as expedition would permit. 
 For this purpose, and to enjoy the ro- 
 mantic luxury, I resolved on spending 
 a night where I need not call upon the 
 mountains to hide me. 
 
 " As there was a spice of danger in 
 passing a night in this palace of the 
 winds and v/aves, I landed the party 
 to encamp on the sands, near the Doric 
 rock, and was then transported and led 
 in the cave with my nephew and instru- 
 ments, the voyagers returning with the 
 boat to the encampment. Here we 
 were more securely imprisoned than 
 Napoleon on St. Helena, the only means 
 of escape being to climb over banging 
 rocks two hundred feet high, or swim 
 half a mile of the lake, with water so 
 cold as to stiflfen us in one eighth of that 
 distance, and our provisions, a few sticks 
 of wood which we brought in the boat, 
 and a bucket of bean-soup. But we 
 gave ourselves no anxiety, for wc had 
 too much work to perform. Immediate- 
 ly we measured our base line for tri- 
 angulation, five hundred feet long, all 
 within the cave of the great arch. At 
 
 this part of the Pictured Rocks there is 
 a table of sandstone about two hundred 
 feet high, presenting to the lake a pei*- 
 pendicular wall of waving and angular 
 outline for several miles. At the Grand 
 Portal, the rock juts out into a short pen- 
 insula by two curves which come up like 
 the curves from the shoulders in each 
 side of the neck; at the end it is ab- 
 ruptly truncated as if the head had 
 been cut oflT. Into this truncated end 
 enters the Grand Portal arch, about one 
 hundred and twenty feet high, and, pen- 
 trating about three hundred feet, termi- 
 nates in two smaller arches. Near the 
 far end, a cross arch, opening on each 
 side of the neck, traverses the main cav- 
 ern. Thus the ground plan, like that 
 of ancient cathedrals, is a cross ; in the 
 portal, however, the head of the cross is 
 double. We ventured to give names to 
 the various apartments : First, the Grand 
 Dome opening in the Grand Portal ; 
 second and third, the first and second dor- 
 mitories ; fourth and fifth, the right and 
 left wings of the ci'oss ; sixth, the ves- 
 try with columns, groined arches, and 
 Gothic windows communicating with the 
 right wing; seventh, the Egyptian labj'- 
 rinth, consisting of cylindric and groined 
 galleries, supported by peculiar columns, 
 having a distant resemblance to the 
 Egyptian, communicating both with the 
 right wing and with the Grand Dome. 
 The form of the columns is that of two 
 elongated bells, with the two small ends 
 joined to form the middle of the shaft ; 
 or, to detail the figure, it is expanded at 
 the top like an inverted bell, contracts 
 rapidly as it descends, and by a gradual 
 curve becomes nearly cylindric for some 
 distance ; and again it contracts on a 
 gradual curve till it comes almost to a 
 point, where it meets the same figure 
 reversed. This form is essentially beau- 
 tiful, being a solid generated by rotation 
 of Hogarth's sigmoid line of grace. To 
 explain the mode of its formation would 
 lead to too long a discussion. 
 
 " Our most active and frolicsome half- 
 breed voyager had waded the water, 
 and, without our perceiving him, had 
 entered the labyrinth. To our surprise 
 he thrust his head out of a hole in 
 the Grand Dome, and uttered a hideous 
 
 34 
 
530 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATB OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 growl. His companions instantly took 
 up the drama of the beast in his den, 
 and hurled a volley of stones at him. 
 Darting back, Legarde presented his 
 head at another opening, and defied his 
 pursuers with a still fiercer snarl ; in- 
 stantly there followed another volley, 
 another evasion, and another peal of 
 laughter echoed back from the dome, I 
 labored hard until dark, and then dis- 
 covered a new danger in making it my 
 place of rest. I found a great part of 
 ihe cave to be lined with a shell of stone 
 loosened by the last winter's frost, and 
 ready at all points to fall with crushing 
 force. Going back to the farthest re- 
 cess of the dormitory arch, I knocked 
 oif all the loose stones, propped up my 
 cot on piles of rocks, and composed my- 
 self to sleep, not unmindful, as I lay 
 down, that the canopy of my bed was of 
 solid stone, two hundred feet thick, with 
 a forest of fir-trees on top as the orna- 
 mental fringe. About midnight I arose, 
 lighted a candle, built a fire, and walked 
 forward with my lantern to the farthest 
 block of stone. Here I gazed at the 
 great star-lighted window presented by 
 the portal arch, and as I stood, the po- 
 lar star just twinkled on the verge of the 
 opening, making the angular altitude 
 equal to the latitude of the place. Again 
 I lay down in the dormitory and listened 
 to the dirge-like music of the ripple, as 
 it kissed the rocky fragments and danced 
 into the labyrinths. In such situations 
 there is often a mirage of sound as won- 
 derful as that of sight ; the discords seem 
 to be absorbed, and the harmonious 
 notes are echoed and reverberated with 
 more enchanting spells than belong to 
 the ^olian ; commingled with the dirge 
 one imagines imitations of cascades, hail, 
 rain, and storms. This was the pianis- 
 simo ; while the fortissimo would be wit- 
 nessed when the northern storm should 
 drive the thunder of the gi-eat lake 
 directly into the Grand Portal. Sup- 
 pose this to have happened while I was 
 a tenant — it was really what 1 desired. 
 An avalanche of rock sufficient to have 
 crushed a city, had fallen just outside of 
 the left arch, and laid rudely piled to 
 the height of fifty feet. Thither would 
 I have retreated to witness the bloodless 
 
 battle of the elements ; for a long war 
 has been waged between waves and 
 rocks, in which the rocks have so far 
 been obliged to yield. Morning came, 
 and with the dawn myself and nephew 
 were at our work of triangulating. Hav- 
 ing completed the survey, and obtained 
 geological specimens of gi-eat interest, 
 we returned in the boat which had come 
 from the party on shore, in the afternoon. 
 "I shall calculate my observations, 
 make drawings of ground-plan and ele- 
 vations, and include them in my report 
 to Dr. Jackson, and through him to the 
 government, that, if they are found wor- 
 thy of it, they may be published. I 
 need hardly say, that such a curiosity, in 
 such a climate, deserves a visit from the 
 Cincinnatians during the hot months. 
 Within half a mile is a boat harbor, a 
 fine camping ground ; and still another 
 half a mile along the land beach, is the 
 Chapel rock, and still nearer, a cascade. 
 Beyond this again is a cascade leaping 
 the top of the Pictured Rocks clear into 
 the lake, and blowing a blast of wind in 
 all directions from where it strikes the 
 water sufficiently to propel a sail-boat. 
 The Grand Portal is less extensive than 
 the mammoth cave, being a mere frac- 
 tion of it, but it has some compensating 
 beauties. It has light and a fine breeze, 
 and is at the same time as cool. You 
 ai'rive at all of its beauties without fa- 
 tigue, and enjoy, through its three open 
 arches, the most extraordinary land- 
 scapes. Through the Grand Portal you 
 see only the shoreless lake ; through the 
 western opening of the cross arch a 
 limited but magnificent view of the lake 
 and the Pictured Rocks overhanging its 
 dark blue waters, on whose surface, 
 when calm, those rocks are reflected 
 into a symmetrical counterpart of the 
 original. Through the eastern wing is 
 seen also the lake and the Pictured 
 Rocks dying away in well-marked per- 
 spective, as one point sinks behind the 
 other, to the distance of ten miles. In 
 the course of this perspective is the cas- 
 cade of Chappel river, the Chappel 
 rock, and the cascade of the winds. This 
 cross arch is five hundred feet long, and 
 so straight that light is seen through it 
 from one side to the other, Mr. School- 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 531 
 
 craft passed through it with his boat : 
 but the lake having fallen about four 
 feet it is neai'ly dry, and the only en- 
 trance by water is by the Grand Portal." 
 
 The emigration to Michigan is now 
 larger than for years past. Every part 
 of the peninsula wears a new aspect to 
 what it did five years since. The log 
 houses have given way to fine brick and 
 pine dwellings, ornamented with paint, 
 and th { windows bedecked with blinds 
 or tas' y curtains. The slab sheds are 
 hardly known. Large barns have taken 
 their places. Where the wolf prowled 
 undisturbed, herds of sheep are seen — 
 the bleating of the frolicsome lambs is 
 heard, where the doe had full sway. 
 You can scarcly ride on any road that 
 has been open for five years, that is not 
 lined on either side with grain. , The 
 whole country has the appearance of a 
 fifty years' settlement. Enterprise and 
 industry are everywhere prevalent. 
 
 The advantages that Michigan offers 
 to the emigrant, are clearly set forth in 
 the following statements : — 
 
 " First. We are surrounded with wa- 
 ter communication for hundreds of 
 miles, with noble strums that are navi- 
 gable, and from its tributary waters into 
 the lakes. From the mouth of each the 
 canvass wafts the staff of life to the east. 
 
 " Second. We have avenues of art, 
 binding with solid iron, as by links, the 
 centre and southern counties from one 
 extremity to the other, while the north 
 for some distance equally enjoys the 
 benefit of iron horses to forward their 
 surplus to a shipping point. 
 
 " Thli"d. No state can boast of better 
 hydraulic power — the summit level be- 
 ing near the centi'e of the peninsula and 
 its never-failing streams diverging to 
 several points, as though the hand of an 
 engineer had planned their serpentine 
 courses to accommodate every county. 
 View tie lines of all the streams of every 
 state in the Union, as laid down on their 
 respective maps, and it is unequalled. 
 
 " Fourth. The soil is calculated for 
 the pi'oduction of almost every species 
 of culture that could be desired north of 
 the tropics. 
 
 " Fifth. Our school and university 
 fund exceeds most of our neighbors, for i 
 
 land already sold and that remaining is 
 mostly of the choicest kind. We have 
 our school districts and rapidly-increas- 
 ing school libraries, in every direction 
 settled. Our state university is already in 
 operation, with professors of the rarest 
 talent for the higher branches. In point 
 of advantages for education, New Eng- 
 land or New York are not ahead. In 
 point of intelHgence, the last census of 
 the United States places us ahead of 
 nearly every sister state, with two ex- 
 ceptions, as having the least number 
 who can neither write nor read. 
 
 " Sixth. A majority of our present 
 population are mostly from New Eno- 
 land and New York. The rapid in- 
 crease of our exports exhibit their in- 
 dustry. No state in the Union, from the 
 organization of the confederacy, has 
 made such rapid strides. It is unparal- 
 leled in ancient or modern history. 
 
 "Seventh. Our state indebtedness, by 
 the sale of state improvements, has been 
 reduced. The interest on all acknowl- 
 edged bonds will be paid on the first of 
 January next, and a tax law has been 
 passed to meet it hereafter. 
 
 "Eighth, Our exports exceed our im- 
 ports the past year by over a million of 
 dollars. 
 
 " Ninth. Our advantages for market- 
 ing our surplus products are far supe- 
 rior to any and all other states west of 
 Buffalo, and they bear a much better price. 
 
 " Tenth. We have two months the ad- 
 vantage of our neighboi's in the naviga- 
 tion of Lake Erie for eastern shipments, 
 always at a season when produce bears 
 the best prices. In the spring there is 
 generally four weeks after the opening 
 of the lower lakes, that the straits of 
 Mackinac are obstiL.cted with ice, which 
 is invaluable either in a rising or falling 
 market, and some four weeks after the 
 first of November, when the passage to 
 the upper lakes is hazardous, and craft 
 going thither are in danger of not being 
 able to return until the following spring. 
 During all this time, both spring and 
 fall, most of the craft make trips from 
 Detroit to Buffalo, which throws hun- 
 dreds of them in competition for freight, 
 and transportation is thereby cheapened 
 while it advances at the upper ports." 
 
532 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF INDIANA. 
 
 This state is bounded on the 
 north by Michigan, east by Ohio, 
 south by Kejitucky, from which it 
 is separated by Ohio river, west by 
 Illinois, and northwest by Lake 
 Michigan. The Ohio forms the 
 boundary for 340 miles from the 
 mouth of the Great Miami to that 
 of the Wabash. The entire out- 
 line is 990 miles. The greatest 
 length is along the west border, 
 272 miles, the main length nearly 
 260 miles, the mean breadth 140 
 miles, and the area about 36,000 
 square miles. It lies between north latitude 37*^ 50' and 41° 47' and longitude 
 7° 48' and 11° 48' west from Washington. Population, 988,734. 
 
 About five sixths of this state is drained by the Wabash river. In surface it 
 is intermediate between Illinois and Ohio, being less monotonous than the for- 
 mer, and less hilly than the latter. A range of rough and abrupt hills rises on 
 the banks of the Ohio ; but these are formed by the cutting down of the channel, 
 while on the opposite side there is only a gentle declivity of the surface toward 
 the northwest, where the waters are drained into the Wabash, The White river, 
 a minor stream, rises within half a mile of the Ohio, opposite the mouth of the 
 Kentucky, at the Great Bend. The region crossed by the branches of this 
 stream and by the Wabash is remarkable for the amenity of its surface ; beyond 
 which extends the wide plain or table-land. Here rise the Tippecanoe and Eel 
 rivers, which flow into the Wabash, as well as the Kankakee and Pinkimink, trib- 
 utaries of the Illinois; the Elkhart, Pigeon, and others, flowing into the St. 
 Joseph's of Lake Michigan, and the St. Joseph's branch of the Maumee. The 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF INDIANA. 
 
 53- 
 
 Wabasb, the principal river in the state, 
 is five hundred miles long ; and, rising 
 in Ohio, flows into Indiana in the north- 
 east part, crosses it, and forms the west- 
 ern boundary for one hundred and forty 
 miles. 
 
 The great western plain commences 
 on Lake Erie, between the Maumee 
 and Raisin rivers, and extends to the 
 junction of the Illinois with the Missis- 
 sippi river. It is about four hundred 
 miles in length, from northeast-by-east 
 to southwest and west, and is chiefly 
 prairie. The surface and subsoil abound 
 in marine and river shells, and numer- 
 ous trees are found imbedded. Prairies 
 abound also along White river, and pre- 
 sent every variety of these peculiar kinds 
 of lands, viz., the dry, wet, level, rolling, 
 barren, and fertile prairie. The rich, 
 however, preponderate, and many tracts 
 are luxuriant. 
 
 Climate. — That part of the state 
 nearest to Lake Michigan is subject to 
 copious rains ; and as much of the land 
 in that section is low and marshy, a 
 considerable portion of it is thus unfit 
 for cultivation ; while sandhills, beai'ing 
 small juniper-trees, ai*e numerous in the 
 rear. The low tracts have generally 
 proved very unhealthy, especially near 
 swamps, ponds, and streams ; and fever- 
 and-ague has sometimes prevailed ; the 
 warmer regions have also suH'ered from 
 the same cause. The rapid increase of 
 the population, however, shows that this 
 evil has not materially checked the pros- 
 perity of the state. 
 
 The winters are mild compared with 
 those of New England and even Penn- 
 sylvania — as winter lasts only about six 
 weeks from the end of December. The 
 rivers which are not the most rapid are 
 then frozen; and sometimes even the 
 Wabash has been bridged wi.th ice. 
 Frequently snow falls in the northern 
 paits to the depth of eighteen inches; 
 but in the south it is seldom ever more 
 than six inches. Peach-trees bloom 
 early in March, and the forests grow 
 green from the 5th of A pril to the 15th ; 
 and, as numerous shrubs put forth their 
 flowers before their leaves appear, the 
 appearance of the country is delightful 
 early in the season. 
 
 The governor is elected by the people, 
 for four years, ineligible next term. A 
 lieutenant-governor is also chosen in the 
 same manner, and for the same term. 
 The senate, not to exceed fifty members, 
 elected for four years. The representa- 
 tives, not to exceed one hundred, chosen 
 for two years. Elections are held bien- 
 nially. Elections by the people are by 
 ballot ; by the assemb'„y which meets 
 biennially, t.7>« voce. The judicial pow- 
 er is vested in a supreme court of fiom 
 three to five members, elected by the 
 people, for six years; in circuit courts, 
 the judges of which are elected by the 
 people for six years ; and in such minor 
 courts as the assembly may establish. 
 This right of suttVage extents to every 
 white male citizen, twenty-one years of 
 age, six months a resident of the state. 
 
 Literary Institutions. — In this state 
 are the following: Indiana university, 
 at Bloomington ; Hanover college, at 
 South Hanover ; Wabash college, at 
 Crawfox-dsville ; Indiana Ashbury uni- 
 versity; the University of Notre Dame 
 du Lac, at South Bend ; Franklin col- 
 lege, at Franklin ; and St. Gabriel col- 
 lege. The number of academies is six- 
 ty, and that of common schools one 
 thousand six hundred. 
 
 Indianapolis, the capital of Indiana, 
 stands on the west bank of the west 
 branch of White river, one hundred and 
 twenty-two miles west of Cincinnati. It 
 is at the head of steamboat navigation 
 on that stream, and is already a large and 
 flourishing town, although the spot was 
 in the midst of the forest as late as the 
 year 1821. The river is crossed by a 
 fine bridge. 
 
 The position of the town is near tho 
 centre of the state, and it enjoys the ad- 
 vantages offered by a large river, which 
 waters as great a portion of fertile land, 
 in proportion to its size, as any other in 
 the United States. The surrounding 
 country has been settled with great ra- 
 pidity ; and the town is laid out with 
 much taste, and presents a fine appear- 
 ance. Several broad streets meet from 
 different points, at a beautiful circular 
 public green, situated on a gentle ele^a,- 
 tion, on which conspicuously stands the 
 governor's house. Population, 8,000. 
 
534 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF INDIANA. 
 
 Capitol of Indiana. — This edifice is 
 situated in an open square of the city. 
 It is of the I'obust or ancient Doric or- 
 der, and is considered the nearest ap- 
 pi'oach to the classical spirit of the 
 antique on the western continent. 
 
 The building is eighty feet wide, and 
 one hundred and eighty feet long, and 
 contains rooms on three floors — a base- 
 ment below the level of the portico and 
 peribolus, and two stories above. The 
 great halls of legislation, chambers of 
 the senate and representatives, are on 
 the upper flooi", which renders them 
 lofty in the ceilings, and the committee 
 rooms, which are on the first floor, more 
 accessible by the free passage from end 
 to end of the building, which passage 
 could not be admitted were the great 
 rooms belov/. The senate-chamber is 
 thirty-six by seventy feet ; the hall of 
 representatives, forty-eight by seventy, 
 or near these dimensions ; and the ro- 
 tunda, thirty-six feet, with dome atid sky- 
 light. The halls are rectangular ob- 
 longs on the plan, but have a semi-hemi- 
 spherical concavity, or half dome in the 
 ceiling, resting on a semicircular colon- 
 nade, which forms the " bar of the 
 house" (so termed), within which the 
 members' seats are placed, all facing in- 
 ward, fronting the focal point and speak- 
 er's chair. This general arrangement 
 is favorable to the extension and inflec- 
 tion of sound, which, here made sono- 
 rous, is yet found free from reverbera- 
 tion, distinct and clear. It affords vari- 
 ety, with an architectural character to 
 the apartment, while the columns con- 
 tribute an additional support to the roof 
 
 As an exhibition of classical architec- 
 ture, we have in the capitol of Indiana 
 each of the thi-ee orders appropriated 
 by Greece : the Doric, Ionic, and Co- 
 rinthian — the robust, chaste, and mag- 
 nificent. In the body of the edifice we 
 have a resemblance to the Parthenon of 
 Athens ; in the interioi-, the rich Ionic 
 of the Erectheion ; in the dome, the cir- 
 cular temple of Vesta, at Tivoli ; and 
 the lantern is a model of the Corinthian 
 monument of Lysicrates. 
 
 The other public buildings are the 
 courthouse, state-prison, deaf and dumb 
 asylum, lunatic asylum, a female insti- 
 
 tute, and ten churches. The popula- 
 tion amounts to about three thousand. 
 
 Stage-coaches depart daily for Cin- 
 cinnati, Wheeling, Columbus, and Zanes- 
 ville ; and for several other places there 
 times a week. The communication with 
 Madison is also daily, being all of the 
 way by railx'oad. 
 
 ViNCENNES, one hundred and fifty 
 miles from the mouth of the Wabash, 
 is the second western town in point 
 of antiquity, having been settled by 
 Frenchmen from Canada as early as 
 1735, at a time when Kaskaskia was the 
 only place inhabited by white men in 
 those extensive regions. Here, in the 
 midst of a fertile district, and in the 
 heart of a wilderness, a small colony re- 
 mained, for a long time almost entirely 
 excluded from the world, and mingling 
 only with the savages, to whose habits 
 they in some respects accommodated 
 themselves. It was for a time the seat 
 of the territorial government. 
 
 The ground is level, regularly laid 
 out in squares, and the houses generally 
 have fruit gardens attached to them. 
 Steamboats come up to the town most 
 of the year. The adjacent prairie is 
 large and fertile, and five thousand aci'es 
 of it are in common, according to the 
 provision of the old French inhabitants. 
 
 During the early part of its history 
 the French and Indians carried on a 
 predatory warfare against the Kentucki- 
 ans and other border settlers. 
 
 New Harmony, fifty -four miles below 
 Vincennes, on the east bank of the Wa- 
 bash, and over one hundred from its 
 mouth, was settled in 1814 by a band of 
 eight hundred Germans, of a sect called 
 Harmonists, who had previously made 
 a settlement in Pennsylvania on Beaver 
 creek. They were led by Joseph Rapp, 
 and held their property in common, un- 
 der certain strict regulations. They 
 formed a large and flourishing village, 
 with a large house for public meetings, 
 a botanic garden, and gi'een-house. 
 
 About the year 1826, the people hav- 
 ing become somewhat discontented with 
 the place, and disposed to return to 
 Pennsylvania, sold to the celebrated the- 
 orist, Robert Owen, of Lanark, Scot- 
 land, who here brought some of his vis- 
 
536 
 
 DESCRIPTION OP THE STATE OP INDIANA. 
 
 ionary plans to experiment. A com- 
 munity was established, who spent the 
 aabbath in listening to his discourses, 
 and occupied their time in various modes, 
 with very little profit to themselves or 
 the public. The experiment at length 
 failed, and the place may hereafter rise to 
 the rank for which nature seems to have 
 fitted it, under the management of per- 
 sons of better sense and sounder princi- 
 ples. 
 
 LoGANSPORT stands on the bank of 
 the Wabash, at the mouth of Eel river, 
 and each of these streams is crossed by 
 a fine bridge. This place enjoys the 
 commercial advantages afforded by the 
 Wabash and Erie canal, and by the 
 water-power obtained from the rivers. 
 Manufactories of several kinds are in 
 operation. Stage-coaches run three 
 times a week to Lafayette and Niles, as 
 well as to the capital of the state. 
 
 South Bend, on the bank of Maumee 
 river, is well situated for a manufactur- 
 ing place, though partly built on a 
 lofty blufT. It contains a courthouse, 
 four churches, and about 2,000 inhabit- 
 ants. 
 
 The Roman Catholic college of N6tre 
 Dame du Lac was founded in 1844. 
 
 Michigan City. — This town, at the 
 south end of the lake of that name, has 
 the only harbor in the state. It was 
 laid out in 1835, but is already a consid- 
 erable village, of about 2,900 inhabitants, 
 with some trade, and a communication 
 with Chicago, Niles, and South Bend, 
 by stage coaches, three times a week. 
 
 Terre Haute. — This town, as its 
 French name indicates, occupies an ele- 
 vated position. It is on the left bank 
 of the Wabash, and seventy-three miles 
 west of Indianapolis, where the river is 
 crossed by the national road on a fine 
 bridge. A courthouse, six churches, a 
 market-house, bank, and a seminary, are 
 the principal public buildings. The pop- 
 ulation is about 4,000. The situation is 
 advantageous for trade, and the place is 
 flourishing. Stage-coaches go daily to 
 Indianapolis, St. Louis Shawneetovvn, 
 and Danville, Illinois. 
 
 Crawforusville stand's on the left 
 bank of Rock river, forty- five miles dis- 
 tant from Indianapolis, and contains 
 
 seven churches, a courthouse, a semina- 
 ry, and 4,000 inhabitants. 
 
 Wahash college, which is situated in 
 Crawfordsville, was founded in 1835, 
 and has four professors, more than one 
 hundred students, and about four thou- 
 sand five hundred volumes in its libra- 
 ries. 
 
 Lafayette. — This town stands at the 
 head of steam navigation on the Wa- 
 bash, three hundred and ten miles from 
 its mouth, by the course of the stream. 
 It has seven churches, a courthouse, and 
 several other public buildings, with a 
 population of about 4,000. The Wabash 
 and Erie canal affords a communication 
 between this place and Lake Erie. 
 Stage-coaches go three times a week to 
 Indianapolis and Logansport. 
 
 Indiana occupies an important portion 
 of the vast central valley ol North Amer- 
 ica, drained by the Mississippi and its 
 numeious branches, while it touches, at 
 its extreme northwest corner, the south 
 end of one of the great northern lakes. 
 As a large part of the state lies between 
 the Ohio and the Wabash, it partakes 
 of the general features of the Missis- 
 sippi country; and to Indiana, in com- 
 mon with her neighboring sister states, 
 the following impressive statements and 
 views justly apply : — 
 
 The Peculiar Characteristics of West- 
 ern Mind. — Says a late writer : " There 
 have been, I apprehend, in no countrj 
 in its early settlement, precisely the el- 
 ments in forming the public mind, which 
 are found in the western regions of our 
 own. The colonies that went out from 
 Phoenicia, and that laid the foundations 
 of empire on the shores of the Mediter 
 ranean, had a homogeneousness of char- 
 acter, and transferred the principles and 
 feelings of the mother-country at t nee 
 to the new lands where they took up 
 their abode. The colonies that went 
 out from Greece to occupy the maritime 
 regions of Asia Minor, carried with them 
 the love of the arts, of literature, and of 
 liberty, which distinguished Corinth and 
 Athens ; and Ionia became merely a re- 
 flected image of what Attica and Achaia 
 and Argolis had been. The colonies 
 which landed on Plymouth rock, and at 
 i Salem, and Boston, also had an entire 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF INDIANA. 
 
 537 
 
 homogeneousness of character. There 
 was no intermingling of any foreign el- 
 ements contemplated or allowed. They 
 were, when they landed, and when they 
 laid the foundation of Harvard univer- 
 sity, and when they spread over New 
 England, what they were in Holland 
 and in England, with only the modifica- 
 tions which their new circumstances 
 made, but with none from any foreign 
 admixtures. 
 
 " When we turn our eyes, however, 
 to the great west, we discern an entirely 
 different state of things. There is no 
 homogeneousness of character, of ori- 
 gin, of aim, of language. There are 
 elements already mingled and struggling 
 for the mastery, any one of which, if 
 alone, would have vital and expansive 
 power enough to diffuse itself all over 
 that great valley. 
 
 " There is a large infusion of the 
 puritan mind. 
 
 " There is a large infusion there of a 
 foreign mind, with little homogeneous- 
 ness of character or of views, except in 
 the single reason which has precipitated 
 it on our western shores. There are 
 different languages ; different manners 
 and customs ; diffei'ent modes of faith 
 and worship. It is alike in this, that it 
 is a foreign mind, little acquainted with 
 our institutions ; bred up mostly under 
 a inonarchical government ; restrained 
 at home less by an intelligent public sen- 
 timent than by the bayonet ; tenacious in 
 most instances of the religion in which 
 it was trained; and having, to a large 
 extent, little sympathy with the princi- 
 ples and the achievemenls of protestant- 
 ism. There is at the west, as a conse- 
 quence of this, a great intermingling 
 of those minds which are likely to be 
 most adventurous, energetic, and bold. 
 In the vast valley there ai-e I'epresenta- 
 tives from nearly all the nations of Eu- 
 j'ope, and all the forms of religion which 
 prevail there. Ireland, and France, and 
 England, and Germany, and Italy, have 
 their representatives there ; and they 
 appear there, not as amalgamated with 
 our I'epublican and protestant institu- 
 tions, hut as still imbodying the senti- 
 ments which they cherished in their 
 native land. 
 
 " A second characteristic of the west- 
 ern mind, as it is now, is, that it is as yet 
 unsettled. A demagogue, a propagator 
 of error, a rejector of religion, here, 
 must begin his work by a covert or open 
 attack on these associations; he must 
 weaken their power over the soul ; he 
 has a long work to do to detach the 
 mind from its fastenings, before he can 
 move it according to his will. But, in 
 a new region, he finds all this, to a great 
 extent, done to his haiMl. There is no 
 ancient sanctuary, or sabbath-bell, or 
 sepulchre of the dead, or schoolhouse, 
 or established public sentiment, that can 
 hinder his purposes ; and his work be- 
 gins at a point, to reach which elsewhere 
 might cost the labors of his life. 
 
 " A third observation which may be 
 made in relation to the characteristics 
 of the western mind, is, that there are 
 circumstances which make it certain that 
 it will be developed. 
 
 '' From the character, also, of the el- 
 ements which compose society there, 
 there will be intellectual strife ; there 
 will be earnest conflict; there will be 
 impassioned eloquence ; there will be a 
 struggle of mind with mind. 
 
 "Everything in the natural scenery 
 is on a scale so vast and grand — the ma- 
 jestic rivers, the boundless prairies, the 
 deep forest, the very immensity almost 
 of the rich domain which is spread out 
 there as if to make man vast in his 
 schemes, gigantic in his purposes, large 
 in his aspirations, and boundless in his 
 ambition. 
 
 " I may notice a fourth characteristic 
 of the western mind, in its relation to 
 x'eligion. Strange as it may seem to 
 one who looks on the heterogeneous and 
 unsettled mass, the result of the experi- 
 ments there made has shown that the 
 west is not a favorable field for planting 
 communities destitute of all religion. 
 
 " The question, then, if these are just 
 views, is not whether there shall be any 
 religion, or none — but whether the re- 
 ligion which shall prevail there shall be 
 true or false ; enlightened or ignorant ; 
 a miserable fanaticism, or a large and 
 liberal Christianity ; a low and drivel- 
 ling superstition, or principles that com- 
 mend themselves to reason and common 
 
£i38 
 
 DESCRIPTION OP THE STATE OP INDIANA. 
 
 sense ; the religion of tradition, or the 
 religion of the Bible; a religion of ex- 
 citement, and feeling, and variableness, 
 or the religion of principle." 
 
 The following statements, recently 
 published, give an interesting view of 
 the advantages offered by the Ohio for 
 ship-building : — 
 
 An intelligent gentleman, formerly of 
 Boston, but who has spent most of the 
 last twenty years in the west, in 1S05 
 explored the west, with a view to the 
 establishment of a ship-yard there, and 
 in 1806, a Mr. Jarvis, of Boston, on his 
 recommendation, built one or two large 
 ships at Marietta. One of the largest 
 and best bodies of oak in the United 
 States is on the banks of the Ohio, 
 stretching along the highlands of Vir- 
 ginia, Ohio, and the more mountainous 
 region of Kentucky, for several hundred 
 miles. There are inexhaustible beds of 
 coal and iron ore directly on the river 
 bank from Pittsburgh, some four hun- 
 dred miles westerly, and within which 
 distance there are now nearly two hun- 
 dred and fifty furnaces and forges en- 
 gaged in producing and manufacturing 
 the raw material. Several large ships 
 have since been built at the above and 
 other places on the Ohio, and at an av- 
 erage of from twenty to thirty per cent, 
 less than they could have been built for 
 on the Atlantic. The Ohio is an un- 
 steady stream, but all who are acquaint- 
 ed with it know, that at least two months 
 in the spring, and for the same period 
 in the autumn, there is sufficient water, 
 as high up as Marietta, for a ship-of-the- 
 line to pass down to the Mississippi. It 
 is also true, that for six or eight months, 
 one year with another, there are times 
 when the largest merchantmen can tra- 
 verse this river in perfect safety. By 
 so arranging as to bring out the ship so 
 that she would make her descent in the 
 spring or autumn, she could load with 
 the products of the country, and make, 
 on her homeward passage, more than 
 sufficient to compensate for any loss of 
 time or other inconveniences for being 
 built at a distance from her place of 
 final destination, while the timber crop 
 and means of subsistence can be obtained 
 in the greatest abundance, and at a com- 
 
 paratively small price to what they would 
 cost on the seaboard. It is to be borne 
 in mind, that Kentucky and Ohio pro- 
 duce the best of hemp, which, if called 
 for, would be manufactured on the spot, 
 to complete the rigging up, and at a 
 great saving in expense. 
 
 The only difficulty to be encountered 
 in the commencement of an extensive 
 yard in the interioi", would be the want 
 of workmen ; but this would be reme- 
 died so soon as an assurance should be 
 given for constant employ. It is ob- 
 servable, too, that in this mild and ge- 
 nial climate, the same force can accom- 
 plish more in the year than at New 
 Yoi'k, Boston, or anywhere at the north, 
 a fact showing that both principal and 
 labor have greater advantages here than 
 elsewhere ; besides, the workman can 
 support his family for one third what 
 it will cost him at the east. 
 
 A Western River- Town. — Many of 
 the principal river-towns in the west 
 bear more or less resemblance to that 
 represented in the accompanying engra- 
 ving ; and in sevei'al points some of 
 those of Indiana enjoy situations much 
 like it. The banks of the Ohio and the 
 Wabash, in several parts, are as eleva- 
 ted as the land seen on the opposite side 
 of the streams, while the clusturing hou- 
 ses near the shore, the signs of naviga- 
 tion on the water, and the general as- 
 pect of active and prosperous business, 
 on the one hand, and of a varied and 
 fruitful country, on the other, may affijrd 
 an impression of one of the western 
 towns rising so rapidly on the borders 
 of those large and beautiful rivers. The 
 roofs of large public buildings are seen 
 above the numerous private habitations, 
 and the number of church steeples, 
 which present the most conspicuous 
 objects, indicate that various Christian 
 denominations in the country are repre- 
 sented in our distant regions, and car- 
 ry with them their zeal and their in- 
 dustry. 
 
 Thei'e are salt-springs in different 
 parts of Indiana; but the people were 
 formerly wholly supplied with salt from 
 the United States saline, near Shawnee- 
 town, and the salines of Kenhavva. Coal 
 beds exist in some places, and copper 
 
540 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF INDIANA. 
 
 L 
 
 ore is found in the north. From early 
 times a report has prevailed that a silver 
 mine existed near Ouitanon ; but the 
 uniform surface of the country and the 
 deep soil which covers a large pait of 
 it, are unfavorable to the discovery of 
 mines, and to the abundance of minerals 
 of any kind. Large tracts of the state, 
 as in many other extensive regions of 
 the west, are destitute of rocks, stones, 
 and even pebbles. 
 
 The navigable waters of Indiana are 
 very numerous and extensive ; the prin- 
 cipal rivers being accessible in large 
 steamboats, and many of their branches 
 being beatable. The entire extent of 
 navigable waters has been variously es- 
 timated at from two thousand five hun- 
 dred miles and upward. 
 
 So numerous are the streams which 
 approach the shores of the lakes, so high 
 are they navigable in boats, at least a 
 part of the year, and so many conveni- 
 ent ponds lie between, that more than 
 twenty portages have formerly been 
 used on various routes between the wa- 
 ters of the Ohio and Wabash and the 
 lakes. 
 
 1. The oldest of these used by white 
 men is that between St. Mary's and the 
 little river of the Wabash, which was 
 used by the French from Canada, in 
 communicating with their early posts on 
 the Wabash. 2. By the short Chicago 
 and Kickapoo of the Illinois. 3, By the 
 Big Miami and a branch of the Mau- 
 mee, by which canoes proceed from the 
 Ohio to Lake Erie. 4. To Lorimer's 
 fort, between the Miami and Maumee. 
 5. By Hudson river of Lake Erie and 
 Grand river of Lake Michigan, 6. By 
 the Muskingum and Cuyahoga of Lake 
 Erie, during spring floods. 7. The four- 
 mile portage, between St. Joseph's of 
 Lake Michigan and the Theakiki. 8. The 
 two-mile portage, between Theakiki and 
 the Great Kenomic. 9. The half-mile 
 portage, between the Great and Little 
 Kenomic. 10. The three-mile portage, 
 between the Chicago and the Plein. 
 There are also many others between the 
 branches of the Wabash and Lake 
 Michigan, 
 
 There were formerly many tribes of 
 Indians residinjr within the bounds of I 
 
 this state : the Mascotins, Piankeshaws, 
 Kickapoos, Delawares, Miamies, Shaw- 
 nees, Weeas, Ouitanons, Eel Rivers, 
 and Pottawotamies. 
 
 In 1791 General Wilkinson invaded 
 their country, and destroyed their great 
 town, in which were one hundied and 
 twenty houses, eighty of which had shin- 
 gled roofs. 
 
 The country about the upper parts of 
 the Wabash is of the best kind, the soil 
 being black, deep, friable, and highly 
 productive, and the surface extending in 
 wide and beautiful prairies, of an un- 
 dulated form. They are less uniform 
 and flat than most of the prairies fur- 
 ther west, often being varied by hills, 
 some of considerable elevation. The 
 region thus abounds in fine scenes, which 
 aff'ord a delightful relief to the eye. 
 
 These regions were formerly well 
 stocked with game ; and wild animals 
 are still common in some places : bears, 
 deer, wild turkeys, prairie-hens, par- 
 tridges, grouse, wild pigeons, rattle- 
 snakes, and copper-heads. Abundance 
 of fish of different kinds are found in the 
 streams and lakes. The first settlers, as 
 well as the Indians, depended for their 
 subsistence, to a great extent, upon the 
 chase and fishing; and the pursuit of 
 bears and deer, especially, gave frequent 
 exercise to their skill and activity. 
 
 A Bear Hunt. — The accompanying 
 engraving offers a very interesting scene 
 of a nature quite common in the early 
 period of the settlement. In a still and 
 clear winter's niglif, when the animal, 
 ravenous with hungei', sometimes pro- 
 ceeded from his den in search of food, 
 the bold and hardy settler was also 
 awake and abi'oad. With his trusty 
 rifle in his hand, a cautious step and a 
 watchful eye, his ear attentive to every 
 sound, he sought a station fi"om which 
 he might discover and observe the ap- 
 proach of the fierce wanderer of the for- 
 est. The cracking of the frozen surface 
 of a lake or river, or the falling of a 
 twig overladen w^th ice, was the only 
 sound tint, for a time, broke the solemn 
 silence of the night. But a rustling of 
 the bushes, or the motion of a dark fig- 
 ure slowly emerging from the gloom, 
 betrayed the approach of the piewler. 
 
542 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF INDIANA. 
 
 After the discovery of a bear, the 
 primary object of the hunter is to avoid 
 his observation, until he comes w^ithin 
 the reach of the rifle; and the second 
 is to make sure w^ork at the first shot. 
 The savage beast, though usually inclined 
 to avoid a rencontre with his human en- 
 emy at a season when his nature is tamed 
 by full feeding on vegetables, is rendered 
 bold and fierce by hunger, seems raised 
 above all fear, and rushes even upon an 
 armed man to devour him. Unlike most 
 other wild animals, also, he is almost in- 
 evitable in the pursuit, when the hunter 
 turns to fly. There is scarcely any sur- 
 face, however yielding, over which his 
 soft and spreading foot will not bear 
 him ; and he climbs the tree with far 
 greater facility than the most agile man, 
 following him to the extremity of the 
 limbs, and falling, on occasion, more 
 safely to the ground. 
 
 But such men as the settlei's of Indi- 
 ana would seldom find themselves re- 
 duced to seek escape before the bear, 
 even in the severest season. Having 
 discovered his game, he resorted to all 
 the arts which ingenuity and experience 
 could dictate, until he found himself 
 within rifle distance ; and then, with un- 
 erring aim, he sent the fatal ball into 
 the savage heart of the beast, which 
 would gladly have found his way into 
 the little log-house, and devoured the 
 sleeping family : and now the monster's 
 flesh is to serve them for food, and his 
 warm and shaggy skin is to shield them 
 from the cold. 
 
 Many a scene like that represented in 
 the engraving has been witnessed in the 
 prairies of Indiana, which in winter pre- 
 sent a dreary and chilling aspect, though 
 in summer blooming in the richest fer- 
 tility, enlivened with graceful deer, smi- 
 ling with a thousand flowers, and re- 
 soundinsr with sonfjs of musical birds. 
 
 • T T 
 
 The first newspaper in Indiana was 
 published at Vincennes, the seat of gov- 
 ernment, sometime before 1810. In 
 1828 there were twenty-eight newspa- 
 pers in the state. 
 
 The historical society of Indiana was 
 organized in 1820, and incorporated 
 in 1831. 
 
 Lawrence BURG is a small town on the 
 
 bank of the Ohio, one mile below the 
 mouth of the Great Miami. There are 
 four churches and a courthouse, and the 
 number of inhabitants is about 2,500. 
 Three times a week stage-coaches de- 
 part for Cincinnati, Madison, and Indi- 
 anapolis. 
 
 Madison. — This town, eighty-nine 
 miles below Cincinnati, occupies a beau- 
 tiful position on the bank of the Ohio. 
 The surrounding country has fine hills, 
 and the streets are laid out with regu- 
 larity, and built with taste. There are 
 ten churches, a courthouse, a market- 
 house, a bank, and a savings bank, and 
 a population of about 5,000. The hills 
 in the rear of the town rise to an eleva- 
 tion of two hundred and fifty feet, and 
 there are several fine views from their 
 sides and summits. Steamboats land at 
 the wharves, stage-coaches run three 
 times a week to Cincinnati, Louisville, 
 and Frankfort, and the railroad forms a 
 constant and easy communication with 
 Indianapolis. 
 
 New Albany, one hundred and forty 
 miles above Cincinnati, and two miles 
 below the falls, is the largest town in 
 Indiana, containing six thousand five 
 hundred and sixty inhabitants. The 
 public buildings are nine churches, a 
 bank, a male and a female seminary, a 
 lyceum, and the theological college. 
 
 The streets are from seventy to one 
 hundred feet in breadth, and laid out 
 with regularity. Much ship-building is 
 carried on here. There are several 
 large ship-yards ; and from ten to fif- 
 teen steamboats are annually built, be- 
 sides a considerable number of sloops 
 and schooners. Besides several stage- 
 routes, much travelling is performed on 
 the river. 
 
 Evansville, two hundred and thirty- 
 three miles below Cincinnati, stands on 
 an elevation on the bank of the Ohio, 
 and contains several large miuiufactories, 
 with ten churches, and several other 
 ])ublic buildings. The population is two 
 thousand five hundred. One mile dis- 
 tant from this place are 
 
 The Pigeon Springs. — This is a fa- 
 vorite resort for visiters in the summer 
 months. The waters contain muriate 
 of soda, bicarbonate of iron, and magne- 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF INDIANA. 
 
 543 
 
 sia, carbonic acid, and carburetted hy- 
 drogen gases, with nitrogen. Their 
 medical properties are aperient, altera- 
 tive, diuretic, and diaphoi'etic. 
 
 Bloomington, forty-nine miles from 
 Indianapolis, is situated at the head of 
 a branch of White river, and contains 
 nearly 3,000 inhabitants. It has five 
 churches and the Indiana university. 
 
 Gut -off River. — This wild scene, rep- 
 resented in the engraving, is on the 
 course of a stream of this singular name, 
 which is a branch of the Wabash, flow- 
 ing into that I'iver at New Harmony. 
 The banks are high, steep, and very 
 remarkable for their picturesque char- 
 acter, being steep, and thickly grown 
 with gigantic oaks and other trees of 
 large size, while the surface is broken 
 by I'ocks and ledges. The stream in 
 some parts is beautifully variegated with 
 small islands, which add a most pleas- 
 ing character to the scene ; while the 
 high, rude, and frowning banks, crowd- 
 ed with thick, natural forests, give an 
 air of wildness and sublimity, strongly 
 cont/asting with the smooth surface of 
 the stream ; and the gentler aspect of 
 sowe of the islets which seem to float on 
 the water. 
 
 Evergreen-trees are rare in these re- 
 gions ; but the catalpa-tree and plane, 
 with the maples, rise from an under- 
 growth of pawpaws, spinewood, and red- 
 bud, presenting a rich variety of form and 
 color, remarkably agreeable to the eye. 
 
 Circumstances have led to some pe- 
 culiarities in the settlements of lai'ge 
 portions of Indiana. The cheapness of 
 the land attracted many settlers from 
 Pennsylvania and further south, as well 
 as Germans and foreigners from several 
 nations in Europe. These did not gen- 
 erally meet and mingle in one mass : 
 they were not drawn to particular points, 
 but usually scattered and planted at dis- 
 tances from each other. Later immi- 
 grants, therefore, naturally obeyed the 
 laws of afl[inity, ard bent their steps to 
 the neighborhoods where they found the 
 languages or the customs in which they 
 had been educated. Thus the process 
 of amalgamation has not gone as far in 
 this state as in many other newly-settled 
 regions ; and in some parts it hardly 
 
 appears to have yet commenced. The 
 traveller on some of the routes throuo-h 
 Indiana, meets in succession with small 
 communities which offer striking pic- 
 tures of several distinct European na- 
 tions, alternating with others marked 
 with the peculiarities of the east and 
 the south, the west, the middle and the 
 northern parts of our own country. 
 
 The history of New Harmony, already 
 given, presents a striking picture of one 
 community of a peculiar nature, and es- 
 sentially different from any other within 
 the limits of the state ; but there are oth- 
 ers, of different kinds, which are hardly 
 more exclusive, and but little less af- 
 fected by surrounding influences. Such 
 cir-cumstances are unfavorable to some 
 of the best interests of the state, and 
 must tend to retard such improvements 
 as the public need. They may, per- 
 haps, be best counteracted by the uni- 
 versal diff'usion of education, and pri- 
 marily by the multiplication of good 
 public schools. Unhappily, Indiana has 
 not yet shown becoming zeal in this 
 important department of public improve- 
 ment; and she must expect to see some 
 of her more sagacious neighbors leading 
 the way in solid progress, in prosperity, 
 wealth, and numbers, as well as in gen- 
 eral intelligence, refinement, and power. 
 She must, notwithstanding, continue to 
 increase, and with rapidity. Her soil, 
 situation, and various natural resources, 
 will constantly attract new-comers, while 
 they will well reward those who have 
 already adopted the land as their own. 
 With the strong inducements which the 
 state has to lay wide and deep the foun- 
 dations of public intelligence, and vir- 
 tue, and the strong stimulus offered by 
 the examples of some of her sister states, 
 it may be hoped that she vvall hereafter 
 become not less conspicuous for her pat- 
 ronage of learnincr, than for her numer- 
 ous and superior natural advantages. 
 Certain it is, that whenever such a pe- 
 riod shall arrive, Indiana will find her 
 career attended with many facilities and 
 improvements; and such of her citizens 
 as may anticipate the change of public 
 opinion, will find their active and perse- 
 vering exertions rewarded by great and 
 honorable and lasting results. 
 
This state is distinj^uished by 
 natural peculiarities, which give it 
 a marked distinction among its sis- 
 ters of the American Union. In the 
 rapid increase of its inhabitants, it is 
 unsurpassed, having a population in 
 1850 of 85S,234. In 1771 it was 
 only 1,460; in 1800, 3,250 ; in 1810, 
 12,282; in 1820, 55,211; in 1830, 
 157,445; in 1840, 484,500 ; in 1845, 
 668,000. 
 
 Various authentic sources, of the 
 latest dates, furnish the following 
 particulars respecting this extensive, 
 fertile, and growing state. 
 The extreme length of Illinois, from north to south, is 375 miles, and the 
 extreme width 215, averaging about 160. It lies between 37"^ and 42° 30' north 
 latitude, and 10^ 25' and 14^ 25' west longitude from Washington. The area is 
 about sixty thousand square miles, or 38,400,000 acres. The public land sur- 
 veys give 35,235,200 acres, or 55,055 square miles, leaving '4,945 square miles 
 chiefly occupied with navigable waters. All the waste lands, including those so 
 broken as to be useless (there are no mountains), irreclaimable swamps, &c., may 
 amount to two millions of acres, or 3,125 square miles ; leaving of arable lands 
 and small water-courses, which are necessary for farming purposes, 51,930 square 
 miles. 
 
 Illinois is the third state in the Union in extent; and in its proportion of good 
 land by f\ir the first. Another such tract of equal size and quality can not be 
 carved out on the globe. It is larger in area than all New England, deduct- 
 ing one tenth of Maine; greater than England and Wales united; has two 
 
 JJ 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 
 
 545 
 
 acres of good land to their one ; and, 
 in productiveness, two acres of Illinois 
 land ai'e equal to at least three of their 
 cultivated ones on the average, and with 
 good husbandry will continue so for 
 many years. And with such agricul- 
 tural capabilities, unsurpassed by any 
 other state or nation great or small, not 
 a state in the Union, except a few small 
 ones on the seaboard, possesses equal 
 natural advantage^ for marketing its 
 surplus. 
 
 The mineral I'iches beneath the soil 
 are perfectly exhaustless. No geologi- 
 cal survey^ has been had, so that we 
 know not what the resources in this re- 
 spect may be. But coal mines, lime- 
 stone, and granite, are found in all parts ; 
 lead in immense, quantities at the north 
 and south ; iron at the north ; salt springs 
 at the south and centre ; and potter's 
 clay, waterlime, and various kinds of 
 marble, in the diffei-ent sections. 
 
 In general it is well watered with 
 springs and running streams, though 
 some of the large prairies in the north- 
 ern part are somewhat deficient in this 
 respect. Even there, however, it is not 
 common to find a section* without a 
 spring. Closely in connexion, come in 
 the manufacturing advantages. The 
 greatest lack of nature's bounties, and 
 indeed the only one of consequence, is 
 a limited supply of timber. This ob- 
 jection, however, lies only against por- 
 tions of the north, and is easily remedied 
 by culture. There is enough for pres- 
 ent purposes. As yet the best can be 
 bought in all parts of the state for from 
 three to ten dollars per aci-e ; and twenty 
 to forty acres, well husbanded, suffice 
 for a large farm. The future will take 
 care of itself. Black-locust will gi'ow 
 in two years from the seed, to make 
 fencing material ; and if the fires on un- 
 cultivated prairie be kept down for a 
 few years, the surface is speedily cov- 
 ered with a young forest growth. There 
 will be more timber in Illinois twenty 
 years hence than now. 
 
 Illinois will be — must be — one of the 
 noblest branches of the confederacy. 
 
 * A gection is a square mile, or six hundred and 
 forty acres. Tlie public surveys divide the lands 
 into townships six miles sq-uare, sections, quarter 
 and haflf quarter sections. 
 
 No one of her sister states enjoys equal 
 natural advantages ; and with honesty 
 and ability to direct her public affairs, 
 which her citizens can supply, she will 
 take a most honorable position. 
 
 The " timbered openings" are mcst 
 delightful to the eye, though the inti- 
 mate combination of them all is requis- 
 ite to satisfy the highest ideal of utility 
 or beauty. Were Illinois all prairie, 
 though inconceivably fertile, it would 
 be uninhabitable by man, by reason of 
 the lack of fuel, fencing and building 
 materials ; were it all timbered, there 
 would be slender temptation to desert 
 in its favor the more accessible new 
 lands of Ohio and western New York. 
 But this natural intermingling of grain- 
 field and pasture, meadow and grove, is 
 more inviting than any aspect worn by 
 nature elsewhere. He who traverses 
 this region will never again wonder at 
 the mighty tide of emigration which sets 
 with resistless, ever-increasing volume 
 frorh the Atlantic westward. 
 
 There is extreme difficulty in realizing 
 that this adaptation is indeed the work 
 of nature. Before and beside you rolls 
 an "inland sea" of verdure and luxu- 
 riance — hundreds of acres of wheat, 
 corn, and oats, darkly waving in early 
 summer ; while behind them stretch the 
 immeasurable meadows, coeval with 
 Eden, their untold wealth of herbage 
 and flowers undulating in the fresh 
 breezes like a gently-troubled ocean ; 
 and still behind these, at points not very 
 far distant, and again far as the eye can 
 reach, or farther, swells the graceful out- 
 line of the nearest woods, marking the 
 winding way of some sluggish water- 
 course, or, more commonly, crowning 
 some scanty elevation with the glossy 
 foliage of the scattered oaks, beneath 
 whose protecting shade a thick growth 
 of clustering shrubbery, mainly oak also, 
 commingled with hazel, repels the grass 
 and withstands the fire of the prairie, 
 maintaining a precarious and stationary 
 existence. The little that man has yet 
 done here blends so naturally and easily 
 with the work of nature, that the foi'est 
 outline seems the limit of his transfoi'- 
 mations. The open prairie, often dot- 
 ted with extensive herds of cattle or 
 
 35 
 
546 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 
 
 slieep, and everywhere inviting their 
 presence — everywhere proffering a har- 
 vest to the mower's scythe — seems, alike 
 with the neighboring expanse of corn 
 and wheat, too bounteous, too benefi- 
 cent, to have waved there spontaneously, 
 through summer after summer, since the 
 deluge. The new and the old do not 
 palpably wrestle here as in the forest 
 clearings, where the narrow field of 
 man's victory stands out in scathed and 
 blackened contrast with the verdure and 
 stateliness surrounding it ; but all seems 
 peaceful, genial, and bounteous. The 
 prairies are the Capua of nature. May 
 they not lure into indolence and sensu- 
 ality the Hannibals of our continent — 
 the hardy pioneer race, whose rapid and 
 mighty conquests have been moi^e truly 
 wondrous, and far more beneficent, than 
 those of any warrior ! 
 
 The best natural dispositions of prai- 
 rie and timber, and the most tasteful 
 improvements, are on the cross-roads 
 and by-ways, quite aside from the three 
 or f()ur great roads leading west from 
 Chicago, which are mainly travelled. 
 These routes are injured by land specu- 
 lation and non-resident ownership ; they 
 traverse immense breadths of treeless 
 prairie, threaded by narrow ridges of 
 scattered and scanty timber ; while in 
 crossing diagonally from one western 
 road to another, especially in the valley 
 of the Fox, the Sycamore, or the Black- 
 berry, the country is better timbered, 
 better improved, and every way more 
 inviting. 
 
 As to cattle and sheep, they cost lit- 
 erally nothing here. From April to 
 November they thrive and fatten on the 
 broad, unappropiiated prairies uncared 
 for, and the settler will cut hay enough 
 in a fortnight, within half a mile of his 
 cabin, to carry a large herd through the 
 v/inter. Good cows might be raised 
 hei-e for five dollars a head, and a yoke 
 of well-broken oxen turned off at a net 
 cost of twenty. Herds of a hundred 
 head are no rarity, new as are the set- 
 tlements here, and they bid fair to be 
 soon swelled to thousands. Sheep are 
 brought in by thousands and loaned to 
 settlers, on covenants with good secu- 
 rity to pay one and a half to two pounds 
 
 of wool annually per head, and return 
 a flock equal in all respects after a term 
 of years ; and, exorbitant as is the usury, 
 the settler, unable to pay for sheep, may 
 better take them on these terms than 
 do without them. Nearly every cabin 
 is surrounded with hogs, which run at 
 large in summer, and convert the super- 
 abundant corn into pork in the fall. 
 
 The pioneer who erects his shanty in 
 the midst of a forest, must struggle long 
 or very efficiently before he lets in sun- 
 shin^ enough to give him a surplus of 
 grain, or justify him in keeping a herd 
 of cattle. But here be can not have too 
 many cattle, even though his cabin is 
 not yet built ; a bundled head would 
 enrich and could not embarrass him ; 
 while, give him but team enough, he 
 may grow his own grain the first year, 
 and a surplus of a thousand bushels the 
 next. The wet lands (termed ' sloos,' 
 or ' sloughs'), at first unavailable, are 
 j'ichest of all, and need but a little drain- 
 age to render them the most productive 
 Even the higher timbered lands, thinly 
 covered with patriarchal oaks, overlook- 
 ing a thick undei'growth of bushes — 
 though here termed "barrens" — are 
 really only less fertile than the prairies. 
 They produce abundantly when broken 
 up and planted. 
 
 And now let us look at the other side 
 of the picture, and see what are the dis- 
 advantages of settlement and life on the 
 prairies. 
 
 Deficiency of timber is the first to 
 strike the eye of one familiar with rural 
 or pioneer life at the east. The den- 
 izen of a log cabin in western New 
 York or Ohio may at times be short of 
 meal or of meat, but he has always good 
 fuel in abundance within a stone's throw 
 of his door, fencing stuff as near, and 
 building timber not much less so. Bu*" 
 here he finds the accessible sections 
 embracing portions of timber and prai- 
 rie; all clutched by speculators, or ap- 
 propriated by earlier immigrants, and 
 he can obtain land at government price 
 only by pitching his tent on the broad, 
 treeless prairie, where not even an avm- 
 ful of wood can be picked up within a 
 mile. Hither he must liaul his building 
 materials (pine) from Chicago, his fuel 
 
548 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 
 
 and fencing from some adjacent grove 
 t)r "barren," after buying or stealing 
 them ; so that the time saved to him in 
 having no timber nor stumps between 
 him and a crop, is nearly all required to 
 cut or haul timber and fuel. As to 
 elio-ibility and comfort, a little rude 
 pioneer's cabin looks better, and is more 
 
 ! habitable, in an opening of the forest 
 
 ! than in the glaring sunshine of an un- 
 
 i shaded prairie. 
 
 ! Ill health is another drawback on the 
 charms of prairie life. The settler has 
 hardly erected his cabin, and begun to 
 break up the earth around it, when the 
 detested ague jumps upon him, just 
 when his time is most precious — when 
 his winter wheat should be got in. His 
 family, one after another, are taken 
 down with bilious disease, and a hard 
 season they have of it — in a strange 
 land, with means and neighbors scanty, 
 and the nearest physician perhaps miles 
 away. Of course all are not so visited 
 — many escape, through previous accli- 
 mation, fortunate location, or constitu- 
 tional hardihood ; but these are truly 
 exceptions, and the settler from New 
 England, or any region not cursed with 
 the ague, should go expecting a siege 
 of it, and thoroughly prepared with 
 medicines, &c., for its proper treatment. 
 But these discouragements to prairie 
 settlement are not so formidable as they 
 appear to many. Ill health must be 
 braved almost anywhere in setthng a 
 new country ; and, though more general 
 here than on a more rugged and less 
 fertile soil, if seasonably and properly 
 treated, it is not often fatal. On the 
 other hand, many diseases common at 
 the east are said to be unknown here, 
 and even curable by a timely removal 
 hither, inchuling that fatal blight, con- 
 sumption. When the prairies shall have 
 been thoroughly brought under cultiva- 
 tion, whereby the " sloughs" will have 
 been easily drained, especially if good 
 water shall be procured, Illinois will 
 probably prove as healthy as western 
 New York now is, and, in time, as New 
 Hampshire, 
 
 So of the scarcity of timber. There 
 is enough of its kind (oak and hickory) 
 now, if it were only a little better dis- 
 
 tributed, and cultivation is gradually 
 beating back the annual prairie fires, and 
 planting groves and thickets. A little 
 care and labor work wonders in this re- 
 spect. A few acres ploughed and sowed 
 to locust afford fuel and fencing after 
 five or six years, and timber of slower 
 growth may thus be as easily though 
 not so quickly obtained. If speculation 
 would now undertake to buy up the 
 centres of the great prairies and plant 
 them with trees, it would for once do a 
 good thing, and abate somewhat of the 
 just odium created by the purchase of 
 large tracts to remain sheer waste and 
 obstacles until other men's hard labor 
 has quadrupled their value. 
 
 The great, formidable, permanent, 
 drawback on the eligibility of the prai- 
 rie region for settlement, is the deficiency 
 of u-atcr. This, perhaps, can never be 
 fully remedied. Though the face of the 
 country is by no means a dead level, but 
 undulating, the inequality is so slight 
 that springs are very, very rare, and 
 running brooks hardly less so. You may 
 ride twenty miles across the country 
 without seeing water enough in all to 
 turn a gristmill ; and what you do find 
 a well-bred horse will only drink in his 
 last extremity of thirst. A whole coun- 
 ty, which in New Ti]np^land would give 
 rise to half a dozen good mill-streams, 
 and be threaded all over with sparkling 
 trout-brooks, will here send off" scarcely 
 water enough in summer to run a single 
 pair of burr-stones. This, in a region 
 so wonderfully adapted to the production 
 of grain and cattle, is a sore deficiency. 
 Following down the valley of the Fox, 
 some twenty miles, by the thriving villa- 
 ges of Elgin, St. Charles, Geneva, and 
 Aurora (each well supplied with mill- 
 power by the river), although the scar- 
 city of running streams was here by no 
 means so absolute as in the prairies on 
 either hand, yet we may doubt whether 
 the river gains as much by tiibutaries as 
 it loses by evaporation within that dis- 
 tance. And, though water is generally 
 obtained with facility by simply digging 
 a few feet through the prairie soil, we 
 can not in conscience recommend the 
 drinking of it, whether by man or beast. 
 The abundance of lime, which renders 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 
 
 549 
 
 the soil oo fertile, exerts a far less desi- 
 rable irfluence on the water. Here is 
 the main source of the prevailing dis- 
 eases. With pure, cold water bubbling 
 up at every door, and the vile liquors so 
 prevalent here consigned to the bottom 
 of the ocean, this would soon be a 
 healthy country. 
 
 In time, the want of water on the 
 pi'airies will in part be remedied by 
 sinking deep wells through the nearest 
 stratum of rock, and raising the fluid by 
 means of a windlass or otherwise. In 
 villages, the Artesian wells may not be 
 too expensive. 
 
 At Jacksonville the country begins to 
 lose that level appearance that it has ex- 
 hibited in the north, aad, as we proceed 
 to the south, is more wooded, with more 
 up-hill and down-hill. There is, how- 
 ever, still much prairie land to pass 
 over, and the soil is, if possible, richer 
 than it is further north. Everything 
 will grow here, and the settlers have 
 taken some pains to plant trees, partic- 
 ularly the locust and the rock or sugar 
 maple. In the valleys and on the hill- 
 sides we find oak, and walnut, and the 
 hazel-nut. On the hills are the black- 
 berry and other bushes known in New 
 England — the mustard, the mullein, the 
 whiteweed, &c. We are now in a part 
 of the country that is " fenced in," and 
 we behold on every side the most lux- 
 uriant farms, good houses, and large 
 barns. As we proceed south, the corn 
 grows taller and taller, with ears, in tlie 
 silk, higher up in the air than a tall man 
 can reach. We see beautiful fields of 
 rye, and thick tall grass of the vai'ious 
 descrijations. As we pass through a 
 more generally settled distiuct, we find 
 the prairie grass is nearly run out, and 
 in its place is the timothy, and the red- 
 top, and the clover. 
 
 Galena, the great dep6t of the min- 
 eral region of southern Wisconsin, is 
 situated on Fever 'iver, about six miles 
 from its mouth. It presents a very metal- 
 lic appearance, inasmuch as its wharves 
 are lined with piles of pig-lead, as far as 
 the eye can reach. In June last, the 
 lead lying on the river bank awaiting 
 exportation amounted to four hundred 
 ard fifty thousand pigs, averaging sev- 
 
 enty-five pounds each, making about sev- 
 enty-five cords, weighing over three mil- 
 lions of pounds, and worth at New York 
 twelve millions of dollars ! This lead 
 region occupies the northwestern poi'- 
 tion of Illinois, and the southwestern 
 corner of Wisconsin, together with a strip 
 of a few miles in width on the oppo- 
 site side of the Mississippi in Iowa, equal 
 to a surface of nearly three thousand 
 square miles. In riding over the coun- 
 try from Galena to the Wisconsin river, 
 the most remarkable feature presented is 
 the numerous " diggings." One might 
 imagine himself in the vicinity of some 
 huge burrowing animal, with its holes 
 scattered in countless multitudes on the 
 sides and tops of the hills for many miles 
 around. Here ori"-inated that slanjr 
 phrase : " The greatest man in these 
 diggings.'' 
 
 The peculiar method of discovering 
 and working these mines has introduced 
 another new word into the language — 
 that of " prospecting." One or two 
 men, with a pickaxe and shovel, com- 
 mence digging on the top or side of a 
 hill, opening a hole from three to ten 
 feet deep or more ; if they find no indi- 
 cation of mineral, they abandon it and 
 commence prospecting in another place. 
 If successful, they either continue to 
 work it or sell the j'l'ospect. These 
 prospect holes are seldom filled up. 
 The usual method of raising mineral is 
 very simple, and very much like the 
 primitive system of working the silver 
 mines in Mexico. A shaft is sunk to the 
 required depth, and while the man be- 
 low gathei's the fragments of ore, the 
 one outside, by means of a rude wind- 
 lass, raises it to the surface in buckets. 
 In Mexico they raise the gold and silver 
 ore in oxhide bags. In no instance has 
 a seam of ore been exhausted. As soon 
 as the diggings are carried so low as to 
 reach water, they are generally aban- 
 doned. With one or two exceptions, 
 no attempt has been made to drain the 
 mines by means of pumps worked by 
 steam- -a process absolutely necessary 
 in neaily all the European mines. Dr. 
 Owen, in his " Report of a Geological 
 Examination of Iowa, Wisconsin, and 
 Illinois," made in 1839, estimated the 
 
550 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 
 
 vTiiiiual produce of the rqines at that time 
 at thirty millions of pounds. This was 
 regarded as an over-estimate, the great- 
 est amount reported by the government 
 agents being above ten, or at most 
 twelve millions. 
 
 A different order of things has since 
 arisen ; the mines are constantly increas- 
 I icg in productiveness, and there is now 
 no interest in concealing the amount pro- 
 duced. The number of pounds actually 
 registered at Galena the last year was 
 over fifty millions, and it is not improb- 
 able that the amount which found its 
 way to mai'ket w^ithout passing through 
 Galena may have been several millions 
 more. It is estimated by those whose 
 knowledge and experience render them 
 competent to judge, that if the mines 
 already opened were well worked, they 
 are capable of pi'oducing one hundred 
 and fifty millions of pounds annually 
 for ages to come, which is more than is 
 now produced by all the world beside. 
 It is without doubt the richest lead dis- 
 trict in the known world. Neither is 
 the wealth of this region confined to its 
 mineral productions. It affords an ex- 
 ception to the general rule that " min- 
 eral lands are too barren for cultiva- 
 tion." This is the case in England, 
 Wales, and indeed nearly all other coun- 
 tries ; but here I find a mineral country 
 of unequalled richness, covered with a 
 soil fully equal to that of the good farm- 
 ing districts of other states ; and, judg- 
 ing from the appearance of the country 
 between here and the Wisconsin river, 
 this fact is duly appreciated. New farms 
 are brought under cultivation in every 
 direction. The old ones have an im- 
 proved aspect, and the whole district 
 presents an appearance of thrift equal 
 to the most favored agricultural regions 
 of the west. 
 
 In Henry county is a settlement of 
 Swedish emigrants, who, like our puri- 
 tan fathers, were driven from the land 
 of their nativity by bigotry, persecution, 
 and intolerance. These people sought 
 and found an asylum in this happy land 
 -)f civil and religious liberty, where they 
 can sit under their own vine and figtree, 
 without any one to molest or make them 
 afraid, and worship God according to 
 
 the dictates of conscience. How such 
 valuable citizens, such pious and exem- 
 plary Christians, could be persecuted in 
 a protestant land like Sweden, under a 
 king we so much esteem for his literary 
 attainments and excellences as Oscar, 
 we can not conceive, unless that he is 
 controlled or deceived by a graceless 
 priesthood. There are now at Bishop's 
 hill, so named from a town in Sweden, 
 whence many of them emigrated, about 
 four or five hundred Swedes. Accord- 
 ing to Dr. Baird, they are from the best 
 citizens in Sweden. About four hun- 
 dred more of their brethren are expect- 
 ed to join them in this prairie land. 
 
 Their community is one of the best 
 regulated that was ever visited. There 
 is among them no lordly, arbitrary con- 
 trol, sustained by a few leaders over the 
 many, but all is equality and brotherly 
 love. Everything goes on among them 
 in perfect harmony and with regularity, 
 and there is every indication of indus- 
 try and happiness in their little village. 
 
 In a few years — in a country so abun- 
 dantly fertile as this, owners as they are 
 of the soil, in large and extensive fields, 
 composed as their body is of mechanics 
 in almost every branch of industry — 
 they can soon become vastly rich if they 
 desire it. They have already two Eng- 
 lish schools among them, and intend 
 soon the establishment of a literary in- 
 stitution. They need men among them 
 of the first scientific attainments, to take 
 charjre of such an institution, as well as 
 men of talent and energy, conversant 
 with our laws, to defend their rights 
 when infringed upon. 
 
 The general intelligence which per- 
 vades this band of our adopted breth- 
 i-en, is equal to that of the people of any 
 part of the United States. Neatness, 
 modesty, and sweetness of temper, are 
 the characteristics of their females ; the 
 women all seem to glory in doing their 
 part of the labor that is necessary to 
 earn a livelihood. • 
 
 Their houses are more cleanly and 
 comfortable for winter than those of 
 most new settlers. They dress well — 
 not a ragged or ill-dressed person is to 
 be found in the whole community. Their 
 tables are abundantly supplied with a 
 
nl 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 
 
 551 
 
 great variety of wholesome and well- 
 dressed food, to which is added, as a 
 beverage, very excellent small beer. 
 Visiters are received with that warmth, 
 c irdiality, and confidence, which at once 
 oecure respect. 
 
 The best farmers have already begun 
 to carry in wool and flax in abundance, 
 to be manufactured by their superior 
 Bkill, and to obtain the fruits of their 
 mechanical labor, which is performed 
 with the greatest faithfulness. 
 
 In their religious creed, they profess 
 to take the Bible as their guide. They 
 assemble every morning and evening for 
 divine sei"vice, when they have prayer, 
 singing, preaching, and the reading of 
 the Scriptures. Religion among them 
 seems to be in a high state of revival. 
 The Rev. Mr. Jonson and their other 
 preachers seem to be eminently pious, 
 and in a few months more will probably 
 be able to preach in English. The in- 
 fluence of these strangers in a republic 
 like ours, where the people govern, 
 must ultimately be very considerable ; 
 and, from what we can see and learn, we 
 are led to believe that their influence 
 will always be found operating in favor 
 of virtue and intelligence. 
 
 Chicago. — This is one of the most 
 flourishing towns of the west, of the 
 most rapid growth and flattering pros- 
 pects, as it enjoys a situation perhaps 
 surpassed by none, and certainly equalled 
 by few. Lying at the head of Lake 
 Michigan, and possessing a good har- 
 bor, the extent of its trade, even for a 
 short period, it would be difiicult to 
 limit. The navigable waters which 
 must be tributary to it may already be 
 estimated at thousands of miles, and the 
 artificial means by which other regions 
 are to be brought into near relations 
 with it, are sufficient to double the 
 amount. The fertility of these vast re- 
 gions, and the rapid increase of their 
 various products, which they annually 
 pour through this outlet, secure to Chi- 
 cago a rapid, solid, and permanent in- 
 crease of population and wealth. 
 
 It stands on the shore of the lake, 
 almost at its extreme southwest corner, 
 and on the borders of one of the prairies 
 which constitute so large and impoitant 
 
 a part of this and the adjacent statos. 
 The view of this young and thrivino- 
 town, exhibited in our accompanying en- 
 graving, is taken from the land side, at 
 a short distance on the prairie, whose 
 level surface extends far and wide, on a 
 level almost as unvarying as the surface 
 of the lake at whose shore it terminates, 
 and a glimpse of which is seen near -the 
 extremity of the picture, on the right. 
 The accuracy of the drawing exhibits 
 much of the freshness which naturally 
 marks so new a town. The houses 
 appear small and scattering, compared 
 with those of a city in an older part of 
 the country ; but several are observa- 
 ble of larger size, and the number of 
 churches and other public buildings, 
 with the numerous masts of lake-vessels, 
 and the smoke of steamboats and furna- 
 ces, are sufiicient indications of the su- 
 perior importance of the place, and the 
 extent of business already carried on in 
 several branches. 
 
 The population of Chicago has in- 
 creased not only at a great, but at an 
 astonishing rate. In 1846 it was, ac- 
 cording to a census taken, 14,169. That 
 the people are generally industrious, and 
 possessed of property, may be easily in- 
 ferred from the fact that, at the same 
 time, the assessments on the tax-list 
 amounted to four millions five hundred 
 thousand dollars, and the taxes to thirty- 
 seven thousand dollars. The number 
 of inhabitants, according to the census 
 of 1850, was 28,269, being an increase 
 over that given by the census of 1840, of 
 23,790, over five hundred per cent. 
 
 Chicago is now a large city. At the 
 close ut tlic Black Hawk war, not more 
 than fourteen years ago, the site kow 
 covered by a city of many thousand in- 
 habitants, and with all the arts and ele- 
 gancies, the substance and the comforts, 
 of long civilization and settlements — 
 was a frontier military outpost, which 
 had no habitation without its pickets, 
 and few or none but for the accommo- 
 dation of a small garrison within. 
 
 Chicago is the seaport of Illinois — the 
 point opposite to the terminus, at St. Jo- 
 seph's, of the railroad across Michigan, 
 and, therefore, in a direct line, affords i 
 the shortest cut from the Atlantic sea- | 
 
 I 
 
552 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 
 
 board of the east to the Mississippi river, 
 in traversing Lake Erie, the peninsula 
 of Michigan, and the fertile state of Il- 
 linois. 
 
 The Illinois canal, which connects 
 through the Illinois and Mississippi riv- 
 ers, the waters of the lakes with those 
 of the gulf of Mexico, is the connecting 
 link of an unbroken water-communica- 
 tion, from the Atlantic ocean off Sandy- 
 Hook to the gu'.f of Mexico off the 
 Balize, on wliich line Chicago is a prin- 
 cipal city. This canal, which has been 
 lately finished, is one of the most mag- 
 nificent works ever undertaken. It is 
 sixty feet wide, and six feet deep. It 
 is ono hundred and five miles in length, 
 and cost over eight millions of dollars. 
 This canal is described at greater length 
 on a previous page. 
 
 The town-plot of Chicago is a level 
 plain, the prairie pushing up to the lake ; 
 a broad belt of wood runs along the 
 margin of the lake, and marks the course 
 of the Chicago river, as it comes from 
 the interior. 
 
 Chicago is built on the dead level of 
 the prairie, scarcely elevated above the 
 ihe surface of Lake Michigan, and is 
 commanded from no point unless from 
 the roof of some edifice. Its harbor is 
 but the narrow, bending channel of an 
 inconsiderable creek, and greatly needs 
 extension and improvement. Eastward, 
 on the lake shore, is the most airy, 
 agreeable section of the city, covered 
 with tasteful dwellings. 
 
 Rapid as the growth of Chicago has 
 been, large as it now is, whoever pro- 
 ceeds westward or southward across the 
 prairies, and notes the unequalled ca- 
 pacities of the soil, its universal fertility, 
 its susceptibility of easy culture, and the 
 rapidity of its transformation from a 
 waste to a garden, can hardly doubt that 
 it will increase rapidly. The spacious 
 Illinois canal will also add immensely 
 to the trade of its northern emporium; 
 but a railroad to Galena has also fol- 
 lowed, and will prove even more iienefi- 
 cent and remunerating. The very de- 
 ficiencies of the prairies — that of timber 
 especially — renders this raib'oad across 
 them more productive, supplying an 
 abundance of heavy return freight to the 
 
 trains which convey to Chicago iIjo 
 grain of the interior. The expense of 
 grading and of bridging proved very 
 light. The energetic and enterprising 
 character of the population of Chicago 
 and northern Illinois — in great part com- 
 posed of emigrants from New England 
 and New York — is an element not to 
 be overlooked in estimating tlie produc- 
 tiveness of this road, by which the lead 
 of Galena and very much of the trade 
 of the upper Mississippi aie to be drawn 
 to New York and Boston. 
 
 Crossing the southern extremity of 
 Lake Michigan, passengers for the east 
 are landed about daylight at the moutli 
 of the St. Joseph. A majestic hotel, 
 erected in the year 1836, stands there 
 in desolation, and there are some other 
 mtmuments to the vanity of human cal- 
 culations. The late decision of the 
 directors of the ( antral railroad, making 
 New Buflalo instead o^ this place their 
 western terminus, wouM seem to seal the 
 doom already writtei.! on its faded walls. 
 A stranger might not be veiy favor- 
 ably impressed with western Michigan. 
 The stage-road from St. Joseph to Kal- 
 amazoo (fifty-five miles) does not pass 
 through a very good section of it. It is 
 timbered mainly with oak, though hick- 
 ory appears at intervals, with very large 
 whitewood, &c., on sAme of tlie streams. 
 The clearings are sparse and scanty. 
 At Pawpaw (the capital of Van Buren 
 county) there is a good water-powei', 
 well improved, and a thriving country 
 village. But, thi'oughout all this region, 
 there is a scarcity of spiings and biooks. 
 The soil seems less natural to grass than 
 to grain. 
 
 The impresgion of Chicago, as seen 
 from ihe lake, is, on the whole, unfavor- 
 able to tlie beholder, owing to the level 
 site, which gives a character of same- 
 ness to its aspect not observable as 
 viewed from the land, whence you per- 
 ceive not only the mere outline of tlie 
 city, but its shipping, churches, and oth- 
 er public buildings, which impart vari- 
 ety and animation to the scene. The 
 harbor, like many others on the lake, is 
 an artifi<ial one, consisting of two piers 
 extending in parallel lines out from the 
 Chicafjo river into Lake Michisan. The 
 
"^•p 
 
554 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 
 
 difficulties which are encountered here, 
 in the effort to overcome by art the defi- 
 ciencies of nature, are necessarily very 
 great. To say nothing of the danger to 
 which the harbor is subjected from the 
 ice and storms of winter, the action of 
 the winds and waves accumulates a de- 
 posite of sand which forms a bar not 
 only aci'oss the mouth of the channel, 
 but within the harbor itself Yet there 
 is no place on the lake equal in adapta- 
 tion or advantages for the cheap and 
 lasting construction of harbors of this 
 description. So recent and rapid have 
 been the settlement and growth of Chi- 
 cago, that the mind can with difficulty 
 avoid the supposition that the advanta- 
 ges of its geographical position must 
 have been long overlooked. But these, 
 like those of St. Louis, were apprecia- 
 ted by the French, who, as early as 1673, 
 explored this portion of our country, 
 but without, however, establishing any 
 permanent occupancy of it. 
 
 Chicago was for a long time the hunt- 
 ino--ground of the Pottawatomie tribe 
 of Indians, who, in the beginning of the 
 present century, came from the islands 
 near the entrance of Green bay, and ex- 
 pelling the Miamies, occupied the best 
 portions of northern Illinois and Indiana. 
 All the beautiful tract of country lying 
 around the little chain of lakes in Steu- 
 ben and other counties in the latter state, 
 was the chosen abode of the warriors 
 and hunters of this tribe. 
 
 As recently as ISoO, Chicago consist- 
 ed (exclusive of the residents required 
 by the garrison, which government had 
 established), of only three frame build- 
 ings and five or six log houses. It has 
 now a population of 28,000 ! The num- 
 ber oi new buildings erected during the 
 past year, was fifteen hundred. Up- 
 ward of two thousand vessels, of all 
 classes and descriptions, enter and leave 
 the harbor during each month of the 
 navigable season. Its exports are sup- 
 •oosed to exceed its imports, which latter 
 amount to upward of two millions of 
 dollars annually. Upward of twenty 
 churches, of different denominations, at- 
 test the religious influences at work 
 among its busy population. Of these, 
 the baptists have two, one of which, the 
 
 fii'st baptist church, is perhaps the 
 finest edifice in the city. It was built in 
 1844, of brick, and is fifty-five by eighty 
 feet, with a handsome portico, columns, 
 and spire, which contains a bell and a 
 clock with five dials. 
 
 The commercial and agricultural in- 
 terests of all the states bordering upon 
 the lakes are indissolubly associated with 
 Chicago, as a place of deposite and 
 transhipment. Situated at the head of 
 lake navigation, and at the termination 
 of the Illinois and Michigan canal, by 
 which a continuous water route has late 
 been established from New York to 
 New Orleans, she grasps in her embrace 
 the inci'easing direct trade of the great 
 northwest, and stands at the door of that 
 gx'anary, where a peaceful commerce 
 exchanges and discharges the produc- 
 tions of both hemispheres. That the 
 wonderful rapidity with which Chicago 
 has substituted, for the miserable huts 
 of a mere trading station, the comforta- 
 ble dwellings and busy aspect of a com- 
 mercial city, is atti'ibutable mainly to the 
 natural advantages of its position, can 
 not be denied. But much is due to the 
 enterprise and intelligence of its inhab- 
 itants, evinced in their very emigration 
 here, and also in their appreciation of 
 the advantages with which a beneficent 
 Providence has distinguished them, as 
 well as in the efforts which they are con- 
 stantly making to improve and extend 
 them. 
 
 A railroad, for which subscriptions 
 had been made, is completed between 
 Chicago and Galena, by which inter- 
 communication with different parts of 
 the state must be greaty facilitated, and 
 the mineral riches of the latter place 
 find another outlet to the seaboard. An- 
 other railroad is already in successful 
 operation between Detroit and New 
 Buffalo, on the opposite side of Lake 
 Michigan, and this it is contemplated to 
 extend round the head of the lake to 
 Chicago. This, in connexion with the 
 first named, would bring the Mississippi 
 within a day's journey of Detroit. 
 
 The labor of the husbandman has ad- 
 ded to the riches of the soil in every di- 
 rection in the vicinity of the city, which 
 is generally a prairie, elevated and un- 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 
 
 555 
 
 dulating, and as productive as any other 
 portion of the west. 
 
 In the formation of society in Chica- 
 go, levies seem to have been made upon 
 every nation and country. Yet this di- 
 versity is unfriendly to the growth of 
 prejudices, which acquire such rankness 
 in older communities, while it releases 
 the hold of the caste, and arbitrary sys- 
 tems. Man comes to be regarded as 
 man. The mind is disposed to receive 
 readily, and to appreciate fully, great 
 truths in morals and science, and this 
 disposition pervades not a part, but the 
 whole of society. '• We are Illinois," 
 was proudly said by the aborigines, to 
 to the first white man with whom they 
 came in contact upon the soil, which 
 meant in their language, " We are men." 
 Those who now occupy their places par- 
 take of this spirit. 
 
 Springfield. — This town, the capital 
 of Illinois, is ninety-five miles from St. 
 Louis, and nearly in the centre of the 
 state. It is situated four miles south of 
 Sangamon river, on the margin of a 
 wide and fertile prairie, and has had a 
 rapid growth since it was first laid out, 
 in the year 1822. But thirty families 
 were residing on the spot the following 
 yeai", when there were no habitations 
 better than log-cabins. 
 
 It is now a large, handsome, and 
 flourishing town, containing 6,000 in- 
 habitants, and a fine, large statehouse, 
 a courthouse, market, bank, land-ofiice, 
 three high-schools, several ' large manu- 
 factories, and eight churches. Railcars 
 run daily for Meredosia, and three stage- 
 coaches go to Quincy. Stage-routes lie 
 in several other dii-ections — for St. Lou- 
 is, Chicago, Lafayette (Indiana), Ten"e 
 Haute, Shawneetown, Burlington (Iowa), 
 Lexington, &c. 
 
 Jacksonville. — This town, thirty- 
 three miles from Springfield, is on a 
 beautiful and fertile prairie, and con- 
 tains a courthouse, market, lyceum, me- 
 chanics' association, two academies, sev- 
 en churches, and a population of about 
 3,500. It has a daily communication 
 with the capital and Meredosia by the 
 railroad. 
 
 Illinois College, situated at Jackson- 
 ville, has eight professors in the academi- 
 
 cal and medical departments, and about 
 one hundred students. The libraries 
 of the institution contain two thousand 
 five hundred volumes, and the philo- 
 sophical and chymical apparatus are 
 complete and valuable. The commence- 
 ment is held on the last Thursday of 
 June. 
 
 Alton is situated on the east side of 
 the Mississippi river, two miles above 
 the mouth of the Missouri, and twenty- 
 one miles below that of the Illinois. It 
 is twenty miles distant from St. Louis. 
 The town is regularly laid out, the 
 streets are broad and straight, and it 
 contains six churches, a lyceum, a bank, 
 mechanics' association, and a population 
 of 6,000. The place is one of the best 
 for commercial purposes on the Mis- 
 sissippi, having a good landing-place, 
 formed by a flat rock, with a rich coun- 
 try around it; and timber, coal, free- 
 stone, and limestone, abound in the vi- 
 cinity. Steamboats keep up a constant 
 communication with the towns on the 
 Mississippi, the Illinois, the Missouri, 
 and the Ohio ; and stage-coaches run 
 to Vincennes and Jacksonville. 
 
 Kaskaskia, on the right bank of the 
 river of that name, is one hundred and 
 forty-two miles from Springfield, and 
 seven from the Mississippi. It was set- 
 tled about the year 1683, by the French, 
 and a large portion of the population is 
 of that origin. It contains two churches, 
 a bank, a land-office, and about two 
 thousand inhabitants. It is on the de- 
 cline. 
 
 Shawneetovvn, about two hundred 
 miles from Springfield, and ten below 
 the mouth of the Wabash, stands on 
 the Ohio, on an acclivity, but not high 
 enough to be safe, from the highest 
 floods in the rivei'. It was laid out in 
 1814, and is one of the best places for 
 trade in that part of the state. 
 
 Our vignette represents a spot well 
 known to travellers on the westei'ii wa- 
 ters. This remarkable natural curios- 
 ity is situated on the Ohio river, a few 
 miles below Shawneetown. The ap- 
 proach to it, as you descend the stream, 
 is picturesque. Bold bluffs running out 
 into the current, diversified here and 
 there with green valleys opening be- 
 
556 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 
 
 tween, afford a constantly varying scene 
 of rock, meadow, and midland. Above 
 and below the cave are high precipices 
 of limestone, principally covered with 
 cedars. The scenery still retains much 
 of the wild aspect it wore before civil- 
 ization had intruded on it, and when 
 nothing broke the silence of the travel- 
 ler's voyage except the dip of his oars, 
 the scream of the eagle, or the whoop 
 of the hostile savage. 
 
 The entrance to the cave is nearly 
 semicircular, and is on a level with the 
 river when the latter is high. The pas- 
 sage is about twenty feet in altitude, 
 and, a few yards from the mouth, leads 
 into a spacious apartment about twenty 
 feet in height, one hundred and twenty 
 feet in length, and of a breadth nearly 
 equal. In the roof is seen an opening, 
 which, if report speaks true, leads into 
 an upper room, remarkable for its nat- 
 ural ornaments. The passage leading 
 to it may be compared to a chimney; 
 but few persons have enough of the 
 spirit of adventure to attempt an en- 
 trance. The natural fretwork on the 
 walls is said to give them the appear- 
 ance of Gothic ornaments. 
 
 At one end of the cave is a deep hole, 
 which has never been explored or fath- 
 omed to its termination. Its direction is 
 downward, and the undertaking of a 
 descent would be hazardous. Stones 
 thrown in are heard to strike the rocks 
 far below, after the lapse of several 
 seconds. 
 
 About the close of the last centui-y 
 this cave was the habitation of a band 
 of robbers, whose leader, named Mason, 
 headed them in attacks upon boats and 
 arks, as they drifted down the Ohio. In 
 some cases the crews were not only 
 robbed and ill treated, but even mur- 
 dered. The criminals and their retreat 
 "becoming known, however, the gang 
 were attacked in the year 1797, and 
 broken up, so that peaceful navigators 
 have not since been inten'upted in that 
 neighborhood. 
 
 Vandai.ia, on the right bank of Kas- 
 kaskia river, was formerly the capital of 
 the state. The streets are regular, and 
 the place has a handsome aupearance. 
 It contains two churches, a land-office, 
 
 and several manufactories. The popu- 
 lation is about SOO. Here is the termi- 
 nation of the national road. Stage- 
 coaches go daily to St. Louis and Cape 
 Girardeau. 
 
 Peoria, on the right bank of the Illi- 
 nois river, at the outlet of Peoria laks, 
 is seventy miles from Springfield. The 
 first bank of the river is from six to 
 twelve feet above high-water mark, and 
 is a quarter of a mile wide. Beyf)nd it 
 rises the second bank, which is five or 
 six feet higher; and tliis extends to the 
 bluffs, which are from sixty to one hun- 
 dred feet high. Here are six churches, 
 j several manufactories, a courthouse, and 
 about 2,500 iidiabitants. 
 
 Galena. — This town, so intimately 
 connected with the mining and trade in 
 lead, is situated on the La Fevre, or 
 Bean river, six miles from its mouth, 
 and one hundred and fifty-eight miles 
 from Chicago. Steamboats of the lar- 
 gest size go up to the town at all 
 seasons, and the amount of exports is 
 annually very large, especially in the 
 staple article, lead. It contains five 
 churches, and a population of about 
 8,000. The first settlement was made 
 in the year 1S2G. Stage-coaches go 
 daily to Chicago, and three times a 
 week to several other jilaces. In 1S4G 
 the arrivals of steamboats were three 
 hundred and thirty-three, amounting to 
 fifty-eight thousand, five hundred and 
 seventy-five tons. 
 
 The exports, in 1S50, were as follows : 
 Lead, 072,620 pigs, worth 82,225,000 ; 
 copper, S22,00U ; lumber, §100,000 ; 
 hides,S14,S00; wheat, 150,000 bushels. 
 
 Rock Island Citv is a small town on 
 the Mississippi river, a little above the 
 mouth of Rock river. The population 
 Is now about 2,000. 
 
 Belleville, fourteen miles fiom St. 
 Louis, is the seat of justice for St. Clair 
 county, and contains three large flour- 
 mills, and various other manufactories. 
 One half of the population of the town 
 and county are industrious Germans. 
 The number of inhabitants was 1,207 in 
 1S40, and is now about 2, SOO. 
 
 Rock Fort. — This is a prominent bluff' 
 on the left bank of Illinois river, and 
 rendered doubly interesting by an In- 
 
558 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 
 
 clian tradition. It is about two hundred 
 and fifty feet liigh, with steep, precipi- 
 tous sides, wholly inaccessible in all 
 parts except one, and presenting a pe- 
 culiar striped appearance, caused by a 
 number of strata of sandstone, of differ- 
 ent shades, running in a horizontal di- 
 rection. With the wide prairie on one 
 side, and the river, flowing through it, 
 on another, the perpendicular sides of 
 this remarkable eminence rise like an 
 immense watchtower, or rather castle — 
 a work of gigantic hands ; while, at the 
 places where the neighboring range of 
 highland is connected with it by a nar- 
 row ridge, a little path conducts the 
 stranger to the summit, with great toil 
 and difficulty. 
 
 There he finds a level spot, about 
 thi'ee fourths of an acre in extent, over- 
 grown with young trees, many of which 
 stand upon an ancient ditch and a mound, 
 which appears to have once served as a 
 breastwork round the circuit of this nat- 
 ural fort. In the soil ai'e remains of 
 mussel-shells, pottery, and stones, that 
 appear to have been heated ; and the 
 views frorn the edge of the precijiice 
 ai'e extensive and delightful. 
 
 Strong and almost inaccessible, this 
 natural battlement has been still further 
 fortified by the Indians, and many years 
 ago was the scene of a desperate con- 
 flict between the Pottawatomies and a 
 band of the Illinois Indians. The latter 
 fled to this place for refuge from the 
 fury of their enemies. The post could 
 not be carried by assault, and tradition 
 says that the besiegers finally succeeded, 
 after many repulses, by cutting off the 
 supply of water; to procure which, the 
 besieged let down vessels, attached to 
 ropes of bark, from a part of the preci- 
 pice which overhangs the river; but 
 their enemies succeeded in cutting off" 
 these ropes as often as they were let 
 down. The consequence was a surren- 
 der, which was followed by a total ex- 
 tirpation of the band. 
 
 The channel of the Mississippi is con- 
 stantly shifting, and the only safe chart 
 is the lead. The pilots, most of them, 
 know every nook and corner of the 
 river, and can judge by the purface cur- 
 rent when the channel has shifted. The 
 
 cause of this shifting is the strong cur- 
 rent, nearly four miles an hour, which 
 wears away a point of land here and 
 there, washing the earth and trees out 
 into the old channel and creating a new 
 one. The mosquitoes at the " wood- 
 up" stations come on to the steamer in 
 swarms, and nothing but a strong breeze 
 will drive them off". But little land has 
 been cleared on the banks of the Missis- 
 sippi. With the exception of Louisiana, 
 which is pretty generally cultivated, and 
 a few cities and towns scattered like 
 guide-boards to civilization, through the 
 v/ilderness, there is nothing but forest 
 for over twelve hundred miles. Yet the 
 soil looks rich, and is so, and only needs 
 the axe of the pioneer to make the whole 
 country a garden. 
 
 The river navigation of the great west 
 is the most wonderful on the globe, and, 
 since the application of steam-power to 
 the propulsion of vessels, possesses the 
 essential qualities of oj^en navigation. 
 Speed, distance, cheapness, magnitude 
 of cargoes, are all there, and without 
 the perils of the sea from storms and 
 enemies. The steamboat is the ship of 
 the river, and finds in the Mississippi 
 and its tributaries the amplest theatre 
 for the diff'usion of its use, and the dis- 
 play of its power. Wonderful river, 
 connected with seas by the head and 
 by the mouth — stretching its arms tow- 
 ard the Atlantic and the Pacific — lying 
 in a valley, which is a valley from the 
 gulf of Mexico to Hudson's bay — draw- 
 ing its first waters, not from rugged 
 mountains, but from the plateau of the 
 lakes in the centre of the continent, and 
 in communication with the sources of 
 the St. Lawrence and the streams which 
 take their course north to Hudson's 
 bay — draining the largest extent of the 
 richest land — collecting the ])roducts of 
 every clime, even the frigid, to bear the 
 whole to a genial market in the sunny 
 south, and there to meet the products of 
 the entire world. Such is the Missis- 
 sippi ! And who can calculate the ag- 
 gregate of its advantages, and the mag- 
 nitude of its future commercial results i 
 
 Many years ago, the late Governor 
 Clark and others undertook to calculate 
 the extent of the beatable water in the 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 
 
 559 
 
 valley of the Mississippi, and made it 
 about fifty thousand miles, of which thir- 
 ty thousand were computed to unite 
 above St. Louis, and twenty thousand 
 below. Of course they counted all the 
 infant streams on which a fiat, a keel, or 
 a batteau, could be floated — and justly, 
 for every tributary, of the humblest boat- 
 able character, helps to swell not only 
 the volume of the central waters, but of 
 the commerce upon them. Of this im- 
 mense extent of river navigation, all 
 combined into one system of waters, 
 St. Louis is the centre, and the entrepot 
 of its trade, presenting even now, in its 
 infancy, an astonishing and almost in- 
 credible amount of commerce, destined 
 to increase annually. It is considered an 
 inland town. Counting by time and 
 money, the only true commercial meas- 
 ure of distances, and St. Louis is nearer 
 to the sea than New Orleans was before 
 the steam-towboat abridged the distance 
 between that city and the mouth of the 
 Mississippi. St. Louis is a seaport as 
 well as an inland city, and is a port of 
 delivery by law, and has collected fifty 
 thousand dollars of duties on foreign 
 imports during the cm-rent year; and 
 with a liberal custom would become a 
 great entrepot of foreign as well as of 
 d-omestic commerce. With the attri- 
 butes and characteristics of a seaport, 
 she is entitled to the benefit of one, as 
 fully and as clearly as New York or New 
 Orleans. 
 
 At a distance of 1,400 miles from the 
 gulf of Mexico, is a new starting point 
 for a further itdand navigation to the 
 north, of 1,000 miles by the Mississip- 
 pi ; to the west, of 2,000 by the Mis- 
 souri; to the northeast, 1,000 by the 
 Wisconsin, and 400 by the Illinois ; and 
 to the east, 1,200 by the Ohio. Through 
 all of these and their countless tributa- 
 ries, is the mighty west continually pour- 
 ing out its teeming products to the sea- 
 board. Through the Mississippi alone, 
 only one of the outlets 6f this valley, there 
 will probably be transported to a mar- 
 ket more than 8100,000,000 in the sur- 
 plus agricultural products of last season, 
 and that not an abundant one. If such 
 are the results of a single half century's 
 enterprise, by the surplus progeny of a 
 
 people numbering but little more than 
 3,000,000 at its commencement, what 
 must be the results of future centui-ies 
 of similar enterprise, with the accumu- 
 lating ratio of our skill and population 1 
 
 In going up the Mississippi from the 
 mouth of the Missoui'i, we take a final 
 leave of the muddy waters that mar the 
 beauty of the stream, the whole distance 
 to the gulf. The Illinois is a miniature 
 Mississippi, especially at its lower ex- 
 tremity ; while higher up, its numerous 
 bluff's, now approaching and now re- 
 ceding from the banks, remind one of 
 the bolder scenery between its mouth 
 and the Ohio. The banks, which are 
 generally from six to twelve feet above 
 low water, are frequently overflowed 
 through a great part of their course. 
 They descend from the edge of the river 
 to lowland, or rswamps, in their rear, 
 evidently marking this valley as a delta 
 formation. The conformation of the 
 remote or primitive banks of this river, 
 and those of the Aux-Plaines, one of its 
 principal tributaries, which flows within 
 eight miles of Lake Michigan, indi- 
 cate conclusively that they formerly dis- 
 charged a vastly larger body of water 
 than they now contain. It is conjec- 
 tured, and with a good deal of proba- 
 bility, that they were once the outlet of 
 one or more of the large northern lakes, 
 and possibly those of Michigan, Huron, 
 and Superior. If this were the case, we 
 can conceive of no adequate cause short 
 of the u])heaval of the western shore of 
 Lake Michigan, which should have sent 
 the waters that formerly met the Atlan- 
 tic at Cape Sable, in latitude twenty- 
 five degrees, through the gulf of St. Law- 
 rence, that communicates with the ocean 
 at its northern outlet in fifty-two de- 
 gi'ees. 
 
 Most of the banks of the Illinois are 
 densely wooded ; after ascending about 
 one hundred miles above its mouth, how- 
 ever, the prairies frequently come down 
 to the edge of the water. Peoria is 
 beautifully situated on one of these, two 
 hundred miles from the outlet of the 
 river, whose rolling bank, ascending in- 
 land, rises twenty feet above the water, 
 which here expands to a tiny lake. The 
 town of Henry, a few miles above and 
 
560 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 
 
 on tlie same western bank, is similarly 
 situated, but on a higber bank, and tbe 
 prairie stretcbes off sixty miles toward 
 the Mississippi. 
 
 There are numerous small thriving 
 towns along the stream, which are al- 
 ready the depots fi)r immense quantities 
 of corn, wheat, flour, pork, beef, &c. 
 Some fifteen or twenty small steamboats 
 are employed with the traffic and pas- 
 sengers on this river, besides scows and 
 flatboats that are used in freiorhtino: the 
 produce. Two of the latter, each capa- 
 ble of carrying one thousand barrels of 
 flour, were loading at Hennepin, some 
 three hundred miles above St. Louis. 
 There are numerous steam saw and flour- 
 ing mills on the banks, by which lumber 
 and grain are largely manufactured, the 
 latter only to any extent for exportation. 
 
 From Peru to Chicago, one hundred 
 miles, the course is over fertile and un- 
 dulating prairies, most of which, though 
 unoccupied a dozen years ago, are now 
 under cultivation and thickly studded 
 with tasteful villages. 
 
 Mount Jollet. — Mr. Schoolcraft, in his 
 travels in the central portions of the 
 Mississippi valley, gives us an account 
 of his visit to this place. It is a hill or 
 mound, a few miles from Fox river, and 
 near Lisbon, on an immense prairie. It 
 is about 1,300 feet long, 225 broad, and 
 60 high ; oblong at the base ; and covers 
 500,000 square feet. It is far from any 
 other elevation, and is conspicuous from 
 a great distance on every side, com- 
 manding views in all directions which 
 are bounded only by the horizon. We 
 give an extract from Mr. S. : — 
 
 " We entered the strip of woods which 
 form a margin to the Aux Sables, one 
 of the tributary streams of the Illinois, 
 during the most intense heat of the day, 
 and enjoyed its refreshing shade for a 
 few moments. Ten miles beyond this 
 pellucid little river, we halted, and dis- 
 mounted in the plains, and made a short 
 excursion on foot to Mount Joliet. This 
 monumental elevation takes its name 
 from Sieur Joliet, who was sent by M. 
 Talon, the intendant of New France, to 
 accompany Father Marquette, in his 
 search of the Mississippi, in the year i 
 1673. They entered this stream through I 
 
 the Wisconsin, and then followed its 
 current. It is not certain how far they 
 descended, but it is evident they passed 
 the junction of the Missouri, and some 
 assert that they went to the mouth of 
 the Arkansas. On their return to Can- 
 ada, they followed up the Illinois, and 
 have left us the first notice of this mound, 
 which they ascended. 
 
 " Any prominent swell in the surface 
 of the soil would appear interesting and 
 remarkable in so flat a country, but this 
 would be considered a very striking ob- 
 ject of cui'iosity in a region of inequali- 
 ties. It is, strictly speaking, neither a 
 mountain nor a hill, but rather a mound, 
 and the first impression made by its reg- 
 ular and well-preserved outlines is that 
 of a work of art. This alluvial struc- 
 ture is seated on the plains, about six 
 hundred yards west of the present chan- 
 nel of the river Des Plaines, but imme- 
 diately upon what appears to have been 
 the former bank of this river. Its figure, 
 as seen at a distance, is that of a cone 
 truncated by a plane parallel to the base, 
 but we find, on approaching, its base de- 
 scribes an ellipsis. Its height we com- 
 puted to be sixty feet. Its length is 
 about four hundred and fifty yards, and 
 its width seventy-five yards. These 
 measurements have relation only to the 
 top. Its base is of course much larger. 
 The sides have a srradual and regular 
 slope, but the acclivity is so great that 
 we found the ascent laborious. There 
 are a few shrubby oak-trees on the west- 
 ern side ; but every other part, like the 
 plain in which it stands, is covered with 
 grass. The materials of this extraor- 
 dinary mound are, to all appearance, 
 wholly alluvial, and not to be distin- 
 guished from those of the contisruous 
 country from which, it would appear, 
 they have been scooped out. It is firmly 
 seated on a horizontal stratum of sec- 
 ondary limestone. The view from this 
 eminence is charming and diversified. 
 The forests are sufficiently near to serve 
 as a relief to the prairies. Clumps of 
 oaks are scattered over the country. 
 The lake Joliet, fifteen miles long and 
 about a quarter of a mile wide, lies in 
 front. There is not perhaps a more no- 
 ble and picturesque spot for a private 
 
562 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 
 
 mansion in all America. Few persons 
 will choose to pass it without devoting 
 an hour to its examination ; and few 
 will, perhaps, leave it without feeling a 
 conviction that it is the work of human 
 hands. It has been remarked by Dr. 
 Beck, that this is probably the largest 
 mound within the limits of the United 
 States." 
 
 Emigration. — We have introduced 
 here two illustrations, exhibiting a fam- 
 ily emigrating to the west. The one 
 opposite is a day scene, in which is seen 
 the emigrant, with a gun upon his shoul- 
 der, and his faithful dog by his side, 
 leading the way, followed by a single 
 horse and wagon, bearing his family, 
 and perhaps all his earthly possessions. 
 It is a picture of but one among thou- 
 sands who leave the endearments of 
 home, the luxuries of cultivated and 
 commercial regions, teeming with pop- 
 ulation, for the wilds of the west. The 
 rough road, the umbrageous forest, the 
 gushing stream, and the treeless pi'airie, 
 are no impediments to deter him from 
 his pm-pose of finding some eligible 
 spot where he may pitch his tent, rear 
 his cabin, sow his seeds, and reap rich 
 harvests, thus forming a nucleus for a 
 thriving community and finally a new 
 state to be added to the confederacy — a 
 new star to our national banner. How 
 many, very many, in humble life, have 
 thus left the Atlantic states, where they 
 were scarcely known amid the multi- 
 tude, pitched their tents upon the vii-gin 
 soil of the Mississippi valley, whei'e the 
 foot of the white man had never before 
 trodden, and in a few years found them- 
 selves surrounded with all the comforts 
 of life, called upon to take an active 
 pait in the political affairs of the state 
 or territory wherein they had settled, 
 and frequently again sent eastward to 
 sit in the national council. There are 
 many, very many, who " go to the west," 
 with high anticipations of making speedy 
 fortunes, without counting the cost. In 
 their estimate of results they omit the 
 many privations to which they will be 
 exposed, and value too lightly the les- 
 sons of experience read to them by 
 predecessors. They forget, in their day- 
 dreams of gain, that they are about to 
 
 exchange a pleasant mansion for a 
 cheerless log-cabin ; the privileges of 
 social intercourse and religious associa- 
 tion, for almost utter solitude ; and a 
 life of comparative ease for the most ar- 
 duous physical labor. They look upon 
 the bright tints of the picture, and sel- 
 dom glance at the umber to which 
 the finger of experience would point 
 them. These are they who return from 
 the west sadly disappointed in their 
 hopes and expectations, and are for ever 
 croaking about its unhealthy climate, 
 barren soil, and other equally grievous 
 complaints. But he who goes with the 
 expectation of laboring hard, living pru- 
 dently, managing wisely, and selects his 
 locality with judgment, may be sure of 
 receiving a bountiful return for his sac- 
 rifices. 
 
 There are millions of acres of land in 
 our western states and territories, with 
 a garden-like soil, that yet remain un- 
 touched by implements of culture, which 
 may be purchased at the government 
 price (one dollar and a quarter per acre), 
 where no greater objections to the cli- 
 mate can be made than against any other 
 sections of the Union ; and far better 
 would it be for the individuals and the 
 public, if the floating population of 
 our cities would act wisely and suffer 
 themselves to drij't westward with what 
 little pecuniary means they may have. 
 Many foreigners will land upon our 
 shores with sufficient ready money to 
 purchase land enough to yield them a 
 comfortable subsistence ; but instead of 
 availing themselves of this advantage, 
 they unwisely seek employment in our 
 cities, soon spend their small means, and 
 live year after year amid the miseries of 
 hopeless poverty. 
 
 The cost of transition from the Atlan- 
 tic states to the fertile regions of the 
 western states, is now quite trifling for 
 so great a distance, and hence emigrants 
 who come with some money in their 
 pockets, have no excuse for enduring 
 the miseries of obtaining a precarious 
 existence in our cities. 
 
 The second illustration, on page 5Q>5, 
 represents the halt of the emigrant fam- 
 ily for the night. They may be seen 
 preparing their frugal meal, and arrang- 
 
564 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THK STATE OF ILLINOIS. 
 
 ing themse) fes for rest, to be ready at 
 break of day to start again on their 
 journey, cheered amid the privations and 
 vicissitudes to wliich they are subject 
 on their toilsome way, by tlie conscious- 
 ness that each day lessens the distance 
 between them and the land of promise, 
 and that the fertile soil of the west will 
 recompense them for all their troubles. 
 
 Growth of the West. — The following 
 rem.arks on this suliject were made by 
 a former resident of the west, now es- 
 tablished in the profession of law in 
 Portsmouth (N. If.), at a public meet- 
 ins: in Boston to take measures in rela- 
 tion to the late Chicago convention : — 
 
 "I say you can not have been indif- 
 ferent to the political strength of the 
 west'; but have you, until quite recently, 
 comprehended the vast commercial re- 
 sources of that region \ 
 
 " Of these you are now compelled to 
 take notice. Every paper that comes 
 to us, tells of the Piighty energies of the 
 west. One speaks of a line of canal- 
 boats fifty-three miles in length ; another 
 tells us a ship has just left Chicago, 
 spreading its white sails to the western 
 breeze, and that it is to find no rest for 
 its keel until the flag of our country shall 
 wave in the port of a foreign land ; an- 
 other tells us that there are at this mo- 
 ment ten millions of people in the great 
 valley of the Mississippi. How can it be? 
 we exclaim. Fifty-five years ag(j the 
 first settler of Ohio (in the person of Dr. 
 Cutler, of Beverly, Mass.) bade adieu 
 to his friends here, tc go to a place upon 
 V hich at present is built Marietta, a 
 t )wn which is now engaged largely in 
 shipbuilding, for the commerce of the 
 ocean. Michigan, thirty-five years ago, 
 had scarcely an inhabitant; now, more 
 than three hundred thousand warm hearts 
 are beating upon her soil ; and her sons 
 count up the profits of their ample fields 
 in the year that is past, in eight millions 
 of bushels of wheat. Such has been the 
 growth of the whole west. A few years 
 since, in a birchen canoe, I was paddled j 
 all along the shores of Wisconsin, from 
 Chicaii^o to Green bay — a distance of 
 several hundred miles — seeing scarcely 
 a white man. Last year it was my good 
 fortune to ofo along the same shore, and 
 
 over the same waters, and I passed the 
 large towns of Sheboygan, Southport, 
 and Racine ; and when far off, on the 
 waters of Lake Michigan, I beheld the 
 city of Milwaukie, looking like a sea- 
 sybil with its 'tiara of proud towers.' 
 But I can not. in the brief time allowed 
 me, describe the change that has taken 
 place in the lakes. The traveller may 
 leave Buffalo to-day, in one of the lake 
 steamers, and in seventy-two hours the 
 keel of his noble vessel shall scrape 
 the golden sands of Illinois — nearly one 
 thousand one hundred miles to the west- 
 ward. His eye will have gazed upon the 
 soil of five of the states of this Union, 
 as well as upon the possessions of Queen 
 Victoria. 
 
 "In 1818 appeared the first steamboat 
 upon the lakes ; now there are more 
 than one hundred of the largest class; 
 and the Griffin, a vessel of seventy tons, 
 launched by the daring La Salle, in 1769, 
 has multiplied, until now tlie lakes are 
 white with sails, and literally murmur 
 with the rush of keels. The commerce 
 of the lakes at this time may be safely 
 estimated as worth one hundred and 
 fifty millions of dollars per annum, re- 
 quiring the constant employment of over 
 three thousand sailors, as brave as ever 
 dwelt on the ocean, and who would be 
 as efficient if summoned to the gun- 
 deck. The cities of Detroit and BuR'alo 
 have more tons of shipping afloat than 
 are owned in the four planting states of 
 North and South Carolina, Georgia, and 
 Alabama; and these are but two of the 
 seven cities along the lakes. It is esti- 
 mated that there are on the western wa- 
 ters eight hundred and fifty steamboats, 
 and that 13,440 persons are engaged 
 in navigation. These are some of the 
 random statistics that occur to me ; but 
 we must remember that the statistics 
 of 1844 will not serve as a basis of cal- 
 culation in 1847. The growth of that 
 region far outstrips the wildest imagina- 
 tion of the poet, who has said : — 
 •' ' A thousand years scarce serve to form a state.' 
 
 " We behold them in our day leap- 
 ing from our western forests into the 
 bosom of this confederacy, almost be- 
 fore we can give them a ' habitation and 
 a name.' " 
 
Arkansas, and west by Indian territory. 
 
 Missouri is one of the largest 
 states in the Union, covering an area 
 of 69,100 square miles; some com- 
 pute it as higli as 70,000. It extends 
 from 36° to 40° 30' north latitude, 
 and from 11° 45' to 17° 30' west lon- 
 gitude. To foi"m some idea of its 
 extent, we have only to reflect that 
 the Mississippi washes five hundred 
 miles of its eastern boundary, while 
 the Missouri runs more than five 
 hundred miles along its western bor- 
 der, and through its centre. It is 
 bounded noith by Iowa, south by 
 The banks of each of these rivers are 
 
 dotted all along with towns, rapidly growing into importance by the commerce of 
 its waters. Besides these great highways of trade, there are the Osage, Gasco- 
 nade, and Grand rivers, navigable for one or two hundi-ed miles within its borders 
 The great prairie, which extends over Indiana and Illinois, stretches through Mis- 
 souri on to the Rocky mountains, interspei'sed, in this state, with heavy bodies of 
 timber along its numerous water-courses. The soil, climate, and productions, are 
 like those of most of the western states. 
 
 Generally, where the country is too rough and barren to be cultivated, there are 
 inexhaustible mines of lead, copper, and iron. In connexion with these mineral 
 ores, there are vast beds of coal, the great moving power of the world, the indis- 
 j)Utahle index of approaching greatness. It is worthy of remark, that within a 
 few miles of the eastern border of Missoui'i is the first place west of Wheeling 
 where this article is found in large bodies. All along the Missouri, on both sides, 
 it is found in abundance. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI. 
 
 567 
 
 The sickness of Missouri is a promi- 
 nent hinderance to its growth. Although 
 there have been prevailing sicknesses, the 
 number of deaths by no means corre- 
 sponds to the extent of the disease. In- 
 termittent fever, the almost universal 
 form of sickness, is little understood by 
 the scientific, and is cured by specifics 
 whose " 7nodus operandi" is still shroud- 
 ed in mystery. Nearly all who emigrate 
 to this state have to undergo acclima- 
 tion. Congestion sometimes supervenes, 
 and the disease in this stage often proves 
 fatal. Young men seldom suffer from 
 this stage, unless they have been very 
 imprudent in exposing themselves to its 
 causes. Strange as it may seem, it is 
 often the means of removing chronic 
 complaints and establishing the health 
 of the patient. And after enduring a 
 thorough seasoning, they are seldom 
 attacked again. 
 
 The importance of Missouri, from its 
 agricultural resources, and vast mineral 
 vvealth, the large population it is calcu- 
 lated to sustain, from its peculiar advan- 
 tageous commercial situation, is beyond 
 calculation. Situated at the confluence 
 of two of the mightiest rivers that wa- 
 ter any continent, draining more than 
 half of the territory of the United States 
 — how vast the resources of this region 
 when peopled by teeming millions ! 
 Where is the centre that is to have the 
 greatest influence in this great valley ] 
 The Roman catholic bishop of St. Louis 
 has more ecclesiastics under his control 
 than any other in the country. The 
 only university they have within the 
 United States is at St. Louis. 
 
 The mineral wealth of the southv/est 
 is greater than many would imagine. 
 Capital and skill, properly applied, will 
 develop resources of wealth undiscovered 
 and now slumbering in unknown beds. 
 It may not be generally known that 
 Murphy and M'Clurg have now a smelt- 
 ing establishment in full and successful 
 operation, where they are enabled to 
 supply any demand for lead which the 
 country can possibly require. 
 
 Lead abounds in various parts of the 
 southwest, but particularly in the vicin- 
 ity of those waters which are tributary 
 to White river. Much capital might be 
 
 profitably employed in opening and 
 working these mines. But the great 
 misfortiuie is the obstruction in the nav- 
 igation of the rivers. There are the Os- 
 ao-e on the north. White river on the 
 southeast, and the Neosho or Grand 
 river on the west, draining an extensive, 
 rich, and fertile country, with but few 
 equals in mineral and agricultural wealth. 
 These stream.s, with the improvement 
 of which they are susceptible, would 
 open an outlet to market at seasons of 
 the year when the more northern out- 
 lets are closed. • 
 
 Missouri has increased rapidly in pop- 
 ulation, improvements, and wealth. Its 
 tobacco, which is one of its staples, is 
 quoted at the highest rates in the Euro- 
 pean markets. Hemp is an article of in- 
 creasing growth and of the first quality. 
 
 The population of Missouri in 1771/ 
 (by Hutchings), was 850; in 1804 (by 
 Stoddard), 10,340 ; in 1810 (including 
 Arkansas), 19,833 ; in 1820, 66,586 ; in 
 1830, 140,074; in 1840, 383,702; in 
 1850, 684,132. 
 
 Tov/ns and cities along the waters of 
 the Missouri, above " Boone's Lick" 
 settlement, are increasing. The state is 
 subdivided into 101 counties. 
 
 The River Missouri. — The Missouri 
 is one of the largest rivers in America, 
 so famous for the greatness of its streams. 
 Its principal branch rises in the Rocky 
 mountains, in about the latitude of forty- 
 three degrees and thirty minutes north, 
 and the one hundred and twelfth degree 
 of western longitude : its head spring is 
 said to be not more than one mile dis- 
 tant from the souixe of another great 
 x-iver — the Columbia — which flows in a 
 contrary direction into the Pacific ocean. 
 This branch has been termed by the 
 American travellers, Captains Lewis and 
 Clarke (who explored the whole course 
 of the Missouri), Jefferson's river, in com- 
 pliment to Mr. Jefferson, who was then 
 president of the United States ; and three 
 of its tributaries have, in the same spirit, 
 been dignified with the appellations of 
 Philosophy, Philanthropy, and Wisdom. 
 When Jefferson's river has run a course 
 of about two hundred and seventy miles, 
 it is joined by two others, called Galla- 
 tin's and Madison's, after the statesmen 
 
568 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI 
 
 SO named ; and their united waters flow 
 together for nearly three thousand miles, 
 under the name of Missouri, until they 
 pour themselves into the channel of the 
 Mississippi. 
 
 At the distance of about one hundred 
 and eighty miles from this junction — or 
 of four hundred and fifty miles from the 
 source of the Jefferson branch — the river 
 escapes from among the Rocky mount- 
 ains, and loses the character which, till 
 shortly previous, it had borne through- 
 out, of a foaming torrent. The spot at 
 which it emerges, is remarkable for the 
 sublimity of its scenery; for nearly six 
 miles, precipitous masses of rock rise 
 perpendicularly from the water's edge, 
 to the height of nearly twelve hundred 
 feet. " They are composed," says the 
 official narrative of Lewis and Clarke, 
 " of a black granite near its base, but 
 from its lighter color above, and from 
 its fragments, we suppose the upper 
 part to be flints of a yellowish brown 
 and cream color. Nothing can be ima- 
 gined more tremendous than the frown- 
 ing darkness of those rocks, which pro- 
 ject over the river, and menace us with 
 destruction. The river, of three hun- 
 dred and fifty yards in width, seems to 
 have forced its channel down this solid 
 mass, but so reluctantly has it given way, 
 that during the whole distance the water 
 is very deep, even at the edges, and for 
 the first three miles there is not a spot, 
 except one of a few yards, in which a 
 man can stand between the water and the 
 towering perpendicular of the mountain. 
 The convulsion of the passage must have 
 been terrible, since at its outlet there 
 are vast columns of rock torn from the 
 mountain, which are strewed on both 
 sides of the river, the trophies, as it 
 were, of the victory. Several fine springs 
 burst out from the chasms of the rock, 
 and contribute to increase the river, 
 which has now a strong current ; but 
 very fortunately we are able to over- 
 come it with our oars, since it would be 
 impossible to use either the cord or the 
 pole. This extraordinary range of rocks 
 we called the Gates of the Rocky 
 mountains." 
 
 About one hundred and ten miles 
 from this tremendous chasm, the " Falls 
 
 of the Missouri" occur; and for the 
 space of seventeen or eighteen miles, the 
 river presents a succession of rapids and 
 cataracts. At the " Great fall," as the 
 largest of these is termed, it is three 
 hundred yards wide ; and for about a 
 third of tlvs breadth, the water rolls in 
 one smootJ', even sheet, over a precipice 
 of nearly ninety feet in height. The 
 remaining portion of the stream precipi- 
 tates itself with a more rapid current, 
 and being broken in its fall by project- 
 ing rocks, " forms a splendid pi-ospect 
 of perfectly white foam, two hundred 
 yards in length," with " all that glory of 
 refracted light, and everlasting sound, 
 and infinity of motion, which," to use 
 the words of a modern writer, "make a 
 great waterfall the most magnificent of 
 all earthly objects." The fall which is 
 next in height, is perhaps a more re- 
 markable object still. It extends com- 
 pletely across the river, where its width 
 is at least a quarter of a mile ; " the 
 whole Missouri," says the narrative of 
 Lewis and Clarke, " is suddenly stopped 
 by one shelving rock, without a single 
 niche, and with an edge as straight and 
 regular as if formed by art," over which 
 the volume of its watei's is precipitated 
 " in one even, uninterrupted sheet, to 
 the perpendicular height of fifty feet, 
 whence, dashing against the rocky bot- 
 tom, it rushes rapidly down, leaving be- 
 hind it a spray of the purest foam. The 
 scene which it presented was, indeed, 
 singularly beautifid, since, without any 
 of the w'ld, irregular sublimity of the 
 lower falls, it combined all the regular 
 elegances which the fancy of a painter 
 would select, to form a i>eautiful water- 
 fall." 
 
 From the falls down to the very | 
 mouth of the MiL,souri — a distance of | 
 more than two thousand five hundred I 
 miles — there is no obstacle to the navi- 
 gation of this river, but what arises from 
 the rapidity of its current. In this long 
 course, its waters are increased by the 
 junction of many other streams, both 
 great and small : among the largest are 
 the Yellow Stone, La I'latte, Kansas, 
 and Osage, the first of which is one 
 thousand eight hundred and eighty, and 
 the last one hundred and thirty-three 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI. 
 
 569 
 
 miles above the union with the Missis- 
 sippi. It would be difficult to comprise 
 in any general description, the charac- 
 ! teristics of a river so extensive in its 
 course, and fed by so many various 
 streams ; still, the Missouri is sufficiently 
 powerful to give to all its waters some- 
 thingf of a uniform character — and one 
 extremely remarkable. Its prodigious 
 length, its uncommon turbidness, its im- 
 petuous and wild character, and the sin- 
 gular country through which it runs, im- 
 part to it a natural grandeur belonging 
 to the sublime. " We have never crossed 
 it," says Mr. Flint, " without experien- 
 cins: a feelitiG: of this sort, nor without a 
 stretch of the imagination, to trace it 
 along its immense distance, throuirh its 
 distant regions, to the lonely and stu- 
 pendous mountains from which it 
 springs." 
 
 The Mississippi is remarkable for the 
 clearness of its waters, which are of a 
 light blue, not unlike the hue of the deep 
 sea, or of the Rhone at Geneva. The 
 Missouri, on the other hand, is described 
 as being " nearly as thick as pea-soup," 
 and of a dirty muddy- whitish color. A 
 glassful of the former appears as clear 
 as any spring-water; one of the latter 
 is perfectly turbid, " worse than the 
 rain-puddles on a highway-road," and in 
 a few minutes deposites a stratum of 
 mud ; yet this turbid water, according 
 to Mr. Flint, after the settlement of the 
 whitish earth, which soon falls down, is 
 remarkably pure, pleasant, and healthy ; 
 and another American geographer says, 
 that it is more easily preserved cool, and 
 f.t to drink, than other waters are. The 
 surface of the Mississippi, above the 
 junction, is generally clear of drift-wood, 
 while that of the Missouri is all covered 
 with half-burnt logs, trees with their 
 branches torn off, and great rafts or 
 floating islands of timber, drifted from 
 the interior, sweeping and whirling 
 along at a furious rate. 
 
 The Missouri enters the Mississippi 
 from the westward, nearly at right an- 
 gles to it; and such, says Captain Hall, 
 is the impetuosity of its current, that it 
 fairly divides the Mississippi even to the 
 left or eastern bank. " There were lit- 
 erally," he says, " nat above ten or 
 
 twelve yards of clear water on that side 
 of the river, while all the rest was mud- 
 dy. The line of actual contact was par- 
 ticularly interesting ; it seemed as if the 
 dirty Missouri had insinuated itself un- 
 der the clear Mississippi, for we saw it 
 boiling up at a hundred places. First, 
 a small curdling white spot, not bigger 
 than a man's hand, made its appearance 
 near the surface; this rapidly swelled 
 and boiled about, till, in a i'ew seconds, 
 it suddenly became as large as a steam- 
 boat, spreading itself on all sides in gi- 
 gantic eddies or whirlpools, in a man- 
 ner that I hardly know how to describe, 
 but which was amazingly striking. At 
 other places the two currents ran along, 
 side by side, without the least intermix- 
 ture, like oil and water ; but this sepa- 
 ration never continued long, and the 
 contaminating Missouri soon conquered 
 the beautiful Mississippi — indeed, the 
 stain is never got rid of for one moment, 
 during the twelve hundred miles that 
 the united stream runs over, before it 
 falls into the gulf of Mexico." 
 
 The Missouri carries down a great 
 quantity of sand; this, with the aid of 
 what is derived from the neighboring 
 banks, forms sand-bars (as they are 
 called), projecting into the river. By 
 forcing the stream toward the oppo- 
 site bank, these sand-bars aid materially 
 in the process of undermining its loose 
 texture, yet they are themselves con- 
 stantly removing. Travellers mention 
 an instance in which this shifting char- 
 acter was likely to have produced seri- 
 ous results, A party had encamped 
 upon one of these sand-bars, and in the 
 middle of the night, the sergeant on 
 guard alarmed them by crying that il 
 was sinking. " We jumped up." say 
 they, " and found that both above and 
 below our camp the sand was under- 
 mined and falling in very fast; we had 
 scarcely got into the boats and pushe 1 
 off, when the bank under which we had 
 been lying fell in, and would certainly 
 have sunk the two perioques (open 
 oared boats), if they had remained there. 
 By the time we reached the opposite 
 shore, the ground of our encampment 
 sunk also." This incident occurred as 
 they were making the circuit of the 
 
570 
 
 DESCRIPTION OT THE STATE OF MISSOURI. 
 
 Great Bend. From the shifting of these 
 sand-bars the bed of the Missouri is con- 
 stantly changing; a chart of the river as 
 it runs this year, says Mr. Flint, gives 
 little ground for calculation in naviga- 
 ting it the next. The change, however, 
 is not confined to its bed ; the rapid and 
 sweeping current of this river is con- 
 stantly undermining its banks, large 
 masses of which frequently fall in. The 
 soil through which it flows is of a very 
 loose texture, and the waters are per- 
 petually scooping away the banks at one 
 place, and depositing mud and drift- 
 wood at others. Lewis and Clarke 
 mention two spots, at some distance 
 lower down than the junction with the 
 Platte, at which a portion of the cliff or 
 hill, in each instance nearly three quar- 
 ters of a mile in length, and in one two 
 hundred feet in height, had fallen com- 
 pletely into the stream. *' We reach," 
 they say, in another passage, " a very 
 narrow part of the river, where the 
 channel is confined within a space of 
 two hundred yards, by a sand point on 
 the north and a bend on the south, the 
 banks in the neighborhood washing 
 away, the trees falling in, and the chan- 
 nel filled with buried logs." Only a 
 short distance from the mouth of the 
 Missouri, as they were passing near the 
 southern shore, the bank fell in so fast 
 as to oblige them to cross the river in- 
 stantly, between the northern side and 
 a sand-bar which was continually mo- 
 ving with the violence of the current ; 
 the boat struck on it, and would have 
 upset immediately, if the men had not 
 jumped into the water and held her till 
 the sand washed from under her. 
 
 It has been contended by some, that 
 from the length of the Missouri, the vol- 
 ume of its waters, and the circumstance 
 of its communicating its own character 
 in every respect, to the Mississippi be- 
 low the junction, it ought to be consid- 
 ered as the main river, and to impart its 
 name to the united stream during its 
 course to the sea. Malte Brun states it 
 to be now known that the Missouri is 
 the principal branch, and has the better 
 claim to the magnificent title of " Father 
 of Waters," which the Indians have 
 conferred upon the smaller one ; and 
 
 Balbi, a still more recent authority, has 
 a similar remark. An American geog- 
 rapher, however, Mr. T. Flint, remarks, 
 in opposition to this claim, that the 
 valley of the Missouri seems in the 
 grand scale of conformation to be sec- 
 ondary to the Mississippi — that the Mis- 
 souri has not the general direction of the 
 lower portion of the Mississippi, but, on 
 the contrary, joins it at nearly right an- 
 gles — that the valley of the Mississippi 
 is wider than that of the Missouri, and 
 the river broader — and that the course 
 of the river, and the direction of the val- 
 ley, are the same above and below the 
 junction. " From these," he says, " and 
 many other considerations, the ' Father 
 of Waters' seems fairly entitled to his 
 name." Captain Hall also supports the 
 claim of the more direct river of the 
 two, to give its name to the joint cur- 
 rent. 
 
 Missouri has every description of soil 
 and of surface, from mountainous and 
 rocky ridges, dense and rolling forests, 
 beautiful undulating prairies, extensive 
 tracts of inferior rugged soil, and low 
 inundated swamps. Extensive districts 
 in the counties of Jefferson, Franklin, 
 Washington, St. Francis, Madison, Craw- 
 ford, and the adjacent regions, are vast 
 mineral regions, and abound in lead, 
 iron, copper, and a variety of other 
 minerals. 
 
 St. Genevieve is the oldest town and 
 permanent settlement in Missouri. The 
 village church was situated two miles 
 from the river (with its extensive " com- 
 mon field" of several thousand acres in 
 front on the river, extending along its 
 rich bottom land), and was commenced 
 about 1754. On the arrival of Laclede, 
 in 1763, "it was a town of some note," 
 and the point to which the lead was 
 brought from the mines in the interior 
 on deposite. The landing on the river 
 was at a rocky bluff two miles above. 
 
 The lead mines of Missouri were dis- 
 covered by Philip Francis Renault and 
 M. de la Motte, agents under a branch 
 of the "Company of the West." La 
 Motte discovered the mines that go by 
 his name, on the waters of the St. Fran- 
 cis, Renault left France in 1719, with 
 two hundred artificers and miners, to ex- 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI. 
 
 571 
 
 ploi-e the Illinois, and the adjacent coun- 
 try on both sides of the Mississippi. 
 
 Jefferson City, the capital of the 
 state, is situated on the right bank of the 
 Missouri river, on elevated and uneven 
 giound, one hundred and twenty-eight 
 miles from St. Louis. It contains the 
 statchouse, penitentiary, an academy, 
 and about four thousand inhabitants. 
 
 Government. — The constitution of 
 this state was formed by a convention 
 at St. Louis, in June, 1S20. In Janua- 
 i ry, 1846, a new constitution was formed 
 by a state convention at Jefferson; which 
 was submitted to the people on the first 
 Mi»ndny of August in the latter year, and 
 rejected. The constitution adopted in 
 1S20, is therefoi-e still in f(Mce, and the 
 outlines thereof are as follows : — 
 
 The legislative power is vested in a 
 senate and house of representatives, 
 styled together the General Assembly. 
 The senators, in number not fewer than 
 fourteen, nor more than thiity-three, shall 
 be thirty years old, have the qualifica- 
 tion of representatives, be inhabitants of 
 the state for fi)ur years, and shall be 
 chosen by districts, for four years, one 
 half every second year. The represent- 
 atives, in number not more than one 
 hundred, shall be chosen in counties 
 every second year; they must be free 
 white male citizens of the U^nited States, 
 twenty-four years old, inhabitants of the 
 state for two years and of the county for 
 one year next before the election. Ev- 
 ery free white male citizen of the United 
 States, twenty-one years old, resident in 
 the state one year before the election, 
 and three months in the place where he 
 offers his vote, may vote at elections. 
 
 The elections are held biennially, on 
 the first Monday in August. The legis- 
 lature meets every second year, on the 
 first Monday in November, at the city 
 of Jefferson. 
 
 The executive power is vested in a 
 governor, who is elected by the people, 
 for a term of four years, and is ineligible 
 for the next four years. A lieutenant- 
 governor is also chosen, for the same 
 term, who is, ex officio, president of 
 the senate. They must be thirty-five 
 years old, natives of the United States, 
 or citizens thereof at the adoption of the 
 
 constitution. The governor may veto a 
 bill, but a majority of both houses may 
 pass it, notwithstanding his veto. If the 
 office of governor be vacant, it shall be 
 filled by the lieutenant-governor, and 
 after him by the president of the senate 
 pro tern. 
 
 The supreme court consists of three 
 judges, appointed by the governor and 
 senate, and has appellate jurisdiction 
 only. Circuit courts have exclusive 
 criminal jurisdiction, unless deprived of 
 it by law, and hear all civil cases not 
 cognizable by a justice of the peace. 
 The equity jui'isdiction is divided be- 
 tween the circuit and supreme courts. 
 Judges of the supreme court must be 
 thirty years old, may hold office until 
 sixty-five, and may be removed npon 
 address of two thirds of both houses of 
 the legislature. 
 
 One bank, and no more, may be es- 
 tablished, with not more than five branch- 
 es, and a total capital of not more than 
 five millions of dollars, one half, at least, 
 reserved to the state. 
 
 The general assembly, by a vote of 
 two thirds of the members, may propose 
 amendments to the constitution, and if, 
 at the first session thereafter, they are 
 confirmed by a vote of two thirds of the 
 membeis, they become part of ihb con- 
 stitution. 
 
 St. Louis was founded by Laclede, 
 Maxam, & Co., Feb. 15, 1764. Laclede 
 obtained from M. D'Abadie, " director- 
 general, and civil and military com- 
 mandant of the province of Louisiana," 
 under the French government, a grant, 
 in 1762, for the exclusive privilege to 
 trade with the Indians in Missouri, and 
 those west of the Mississippi above the 
 Missouri, as far north as the St. Peter's. 
 He fitted out an expedition and started 
 from New Orleans August 3, 1763, and 
 on the third day of November, after a 
 three months' voyage in keel-boats, 
 reached St. Genevieve. He proceeded 
 to Fort Chartres, stored his goods, and 
 remained for the winter in that vicinity. 
 Laclede was associated with Madame 
 Choteau, the wife of a Frenchman in 
 New Orleans, and had her two sons, 
 Auguste and Pierre, young lads, with 
 him. In February, 1764, Laclede with 
 
572 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI. 
 
 the young Choteaus and others, started 
 to search out a spcjt for their projected 
 trading ]iost. St. Louis, eighteen miles 
 below the mouth of the Missouri, was 
 the spot selected and named. Several 
 families of Cahokia accompanied La- 
 clede, The first trading-house and cab- 
 ins were erected near the river, on the 
 spot of the centre market-house. A skirt 
 of timber, tall oaks without under-brush, 
 beautiful as an English park, skirted the 
 river, while immediaiely in the rear an 
 undulating prairie extended into the 
 country for ten miles. The soil at the 
 river was based on stra:ified limestone, 
 forming a lock formation for foui' miles 
 in extent. The ground ascended in a 
 gradual slope for ihree or four hun- 
 dred yards ; when at an elevation of 
 sixty or eighty feet, it continued in an 
 undulating form for ten or fifteen miles 
 into the interior. Springs broke out in 
 various places, affoi'ding delicious wa- 
 ter. Nature never formed a plateau of 
 ground more admirably adapted to the 
 site of an immense city. The river op- 
 posite, now one and cne third of a mile 
 in width, from the washing away of the 
 deep alluvion that foims the Illinois 
 shore, was then so narrow that persons 
 could be heard distinctly from bank to 
 bank. Such was the site of St. Louis 
 eighty-seven yeais gone by. Pierre 
 Choteau, one of the boys who accom- 
 panied Laclede, was still living, and at 
 the age of nearly one hundred yeai's, 
 presided at the great meeting held in 
 February, 1847, in honor of the found- 
 ing of the city. 
 
 The transfer of the Illinois country 
 from the French to the British govern- 
 ment, by the treaty of 1763, which was 
 consummated by a change of govern- 
 ment in 1765, caused many of the in- 
 habitants of Caliokia, Kaskaskia, and 
 Fort Chartres, to remove to the new 
 village west of the great river. A secret 
 treaty had conveyed Louisiana to Spain, 
 but a transfer of government did not 
 take place till 1769. During this lime 
 St. Louis grew fast. 
 
 \x April, 1785, the Mississippi rose 
 to the height of thirty feet above the 
 highest water mark then known, over- 
 flowed the whole of the American bot- 
 
 tom, deluged the villages of Cahokia and | 
 Kaskaskia, destroyed a considerable por- j 
 tion of the walls of Fort Chartres, and ' 
 was never equalled except by the great 
 flood of 1844. Sr. Louis (except at tlie 
 landing) is at least fifty feet above these 
 highest floods. The year 1785 is styled 
 by the old French ])eople. ^^ L' Annee des 
 grandes eaux" — the year of the great 
 waters. 
 
 From 1769, or rather 1770, Si. Louis, 
 with the whole province of upper and 
 lower Louisiana, was under the govern- 
 ment of Spain, though French customs, 
 language, and population, prevailed. 
 
 By the treaty of St. Ildefonso, Octo- 
 ber 1, 1800, under stipulated conditions, 
 Spain retroceded Louisiana to France, 
 and in December following, the transfer 
 was made by the proclamation of M. 
 Laussat. April 30, 1803, Louisiana was 
 sold by the French government to the 
 United States, for fifteen millions of dol- 
 lars, and on the ninth of March, 1804, 
 Major Amos Stoddard took possessif)n 
 of Upper Louisiana, and hoisted the 
 American flag at St. Louis. 
 
 The first newspaper printed west of 
 the Mississippi, was the " Missouri Ga- 
 zette," by the late Joseph Chaross. It 
 was on a slieet of " cap" paper, and 
 dated July 12, 1808. A book of laws 
 of the teriitory was printed the same 
 year. The Missouri Gazette was the 
 progenitor of the Missouri Republican, 
 now published daily, tri-weekly, and 
 weekly. 
 
 The second paper was staited liy a 
 company of gentlemen in 1815. It was 
 called " The Western Emigrant," and 
 in 1818, the St. Louis Enquirer, and for 
 several years edited by Colonel Thomas 
 H. Benton, late of the United States 
 senate. . 
 
 The first steamboat that ever ascend- 
 ed the Mississippi above the mouth of 
 the Ohio, and reached St. Louis, was a 
 small boat called the " General Pike," 
 which reached St. Louis, August 2, 1817, 
 commanded by Captain Jacob Reed. 
 Tiie second steamboat was the " Con- 
 stitution," commanded by Captain R. 
 P. Guyard, which arrived October 3d, 
 the same year. 
 
 Tlie " Western EnQ:ineer." a keel- 
 
5U 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI. 
 
 boat with a steam-engine and stern- 1 
 wheel, was the first steamboat to ascend 
 the Missouri river, in April, 1819. It 
 accompanied the scientific expedition 
 under Major S. H. Long. The next 
 steamboat that ascended the Missouri 
 was the " Independence," Captain Nel- 
 son, that reached Franklin, in the Boon's 
 Lick country, May 19, 1819. This was 
 followed by the " Calhoun," and the 
 " President," two other steamers, which 
 attempted to take troops and military 
 stores to the " Council BluflTs," estab- 
 lished that year. Neither boat reached 
 the mouth of the Kansas. 
 
 A voyage from New Orleans to St. 
 Louis in keel-boats, before the introduc- 
 tion of steam, was from three to four 
 months. In 1819, a voyage by steam- 
 boats was from twenty-five to thirty 
 days. Of late it has been run in less 
 than four days ! — usually from six to 
 ten days. 
 
 The city of St. Louis is the hase of 
 navigation of all the upper Mississippi 
 and its tributaries, the Missouri and its 
 tributaries, and the head of navigation 
 for the larger boats from the Ohio and 
 the lower Mississippi. Here are now 
 concentrated the trade of ihe upper Mis- 
 sissippi, the Missouri, and the Illinois 
 rivers, and a large portion of that of the 
 Ohio and the lower Mississippi. From 
 a mere fur-trader's post, it has grown 
 to be the second commercial city in the 
 great central valley. It is now tlie 
 greatest steamboat port, next to New Or- 
 leans, in the world. In capital, com- 
 merce, and active business, it is in ad- 
 vance of any city on the Ohio river. 
 
 The government business, and various 
 extra branches of trade in St. Louis, are 
 greater than in any other city in the Uni- 
 ted States — as the military and contract 
 department — the Indian agency business 
 — the Indian and Spanish trade (before 
 the war) — the trapping business to the 
 Bocky mountains — the fur trade, &c., &c. 
 
 The United States government has an 
 arsenal two miles south of the city, which 
 consists of stone buildings and extensive 
 stone walls, of great value and durability. 
 Jefferson barracks are twelve miles south 
 of the city, and constantly occupied by 
 United States troops whether in war or 
 
 peace, capable of accommodating two 
 regiments. The two comprise a govern- 
 ment property equal to $1,750,000, and 
 the permanent improvements are on the 
 increase and will be for many years to 
 come, as from this point all the military 
 stores and forces must go out to the 
 wide regions of the west, southwest, and 
 northwest. During the Mexican war*, 
 there were manufaclui'ed at the arsenal, 
 gunpowder', munitions, and other ord- 
 nance sti^-es, amounting to over twelve 
 hundred tons, and at a cost of several 
 millions of dollars; between four hun- 
 dred and five hundred tons of shells and 
 shot — about seven millions of cartridges 
 for small arms ; all which furnished em- 
 ployment to about six hundred hands. 
 
 St. Louis has a United States sub- 
 treasury, superiiitendency of Indian af- 
 fairs, surveyor-general's office, and cus- 
 tomhouse, and is the general military 
 depot for all the vast region of the west. 
 
 Population. — On this subject there 
 has been a most serious mistake in all 
 the published statistics since 1840. At 
 that time the chartered limits of the city 
 did not extend over one third of its 
 present area. Nearly half of the popu- 
 lation lived out of the chartered limits, 
 and the population of this portion, in 
 the United States census, was placed 
 under the head of the county. The pop- 
 ulation of the chartered limits was only 
 16,469 — but the population then within 
 the present chartered limits would have 
 equalled 26,000. 
 
 The following table shows the popu- 
 lation at various periods : — 
 
 Year. 
 
 Popn. 
 
 Year. 
 
 Pop'n. 
 
 1804, 
 
 800 
 
 1835, 
 
 10,500 
 
 1810, 
 
 1,400 
 
 1837, 
 
 15,300 
 
 1815, 
 
 1,800 
 
 1840, 
 
 26,000 
 
 1820, 
 
 4,598 
 
 1844, 
 
 34,140 
 
 1828, 
 
 5,000 
 
 1845, 
 
 36,255 
 
 1830, 
 
 5,853 
 
 1846, 
 
 47,833 
 
 1833, 
 
 8,397 
 
 1850, 
 
 82,744 
 
 The discrepancies between the year 
 1840 and the United States census are 
 explained above. The number for 1850, 
 is by the United States census. 
 
 Lots in the business part of the city 
 sell from $300 to $500 per linear foot, 
 
I 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI. 
 
 575 
 
 in front — toward the suburbs, from $5 
 to $60 per linear foot. 
 
 There are in the city of St. Louis, 
 about fifty churches, a courthouse, two 
 hospitals, two orphan asylums, several 
 brass and iron foundries, two universities, 
 two medical colleges, many splendid 
 hotels (one of which, the " Planter's 
 House," is not exceeded by any in the 
 United States), and public and private 
 schools and academies. And here we 
 may incidentally remark, that its public 
 schools are hardly exceeded by those of 
 any city in the Union. Among the 
 public buildings the catholic cathedral, 
 with a fine peal of six bells, and the court- 
 house, are the most noticeable. There 
 are also in the city an elegant theatre 
 and a concert-hall. 
 
 The courthouse, though incomplete, 
 is not exceeded in the west, and is situ- 
 ated on the most elevated ground, and 
 commands one of the finest prospects, 
 from its immense cupola. The city is 
 supplied with water from the river, which 
 is elevated by steam to a reservoir con- 
 structed on an immense ancient mound, 
 and situated above the highest build- 
 ings ; and should its population (destined 
 as it is, to become one of the largest cit- 
 ies in the United States) require it, Mer- 
 imac river, larger than four Croton riv- 
 ers, of pure, delicious water, can be 
 brought from the distance of twenty 
 miles, to an unlimited extent, for all 
 pui*poses, including that of manufactures, 
 on an immense scale. 
 
 There is a floating dock, and a rail- 
 way for the repair of steamboats. From 
 forty to fifty steamboats are daily moored 
 to the wharves,, and many of them of 
 the largest size. 
 
 Edina, the county seat of Knox coun- 
 ty, is located in a rich and beautiful 
 section of country, about forty miles 
 from Tully and Canton. 
 
 Memphis, the county seat of Scotland 
 county, is one of the loveliest locations 
 for an inland town in Missouri. It is 
 located in a rich prairie, surrounded 
 by beautiful groves of foi'est trees, the 
 most attracti' i of which is a white-oak 
 in the town, the top of which resembles 
 in shape the top of an umbrella : it is 
 not high, and the top measures up- 
 
 ward of three hundred feet in circum- 
 ference. 
 
 Bethel, is the name of a village five 
 or six miles north of Shelbyville, in 
 Shelby county. It is located on North 
 river, and populated by a body of Ger- 
 mans, who live together on the common 
 stock system. They have a splendid 
 steam-mill in operation (which grinds 
 and saws extensively), a tanyard, and 
 workshops of various kinds ; the build- 
 ings are neat, and comfortably ar- 
 ranged. 
 
 They have a farm of several hundred 
 acres in a superior state of cultivation. 
 The body consists of several hundred 
 persons, all Germans, who appear to be 
 comfortable and happy. 
 
 Tully and Canton. — These two 
 towns are located on the west bank of 
 the Mississippi, about forty miles above 
 Hannibal, in a beautiful prairie bottom, 
 three quarters of a mile in width, and 
 rich beyond description. They are 
 within half a mile of each other. Six or 
 eight counties in Missouri, and a large 
 scope of country on the Illinois side of 
 the river, trade at that point. 
 
 St. Charles, twenty miles west from 
 St. Louis, occupies a commanding situa- 
 tion, on the left bank of the Missouri, at 
 a place where a rocky shore gives place 
 to a low alluvial region just below. The 
 appearance of the town from the water 
 is imposing, as it extends about a mile 
 and a half along the bank of the river. 
 The principal buildings are the court- 
 house, market, nunnery, and two church- 
 es. The population amounts to about 
 1,000. Stage-coaches start every day for 
 St. Louis and Jefferson City, and three 
 times a week for Burlington, Illinois, 
 through New London. 
 
 St. Charles College. — This is a meth- 
 odist institution, founded in 1839. It 
 has about one hundred students. 
 
 Palmyra, eight miles from Missouri 
 river, is one hundred and twenty-nine 
 miles distant from St. Louis, and has 
 1,200 inhabitants. There are three 
 churches, built of brick, a courthouse, 
 and a land office. Stage-coaches go to 
 St. Louis three times a week. 
 
 Masonic collegeis an institution found- 
 ed in 1831. It is situated twelve miles 
 
576 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI. 
 
 ft )ra Palmyra, and has about fifty stu- 
 dents. 
 
 Fulton. — This town stands on Ri- 
 viere aux Vases, twenty-two miles east 
 of Jefferson City, and twelve north of 
 the Missouri. It has about 800 inhab- 
 itants, with two academies, two churches, 
 and a courthouse. 
 
 Columbia is a town of about 2,000 
 inhabitants, on a branch of the Missouri. 
 
 Missouri unii-ersitij situated in Co- 
 lumbia, was founded in 1840, and has 
 three professoi-s and about fifty students. 
 
 BooNEViLLE,onehuTidredand seventy- 
 thi'ee miles from St. Louis, is situated 
 on the bank of the Missouri, on a founda- 
 tion of limestone rock, and contains a 
 population of about 1,800. Cattle and 
 provisions are here supplied in consid- 
 erable quantities, and the trade of the 
 place is active. A communication by 
 land with Jefferson City, Independence, 
 and Columbia, is maintained by stage- 
 coaches, which run three times a week. 
 
 Glasgow. — This town, situated one 
 hundred and seventy-two miles from St. 
 Louis, contains 800 inhabitants, several 
 large stores, and two churches. 
 
 Inoependence, six miles distant from 
 the Missouri, is two hundred and nine- 
 ty-two from St. Louis, and contains 
 about 900 inhabitants. The place is 
 important as the point from which the 
 overland emigrants to California start, 
 with their long trains of vvagons. Of 
 course it is often the scene of much 
 business. 
 
 Liberty is a town about three times 
 the size of Independence, two hundred 
 and seventy-six miles from St. Louis. 
 It stands on the bank of the Missouri, 
 and has five churches, a courthouse, and 
 two academies. Daily coaches run to 
 St. Louis, passing through Glasgow, 
 Columbia, and Fulton. Others go three 
 times a week to St. Joseph. 
 
 St. Joseph, four hundred and seven- 
 ty-eight miles from St. Louis, contains 
 2,000 inhabitants, and is a place of con- 
 siderable trade, with large storehouses, 
 &c. It stands on the Missouri, and, 
 like the other towns so situated, is vis- 
 ited by steamboats. 
 
 The town commences at the foot of a 
 high bluff, just at the upper extremity of 
 
 the Seven-mile prairie bottom, which 
 lies between the range of the " Black 
 Snake hills" and the river. One of the 
 said ranges of hills lies in about the 
 centre of the town jilat, and is about 
 seventy-five feet above the level of the 
 river. They are mostly destitute of 
 trees, but covered with grass. From 
 their base gushes forth the purest water. 
 The country around this thriving village 
 is equal to any in Missouri. 
 
 Springfield, two hundred and fifty- 
 eight miles from St. Louis, stands on 
 the head streams of James's fork of 
 White river. The population is about 
 500. There is a land-oflflce here. 
 
 Cape Girardeau, one hundred and 
 thirty-four miles below St. Louis, is one 
 of the river towns, standing on the right 
 bank of the Missouri. 
 
 St. Ma?-?/s college, founded here in 
 1830, has five professors, and about two 
 thousand five hundred volumes in its 
 libraries. The commencement is held 
 on the last Thursday of August. 
 
 New Madrid, on the right bank of 
 the Missouri, is two hundred and forty- 
 seven miles below St. Louis, at a bend 
 of the river, where the ground is eleva- 
 ted, but gradually undermined by the 
 stream. The population is about 800. 
 By land, a stage communication is kept 
 up three times a week with Cape Gi- 
 rardeau. 
 
 HaNxMbal. — This place is situated 
 north of St. Louis, at the distance of 
 one hundred and sixteen miles, and con- 
 tains several manufactories, as well as 
 stores, of considerable size, and a popu- 
 lation of 1,20('. 
 
 PoTOsi is another , small but busy 
 town, lower down, sixty-seven miles 
 from St. Louis. It stands in the rich 
 mining district in that part of the state, 
 and an active business is done in iron, 
 lead, and copper. It has 900 inhabitants, 
 with four churches, &c. 
 
 Lexington, one hundred and twenty- 
 four miles from Jefl'erson City, is on the 
 right bank of the Missouri, and has about 
 2,000 inhabitants. There are three 
 churches, a land-oflBce, and an academy. 
 Stage-coaches start three times a week 
 for St. Louis, passing through Jefferson 
 City. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI. 
 
 577 
 
 Buffaloes and Elks. — The accompa- 
 nying engraving affords a fine view of 
 such a scene as is very common on our 
 extensive uninhabited western regions. 
 Extending: hia migrations to the north- 
 ward, as the summer advances, the buf- 
 falo (or bison, as he is more correctly 
 named) passes successfully over the 
 hunting-grounds of several different na- 
 tions of Indians, all on the alert to dis- 
 cover, pursue, and slaughter him for his 
 valuable skin, as well as to make food 
 of his flesh. 
 
 The buffalo is a very timid animal, 
 and shuns the vicinity of man with the 
 keenest sagacity ; yet, when overtaken, 
 and harassed or wounded, turns upon 
 its assailants with the utmost fury, who 
 have only to seek safety in flight. In 
 their desperate resistance the finest hor- 
 ses are often destroyed ; but the Indian, 
 with his superior sagacity and dexterity, 
 generally finds some effective mode of 
 escape. 
 
 During the season of the year while 
 the calves are young, the male seems to 
 stroll about by the side of the dam, as 
 if for the purpose of protecting the 
 young, at which time it is exceedingly 
 hazardous to attack them, as they are 
 sure to turn upon their pursuers, who 
 often have to fly to each other's assist- 
 ance. The buffalo-calf, during the first 
 six months, is red, and has so much the 
 appearance of a red calf in cultivated 
 fields, that it could easily be mingled 
 and mistaken among them. In the fall, 
 when it changes its hair, it takes a 
 brown coat for the winter, which it al- 
 ways I'etains. In pursuing a large herd 
 of buffaloes at the season when their 
 calves are but a few weeks old, the 
 hunter is often exceedingly amused with 
 the curious manoeuvres of these shy lit- 
 tle things. Amid the thundering con- 
 fusion of a throng of several hundreds or 
 several thousands of these animals, there 
 will be many of the calves that lose sight 
 of their dams, and being left behind by 
 the throng and the swift-passing hunters, 
 they endeavor to s6crete themselves, 
 when they are exceedingly put to it on 
 a level prairie, where naught can be 
 seen but the short grass of six or eight 
 inches in height, save ar occasional bunch 
 
 of wild sage, a few inches higher, to 
 which the poor affrighted things will run, 
 and, dropping on their knees, will push 
 their noses under it, and into the grass, 
 where they will stand for hours, with 
 their eyes shut, imagining themselves 
 securely hid, while they are standing up 
 quite straight upon their hind feet, and 
 can easily be seen at several miles' dis- 
 tance. It is a familiar amusement for 
 those accustomed to these scenes, to re- 
 treat back over the ground where they 
 have just escorted the herd, and ap- 
 proach these little trembling things, 
 which stubbornly maintain their posi- 
 tions, with their noses pushed under the 
 grass, and their eyes strained upon their 
 pursuers, as they dismount from their 
 horses and pass around them. From this 
 fixed position they are sure not to move 
 until hartds are placed upon them, and 
 then for the shins of a novice we can 
 extend our sympathy ; for if he can pre- 
 serve the skin on his bones from the 
 furious buttings of its head, we know 
 how to congratulate him on his signal 
 success and good luck. In these des- 
 perate struggles, for a moment, the lit- 
 tle thing is conquered, and makes no 
 further resistance. " I have often," says 
 a writer, "in concurrence with a known 
 custom of the country, held my hands 
 over the eyes of the calf, and breathed 
 a few strong breaths into his nostrils ; 
 after which I have, with my hunting 
 companions, rode several miles to our 
 encampment, with the little prisoner 
 busily following the heels of my horse 
 the whole way, as closely and as affec- 
 tionately as its instinct woixld attach it 
 to the company of its dam. This is one 
 of the most extraordinary things that I 
 have met with in the habits of this wild 
 country." 
 
 The elk was one of the most useful 
 animals to the Indians, in those regions 
 where it abounds. It is a large, and 
 sometimes a rather formidable animal, 
 though its first impulse is to escape, 
 when it discovers the approach of man. 
 Elks abounded in New England at the 
 first settlement ; and they have been 
 hunted within half a century, or a little 
 more, among the White hills of New 
 Hampshire. It is the largest of the 
 
 37 
 
 -^-l\ 
 
p:: 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI. 
 
 i79 
 
 deer tribe ; but fossil animals of the 
 kind, found in the earth in several pla- 
 ces in Europe, far exceed it in size. 
 The form is far from graceful, and the 
 gait in running is remarkably awkwai'd, 
 owing, apparently, to the great weight 
 of the horns. The head is carried in a 
 horizontal position, the neck is stretched 
 out straight forward, and the pace or 
 trot throws the body from side to side 
 with a rolling motion. When brought 
 to bay, it sometimes makes dangerous 
 blows with its heavy and projecting 
 horns. 
 
 The flesh of the elk is esteemed for 
 food, but is less common in the west 
 than buffalo meat. 
 
 Hunting the Buffalo. — There are sev- 
 eral modes and several ditferent weap- 
 ons by which the buffalo is slain by the 
 Indians of different tribes, and at differ- 
 ent seasons. The gun is not, however, 
 preferred, so generally, as might be ex- 
 pected, nor so extensively adopted as it 
 might be. Several of the nations in the 
 western plains are excellent bowmen, 
 and are furnished with bows and arrows, 
 which serve them admirably against 
 these swift and powerful animals. It 
 is a well-established fact, that an arrow 
 sent by a strong and dexterous hand, 
 and sti'iking at a favorable instant be- 
 tween the ribs, occasionally passes 
 through the body of the buffalo, and 
 falls to the ground beyond him. When, 
 therefore, we recollect the shortness and 
 lightness of the bow (the best of which 
 are only three or four feet in length), 
 and rapidity with which an'ows can be 
 thrown (sometimes an Indian in sport 
 will keep ten arrows in the air at a 
 time), we may perceive that the use of 
 this simple weapon is not I'etained with- 
 out reason. 
 
 The Camanches, on the borders of 
 Texas, often prefer their lances, in the 
 chase as in war ; riding up by the buf- 
 falo's side, and with a sudden, sidelong 
 thrust, penetrating his heart. Passing 
 on, another and another is thus mortally 
 wounded, and several are seen dying at 
 once, from blows inflicted in rapid suc- 
 cession, by one weapon. 
 
 The lasso is used by some tribes in 
 
 in immediate use, the long cord is some 
 times allowed to drag behind on the ! 
 ground, so that if the horseman is acci- 
 dentally dismounted, he may seize it 
 and recover his steed and his seat. 
 
 Mr. Catlin gives the following de- 
 scription of other methods sometimes 
 practised : — 
 
 In the dead of winter, which is very 
 long and severely cold in this country, 
 where horses can not be brought into 
 the chase with any avail, the Indian runs 
 upon the surface of the snow by the aid 
 of his snow-shoes, which buoy him up, 
 while the great weight of the buffaloes, 
 sinks them down to the middle of their 
 sides, and, completely stopping their 
 progress, insures them certain and easy 
 victims to the bow or lance of their pur- 
 suers. The snow in these regions often 
 lies, during the win*'et, to the depth of 
 three or four feet, being blown away 
 from the tops and sides of the hills in 
 many places, which are left bare fur the 
 buffaloes to graze upon, while it is drift- 
 ed in the hollows and ravines to a very 
 great depth, and rendered almost entii-ely 
 impassable to all these huge animals, 
 which, when closely pursued by their 
 enemies, endeavor to plunge through it, 
 but are soon wedged in and almost una- 
 ble to move, where they fall an easy 
 prey to the Indian, who runs up lightly 
 upon his show-shoes and drives his lance 
 to their hearts. The skins are then 
 stripped off, to be sold to the fur-traders, 
 and the carcasses left to be devoured by 
 the wolves. This is the season in which 
 the greatest number of these animals is 
 destroyed for their robes — they are ea- 
 sily killed at this time, and their hair or 
 fur being longer and more abundant, 
 give greater value to the robe. 
 
 The Indians generally kill and dry 
 meat enough in the fall, when it is fat 
 and juicy, to last them all winter; so 
 that they have little other object for this 
 unlimited slaughter, amid the drifts of 
 snow, than that of procuring their robes 
 for traffic with the traders. The snow- 
 shoes are made in a great many forms, 
 of two and three feet in length, and one 
 foot or more in width, of a hoop or hoops 
 bent around for the frame, with a net- 
 
 certain circumstances ; and, when not , ting of web woven across with string 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI. 
 
 581 
 
 of raw hide, on which the feet rest, and 
 to which they are fastened with straps 
 somewhat like a skate. With these the 
 Indian will glide over the snow with 
 astonishing quickness, without sinking 
 down, or scai'cely leaving his track 
 whei'e he has gone. 
 
 The poor buffaloes have their enemy, 
 man, besetting and besieging thera at 
 all times of the year, and in all the 
 modes that man in his superior wisdom 
 has been able to devise for their destruc- 
 tion. They struggle in vain to evade 
 his deadly shafts, when he dashes among 
 them over the plains on the wild horse 
 — they plunge into the snow-drifts where 
 they yield themselves an easy prey to 
 their destroyers, and they also stand 
 unwittingly and behold him, unsuspect- 
 ed under the skin of a white wolf, in- 
 sinuating himself and his fatal weapons 
 into close company, when they are 
 peaceably grazing on the level prairies, 
 and shot down before they are aware of 
 their danger. 
 
 T/te Elkhorn Pyramid. — This re- 
 markable object, represented in the 
 vignette at the head of the description 
 of this state, is to be seen on Two-Thou- 
 sand-Mile river, one of the branches of 
 the Missouri, so named by Lewis and 
 Clarke, at that distance from its mouth 
 in the Mississippi. The surrounding 
 country is an extensive level, called the 
 Prairie a la Corne dc Ccrf. The numer- 
 ous paths made in all directions through 
 the artemisia bushes, indicate an abun- 
 dance of elk and deer, which roam free- 
 ly through the broad and fertile pas- 
 tures there offered them by nature. 
 
 It has long been the practice with the 
 Indians, to collect some of the cast-off 
 horns of those animals from the vicinity 
 of the spot, and add them to a heap, 
 which was commenced at some unknown 
 period. A few buffalo-horns are min- 
 gled with the rest. Mr. Bodmer, who 
 visited and examined it, describes the 
 heap as sixteen or eighteen feet in 
 height, and twelve or fifteen in diametei', 
 aTid probably containing about twelve 
 or fifteen hundred horns. He found 
 great difficulty in disentangling a large 
 horn with fourteen antlers, so compactly 
 are all parts of this fabric laid togethei". 
 
 He made a drawing of the pyramid, be- 
 fore leaving the spot, from which that in 
 the vignette has been reduced. Every 
 hunting and war pfrty that passes near 
 the spot makes an addition to the heap, 
 probably under some superstitious idea. 
 
 Missouri Iron ]S[ountains. — There are 
 two or three iron mountains, situated 
 not far distant from each other, and 
 forty or fifty miles west of the Missis- 
 sippi. One of them is seven hundred, 
 and the other over three hundred, feet in 
 height, above the surrounding plain. 
 
 The iron with which they abound is a 
 peroxyde, consisting of twenty parts 
 iron, and fourteen parts oxygen — thus 
 constituting a very rich ore of iron. As 
 you approach either of these mount- 
 ains, and before you get to it, you find 
 lumps and masses of this form of iron, 
 scattered much like the stones of New 
 England. Advancing, you find the mas- 
 ses in larger numbers and greater size ; 
 and so on up the mountains, till you ap- 
 proach their summits, where you find 
 one vast capping to the mountain of 
 these iron rocks and stones, whose 
 depths have never been explored. 
 
 Of course, how far they go down we 
 do not know, nor what proportion of the 
 substance of these mountains is iron, 
 but we perceive the quantity there to 
 be immense, almost beyond calculation ; 
 enough to supply the whole human race, 
 even under the present vast consump- 
 tion of iron, with the metal for ages to 
 come! The base and sides of tne 
 mountains are thickly and beautifully 
 wooded ; even after you come to the 
 immense cappings with which the 
 mountains are rounded off, you find the 
 trees everywhere shoot up among those 
 iron rocks, although you can discover 
 scarce a trace of soil. 
 
 These vast deposites of ore, so long 
 discredited, although repeatedly asserted 
 to exist, are doubtless destined to con- 
 tribute a large share of that material, so 
 important to every branch of art, and so 
 indispensable an article to civilization. 
 Distance, the thinness of the population, 
 and other circumstances, have hitherto 
 prevented the extensive reduction of the 
 ore. But the increase of inhabitants 
 will make a rapid change. 
 
 X 
 
Iowa is bounded north by the 
 Minnesota territory, east by the Mis- 
 sissippi river, which separates it from 
 Wisconsin and Illinois, south by 
 Missouri, and west by Missouri riv- 
 er, which separates it from Nebras- 
 ka. It lies between 40° 20' and 43° 
 north latitude, and 90^ 20' and 96"^ 
 50' west longitude, with a length of 
 about two hundred and fifty-six 
 miles, a medium breadth of one hun- 
 dred and ninety-eight, and an area 
 of about fifty thousand nine hundred 
 square miles. 
 The state is well watered by numerous navigable rivers and streamlets flowing 
 into the Mississippi and Missouri rivers which bound the stnte. The principal 
 of these are the Red Cedar and Iowa, and the Des Moines, winch empty into ihe 
 Mississippi. The rivers falling into the Missouri are comparatively unimportant. 
 Up to the year 18.36, Iowa and Wisconsin, as well as Michigan, were embraced 
 in the territory of Michigan. 
 
 Iowa was Indian territory as lately as in 1832, except a claim at Du Butpie's 
 mines. About five hundred persons, chiefly miners, had entered and labored on the 
 Dubuque tract two or three years previously. The first emigrants who made 
 farms in this now growing state, entered the territory in February, 1S33, in the 
 settlement a few miles back of Burlington. The first Christian church gathered 
 was a baptist one, in 1834. 
 
 The growth of Iowa has been more rapid than that of any other western state. 
 Its population now equals 200,000. It will soon be one of the great states of the 
 west No country on the globe is better situated for farming purposes. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF IOWA. 
 
 f)83 
 
 Iowa City, the capital of Iowa, on I Iowa. In Lee county, about ten miles 
 
 the left bank of the rivei of the same 
 name, at the head of navigation, is thir- 
 ty-one miles from Muscatine, and en- 
 joys a pleasant situation. The number 
 of inhabitants is about 3,000. The pub- 
 lic buildings are the capitol, courthouse, 
 and several churches. Stage-coaches 
 g^ three times a week to Burlington and 
 Rock Island, Indiana. 
 
 The capitol is a fine building, chiefly 
 in the Doric style, with a dome rising 
 from the centre on twenty-two Corin- 
 thian columns. 
 
 Burlington. — This flourishing town 
 stands on the Mississippi, two hundred 
 and twenty-two miles above St. Louis. 
 The situation is pleasant and picts- 
 resque, on a rising ground, stretching up 
 toward a range of hills which almost 
 surround it. The streets run at equal 
 distances and at ris^ht ang-les. The 
 population is about 6,000. Daily com- 
 munication is had by steamboats with 
 near and distant river towns above and 
 below, and by stage-coaches three times 
 a week with Dubuque, &:c. Burlington 
 was originally the capital of Iowa, and 
 contains many fine public buildings. 
 The site was formerly known as the 
 Flint-halls, an old Indian trading post, 
 and was the residence of the celebrated 
 Indian chief Black Hawk, whose re- 
 mains are buried here. 
 
 Muscatine (formerly Bloomington) 
 ninely-six miles south of Dubuque, is 
 one of the most thriving towns in the 
 state. Population, at the present time, 
 about 4,000. 
 
 Keokuk, a few miles north of the 
 mouth of the Missouri, is becoming 
 rapidly a place of importance, and has, 
 of late years, increased in population 
 and wealth, perhaps more than any other 
 town in the state. It has a large com- 
 merce, and many advantages in situation 
 and topography, which must ultimately 
 make it a most flourishing mart. The 
 present population is about 5,000. 
 
 Some years ago an ancient wall of 
 large dimensions was discovered, at 
 what is now called Azatlan, in Wiscon- 
 sin, between the Four lakes and Mil- 
 
 from Burlington, a stone wall was acci 
 dentally discovered on the farm of JMr. 
 William Heiter, while he was sinkino- 
 posts for a fence. 
 
 It is about two feet wide, two feet 
 deep, and laid regularly, the stone lap- 
 ped after the fashion of foundation 
 walls. It appears to have been the 
 foundation of some ancient building or 
 superstructure of square dimensir)ns, 
 about twenty-two feet either way. It is 
 on the highest point of the prairie, the 
 ground receding from it in every direc- 
 tion. Not a stone or a pebble except 
 those in the wall, can be found in half a 
 mile of the place. Most of it is now 
 uncovered, and a part of the northern 
 wall removed. There is a middle or 
 partition wall. Many of the stones are 
 gi'eatly decayed. 
 
 Dubuque is also a river-town, and is 
 four hundred and twenty-six miles from 
 St. Louis, and three hundred and six 
 from the falls of St. Anthony. The 
 bank of the Mississippi is elevated and 
 level for several miles above and below 
 Dubuque, forming an advantageous po- 
 sition for a town. There are about 
 5,.500 inhabitants. The public build- 
 ings are five churches, a land-office, a 
 bank, &c. 
 
 Janesville. — In this fine town, the 
 county seat of Rock county, numerous 
 evidences of rapid and prosperous growth 
 everywhere meet the eye. On both 
 sides of the river many buildings are 
 going up ; the streets are crowded with 
 teams ; business of all kinds appears 
 brisk, and there is an air of enterprise, 
 activity, and advancement, pervading the 
 whole town, which must impress and 
 surprise the most indifferent observer. 
 Conspicuous among the buildings is a 
 large flour-mill on the west side of the 
 river. This substantial structure is 
 eighty feet by fifty, five stories high, 
 seventy feet from the ridge to the water- 
 line, and rests upon solid stone-walls five 
 and a half feet in thickness, designed for 
 six run of stone. No expense has been 
 spai'ed in making this mill eT'°l to any 
 in the western coup''»'^. I'he t(jtal cost 
 
 waukie. The antiquarian may now find i can not be f«r fiom forty-five thousand 
 an additional field for his researches in { dollars, jiiven in a dry season there is 
 
584 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF IOWA. 
 
 abundance of water, in the rock, at 
 Janesville, to keep all the wheels of this 
 mill in constant motion. 
 
 One significant circumstance in the 
 growth of Janesville (and this is equally 
 true of almost all the towns and village 
 in the territory) is, that the surrounding 
 country has grown even more rapidly 
 than the town. On Rock prairie some 
 two years since, for a distance of ten or 
 twelve miles, the improvements were 
 slight and the houses scarce. Now, the 
 roads are fenced in nearly their entire 
 length, and bordered by improved farms 
 under skilful cultivation, with comforta- 
 ble tenements, and every appearance -of 
 an industrious and thriving population. 
 This is it which renders the growth of 
 Janesville substantial as well as rapid, 
 and which makes the increase and rapid 
 improvement of the state a marvel in 
 the history of civilized settlements. 
 
 A Log Cabin and Saw-Mill. — One 
 of the most useful of all " improve- 
 ments" that can be introduced into a 
 new district where timber is to be 
 found, is a saw-mill ; and many an ex- 
 tensive region has long suffered from 
 the want of one. The deficiency is more 
 frequently supplied, however, of late 
 years, since settlements have been more 
 frequently undertaken by companies of 
 capitalists. Under their care many 
 conveniences are at once introduced, 
 not within the reach of single emigrants 
 or of a few poor families, whose pecu- 
 niary means are apt to be exhausted 
 before they reach their new homes, or 
 who at least can not transport to so 
 great a distance anything more than the 
 most simple necessaries. 
 
 ]3ut where capital is furnished, and 
 preparatory measures taken, for the oc- 
 cupation of a new point in the wilder- 
 ness, and the founding of a new town, 
 the explorers first report all the neces- 
 sary steps to be made, and plans are 
 laid, tools, materials, and workmen, sent 
 out, and constructions commenced be- 
 fore the settlers arrive. And then one 
 of the very first points secured is a mill- 
 site, where a saw may be set in motion, 
 and the neighboring forest-trees cut up 
 into timber, plank, and boards. For 
 this end a rapid stream must be found ; 
 
 and, in extensive regions in our western 
 prairies, this is not to be had. Such 
 favored spots, therefore, in their neigh- 
 borhood, as possess water-power, are 
 rendered doubly important by the ex- 
 tensive demand. 
 
 The saw-mill, simple as it is, is inval- 
 uable to a new settlement. Without it 
 not a plank, board, timber, or other piece 
 of wood, can be obtained, for any purpose, 
 except by the laborious process of sawing 
 by hand, or the still more laboiious one 
 of hewing, more commonly resorted to. 
 Many a table has been made, by slowly 
 cutting a broad plank out of the middle 
 of a log, with the axe alone ; and the 
 extreme difficulty of prucuring wood in 
 convenient forms, has long delayed the 
 advance of society from the rudest state 
 to a grade of comfort worthy of the 
 name of civilization. 
 
 How different a state of things is im- 
 mediately introduced by the busy mo- 
 tion of the saw-mill! The shapeless 
 logs, felled in the neighboring forest, or 
 brought down by the current of the riv- 
 er, take every form desired ; and the 
 tight frame-house I'ises, with all its su- 
 perior advantages of floors, partitions, 
 second stories, good doors, stairs, and 
 furniture. In shurt, the saw alone 
 adapts the rude trees of the woods to 
 the convenient use of man. 
 
 Description of a Prairie in lotca. — 
 " When for the first time," says a 
 writer, " I stood upon the edge of the 
 prairie upon which I now reside, it was 
 about noon of a beautiful October day. 
 We emerged from the wood, and for 
 miles around saw stretched forth one 
 broad expanse of clear, open land. I 
 stood alone, wrapt up in that peculiar 
 sensation that man only feels when be- 
 holding a broad, rolling prairie for the 
 first time — an indescribable, delightful 
 feeling. O, what a rich mine of wealth 
 lay outstretched before me ! 
 
 " No plough or spade has broken the 
 sod for ages ; no magician has appeared 
 with the husbandman's magic wand, and 
 said to the coarse and useless grass 
 that has grown for centuries, ' Be gone ; 
 give place to the lovely Ceres with her 
 golden sheaves.' 
 
 " Little does one know or think, as 
 
 iJ 
 
586 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF IOWA. 
 
 be digs in the corn among the stones of 
 New England, what vast quantities of 
 such land lie waste in the west, and 
 how few are there to improve them ; 
 and what is worse, how indolent a great 
 portion of that few are. Talk of the 
 country being sickly ! why, the worst 
 epidemi; that ever raged in any country 
 is that idleness which fixes itself, incu- 
 bus-like, upon the whole population of 
 an extraordinary fertile soil. 
 
 *' But who that ever undertook, ever 
 satisfied his inquirers as to how a prai- 
 rie looks while in a state of nature 1 The 
 reason is that there is nothing analo- 
 gous, to which one can compare it, in 
 a thickly-settled country. But let the 
 reader fancy the country with which he 
 is best acquainted in an old settled 
 region, entirely destitute of buildings 
 or fences, or, in fact, any mark of civili- 
 zation, with all the hills reduced so as 
 to make a gently-rolling surface, the 
 woodland to remain as it is, and the en- 
 tire surface of cleared land covered with 
 grass, that upon the upland thick and 
 short, in the low lands one or two feet 
 high, and in the swamps four or five 
 feet, and he may have a very faint idea 
 how a prairie looks. 
 
 "Gently undulating, applies to all 
 prairie countries within my knowledge. 
 Sometimes, though rarely, hills occur 
 that are too steep to cultivate conveni- 
 ently, and sometimes rocky bluft's. But 
 a general characteristic is destitution of 
 stone. 
 
 " The streams have generally muddy 
 bottoms. The timber in the groves or 
 islands that abound throughout this sea 
 of grass, is most commonly short, and 
 grows thin upon the ground, without 
 underbrush, except at the edges, where 
 the hazel-bush seems to be the advanced 
 guard, and is constantly encroaching 
 upon the prairie. There are large 
 tracts of timber land called ' barrens,' 
 which are about half way between prai- 
 rie and timber land — the trees standing 
 apart like an orchard, and the ground 
 covered with grass, the sod of which is 
 much less tough than that on tlie 
 prairie. 
 
 "One very prominent featui'e of a 
 prairie is the constant and ever-varying 
 
 succession of flowers from sprinsr till 
 fall." ^ ° 
 
 The whole valley of the upper Mis- 
 sissippi was almost wholly unknown to 
 American geographers twenty years ago, 
 though the French Jesuits and " cou- 
 reurs des bois" were acquainted with it 
 for a century and a half before. Brad- 
 ford remarks that the whole region be- 
 tween the mouths of the Illinois and 
 Missouri, and Lake Michigan and Coun- 
 cil Bluft's, and further west, is one vast 
 plain, slightly sloping to the south and 
 east. 'I'he land between the Mississippi 
 and the lake is only five hundred feet 
 above the level of the Atlantic. Among 
 the best portions of the upper Mississip- 
 pi, is reckoned the whole of Iowa, the 
 northern part of which, by reason of an 
 admixture of sand, is rendered more 
 moist and later in forwarding crops than 
 the climate would lead us to expect. 
 Carbonate of lime exists in the prairie 
 soils, from twenty to forty per cent., 
 but in much smaller proportion in the 
 timber lands. Forests grow up sponta- 
 neously on the prairies, when fire is kept 
 out. St. Louis county was changed from 
 an open prairie to a thick forest in this 
 way, in thirteen years. 
 
 The following general geological stra- 
 ta are found in the whole of the eastern 
 upper Mississippi country, as truly as in 
 Iowa : 1st, vegetable mould, eight to 
 thirty inches ; 2d, pure yellow clay, three 
 to eight feet ; 3d, gravelly clay with peb- 
 bles, four to ten feet ; 4th, limestone, two 
 to twelve feet; 5th, shale; 6th, bitumi- 
 nous coal ; 7th, soapstone ; 8th, sand- 
 stone. The limestone exists every- 
 where. Every well and other excava- 
 tion, which penetrates deep enough, 
 discloses it, and it is exposed by many 
 streams. 
 
 The western part of Iowa is chiefly 
 mountain limestone, with strata of fossil 
 chalk formations, wholly or chiefly of 
 shells. Such is the summit of the bluff' 
 at Burlington, and of this is formed the 
 fine whitish marble of Iowa City. In 
 the south, between the Des Moines and 
 Iowa I'ivers, are several varieties of mar- 
 ble, some of them black, variegated, &:c. 
 Agates and cornelians are washed out on 
 the banks of the Mississippi in abundance. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN. 
 
 587 
 
 The state of Wisconsin is bound- 
 ed north by Lake Superior and the 
 northern peninsula of Michigan ; east 
 by Lake Micliigaii ; souih by Illinois ; 
 and west by Iowa and the territory i)f 
 Miiniesotii.' It lies between 4 2° 30' 
 and 47° north latitude, and 87° and 
 92° 30' west longitude. The lengih 
 is about three hundred miles, and 
 the breadth two hundred, containing 
 about fifty-four thousand squtire miles. 
 The population in 1840, was 30,945, 
 and in 1850, 304,121. Those parts of 
 the state that lie south of Green Bay, 
 Fox. river, and the Wisconsin, present a vai'iety of prairie and timber land, with 
 some swamps and wet prairies, and a rich soil, varying from one foot to ten feet in 
 depth. The north part is mountainous, declining into hills and a swelling surface, 
 which terminates at Wisconsin river. The streams in that part of the state are 
 often wild, and much broken by falls and rapids. That part of the state in which 
 some of the head streams of the Mississippi have their origin, is an elevated table- 
 land, abounding in swamps, which produce wild rice, and ponds well stocked 
 with fish. The forests are extensive and thick along the banks of the Mississippi 
 and Wisconsin rivers, the land being rich. 
 
 The rivers are large. The Mississippi lines the west border. The Wisconsin is 
 five hundred miles long, and the Chippeway is further north. Rock river is also 
 a large stream. The Neenah, or Fox river, flows near the Wisconsin, through land 
 in some places so low, that boats may pass between them in times of light floods. 
 The former is navigable one hundred and eighty miles in boats. 
 
 Black river rises in the interior of Wisconsin, and after running a southwesterly 
 
588 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN. 
 
 course about two hundred and fifty 
 miles, flows into the Mississippi about 
 eighty-five miles above Prairie du Chien. 
 Below the falls, which are about ninety 
 miles from the mouth of the river, the 
 country is mostly a hilly prairie. The 
 predominating rock, which is the base 
 of hills at Prairie du Chien, rises in ran- 
 ges of hills, or single bluffs, of all shapes, 
 and running in every direction ; varying 
 in height from one hundred to five bun- 
 dled feet above the plain. The soil, 
 which appears to be formed by the 
 gradual denudation of these hills is light 
 and sandy, and, for the most part, pos- 
 sesses but little fertility. The alluvial 
 deposites on the bank of the river, how- 
 ever, are rich natural meadows, covered 
 with a most luxuriant growth of grass. 
 These meadows appear to be entirely 
 undisturbed by the foot of man or beast, 
 and the traveller is almost led to ima- 
 gine that they must be under the pro- 
 tection of an owner, who is cultivating 
 hay on a large scale, and the appear- 
 ance of an extensive hay-pressing es- 
 tablishment would appear almost as a 
 thing of course. 
 
 On the prairie berries and a variety 
 of flowers grow in profusion. The 
 strawberries are small. Among the 
 flowers is a species of phlox, exceeding 
 in splendor any of the family in an 
 uncultivated state. The large yellow 
 moccasin-flower, or ladies' slipper, is 
 very common, and gives quite a variety 
 of color to the prairies. In addition to 
 their rich and varied coloring, most of 
 these possess fragrance. There is an 
 occasional grove to be seen, and the 
 streams are generally skirted with tim- 
 ber, among which are several .species of 
 oak, white and black birch, maple, pop- 
 lar, (Sec, but as a whole, this part of the 
 country is deficient in fencing material, 
 and, with the exception of the choice 
 situations, must, for farming purposes, 
 remain unoccupied for many years. For 
 a distance of ninety miles there is but 
 one house near the river, and this is at 
 a mill-site at the mouth of one of the 
 numerous streams which flow into it. 
 This being about forty-five miles from 
 the mouth of the rivei", and an equal 
 distance below the falls is a stopping- 
 
 place for raftsmen, and those persons 
 visiting the upper country in search of 
 em[ oyment or to make claims. About 
 five rniles distant from this house, and 
 settled by the same family (Douglass 
 and sons), is a farm of fertile land under 
 a good state of cultivation, though it is 
 but two or three years since the settle- 
 ment was made. The road through this 
 part of the country is still a very primi- 
 tive one, and is travelled only by f )ot- 
 men and horses ; no vehicle of any 
 description except such as were merely 
 for transportation to the upper country, 
 having as yet found their way along it. 
 The mode of ferrying is equally primi- 
 tive ; passengers and their baggage be- 
 ing taken across in a canoe at a dime a 
 head, while the horses are allowed to 
 swim beside it. From the mouth to the 
 falls, small flat-bottomed boats are used 
 to transport provisions, but even this 
 sort 'of navigation is frequently suspend- 
 ed during the low water in summer, on 
 account of the numerous sand-bars with 
 which the river abounds. 
 
 From latitude forty-five degrees north 
 to near Lake Superior, and from the head 
 waters of the St. Croix to those of the 
 streams flowing into Green bay, about 
 one hundred miles in length and breadth, 
 the whole country may be regarded as 
 a series of swamps, lakes,, and rivers, 
 with just sufficient dry land interspersed 
 to serve for the summer residence of n 
 ^e-w hundred Indians, who still hold it 
 as their huntinff-s^round. Seven eighths 
 of the entire country north of forty-five 
 degrees is one immense swamp, inter- 
 spersed with narrow sandy ridges ; and 
 not over one tenth of it suitable for 
 cultivation. Some of this swampy land 
 may ultimately become valuable for the 
 timber it affords, being covered ivith a 
 beautiful growth of cedar, very straight 
 and tall, and from one to two feet in di- 
 ameter. The tamcrack, if it were near 
 the coast, might be in demand for masts 
 and spars, being superior to any other 
 species of pine in height as compared 
 with size, and in the firmness, elasticity 
 and durability of its timber ; but this 
 central region of eternal swamp has no 
 navigable rivers to float it out. Hem- 
 lock, fir, and spruce, are the growth of 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN. 
 
 589 
 
 perhaps the greater part of this low, which are sometimes so disposed across 
 
 wet tract of country. Many of these 
 
 the worst places as to form some support 
 
 swamps have in their middle lakes of j for the foot. The Indian ponies used for 
 from half a mile to several miles in ex- ! packing soon get accustomed to these 
 tent ; some of these are connected with matters, and it is interesting to observe 
 
 streams of water, forming chains for 
 many miles in length. Comparatively 
 few among the Indians, and scarcely 
 any of the whites, have ever penetrated 
 these gloomy water-cuiises so as to 
 have become at all familiar with their 
 outlets. 
 
 For many years pas i portion of the 
 Chippewa or Ojibwa ibe of Indians 
 have had their summe esidence around 
 a chain of lakes, the 1 gest of which is 
 known as " Lake de t ambeau," situa- 
 ted about the middle of tiiis low flat 
 country ; they have drawn their sum- 
 mer subsistence from the waters, and in 
 winter have spread over the frozen sur- 
 face of the forest and marsh, in search of 
 bear, deer, fox, beaver, otter, marten, 
 and other valuable peltries and furs, 
 which find a ready market at the vari- 
 ous trading posts on the Mississippi and 
 Its lakes. 
 
 Swamps form a vei-y considerable por- 
 tion of the territory of northern Wiscon- 
 sin. From these sources flow the head- 
 waters of the numerous streams with 
 v/hich the whole country is abundantly 
 supplied, and which, uniting, form the 
 tributaries of the rivers which flow into 
 the Mississippi on the west, and the great 
 lakes on the northeast. 
 
 Of those most difficult to pass, the al- 
 der-swamps are perhaps the most com- 
 mon, such having nothing larger than 
 the alder growing in them. Most of 
 these are exceedingly miry, and many 
 of them for horses quite impassable. On 
 foot and without a load, a man may ea- 
 sily step from clump to clump of the al- 
 ders, and thus get safely across ; but a 
 misstep may let him into the mud to the 
 depth of several feet. It is fortunate for 
 the traveller that these are the smallest 
 in size of any, for though frequently ma- 
 ny miles in length, they are seldom over 
 half a mile wide. 
 
 When absolutely necessary to get pack- 
 horses across these morasses, the most 
 favorable crossing-place is selected, and 
 a road made by cutting away the alders, 
 
 the caution and willingness with which 
 they encounter difticulties of th's kind. 
 When the path is prejiared, r,je of the 
 horses is led over. On e' (ering the 
 swamp, he places his foo' with great 
 care, moving it a few in-^nes at a time, 
 until he feels that his footing is sufficient- 
 ly firm to bear him up, when another foot 
 is advanced in a similar manner. If, 
 however, despite his care, he sinks into 
 the mire beyond the power of extrica- 
 ting himself, he takes it as coolly as can 
 be imagined, remaining perfectly quiet 
 until all arrangements aie made for his 
 assistance, and then, at a word, using the 
 greatest possible exertions to second the 
 efforts of those endeavoring to extricate 
 him. When the horses are all over, their 
 packs are carried across, and they are re- 
 loaded as before. 
 
 The black-ash swamps are also very 
 miry, and differ from those already de- 
 scribed, in having that species of tree 
 thinly scattered through them, while the 
 alder is merely an undergrowth. 
 
 Those swamps in which the cedar pre- 
 dominates, however, are the most formi- 
 dable, and are quite impassable for a 
 horse, which must either meander, or 
 turn back. The fallen but undecayed 
 trunks of the trees, some of them per- 
 haps the growth of four ages, lie across 
 each other in every direction. As these 
 become covered wi^h moss, young trees 
 commence gi'owing on the tops of the 
 trunks, sending their roots down the sides 
 and into the ground, thus sometimes form- 
 ing the novel sight of a large tree stand- 
 ing erect over the trunk of perhaps its 
 fallen ancestor. The undergrowth is en- 
 tirely of cedar, and is so dense, fnat ar 
 unencumbered man would be obliged, ii. 
 addition to climbing the logs, to cut near- 
 ly his whole way through this bristling 
 underbrush, in order to cross it. They 
 are not miry, but are often miles in width, 
 with water under the roots of the trees 
 as clear as crystal and very cold. 
 
 The tamarack, a species of pine, is a 
 very common production. The swamps 
 
590 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN. 
 
 producing this ai'e sometimes miry, in 
 which case they have an undergrowth of 
 alder. In other instances the whole sur- 
 face of the ground is covered with an 
 aquatic plant resembling moss, which 
 grows to the height of from eight to 
 twelve inches, holds water equal to a 
 sponge, and though no water appears 
 upon the surface, the foot of the ti'avel- 
 ler sinks into the soft, yielding, sponge- 
 like moss so as to bring it around his an- 
 kles and frequently higher. 
 
 The hemlock, fir, larch, and spruce 
 s\Aamps have little to distinguish them, 
 other than the species of tree which they 
 produce. Many of them have lakes in 
 the middle, the water being of a reddish- 
 brown color, and not the most palatable. 
 They may all be penetrated during the 
 dry summer-months ; all are mud during 
 wet weather, and all abound in musqui- 
 toes and other jjestiferous insects. 
 
 Racine, the capital of Racine county, 
 is a thriving town, situated on Lake 
 Michigan, at the mouth of Root river. 
 It is one hundred and twelve miles from 
 Madison, and seven hundred and eighty 
 from Washington. It contains a court- 
 house and jail. There are here two 
 academies, with about one hundred stu- 
 dents. The population is increasing 
 verv rapidly, at present numbering nearly 
 6,000. There are about $200,000 in"- 
 vested in trade and manufactures. 
 
 Madison, one hundred and fifty-nine 
 miles from Chicago, is the capital of 
 Wisconsin. It stands on a peninsula 
 between two lakes. The situation is 
 very favorable, the ground rising gradu- 
 ally from the water on both sides to a 
 moderate elevation in the middle, where 
 a spacious square is laid out, the site of 
 the statehouse. This is a large building 
 of stone, with a fine dome rising from the 
 centre. The population is over 1,200 ; 
 and there are several churches of differ- 
 ent denominations. Stage-coaches run 
 to Milwaukie, Rockfort (Illinois), Gale- 
 na, and Fort Winnebago, three times a 
 week. 
 
 The city of Milwaukie commences 
 about a mile above the mouth of the riv- 
 er of that name, at a place called Walk- 
 er's P((int, and extends about a mile and 
 a half alonsf the river. Below Walker's 
 
 Point the river is bordered by impassa- 
 ble marshes. The ground occupied by 
 the town is uneven, rising from the riv- 
 er to the height of from fifty to one hun- 
 dred feet, thus affording very beautiful 
 situations for residences, commanding a 
 full view of the town and bay, with its 
 shipping. But few of these sites have 
 yet been occupied and improved as their 
 great importance and interesting views 
 would lead us to expect. Along the base 
 and front of these hills are a great num- 
 ber of springs of pure water, sufficient, 
 if collected into a reservoir, to supply 
 the wants of a considerable population. 
 The river is sufficiently wide and deep 
 to accommodate a large amount of ship- 
 j^ing, and continues so for some distance 
 above the city. At the head of this navi- 
 gable portion of the river, a dam has 
 been built by the " Milwaukie and Rock 
 River Canal-Company," which raises the 
 water twelve feet above high water, and 
 causes a slack-water navigation extend- 
 ing two miles further up the stream. A 
 canal of one mile and a quarter brings 
 this water into the town on the west side 
 of the river, and creates there a water- 
 power which is estimated to be equal to 
 about one hundred runs of millstones ; 
 and the canal has a width and depth suf- 
 ficient to pass almost the whole body of 
 water into the river. The manufactories 
 erected on this canal have the advantage 
 of being located on the immediate bank 
 of the river, and may be approached by 
 the lar2:est steamboats navicjatino: the 
 great lakes : thus affording advantages 
 not usually found associated in the west- 
 ern country. The city is ninety-seven 
 miles from Chicago. 
 
 The settlement of Milwaukie was com- 
 menced in 1835. The village was laid 
 out the same year. In less than fifteen 
 ! months its population amounted to 1200. 
 A land-office was opened there in IS3G, 
 at whicn the amount of money received 
 in ten years was $2,221,359 73. This, 
 it is stated in " Lapham's Wisconsin" 
 was about two thirds of the whole pro- 
 ceeds of sales of public lands during that 
 time in the territory. Till the season of 
 1835 the waters of Milwaukie bay were 
 undisturbed by any craft save the In- 
 dian's canoe, or perhaps the rudely-con- 
 
592 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN. 
 
 structed boat of a fur-trader or fisher- 
 man. Now more than a thousand en- 
 trances are made there annually by ves- 
 sels and steamboats. The amount of 
 merchandise, flour, pork, wheat, lard, 
 furs, lead, copper, &c., shipped from 
 year to year, is immense, and is i-apidly 
 increasing. 
 
 The present population of Milwaukie 
 is supposed to be between twenty and 
 thirty thousand, and was never multi- 
 plying faster. Almost every water-craft 
 from the east that enters that port, has 
 one or more new settlers on board. The 
 number of buildings now going up would 
 indicate thrift and prosperity. And here 
 we might mention that a large part of 
 the houses and blocks are built of brick, 
 which, in this place, is of a light cream 
 color (owing, it is said, to the absence 
 of iron), and presents a strikingly-beau- 
 tiful appearance. It draws the attention 
 and excites the admiration of all stran- 
 
 Prairie du Chien, on the Mississippi, 
 is the most prominent point on that river. 
 It is situated a few miles north of the 
 Wisconsin river, and has its name fiom 
 the beautiful prairie on which it is loca- 
 ted. It is one of the oldest settlements 
 in the west, and has been the scene of 
 many battles. Population about 3,000. 
 
 Sheboygan is well situated, on the 
 Wisconsin side of the lake, and exhibits 
 a vigorous, and, to all appearance, a per- 
 manent growth. Everything is new; the 
 site is elevated and pleasant. The coun- 
 try back of it is well adapted to produce 
 wheat, and the rapids in the river, a few 
 miles out, afford a cheap power to con- 
 vert it into flour. 
 
 The harbors of both these cities (Mil- 
 waukie and Sheboygan) require appro- 
 priations, to remove obstructions, and to 
 render access to them easy. A few thou- 
 sand dollars applied to the construction 
 of piers will effect the object. 
 
 SouTiiPORT. — This is a town of so 
 recent a date, that, as in the case of 
 some others, it is impossible to find a 
 description of it even in the latest j)ubli- 
 cations, geographical or topographical. 
 It stands on the border of a prairie of 
 great extent, and its position gives it 
 important commercial advantages, al- 
 
 though the harbor is too shallow near 
 the shore for the access of vessels. Two 
 long piers of timber have therefore been 
 constructed, extending far into the wa- 
 ter, where vessels must load and dis- 
 charge. The town is already large, 
 busy, and pi'osperous, considering its 
 recent date, and has every prospect of a 
 rapid and continued increase. P. 3000. 
 
 Fond du Lac. — In 1844 there were 
 but two houses on this spot ; but so lap- 
 id has been its growth, that it now looks 
 much like a New-Enorland villafje. The 
 scenery about Fond du Lac is very fine, 
 and the site of the village is beautiful : it 
 is on the western edge of a prairie, in tlte 
 sunset shade of a narrow strip of timber- 
 land which separates it from another 
 prairie. 
 
 The prairie on which the village is 
 situated extends eastward four and a half 
 or five miles, and is nearly the same dis- 
 tance in width. On the east and south 
 it is hemmed with timber-lands and oak 
 openings, on the west by the strip of 
 timber-land above mentioned, and on the 
 north lie the clear blue waters of the 
 Winnebago lake. The people are gen- 
 erally the enterprising, intelligent de- 
 scendants of the eastern states. 
 
 AzTALAN is a small town, of about 
 tAVo hundred inhabitants, situated upon 
 the east bank of the Crawfish, and about 
 twelve miles southwest from Water- 
 town. It has acquired some notoriety 
 from being on the site of the " ancient 
 city," as it is called throughout the state. 
 
 It is true, that thpre is enough to be 
 seen hei'e to satisfy any one that the 
 country has once been inhabited, and 
 that, too, anterior to the present race of 
 Indians, by a race that had made some 
 progress in the arts ; but there is noth- 
 ing to show any considerable civiliza- 
 tion or knowledge of science. The re- 
 mains of a brick wall, enclosing about 
 twenty-five acres, are distinctly visible. 
 The enclosure is upon the west bank of 
 tiie river, and the west wall is seventy 
 or eighty rods long. At the north end 
 it forms a ri^ht anojle, and runs perhaps 
 twenty or twenty-Hve rods to the river; 
 it then follows down the river immedi- 
 ately upon the bank, for about forty 
 rods, and there disappears. Near the 
 
38 
 
594 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN. 
 
 south end of the west wall, it makes an 
 angle to the west of ten or fifteen de- 
 grees, and pursues this course a few 
 rods, and then makes an obtuse angle 
 toward the river, and, before it reaches 
 it, makes another angle, so that the 
 south wall approaches the river nearly 
 parallel with the north. The remains 
 of the wall are about four, and in some 
 places six feet high. The bricks are of 
 red clay, and burnt, and in some places 
 the clay of which they are composed is 
 mixed with straw, only fragments of 
 liricks having been found. Without as 
 well as within the walk may be seen 
 regular and irregular formations on the 
 surface of the ground — some appearing 
 like cellars, and some are elevations. 
 These appearances ai'e visible nearly 
 the whole length of the wall. There 
 are only three or four elevations that 
 may be called mounds, within the enclo- 
 sure, and the most prominent of these 
 is in the northwest corner, and is about 
 ten or twelve feet high. On the bank 
 of the river, without the wall, and nearly 
 at the water's edge, are the remains of 
 what appeal's to have been the end of a 
 sewei', or an under-ground drain, to the 
 enclosure. It is of limestone, and regu- 
 larly arched. 
 
 In the vicinity of the enclosure are 
 about one hundred and thirty mounds, 
 varying in height from six to forty feet. 
 The greater portion of the mounds are 
 arranged in a line, nearly parallel with 
 the west wall of the enclosure, and 
 about thirty rods west of it, and ex- 
 tend at least fifty rods further north than 
 the wall does. The mounds that are 
 thus arranged touch at their bases, and 
 are conical — some having a base two 
 hundred and fifty feet in circumference, 
 and some not more than one hundred 
 feet. Around the northwest angle of 
 the enclosure, and at a distance from it, 
 is a curved line of mounds, and so at 
 the southwest corner of the enclosure. 
 Besides these, are other mounds, irregu- 
 larly located on different eminences, at 
 a great distance from the wall. One, in 
 particular, is very prominent, about two 
 hundred and fifty rods southwest from 
 the wall, and it is different in formation 
 from the others, having a crater formed 
 
 in the top. Many of these mounds have 
 been opened, and in some a regular 
 stone structure has been found, in form 
 like an oven — the stone cemented sol- 
 idly together, having a perfectly smooth 
 surface within and without. In one of 
 these vaults was found a copper coin, 
 with an impression upon one side, of two 
 birds, and upon the other were unin- 
 telligible hieroglyphics. Metallic hatch- 
 ets, axes, and knives, have been found, 
 and pieces of cord and coarse cloth, and 
 fi'agments of pottery. 
 
 Upon some of these mounds are trees 
 a hundred years old. The present race 
 of Indians have been using the enclo- 
 sure for a planting ground, as the corn 
 hills are very plain to be seen. The en- 
 closure is upon a level piece of ground 
 elevated about eighteen feet above the 
 river, and the mounds are upon ground 
 fifty feet higher than the enclosure. The 
 mounds and enclosure were most un- 
 doubtedly the work of the same people. 
 Here is to be found evidence of a prog- 
 ress in the arts, that no American Indian, 
 of which we have any account, ever 
 made. Mounds north of Fox lake, also 
 upon the borders of Highland prairie, in 
 Dodge county, are very similar in their 
 formation and appearance to these. 
 
 At Summit, in Waukesha county, are 
 a different class of mounds. They are 
 formed like a house-roof, ai-e about two 
 rods long, and five or six feet high, and 
 are scattered about over the plains in 
 groups, resembling military companies 
 in the different movements of marching 
 by platoon, echelon, and in file. 
 
 Other antiquities of interest have been 
 recently discovered in Fond du Lac, 
 that are represented as being nearly as 
 extensive as these of Aztalan. 
 
 A Clearing and Log Cabin. — This is 
 a faithful representation of the dwelling 
 of evei-y settler in our western regions ; 
 and humble dwellings of this form and 
 size now shelter the heads of thousands, 
 whose families will be among the most 
 wealthy of our citizens in a single gene- 
 ration, A log-cabin, in a new territory, 
 may be regarded as a most striking em- 
 blem of enterprise well directed. Econ- 
 omy and industry, sound calculation and 
 manly resolution, are expressed by its 
 
596 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN. 
 
 small size and rude aspect ; for it is the 
 cheapest dwelling-place which ingenu- 
 ity can invent, in a country where wood 
 abounds ; and, when constructed with 
 sufficient pains, is warm in winter and 
 cool in summer. 
 
 The custom generally prevails among 
 settlers to aid each new-comer in the 
 erection of a house; and the simple plan 
 of a log-cabin enables every one to be- 
 come a competent builder, after a little 
 practice. AVhere logs are not to be 
 had, poles are sometimes used ; and 
 then the fabric is frail and loose, so that 
 it is difficult to make the walls tight, 
 even with all the clay, moss, &c., with 
 which the interstices can be stuffed. 
 When round logs are used, such means 
 are generally effectual, if carefully ap- 
 plied and often renewed. 
 
 The first furniture usually introduced 
 into a dwelling of this kind, is a table, 
 made of four stakes driven into the 
 ground, a bedstead of the rudest kind, 
 and a few blocks cut from the ends of 
 logs for seats ; while the utensils are 
 such as the family have brought in their 
 wagon. 
 
 With such a roof over him as the en- 
 gi'aving represents, and such food as he 
 Can procure in the forest, the settler 
 proceeds with cheerfulness to the cleai'- 
 ing of a little land, and the planting of 
 his first crop, which is usually the har- 
 binger of a series of fruitful seasons, and 
 a course of continued and increasing 
 prosperity. 
 
 A Prairie on fire is a scene of an 
 impressive character, and sometimes ter- 
 rific, dangerous, and destructive. It has 
 been the practice of the Indians, in dif- 
 ferent parts of North America, from 
 time immemorial, to set fire to the dry 
 grass on the prairies, meadows, and 
 other fertile grounds fitted for pasture ; 
 and the same custom has prevailed in 
 some other parts of the world. Accord- 
 ing to Leichhart, the first explorer of 
 Australia, it is common in the interior 
 of that vast island, or continent. The 
 object is usually twofold, so far as the 
 motives of the American Indians can bo 
 ascertained, viz., to prevent the growth 
 of young trees, and to enrich the pas- 
 tures with the ashes of the burnt crop. 
 
 that it may prove most attractive to the 
 deer or other game in the succeeding 
 warm season. 
 
 The fire, however, sometimes spreads 
 much further than is desired, and for- 
 ests of great extent, with houses, and 
 even cattle and men, are sometimes de- 
 stroyed. A strong wind, aided by a 
 dry season, or accident in firing a field 
 at a wrong time, thus occasionally 
 proves disastrous. ^Vild animals, which 
 have been sheltei'ed by the high grass, 
 are often driven precipitately from their 
 lair, and Indians or travellers have some- 
 times been surprised by a conflagration, 
 from which they have not escaped with- 
 out the greatest difficulty. The wind 
 not unfrequently spreads the flames fast- 
 er than a man or even a horse can run, 
 and then the safest way is, when possi- 
 ble, to plunge through the burning mass, 
 and get to windward. 
 
 The Maiden's JSocA-.— This bold bluff" 
 rises from the banks of the Mississippi, 
 at a point near the middle of the west- 
 ern boundary of Wisconsin, where it 
 extends its breadth to two and a half 
 miles, and bears the name of Lake Pe- 
 pin. This rock is about four hundred 
 and fifty feet in height, and the upper 
 part forms a precipice of one hundred 
 and fifty. A tragical tale is connected 
 with it in an Indian tradition, from 
 which it has received its name. The 
 following is an abridgment of the story, 
 as related to Major Long : — 
 
 In the village of Keoxa, in the tribe 
 of Wapasha, once lived a young Indian 
 woman named ^^ iiiona, between whom 
 and a young hunter existed an ardent 
 attachment. Her parents opposed her 
 wishes, having fixed their choice upon 
 a warrior, whom they urged her to 
 marry. Her brothers, however, rescdved 
 that she should not be treated with 
 harshness, and endeavored to remove 
 her objections to the warrior, by giving 
 him valuable presents, which would en- 
 able him to make provision for his wife, 
 if he should be absent on an excursion 
 against his enemies. This encourage- 
 ment fron; the fnmily of Winona induced 
 him to renew his suit: but she was as 
 resolute as before, which provoked her 
 parents to threaten her. 
 
 I 
 
 II 
 
598 
 
 DESCRIPTION OP THE STATE OF WISCONSIN. 
 
 The hunter had already been driven 
 into the forest, and she despaired of be- 
 ing allowed to lead a single life, and 
 climbing to the summit of the bluft', 
 seated herself upon the awful brink, 
 and began to sing her death-song. Ter- 
 rified at the prospect of her suicide, and 
 repenting of their cruelty, the parents 
 now strove to prevent her from perform- 
 ing her intention, and were seconded 
 by their friends. Some climbed the 
 rock to seize the desperate maiden, and 
 the others took their stations at the 
 foot of the precipice ; but no exertions, 
 protestations, or promises, would avail ; 
 and, throwing herself from the summit, 
 she was killed by the fall. 
 
 The scenery between Lake Pepin 
 and the St. Oioix is not as lofty nor as 
 picturesque as that below ; but its in- 
 terest is greatly enhanced by the greater 
 number of Indians. The Red wing vil- 
 lage is nearly midway between the two 
 lakes mentioned, and contains about six 
 hundred souls. A short distance from 
 this village are two isolated mountains, 
 where may be seen a most magnificent 
 panorama of the wilderness. These 
 mountains, from time irr.memorial, have 
 been used as altars where Indian war 
 parties have offered up their sacrifices, 
 previous to going to battle. At the 
 present time, however, their only inhabi- 
 tants are rattlesnakes. 
 
 Lake St. Croix empties into the Mis- 
 sissippi, and its principal inlet is a river 
 of the same name, which rises in the 
 vicinity of Lake Superior. This is the 
 valley through which the traders and 
 Indians have been in the habit of pass- 
 ing, for a century past, on their way 
 from the western prairies to Lake Su- 
 perior, and from the lake back again to 
 the prairies. The river is only distin- 
 guished for one waterfall of uncommon 
 beauty. The lake is about twenty-five 
 miles long, from two to five wide, and 
 surrounded with charming scenery. The 
 water is clear, but of a rich brown color, 
 and well supplied with fish, of which 
 the trout is the most abundant. 
 
 From St. Croix to St. Peter's, the 
 banks of the Mississippi are steep but 
 only about one hundred and fifty feet in 
 height. The river is here studded with 
 
 islands, whose shadowy recesses are 
 cool during the hottest weather — and a 
 more delightful region for the botanist 
 to ramble can not be found elsewhere 
 on the face of the earth. The water is 
 clear as crystal, and its bosom is gener- 
 ally covered with waterfowl, from the 
 graceful snow-white swan to the mallard 
 and wood-duck. Isolated Indian wig- 
 wams are frequently seen liere, pitched 
 on the margin of the stream and at the 
 foot of vine-covered precipices. 
 
 The Mines of Lake Svperior. — Isle 
 Royale is a portion of the teriitory ce- 
 ded by the Chippewa Indians to the 
 United States, by the treaty of October, 
 1842. So imperfectly known was the 
 region thus acquired, that it was repre- 
 sented, in the instructions of the govern- 
 ment to the first mineral agent, in the 
 spring of 1843, as an "unexplored re- 
 gion — a newly-acquired country." This 
 island had long been known to the In- 
 dians and fur-traders, as being rich in 
 minerals, yet it was ceded by name, al- 
 though clearly included in the general 
 description. The consequence was, that 
 after mineral locations had been made 
 upon the island, in 1843, by Professor 
 Locke, of Cincinnati, a portion of the 
 Chippewas insisted that Isle Royale was 
 not ceded by the treaty of 1842. The 
 Indians were instigated to assert this 
 pi'etended claim, by the "traders and 
 designing men" who had obtained some 
 knowledge of its great mineral riches. 
 This pretended claim caused the sus- 
 pension of mining operations on the 
 island, and anether treaty was made in 
 1844, whereby the Indians solemnly ac- 
 knowledge the cession of the island by 
 the treaty of 1842, 
 
 The owners of the locations on the 
 island, after various delays, obtained the 
 recognition of their rights, from the gov- 
 ernment, and in the spring of 1846, as- 
 sociated themselves together under the 
 name of the Isle Royale and Ohio mi- 
 ning company, and proceeded at once to 
 the island with an efficient force for mi- 
 ning operations. 
 
 Isle Royale is in the northwest part 
 of Lake Superior, in forty-eight degrees 
 north latitude, and eighty-nine degrees 
 west longitude, extending northeast and 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN. 
 
 599 
 
 southwest forty-five miles, and varies 
 from three to five and eight miles in 
 width. It is about one hundred and 
 twenty-five miles in circumference, and 
 has a greater number of harbors — lar- 
 ger, safer, of much easier access, and far 
 more beautiful — than is within all the 
 remaining territorial limits of the United 
 States upon the lake. Rock harbor, 
 upon the southeast coast of the island, is 
 fifteen miles long, and from half a mile 
 to a mile wide. Between the main land 
 and the lake is a chain of islands for 
 ten miles, between wliich are channels 
 of deep water from the harbor to the 
 lake. These islands are irregular ele- 
 vations of rock covered with evergreens. 
 Resting upon the transparent waters of 
 the harboi', they present the most at- 
 tractive feature in one of Nature's most 
 enchanting pictures. 
 
 The next harbor of importance is at 
 " Siskowit bay," eighteen miles south- 
 west from Rock harbor. This harbor 
 would afford safe anchorage for all the 
 vessels of the upper lakes, and is at all 
 times accessible through " Medary's en- 
 trance." Washington harbor comes 
 next, at the west end of the island, ex- 
 tending inland about three miles. Then 
 comes Todd's harboi', and M'Cargo's 
 cove, on the north and northeast coast — 
 both safe and beautiful harbors for ves- 
 sels of any burden. Besides these, there 
 are numei'ous inlets and indentations 
 along the coast, except on the northwest 
 shore, wheie perpendicular cliffs extend 
 for fifteen miles. The northeast end of 
 the island resembles a man's hand — the 
 thumb being the point at the entrance 
 into Rock harbor, and the fingers the 
 four elevated ridtjes extending into the 
 lake, with deep bays or inlets inter- 
 vening, two, four, and six miles in 
 length. 
 
 The lake around the northeast end of 
 the island is thickly dotted with small 
 islands of rock, from forty to two hun- 
 dred and fifty feet high, covered with 
 evergreens and white birch. 
 
 There are numerous beautiful lakes 
 of pure water upon the island, from one 
 to three miles in length, abounding in 
 fish, furnishing streams of sufficient vol- 
 ume for saw-mills and all mining pur- 
 
 poses. There are also many small prai 
 ries pi'oducing wild grass. 
 
 Isle Royale may be described as a 
 mighty " up-heave" of irregular cliffs, 
 bluffs, and mountains of rock — the ele- 
 vation in many places being five hun- 
 dred feet above the lake. The mount- 
 ain ranges run nearly parallel with the 
 island. There are also innumerable 
 deep ravines or gutters, which -are hei-e 
 called dikes, running parallel through the 
 island, at the bottom of which metallife- 
 rous veins are invariably found, and to 
 which the intervening veins or feeders 
 usually lead. 
 
 The prevailing character of the rock 
 on the different portions of the island is 
 altered sand rock, underlaid with the 
 true red sand-stone and conglomerate, 
 which makes its appearance near Rock 
 harbor, and continues along the southern 
 coast. Green stone also shows itself 
 frequently. On the northern coast, green 
 stone, amygdaloid, sienite, and sienitic 
 porphyry prevail ; the mountain ranges 
 are generally green stone also. 
 
 The island is thickly wooded, ever- 
 greens of small growth prevailing. The 
 varieties ai-e balsam, spruce, yellow and 
 white cedar, white pine, tamerack, white 
 birch, several kinds of poplar, black al- 
 der, mountain oak, a few black ash and 
 maples, juniper bushes, and dwarf cher- 
 ries. The pine and spruce are sufficient 
 in number and size for boards and tim- 
 ber for the use of the island. The fruit 
 consists of blue-berries, raspberries, wild 
 strawberries, thimble-berries, and cran- 
 berries. 
 
 The animals are rabbits, red and gray 
 squirrels, lynx, and carriboos (a species 
 of deer). The fowls are ducks, loons, 
 gulls, partridges, pigeons, night-hawks, 
 jay-birds, owls, bats, &c. The fish ai'e 
 speckled trout, Mackinac trout, Siskowit 
 trout, white-fish, mullet, pickerel, and 
 heri'ing. 
 
 During the summer months the cli- 
 mate is mild, healthful, and rejuvena- 
 ting ; the days not too hot for comforta- 
 ble labor, and the nights jusr, cool enough 
 for refreshing sleep. In the winter the 
 snow falls from two to four feet deep, 
 and the weather is cold, without sudden 
 changes. 
 
600 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN. 
 
 The Great American Lakes. — We 
 can n , perhaps, close the description 
 of the latest cismontain state added to 
 the confederation, more appropi-iately 
 than by the following brief record of the 
 depth, and width, and average extent of 
 the great American lakes, two of which 
 lave its borders. It is from the recent 
 official report of the chief of the topo- 
 graphical bureau, and therefore may be 
 relied upon. 
 
 " The great lakes of our country, 
 which may justly be considered inland 
 seas, are the following : Champlain, On- 
 tario, Erie, St. Clair, Huron, Michigan, 
 and Superior. These lakes are of great 
 depth, as well as of great extent. The 
 entire line of lake coast embraces about 
 5,000 miles, 2,000 miles of which con- 
 stitute the coast of a foreign power. 
 
 105 miles long. 
 12 miles. 
 8 miles. 
 
 Lake Champlain is 
 Its greatest width 
 Its averaofe width 
 
 Lake Ontario is 
 Its greatest width 
 Its average width 
 
 Lake Erie is 
 
 Its greatest width 
 Its average width 
 
 Lake St. Clair is 
 Its greatest width 
 Its average width 
 
 Lake Huron is 
 Its greatest width 
 Its average width 
 
 Lake Michigan is 
 Its greatest width 
 Its averaofe width 
 
 108 miles long. 
 52 miles. 
 40 miles. 
 
 240 miles long. 
 
 57 miles. 
 38 miles. 
 
 18 miles long. 
 25 miles. 
 12 miles. 
 
 270 miles long. 
 104 miles.* 
 70 miles. 
 
 340 miles long. 
 83 miles. 
 
 58 miles. 
 
 Lake Superior is 420 miles long. 
 
 Its greatest width 135 miles. 
 
 Its average width 100 miles. 
 
 " These lakes may be considered as 
 connected throughout their whole ex- 
 tent. Lake Champlain connects with 
 Lake Ontario by means of the river 
 Richelieu ; the lock and dam navigation 
 of St. Lawrence river; the Ottawa riv- 
 er and Rideau canal through Canada; 
 and the Champlain and Erie canals of 
 
 * This does not include the extensive bay of 
 Georgian, itself 120 miles long, and average 45 wide. 
 
 New York. Lake Ontario is connected 
 with Lake Erie by means of the Wel- 
 land canal through Canada, and by 
 means of Oswego and Erie canals 
 through the state of New York. Lake 
 Erie is connected with Lake St. Clair by 
 the deep and navigable strait of Detroit, 
 twenty-five miles long. Lake St. Clair is 
 connected with Lake Huron by the deep 
 and navigable strait of St. Clair, thirty- 
 two miles long. Lake Huron is connect- 
 ed with Lake Michigan by the deep and 
 wide strait of Mackinaw, and with Lake 
 Superior by strait of St. Mary's, forty- 
 six miles long. This strait is navigable 
 throughout except for about one mile of 
 its length, immediately adjacent to Lake 
 Superior, where from rocks and the ex- 
 treme rapidity of the current, naviga- 
 tion ceases. These difficulties can, how- 
 ever, be easily surmounted by a canal 
 of not more than a mile long, with locks 
 to overcome a fall of about twenty-one 
 feet. The only additional obstruction to 
 this immense extent of inland navigation 
 is in St. Clair lake, on approaching the St. 
 Clair strait. This obstruction consists 
 of an extensive bar, but not of great 
 width, over which not more than seven 
 feet of water, in depressed conditions of 
 the lakes, can be counted upon. From 
 an examination of this shoal, it has been 
 found to consist of an indurated marl, 
 leaving but little cause of doubt that if 
 a channel were once dredged through, 
 it would remain a durable improvement. 
 " Lake Champlain lies exclusively ^ex- 
 cept the strait near Rouse's point) within 
 the states of Vermont and New York ; 
 the former occupying its eastern, the 
 latter its western margin. It is not 
 considered a dangerous lake to navi- 
 gate ; and the principal protection 
 which its commerce requires, is in form 
 of breakwaters, to shelter its open har- 
 bors." 
 
 The vast commerce of these lakes, and 
 the great extent of coast, prove the ne- 
 cessity of the surveys through which 
 this information is obtained, in order 
 that we may possess an accurate knowl- 
 edge of the bars, rocks, and shoals, to 
 which this active commerce on so ex- 
 tensive a line of coast is imminently 
 exposed. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 601 
 
 New or Alta California was discov- 
 ered about 1542, by Juan R<idriguez 
 Cabrillo, wlio explored the coast os far 
 north as the forty-third degree of north 
 latitude. Portions of the coast wm-e 
 visited by Sir Francis Diake in 1578, 
 by Francisco GalH in 1582, and by 
 Sebastian Vescayna in 1603. Vescayna 
 discovered the ports of San Diego and 
 Monteiey, and closed the career of north- 
 ern exploration which had originated 
 with Cortez. In 1767, the Jesuits, by 
 whom the settlement of Lower Califor- 
 nia had been accomplished, fell under 
 the displeasure of tiie government of 
 Spain, and were expelled from the pen- 
 insula. The Marquis de Croix, who was at that time viceroy of New Spain, re- 
 placed them by ihe rival order of the Franciscans, upon whom he strongly urged 
 the spiritual conquest of the upper province. This enterprise the government 
 considered more important than the settlement of the peninsula. The accounts 
 which were current of the wealth of the country were very flattering, and political 
 reasons induced them to lend efficient assistance to the adventure. Both France and 
 England at that time evinced consideiahle interest in the islands of the Pacific, and 
 the countries upon its coast; and the explorations of Bourgainville and Cook had 
 begun to excite alarm. Russia also, with noiseless, but certain advance, was 
 stretching her gigantic empire alone the western coast, and Spain recognised the 
 necessity of preventing these dangerous intruders from obtaining a foothold in 
 her American possessions. 
 
 Under these circumstances, the spiritual subjugation of Upper California was 
 accomplished in a comparatively short time. The same career of privation and 
 toil was run by the priestly pioneers as marked the settlement of the peninsula, 
 
602 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 but the missions grew up more rapidly, 
 and the difficuhies were, on the whole, 
 fewer. The results were equally unim- 
 portant. Neither Mexico nor the colo- 
 ny was much benefited. The country 
 offered great inducements to a profita- 
 ble trade, and was believed to possess 
 large deposites of quicksilver and gold ; 
 but the narrow and unwise policy of 
 Mexico, both when an appendage of 
 Spain, and an independent state, ren- 
 dered the development of its resources 
 impossible. The government fettered 
 commerce. It imposed restrictions in- 
 stead of granting facilities ; levied oner- 
 ous taxes, and stretched a barrier of 
 customhouses across ports which a lib- 
 eral policy would have crowded with 
 profitable trade. The interests of the 
 country were wholly disregarded ; and 
 California became a refuge for invalid 
 soldiers, indolent priests, and pampered 
 oflBcials. 
 
 The missions, however, aided by large 
 donations fiom the pious in Mexico, 
 which were consolidated into what was 
 styled "the California Pious Fund," 
 rapidly grew in importance. They 
 brought the mass of the native popula- 
 tion into a condition of comparative 
 vassalage, and gradually absorbed the 
 valuable lands, almost to the exclusion 
 of the white settlers. They existed in 
 a state of almost total independence of 
 Mexico ; and although ordinary govern- 
 ment establishments were kept up, as in 
 the other provinces of the vice-royalty, 
 the priests were virtually the owners of 
 the soil, and the masters of the countiy. 
 Affairs remained in this positicm until 
 the occurrence of the Mexican revolu- 
 tion in 1824. This revolution, which 
 separated Mexico from Spain, annexed 
 California to that republic. The Cali- 
 fornias were then erected into territories, 
 not having suflScient population to en- 
 title them to be federative states, and 
 were each allowed to send one member 
 to the general congress, who was priv- 
 ileged to take part in the debates of that 
 body, but had no voice in its decisions. 
 As territories, they were under the gov- 
 ernment of an agent styled tiie com- 
 mandant-general, whose powers were 
 very extensive. 
 
 The country has several times since 
 the Spanish power was exterminated, 
 suffered from revolution ; and for the 
 last ten or twelve years of its connexion 
 with Mexico, the authority of that nation 
 over it was very loose. Its distance 
 from the metropolis would indeed tend 
 to such a result. The people more than 
 once declared themselves independent, 
 and as often rejoined • the confederacy. 
 In 1846, on the breaking out of the war 
 between the United Slates and Mexico, 
 California was occupied by the United 
 States forces; and, by the treaty of Guad- 
 alupe Hidalgo, Feb. 2, 1848, the whole 
 country was ceded to the United States. 
 
 In the latter part of the above named 
 month, a mechanic, named James W. 
 Marshall, was employed in building a 
 saw-mill for Captain Sutter on the south 
 branch of a river known as the Ameri- 
 can Fork. On Fi-emont's map, the riv- 
 er is called " Rio de los Americanos." 
 While cutting a race for this improve- 
 ment, Mr, Marshall discovered the scales 
 of gold as they glistened in the sunlight 
 at the bottom of the sluice. He gather- 
 ed a few, examined them, and became 
 satisfied of iheir value. He informed 
 Captain Sutter of his discovery, and 
 they agreed to keep it secret until the 
 mill of Captain Sutter was finished. It 
 however got out and spread like magic. 
 Remarkable success attended the labors 
 of the first explorers, and in a few wqeks 
 hundreds of men were drawn thither. 
 Examinations were prosecuted at other 
 points along the stream and almost ev- 
 erywhere with success. The result was 
 extraordinary. Thousands flocked to 
 California fiom all parts of the world, 
 and a lively commerce was thus initiated 
 which bids fair in a few years to become 
 more extensive and valuable than all the 
 present foreign trade of the United 
 States together. 
 
 Previous to the discovery of the pre- 
 cious metals in California, the principal 
 route to the Pacific coast of North 
 America had been around Cape Horn. 
 This long, perilous, and fatiguing voy- 
 age, consumed a period of from six to 
 eisrht months, and sometimes longer for 
 its accomplishment, and many of the 
 earlier emigrants to California, reached 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 G03 
 
 there by this tedious route. But, pre- 
 vious to this period, however, arrange- 
 ments had been entered into by govern- 
 ment, under appropriations made by 
 Congress for that purpose, for the estab- 
 lishment of a Hne of semi-monthly mail- 
 steamers to California and Oregon by 
 the w^ay of the isthmus of Panama. 
 This line was soon in operation ; but 
 though it proved entirely successful as 
 a medium of rapid transmission of the 
 mail to and from that distant region, 
 shortening the period of transit from 
 New York to California to less than 
 forty days, it was still inadequate to the 
 demand for passages of the thousands 
 and tens of thousands, who determined 
 to emigrate to the new El Dorado of 
 the Pacific. To meet this demand, 
 vessels were chartered in all the Atlan- 
 tic ports for the conveyances of passen- 
 gers to Chagres, on the Atlantic side of 
 the isthmus, this being a far quicker and 
 safer route than a voyage round Cape 
 Horn. The passage across the isthmus 
 was made in canoes up the Chagres 
 river forty miles to Gorgona, and thence 
 overland on mules, a distance of twenty 
 miles to the city of Panama on the Pa- 
 cific side of the isthmus. So immense 
 was the number who chose this route, 
 that the vessels on the Pacific side proved 
 entirely inadequate to their transporta- 
 tion up to California, and soon several 
 thousands were collected on the isthmus, 
 many of whom had to wait months, 
 ere they obtained a passage up the Pa- 
 cific, though every possible sort of craft 
 that could be pressed into the service, 
 was made available to supply the de- 
 mand for passage. The view of Pana- 
 ma, placed on the following page, shows 
 a party of Americans converting canoes 
 into vessels, in which to reach the gold- 
 en land of their "hope deferred." The 
 engi'aving is no fancy sketch, but was 
 drawn by a gentleman residing at Pan- 
 ama, who witnessed their labors from the 
 window of his hotel. 
 
 Additional steamers have, from time 
 to time, been put upon the route, on both 
 the Atlantic and Pacific sides, until this 
 medium of travel can now accommodate 
 all requiring a conveyance to or from 
 the land of gold. A railroad across the 
 
 isthmus is in rapid process of construc- 
 tion, which, when finished, will greatly 
 facilitate, as regards both time and com- 
 fort, that most fatiguing portion of the 
 journey. Another route, by the way of 
 the river San Juan and across the lake 
 Nicaragua, and about twenty miles by 
 stage to the Pacific coast, has been es- 
 tablished. This route is about a thou- 
 sand miles shorter than that by the way 
 of Panama ; and the voyage, from San 
 Francisco to New York, via Nicaragua, 
 has been made in twenty-eight days. 
 May we not hope that the day is not 
 distant, when a railroad directly across 
 the continent, shall shorten thp passage 
 between the Atlantic and Pacific metro- 
 politan cities to one fifth of twenty-eight 
 days ; when the triumphs of science and 
 art shall render them comparatively 
 near neighbors, contributing to each 
 other's pi'osperity, greatness, and hap- 
 piness ; and when, literally, from sea to 
 sea, a continuous line of enlightened, 
 civilized communities, shall greet the 
 eye of the traveller, as he makes a rapid 
 transit east or west across the American 
 continent ! 
 
 In September, 1849, in consequence of 
 the disorganized condition of things, and 
 the insecurity which generally prevailed, 
 the people of California, by their dele- 
 gates, metin convention, at Monterey, and 
 formed a constitution, which was ratified 
 by the people in November, 1849. The 
 constitution being submitted to Con- 
 gress, was ratified by that body, and the 
 state of California thus admitted into 
 the Union, September 9, 1850. 
 
 The intelligence of the reception of 
 California into the Union was welcomed 
 at San Francisco with expres3i;.r>s of 
 universal enthusiasm. The steamer 
 which bore the tidings was decked witn 
 flags and streamers of all nations, with a 
 piece of canvass extending from fore to 
 mainmast inscribed with thewoids " Cali 
 fornia is admitted." The salvos (jf artil- 
 lery and the waving of flags soon spread 
 the joyful news to every part of the city. 
 All classes of the inhabitants shared the 
 general hilaiity, and with exchanges of 
 mutual congratulations exulted in the 
 accession of California as the thirty-first 
 state of the federal Union. A more 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 605 
 
 formal celebration of this event took 
 place on the 29th of October, in which 
 the citizens generally participated with 
 patriotic joy. A procession was formed 
 in honor of the occasion, salutes were 
 fired, banners displayed, an oration pro- 
 nounced, a national ode sung, and the 
 festivities closed with a ball and supper. 
 
 According to the terms of the consti- 
 tution the legislative power is vested in 
 a senate and assembly, called the legis- 
 lature of California. Senators not less 
 in number than one third, nor more than 
 one half the number of members of as- 
 sembly, are elected by the people in 
 districts, for a term of two years, so 
 classified that one half may be chosen 
 annually. Members of the assembly are 
 elected by the people annually, in dis- 
 tricts. There shaft not be less than 
 twenty-f(jur, nor more than thirty-six, 
 until the population is one hundred thou- 
 sand ; and afterward, there shall never 
 be more than eiglity nor less than thirty. 
 Senators and members of the assembly 
 must be qualified electors in their dis- 
 tricts, and be citizens and inhabitants of 
 the state one year, and of their districts 
 six months, befoi'o their election. 
 
 The executive power is vested in a 
 governor, elected by the people for a 
 term of two years. He must be over 
 twenty-five years of age, a citizen of the 
 United States, and a resident of the state 
 two years next before the election. He 
 may veto a bill, but two thirds of the 
 legislature may pass it afterwaid. A 
 lieutenant-governor is elected by the 
 people at the same time, and for the 
 same term with the governor, and must 
 have the same qualifications ; he is presi- 
 dent of the senate, and in case the office 
 of governor be vacant, he acts as gov- 
 ernor. A secretary of state is appointed 
 by the governor. A comptrijller, treas- 
 urer, attorney and surveyor general, 
 are to be elected by the people at the 
 same time, and for the same term as the 
 governor. 
 
 The annual election is held on the 
 Tuesday next after the first Monday of 
 November, and the sessions of tlie legis- 
 lature are to be held annually, and com- 
 mence on the first Monday in January. 
 The place for the seat of government 
 
 has been fixed at Vallejo. Divorces by 
 the legislature, lotteries, banking char- 
 ters, and paper-money, are prohibited. 
 
 In elections by the legislature, the 
 members vote viva voce — by the people 
 by ballot. 
 
 The judicial power is vested in a su- 
 preme court, district courts, and county 
 courts ; the judges of all which are 
 elected by the people. The supreme 
 court consists of a chief justice and two 
 associates, elected for a term of six years. 
 District judges are chosen for a term of 
 six years. One county judge is elected 
 in each county for four years. County 
 officei's are chosen by the people. A 
 superintendent of public instruction is 
 elected by the people of the state, for a 
 term of three years. 
 
 Every white male citizen of the Uni- 
 ted States, and every citizen of Mexico 
 under the treaty of Queretaro, twenty- 
 one years of age, resident in the state 
 six months, and of the district whej-e he 
 offers to vote thirty days preceding the 
 election, is entitled to vote. Indians and 
 their descendants may be permitted to 
 vote in special cases, by a two thirds 
 concurrent vote of the legislature. 
 
 Slavery, or involuntary servitude, ex- 
 cept for the punishment of crimes is for 
 ever prohibited. 
 
 A design for a state seal was adopted by 
 the constitutional convention, an engra- 
 ving of which, of the exact size of the 
 seal, forms a part of the vignette at the 
 commencement of this sketch, on page 
 601. It was designed by Major R. S. 
 Garnett, of the United States army. 
 Each region wished to be represented 
 in the seal. The Sacramento district 
 wanted a gold mine, with a miner at 
 work ; San Francisco, its harbor and 
 shipping; the Sonoma members thought 
 no seal would be complete without some- 
 thing from their ancient " boar-flp.g ;" 
 while those from Los Angclos and San 
 Diego wished their corn, vines, and 
 olives, to be represented. These several 
 requirements wei'e met, as far as possi- 
 ble, in the design. 
 
 Around the bevel of the ring are rep- 
 resented thirty-one stars, being the num- 
 ber of states of which the Union would 
 consi::t, upon the admission of California. 
 
606 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 The foreground figure represents the 
 goddess Minerva, having sprung full- 
 grown from the brain of Jupiter. She 
 is introduced as a type of the political 
 birth of California, without having gone 
 through the probation of a territory. 
 At her feet crouches a grisly bear, feed- 
 ing upon clusters from a graj)e-vine, 
 which, with a sheaf of wheat, are em- 
 blematic of the peculiar chaiacteristics 
 of (he country. The sheaf of wheat and 
 grape-vine add to the harmony of the 
 design, as Ceres sat beside Minerva in 
 the councils of the gods. A miner is 
 engaged at work, with a rocker and 
 bowl at his side, illustrating the golden 
 wealth of the Sacramento, upon whose 
 waters are seen shipping, typical of com- 
 mercial greatness ; and the snow-clad 
 peaks of the Sierra Nevada make up the 
 background. Above, is the Greek mot- 
 to, " Eureka" (I have found it), apply- 
 ing either to the principle involved in 
 the admission of the slate, or the success 
 of the miners at work. The I'emainder of 
 the vignette, we will say, en passant, is 
 a scene in the valley of the Saciamenio. 
 
 California Alta, in its full extent, 
 as acquired b.y the United States from 
 the republic of Mexico, lies between the 
 32d and 42d degrees of north latitude, 
 and between the 106th and 124th de- 
 grees of longitude west from Green- 
 wich ; and is bounded north by the 
 territory of Oregon ; east by the Indian 
 territory and New Mexico ; south by 
 the river Gila, which separates it from 
 the Mexican states of Chihuahua and 
 Sonora, and by California Baja ; and 
 west by the Pacific ocean, on which it 
 has a front of 970 miles. The area in- 
 cluded within these limits is estimated 
 at 500,000 square miles. California 
 Alta is now divided into the state of 
 California and the territory of Utah. 
 
 The boundaries of the state of Cali- 
 fornia, as established by Congress, in its 
 act admitting California into the Union, 
 are as follows : — 
 
 Commencing at the point of intersec- 
 tion of 42d degree ofnf)rth latitude with 
 120th degree of longitude west from 
 Greenwich, and running south on the 
 line of said 120th degree of west longi- 
 tude until it intersects the 39th degree 
 
 of north latitude, thence running in a 
 straight line in a southeasterly direction 
 to the river Colorado, at a point where 
 it intersects the 35th degree of north 
 latitude, thence down the middle of the 
 channel of said river, to the boundary 
 line between the United States and Mex- 
 ico, as established by the treaty of May 
 30, 1848 ; thence running west along 
 said boundary line to the Pacific ocean, 
 and extending therein three English 
 miles ; thence running in a northwester- 
 ly direction, and following the direction 
 of the Pacific coast to the 42d degree of 
 north latitude, thence on the line of said 
 42d degree of north latitude to the place 
 of beginning. Also all the islands, hai"- 
 bors, and bays along and adjacent co the 
 Pacific coast. 
 
 This grand division of California (the 
 only part, indeed, to which the name 
 properly applies) is traversed from north 
 to south by two principal ranges of 
 mountains, called respectively Sierra 
 Nevada, which divides the region from 
 the great basin, and the coast range, I'un- 
 ning almost parallel to and a short dis- 
 tance from the Pacific coast. The main 
 feature of this region is the long, low, 
 broad, valley of the San Joaquin and 
 Sacramento rivers, the two valleys form- 
 ing one five hundred miles long and 
 about sixty broad. Lateral ranges, par- 
 allel with the Sierra, make the structui'e 
 of the country, and break it into a sur- 
 face of valleys and mountains, the valleys 
 a few hundreds and the mountains from 
 two to four thousand feet above the sea. 
 These form greater masses and become 
 more elevated in the north, where some 
 peaks, as the Shasti, enter the regions 
 of perpetual snow. The great valley 
 is discriminated only by the names of 
 the rivers that traveise it. It is a single 
 geographical formation, lying between 
 the two ranges, and stretching across 
 the head of the bay of San Francisco, 
 with which a delta of twenty-five miles 
 connects it. 
 
 Opposite the head of the bay of San 
 Francisco and at the point where theSac- 
 ramen' o and San Joaquin river deb(>uche, 
 occurs tlie only break or gap in tlie range 
 of mountains which fn-ms the western 
 boundary of the great valley, and (ac- 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 607 
 
 cording to Fremont's map), run from 
 the Oregon line to the 34th parallel, at 
 an average elevation of two thousand 
 feet. The portion of the valley which 
 lies southeast of this point is called the 
 valley of the San Joaquin. It is about 
 three hundred miles long, and sixfy 
 broad, and presents a variety of soil, 
 from dry and unproductive to well wa- 
 tered and luxuriantly fertile. Upon the 
 eastern side, it is intersected by numer- 
 ous streams from the Sierra which form 
 large and beautiful bottom of rich land, 
 wooded principally with white oak in 
 open groves of trees, often six feet in 
 diameter and sixty to eighty high. The 
 larger streams only pass entirely across 
 the valley. The low, or foot hills, of the 
 Sierra Nevada, which limit the valley, 
 make a woodland country, well-watered 
 and diversified. This section of the val- 
 ley is well adapted to the cultivation of 
 the grape, and will probably become the 
 pi'incipal vine-growing region of Cali- 
 fornia. The rolling surface of the hills 
 presents many sunny exposures, shelter- 
 ed from the winds, and having a soil 
 and climate highly favorable to this pur- 
 pose. The vine thrives in California in 
 an extraordinary manner. It is already 
 cultivated to a considerable extent, and 
 the wine pioduced is of very excellent 
 quality. Intelligent cultivation alone 
 seems needed to make wine in quanti- 
 ties sufficient both for consumption and 
 exportation. The uplands bordering 
 the valleys of the larger streams are 
 v/ooded with evergreen oaks, and the 
 inteivening plains are timbered with the 
 same tree, among prairie and open land. 
 The surface i.s level, plain and undula- 
 ting or rolling ground. The soil is rich, 
 and admirably adapted to the cultivation 
 of wheat, which yields enormous crops. 
 The grasses are various and luxuriant; 
 and oats grow wild, coveiing large 
 tracts with a dense growth frequently 
 as high as the head of a man mounted 
 upon horseback. 
 
 Around the southern arm of the bay 
 of San Francisco, a low alluvial bottom 
 land, with occasional woods of oak, 
 borders the western foot of the mount- 
 ain ranges, terminating on a breadth of 
 thirty miles in the valley of San Jose. 
 
 This valley, in connexion with that of 
 San Juan forms a continuous plain fifty- 
 five m.iles in length, and one mile to 
 twenty in breadth opening into smaller 
 valleys among the hills. Shut in be- 
 tween the coast range and the lower 
 hills upon the sea, with a soil of singular 
 fertility, a pure, and dry atmosphere, 
 and a soft and delicious climate, this 
 valley, opening directly upon the bay of 
 San Francisco, appears to unite more 
 inducements to settlement than any oth- 
 er portion of Califoi'nia. It is wooded 
 with majestic trees, covered with the 
 richest grasses, brilliant with an endless 
 variety of wild flowers, produces in pio- 
 fusion the fruits of the temperate and 
 tropical zones, and breaks into secluded 
 glens and wild recesses among the hills. 
 All the touiists speak of it as a most 
 attractive and beautiful spot. 
 
 North of the bay of San Francisco, 
 between the Sacramento valley and the 
 coast, the country is cut into mountain 
 ridges and rolling hills, with many fertile 
 and watered valleys. In the interior it 
 is generally well wooded with oak ; 
 and, immediately along the coast, it pre- • 
 sents open prairie land lying among 
 heavily timbered forests, and frequently 
 covered for miles with a dense growth 
 of wild oats. To the eastward (;f this 
 ti'act, and intermediate between the coast 
 range and the Sierra Nevada, stretches 
 from the head of the Sacramento and 
 San Joaquin rivers to the mountains 
 upon the forty-fii'st parallel, that division 
 of the country which is called the valley 
 of the Sacramento. It is about two 
 hundred miles long and sixty wide, 
 watei'ed by the Rio Sacramento and its 
 affluents. It pi'esents a diversity of 
 heavily wooded plateaux, rich prairie 
 land, fertile slopes, alluvial bottoms and 
 strips of yellow gravelly soil. Many 
 parts of it are well adapted to grazing, 
 and its general character fits it in an 
 eminent degi'ee for the cultivation of 
 wheat. 
 
 Upon the forty-first parallel, in a fork 
 of the Sierra Nevada, is a tract of high 
 table land, about one hundred miles in 
 length, surrounded on all sides by mount- 
 ains, which is called by Fremont the 
 Upper Valley of the Sacramento. It is 
 
608 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 heavily timbered, and its climate and 
 productions are greatly modified by its 
 altitude and more northern position. The 
 Sacramento river which rises in the 
 mountains at its noithern extremity, 
 reaches ihe lower valley through a canon 
 on the line of Shastle peak, falling two 
 thojsand feet in twenty miles. 
 
 The largest river in Upper California 
 is the Colorndo, which alter a course of 
 a thousand miles, empties into the gulf 
 of California about thirty-two degrees 
 north. The name of this river is des- 
 criptive of its waters ; they are as deep- 
 ly colored as those of the Missouri, or 
 Red river. It lises and flows through 
 a region very little known, and inhabit- 
 ed by numerous tribes of savages, who 
 manifest the most decided hostility to all 
 who attempt to enter and explore it. 
 
 But by far the most important rivers 
 of California are the Sacramento and 
 San Joaquin. The San Joaquin lises 
 in the Sierra Nevada, near ths southern 
 extremity of the valley. It is fed by 
 many larger tributaries from the Sierra 
 and empties into the bay of San Fran- 
 cisco afier a course of about two hun- 
 dred miles. It is navigable in some 
 seasons during eight months of the year, 
 and for a greater part of its length. 
 The chief tributaries of the San Joaquin 
 are the Reyes, the Stanislaus, the .Java- 
 lones, the Merced, and the Cosumnes 
 rivers. The Sacramento rises above lati- 
 tude forty-two degrees north, and runs 
 from north to south, nearly parallel with 
 the coast of the Pacific until it empties, 
 after a course of about two hundred 
 miles, into the bay of San Francisco, in 
 latitude thirty-eight and a half degrees 
 noith. It runs through an inclined al- 
 luvial prairie, and is described by all 
 writers as a deep, broad, and beautiful 
 stream. This river is destined to be- 
 come a very important feature in the 
 development of the country. It com- 
 municates directly with the bay, flows 
 through a very fertile region and is al- 
 ready navigable for vessels of consider- 
 able draught as high up as the settle- 
 ments at Nueva Helvetia. Its principal 
 tributaries are the Rio de los Americanos 
 and the Rio de las Plumas. 
 
 One of the most important features of 
 
 California is the bay of San Francisco. 
 It was discovered about 1768 by a party 
 of Franciscan monks, who bestowed 
 upon it the name of their patron saint. 
 All writers unite in pronouncing it one 
 of the most splendid harbors in the world. 
 It is completely land-locked, and suffi- 
 ciently capacious to meet the require- 
 ments of the most extended commerce. 
 Approaching from the sea, the coast 
 presents a bold outline. On the south, 
 the bordering mountains come down in 
 a narrow range of hills, against which 
 the sea breaks heavily. On the north- 
 ern side, the ridge presents a bold 
 promontory, rising in a few miles to a 
 height of three thousand feet. Between 
 these two points, with abrupt and lofty 
 cliH's upon each side, is a narrow strait 
 about one mile wide and five in length, 
 with a depth of water in mid-channel of 
 forty to fcjrty-five fathoms, which forms 
 the entrance into the bay. This is called 
 Chrysopolae, or the Golden Gate. Be- 
 yond this gate the bay of San Francisco 
 opens to the right and left, extending in 
 each direction about thirty-five miles, 
 having a total length of more than sev- 
 enty miles, and an inland coast of two 
 hundred and seventy-five m extent. 
 Within, the view presented is of an in- 
 terior lake of deep water lying between 
 parallel ranges of mountains. Islands, 
 some of them mere masses f)f rock, and 
 others covered with grasses, and three 
 to eight hunilred feet in height, give its 
 surface a picturesque appearance. It is 
 divided, by projecting points and straits, 
 into three separate bays. At its north- 
 ern extremity is Whaler's harbor, which 
 communicates by a strait two miles in 
 length, with the bay of San Pablo, a 
 circular basin ten miles in diameter ; 
 and this again at its northeastern ex- 
 tremity by another strait of greater length 
 connects with Suissun bay, which is of 
 nearly equal magnitude and form as that 
 of San Pablo. Into Suissun bay the 
 confluent waters of the Sacramento and 
 San Joaquin rivers empty. The main 
 bay of San Francisco lies to the south- 
 ward. 
 
 The climate of California, as a neces- 
 sary result of the configuration and ex- 
 tent of the country, presents marked 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 009 
 
 contrast in the difTei'ent divisions which 
 have been des libed. Wilh reference 
 to the whol'i country, the year may be 
 divided into the wet season and the dry. 
 The wet season begins in November, 
 and fsrTiinates in April. During this 
 peiiod the rain does not fall continuous- 
 ly, and fiequent intervals of clear and 
 beautiful weather occur for many days 
 in succession. Rain sometimes falls 
 without intermission for eight or ten 
 days, followed by spells of sunshine ; 
 and frequently the weather is fine until 
 the afternoon, when the clouds gathei'. 
 The rain during this season is not con- 
 tinuously steady and violent, but warm 
 and often drizzling. Usually from May 
 until November no rain falls. There 
 are exceptions, however, for rain some- 
 times descends in August. Apart from 
 the mere physical discomfort, the sense 
 of which is soon lost, the wet season is 
 healthy and delightful, and during its 
 continuance the country wears its most 
 beautiful aspect. With the first ruins 
 in November, the grass, clover, and wild 
 oats, spring up spontaneously ; the trees 
 are clothed with fiesh foliage, the flow- 
 ers display their rich colors, the com- 
 paratively arid soil is covered with 
 diversified vegetation, and by Christmas 
 the land in its broad extent is green and 
 beautiful. Upon the coast and the shore 
 of the bay, the climate is cooler and less 
 agreeable than in the interior. This is 
 owing to the northwest winds which 
 frequently bring with them dense fogs 
 which are cold relatively to the mean 
 temperature. These fogs, however, are 
 not of that raw and piercing kind that 
 aflect the constitution. They bear no 
 seeds of disease. These characteristics 
 of climate are perhaps more marlced at 
 San Francisco ihan at any other point, 
 and the experience of nearly a century 
 affords conclusive evidence that they do 
 not injuriously affect health. It is sel- 
 dom cold enough in the settled portions 
 of California to congeal water. Snow 
 rarely falls in the valleys, and the ther- 
 mometer seldom sinks behnv fifty de- 
 grees or rises above eighty degrees. In 
 the great valley bordering upon the 
 lower slopes of the Sierra, the climate 
 is peculiarly delightful. There are no 
 
 prevailing diseases in the country, and 
 the extremes of heat in the summer are 
 checked by sea-breezes during the day, 
 and by light aiis from the Sierra duiing 
 the night. The climate geneially re- 
 sembles that of Italy, and its charac- 
 teristics are salubrity and a regulated 
 mildness. 
 
 A stranger arriving at San Francisco 
 in summer is annoyed by the cold winds 
 and fogs, and pronounces the climate 
 intolerable. A few months will modify 
 if not banish his dislike, and he will not 
 fail to appreciate the beneficial effects 
 of a cool, bracing atmosphere. Those 
 who approach California overland, 
 through the passes of the mountains, 
 find the heat of summer, in the middle 
 of the day, greater than they have been 
 accustomed to, and therefore many com- 
 plain of it. 
 
 Those who take up their residence in 
 the valleys which are situated between 
 the great plain of the Sacramento and 
 San Joaquin, and the coast range of 
 hills, find the climate, especially in the 
 dry season, as healthful and pleasant as 
 it is possible for any climate to be which 
 possesses sufficient heat to mature the 
 cereal grains and edible roots of the 
 temperate zone. 
 
 The division of the year into two dis- 
 tinct seasons — dry and wet — impresses 
 those who have been accustomed to the 
 variable climate of the Atlantic states 
 unfavorably. The dry appearance of 
 the country in summer and the difficulty 
 of moving about in winter seem to im- 
 pose serious difficulties in the way of 
 agricultural prosperity, while the many 
 and decided advantages resulting from 
 the mildness of winter, and the bright, 
 clear weather of summer, are not appre- 
 ciated. We ought not to be surprised 
 at the dislike which the immigrants fre- 
 quently express to the climate. It is so 
 unlike that from which they come, that 
 they cannot readily apprecriate its ad- 
 vantages, or become reconciled to its 
 extremes of dry and wet. 
 
 If a native of California were to go 
 to New England in winter, and see the 
 ground frozen and covered with snow, 
 the rivers with ice, and find himself in a 
 temperature many degrees colder than 
 
 39 
 
610 
 
 DESCRfPTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 he had ever felt before, he would proba- 
 bly be aa much surprised that people 
 could or would live in so irihospit!ib]e a 
 region, as any immigrant ever h:is been 
 at what he has seen or felt in CHlifornia. 
 
 So much are our opinions influenced 
 by early impie^sions, tlie vicissitudes of 
 the seasons with which we are familiar, 
 love of country, home and kintlred, th;:t 
 we ought never lo hazard a ha~ty opin- 
 ion, when we come in contact with cir- 
 cumstances entirely different from thf)se 
 to which we have all our lives been ac- 
 customed. 
 
 Population. — Humboldt, in his E'^say 
 on New Spain, states the population of 
 Upper California, in 1802, to have con- 
 sisted of converted Indians, 15,562; oth- 
 er classes, 1,300; total, 16,862. Alex- 
 Sinder Forbes, in his history of Upper 
 and Lower California, published in 
 London in 1839, states the number of 
 converted Indians in the firmer to have 
 been in 1831, 18,683; of all other classes, 
 at 4,342 ; total, 23,025. He expresses 
 the opinion that the number had not 
 varied much up to 1835, and the proba- 
 bility is, there was very little increase in 
 the white population until the emigrants 
 from the United States began to enter 
 the country in 1838. 
 
 They increased, from year to year, so 
 that, 1816, Col. Fremont had little diffi- 
 culty in calling to his standard some five 
 hundred fighting men. 
 
 At the close of the war with Mexico 
 it was supposed that there were, inclu- 
 ding discharged volunteers, from ten to 
 fifteen thou-and Americans and Cali- 
 fornians, exclusive of converted Indians, 
 in the territory. The immigration of 
 American citizens in 1849, up to the Isl 
 January, 1850, was estimated at eighty 
 thousand — of foreigners, at twenty thou- 
 sand. 
 
 Of the present permanent population 
 of the state of California, it is not easy to 
 form even an approximative estimate. 
 While thousands of fresh immigrants are 
 constantly arriving there, large numbers, 
 whose residence has been merely a tran- 
 sient one, are constantly leaving. The 
 returning tide, however, is far less than 
 that which tends ihitherward; and con- 
 sequently, the permanent population of 
 
 this young Pacific state is rapidly in- 
 creasing, and may be set down at the 
 close of 1851, as upward of two hundred 
 rhiiusand. 
 
 It is quite impossible to form anyfhino- 
 like an accurate estimate of the number 
 of Indians in the territory. Since the 
 commencement f)f the wai", and especial- 
 ly since the discovery of gold in the 
 mountains, their numbers at the missions 
 and in the valleys near ihe coast have 
 very much diminished. In fact, the 
 whole race seems to be rapidly disap- 
 pearing. 
 
 The remains of a vast number of vil- 
 lages in all the valleys of the Sierra Ne- 
 vada, and amrmg the foot-hills of that 
 range of mountains, show that at no 
 distant day there must have been a nu- 
 merous population where there is not 
 now an Indian to be seen. There are 
 a few still retained in the service of tlie 
 old Calif )rnians, but these do not amount 
 to more than a few thousand in the 
 whole territory. It is said there are 
 large numbers of them in the mountains 
 and valleys about the head waters of 
 the San Joaquin, along the western base 
 of the Sierra, and in the northern part 
 of the territory, and that they are hostile. 
 A number of Americans were killed by 
 them during the summer of 1849, in at- 
 tempting to penetrate high up the rivers 
 in search of gold ; they also drove one 
 or two parties from Trinity river. They 
 have in several instances attacked pai'- 
 ties coming from or returning to Oregon, 
 in the section of the country which the 
 lamented Captain Warner was examin- 
 ing when he was killed. 
 
 It is also impossible to form any 
 estimate of the number of these mount- 
 ain Indians. Some suppose there are 
 as many as 300,000 in the territory, but 
 it is not probable that there is one third 
 of that number. 
 
 The small hands which are met, scat- 
 tered through the lower portions of the 
 foot-hills of the Sierra, and the valleys 
 between them and the coast, seem to be 
 almost of the lowest grade of human 
 beings. They live chiefly on acorns, 
 roots, insects, and the kernel of the pine 
 burr — occasionally they catch fish and 
 game. They use the bovT and arrow, 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 611 
 
 but are said to be too lazy and effeminate 
 to make successful hunters. And they 
 do not appear to have the slighest in- 
 clination to cultivate the soil, nor do they 
 even attempt it — except when they aie 
 induced to enter the service of the white 
 inhabitants. They have never pretended 
 to hold any inteiest in the .--oil, nor hrive 
 they heeii treated by the Spanish or 
 American immigrants as possessing any. 
 The Mexican goveriimeni never tieated 
 with them for the purchase of land, or 
 the rolinquishment of any claim of it 
 whatever. They are lazy, idle to the 
 last degree, and, although they are said 
 to be willing to give tlieir services to 
 any one who will provide them with 
 blankets, beef, and bread, it is witli much 
 difficulty they can be m ide to perform 
 labor enough to rewatd tlieir employers 
 for these very limiied means of comfort. 
 
 Formerly, at the missions, those who 
 were brought up and instruc'ed by the 
 priests, made very good servants. Ma- 
 ny of those now attached to families 
 seem to be faithful and intelligent. But 
 those who are at all in a wild and un- 
 cultivated state are most degraded ob- 
 jects of filth and idleness. 
 
 It is possible that government might, 
 by collecting them together, teach them, 
 in some degree, the arts and habits of 
 civilization; but, if we may judge of the 
 future from the past, they will disappear 
 from the face of the earth as the settle- 
 ments of the whites extend over the 
 country. 
 
 Previous to the occupation of the 
 California territory, by the Americans, 
 and the discovery of the rich gold de- 
 posites in the valley of the Sacramento, 
 the principal towns in California, were 
 Monterey (the ancient capital), San 
 Francisco, San Jose, San Diego (a port 
 in the south), and Los Angeles. None 
 of these were of much im[)ortance, nor 
 was their connexion with the commercial 
 world, otherwise than very limited. 
 
 Since these great events, however, a 
 new era has commenced, and ihe whole 
 region has experienced one of the might- 
 iest revolutions in the history of man- 
 kind. The old settlements above alluded 
 to have become large cities, new towns 
 have sprung up with almost fabulous 
 
 rapidity, a living tide has inundated the 
 country, from all parts of the habitable 
 globe. Wherever a site eligible foi- 
 commerce or trade is found, there we 
 now see the germ of a future city or 
 pei'haps a city growui to considetable 
 proportions. Everything is progiessive ; 
 and where a f;w yeavs ago the popula- 
 ticm could be numbered by thousands, 
 it now numbers hundreds of thousands, 
 and yet the tide flows on, and every 
 week witnes-es the ariival of enterf ri- 
 sing immigrants, to become citizens of 
 a state whose wealth and future position 
 in the world bid fair to vie with those 
 of Tyre in the days of its greatest glory. 
 To attempt to describe the towns and 
 cities of this young state in detail, while 
 everything connected with them is in 
 such a rapid transition state, were worse 
 than useless; foi" what might be true to- 
 day would be so far distanced, as to 
 convey in effect a totally false impiession 
 to-morrow. Our notices, therefore, will 
 be confined to a few of the more promi- 
 nent cities ; and even with them, with 
 one or two exceptions, our sketches 
 must necessarily be brief, and confined 
 rather to the geographical jiosition, and 
 natural local advantages, than an attempt 
 to portray the full measure of their pres- 
 ent growth and prospeiity. 
 
 San Fran(^isco. — The city of San 
 Francisco is situated on the west side 
 of the bay of that name, and on the 
 northern point of the peninsula which 
 lies between the southern portion of the 
 bay and the Pacific ocean. It is about 
 four miles from the narrows or straits 
 by which the bay is entered from the 
 sea. The immediate site of the city is 
 an indentation or cove in the western 
 shore of the bay, directly in front of 
 which, and at a distance of about two 
 miles, lies a large island called Ycrba 
 Buena. From the water's edge the land 
 rises gradually for more than half a mile, 
 to the west and southwest, until it ter- 
 minates in a range of hills five hundred 
 feet in height at the back of the city. 
 To the north of the city is an immense 
 bluff (or I aiher three in one) more than 
 five bundled feet high, which comes 
 down to the water's edge, with precip- 
 itous sides of from twenty to one bun- 
 
612 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE 8TATE OF OALIFOttNIA. 
 
 1 
 
 dretl feet in height. In front of this j 
 bluff' is tlie best .iiichorage giouiid, the j 
 bottom being good and tlie Idgh lands I 
 protecting vessels from ihe force of the 
 westerly winds. Between this bluff' and 
 the above-mentioned hill, there is a small 
 and nearly level valley which connects 
 with a smaller cove about a mile nearer 
 I he ocean. The bluff' forms the north- 
 western boundary of tli*^ cove, while the 
 eastern boundni'v is Hnother bluff', called 
 the Rincon, nearly fifty liset in height. 
 To the south and southwest of this lasf- 
 meulioned point there is a succession of 
 low sand liills,. covered with a dense 
 growth of stunted trees peculiar to the 
 country. 
 
 From the geogiaphical position of 
 San Francisco, its location immediately 
 upon the bay, and its proximity to the 
 gold regions, which must supply all the 
 exports, it must eventually become the 
 mart of an extensive commerce with 
 Asia and ihe islands of tlie Pacific. 
 Never in the annals of a nation h;is any 
 city risen to importance at such a rapid 
 rate as this. At the commencement of 
 1849, it was a ineie vilhige, composed 
 of a few miserable-looking huts stand- 
 ing beneath the bleak and woodless hills. 
 Now thousands of houses and stores, and 
 evidences of the most civilized life are 
 seen. Where, in 1848, but a single 
 vessel misfht occasionallv be seen in the 
 harbor, now hundreds of vessels of every 
 size and from almost every nation of the 
 earth throng the noble bay. The follow- 
 ing brief sketch of San Francisco, as it 
 appeared in December, 1849, by Bayard 
 Taylor, will give an idea of the rapid 
 growth of this remarkable city. It is 
 the more interesting, as it describes San 
 Francisco at a period just anterior to the 
 check its prosperity received by the oc- 
 currence of the first of those disastri)us 
 conffagrations which have since several 
 times laid large j)ortions of this unfortu- 
 nate city in ashes : — 
 
 "Of all the marvellous pha es of the 
 history of the present, the growth of 
 San Francisco is the one which will 
 most tax the belief of the future. Its 
 parallel was never known, and shall 
 never be beheld again. I speak only 
 of what I saw with my own eyes. When 
 
 I landed there, a little more than four 
 months before, I found a scattering town 
 of tents and canvass-houses, with a show 
 of frame buildings on one or two streets, 
 and a population of about six thousand. 
 Now, (Ml my last visit, I saw around me 
 an actual metropolis, displaying street 
 after street of well-built edifices, filled 
 with an active and enterprising people 
 and exhibiting every mark of permanent 
 commercial prosperity. Then, the town 
 was limited to the curve of the bay front- 
 ing the anchorage and bottoms of the 
 hills. Now, it stretched to the topmost 
 heights, followed the shore around point 
 after point, and sending back a long arm 
 through a gap in the hills, took hold of 
 the Golden Gate and was building its 
 warehouses on the open strait and al- 
 most fronting the blue horizon of the 
 Pacific. Then, the gold-seeking sojourn- 
 er lodged in muslin rooms and canvass 
 gar.ets, with a philosophic lack of fur- 
 nituie, and ate his simple though sub- 
 stantial fare from pine-boards. Now, 
 lofty hotels, gaudy with verandas and 
 balconies, were met wiih in all quarters, 
 furnished with home luxury, and aristo- 
 cratic restaurants presented daily their 
 long bills of fare, lich with the choicest 
 technicalities of the Parisian cuisine. 
 Then, vessels were coming in day after 
 day, to lie deserted and useless at their 
 anchorage. Now scarce a day passed, 
 but some cluster of sails, bound outward 
 through the Golden Gate, took their 
 way to all the corneis of the Pacific. 
 Like the magic seed of the Indian jug- 
 gler, which grew, blossomed, and bore 
 fruit, before the eyes of his s} ectators, 
 San Francisco seemed to have accom- 
 plished in a day the growth of half a 
 century." 
 
 It was but a brief period after the 
 above sketch of San Francisco was pen- 
 ned, that that fnted city was visited by 
 the first (;f those calamitous fires, above 
 referred to, which have six times deso- 
 lated its finest streets, and proved a seri- 
 ous check to its growth and prosperity. 
 The first of these took place on the 24th 
 of December, breaking out in a gam- 
 bling-house on Portsmouth square, and 
 rapidly spreading to the adjacent build- 
 ings. In a short time, the finest portion 
 
614 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 of a large block of houses was buriiefl 
 to the ground. The fire presented a 
 fearful spectacle. Fortunately the weath- 
 er was calm, as the slightest wind wouhl 
 hf.ve exposed the entire city to almost 
 inevitable destruction. The loss was 
 estimated at one million and a half of 
 dollars. Wiih the genuine spirit of Yan- 
 kee enterprise, many of the sufferers bv 
 the fire commenced business the next 
 day in tents, and others cm the same d^y 
 prepared the site of the ruins for thf 
 erection of new buildings. 
 
 Another fire took place in San Fran- 
 cisco, on May 4th, 1850, which destroyed 
 over two hundred buildings and prop- 
 erty to the amount f)f over four millions 
 of dollars. The fire commenced in ihe 
 Uriited Stales hotel, and spread with 
 terrible rapidity in every direction. It 
 was found impossible to arrest iis prog- 
 ress, except by tearing down a large 
 number of houses that presented male- 
 rials for its fury. Moie property was 
 consumed than could have been done 
 within an equal space in any city of the 
 world. 
 
 The third destructive conflagration 
 which visited the city of San Francisco 
 took place June 13th following, laying 
 four large blocks of buildings in ashes, 
 and consuming a great amount of valu- 
 able property. A portion of the district 
 which had suffered from the previous 
 fire was again burnt. With gieat diffi- 
 culty the wharves and shipping in the 
 harbor were protected from destruction. 
 Tlie total loss by this fire has been esti- 
 mated at about §.5,000,000. 
 
 A foiulh disastrous fire was experi- 
 enced in San Franciscn, on September 
 20th, 1850, by which a loss of property 
 to the amount of $1,000,000 was occa- 
 sioned. The buildings consumed were 
 mostly old and of an inferior order. 
 
 Several months now passed, vviihout 
 the lecurrence of another fire, and it 
 wa^ hoped the precaaiionary preventive 
 measures which had been adopted would 
 prove effectual against such extensive 
 conflagrations in future. But the hope 
 proved a delu.^ive one. On the night of 
 May 3d, 1851, the aimiversary of one of 
 the great fires above recorded, anoth- 
 er destructive conflasiration occurred 
 
 in this devoted city, by which a laige 
 portion of the business part of the town 
 was destrf)yed. The number of build- 
 ings burnt amounted to over a thou- 
 sand. The loss was estimated at ten 
 millions of dollars. A number of lives 
 were also lost. In one case six persons 
 undertook llie care of a store supposed 
 to be fireprooi"; the iron-doois and win- 
 dow-shutters became expanded l>y the 
 heat to sucli a degree that it was impos- 
 sible to open them, and the inmates were 
 all burnt to death. 
 
 Nothingexciled so much surprise amid 
 the many surprising things that occurred 
 the night of this fire, as the little resist- 
 ance that was offered to the progress of 
 the flames by the splendid and substan- 
 tial iion-buildings that had been con- 
 structed in the full conviction that fire 
 coidd not harm them at least. Even 
 when the insatiate flames were caieering 
 wildly elsewhere, laying low the fiiiest 
 fabiics that man's ingenuity could de- 
 vise to stay their course, those doing 
 business in these iron-houses felt an 
 abiding confidence that they should es- 
 cape the general ruin. Others enter- 
 tained the same idea, and rushed their 
 costliest articles into those warehouses, 
 and when the fire swept (jut of existence 
 their own combustible houses consoled 
 themselves with the reflectifwi, that a pa it 
 at least of their pro{)eity was saved. 
 But never was confidence more mis- 
 placed. It is true iron will not burn, 
 but destruction as total fell upon all such 
 buildings as if they had been made of 
 light wood. 
 
 The one seen in our engiaving was an 
 iron warehouse which failed to resist the 
 devouring element. It was constructed 
 of coiruijMted iron, seventy-five feet lonof, 
 by forty feet wide, and twenty feet high. 
 It was composed of plates of iron each 
 eight feet long. It was manufactured 
 in England, and cost previous to ship- 
 ment, three thousand dollars. Corruga- 
 ted iron has all the stiength of brick- 
 work,, wiihcjut its great weight; and, 
 although it has proved to be not fire- 
 proof, at least on occasions of such over- 
 wlielming devastation as destroyed the 
 houses we are speaking of, still it is |ie- 
 culiarly adapted for portable dwellings 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 GU 
 
 ' i 
 
 Iion-Huuse at San Francisco. 
 
 and storehouses, being very light, and 
 packijig so close, that the expense of 
 freight is comparatively small. 
 
 The following description of the buin- 
 iiig of Iwo of these houses is from the 
 San Francisco Herald : — 
 
 " We watched the fate of two eh^gant 
 iron-houses — one situated at the corner 
 of Washington and Sansome streets, and 
 the other occupied by Messrs. Beithelot 
 & Cronise, at the ciu'ner of Jackson and 
 Sansome streets, and never was there a 
 more complete wreck, when the fire had 
 done with them. The zinc roof caught 
 first and burnt as fieicely as if made of 
 pine-knots. The flame was of a deej) 
 blue and looked most singular, beside 
 that which rose up from surrounding 
 frame buildings. But little smoke issued 
 at first — but the heat was greater than 
 that of a furnace. The iron pillars and 
 plates glowed brightly, in a little while 
 they warped, curled like crisp leaves, 
 opened, let in the flames to the piles of 
 rich merchandise stored wiihin, and in a 
 few moments all was over. With a 
 tremendous crash they fell in ruins to 
 the ground, and long after the wooden 
 buildings aioundwere reduced to ashes, 
 these glowing heaps of iron threw out 
 an intense heat that allowed of no ap 
 proach. And, indeed, when we consid-y 
 er the fierceness of the heat that ai'oi 
 on that memorable night fi'om hundi 
 of burning structures, and piles of c< 
 goods — a heat that no one can cor 
 
 L^^ 
 
 who was not present — it is not to be 
 wondered at that even iron succumbed 
 before its withering power. From the 
 nature of the materials, however, a less 
 degree of heat would have produced the 
 same effect. Its expansibility will al- 
 ways open the interior of a house con- 
 structed of iion to the admission of the 
 flames, and then it is not more secure 
 than if made of wood. In the recent 
 conflagration there were five elegant 
 buildings constructed of plates of cast- 
 iron, three stories high, destroyed, be- 
 sides any number of corrugated iron- 
 houses. The latter offered no check 
 whatever to the fire. They went down 
 as a matter of course. They have proven 
 equally as insecui-e as wooden houses, 
 and when burnt, more expensive, be- 
 cause in their case it does requite some 
 oiiilay to clear the ground of the wreck, 
 while in the oi her nothing but a heap of 
 ashes remains." 
 
 With energies undaunti-d by this fifth 
 conflagration, more serious by far than 
 any which had preceded it, the work of 
 rebuilding was immediately commenced, 
 and carried forward with such charac- 
 teristic rapidity, that within ten days 
 after the fire over thiee hundred and 
 
 '•^v buildings were in process of erec- 
 •'d the greater part of them al- 
 -.upied. 
 .e sixth conflagration occurred on 
 
 -e 22(1 of June, just seven weeks sub- 
 sequently to the one just described. 
 
616 
 
 DESCRIPTION OP THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Thirteen blocks of buildings were con- 
 sumed, and a number of lives weie lost. 
 The property destroyed amounted to 
 from one to two millions f)f dollars. 
 
 These conflagrations, with many oth- 
 ers of lesser note, some or all of them, 
 are believed to have been the wi-rk of 
 incendiaries. Indeed, previous to the 
 last fire above recorded, it had become 
 demonstrably evident that organized 
 bands of malefact(»rs, comjiosed of con- 
 victs from the English penal settlements, 
 and desperadoes from every qutirter of 
 the globe, were lengued together for rob- 
 bery and plunder; who did not hesitate 
 to commit arson and murder in the 
 prosecution of their designs. The high- 
 est crimes were matters of every-day 
 occurrence, not merely in remote dis- 
 tricts, but in the towns and ciiies ; in 
 San Fiancisco especially. Under these 
 circumstances, a large number of the 
 mAst valuable citizens organized them- 
 selves into a committee of vigilance, for 
 the purpose of securing the punishment 
 of criminals, at all hazards. They open- 
 ed a room, at which a certain number of 
 the members, detailed for the purpose, 
 were to be present day and night. When 
 any offence came to their notice which, 
 in their opinion, called for the interfer- 
 ence of the committee, all the members 
 were to be summoned by the ringing of 
 a bell. The members all pledged them- 
 selves to cany into execution the sen- 
 tence of the majority of the body so con- 
 vened. 
 
 The committee soon had occasion to 
 inaugurate their administration by a pub- 
 lic execution, sf» deliberately performed, 
 and so unflinchingly avowed, as t./ leave 
 no doubt of their full dcterminaiion to 
 carry their designs into effect. On the 
 10th of June, an English convict from 
 Botany Bay, who gave his name as Jen- 
 kins, or Jennings, was arrested in the 
 act of carrying off a safe which he had 
 stolen. He was brought before the com 
 mittee, by whom he was tried, found 
 guilty, and sentenced \o he hnng. This 
 sentence was carried in';o execution the 
 same night in the public square. The 
 coroner's jury, who held an inquest upon 
 the body, named nine members of the 
 committee as specially and directly im- 
 
 plicated in the execution. A card was 
 immediately issued, signed by nearly 
 two hundred persons, avowing that they, 
 as members of the committee of vigil- 
 ance, were all participators in tlie trans- 
 action, equally with those whose names 
 had been given by the coroner's jury. 
 
 The committee v/ent on adding to 
 their numbers, and increasing the scope 
 of their operations. Persons known as 
 escaped convicts were ordered to leave 
 the country within five days ; and after 
 a show of resistance, finding all opposi- 
 tion useless, they complied with the or- 
 der. Vessels arriving from tlie English 
 penal settlements were boarded in the 
 harbor, and those on board who proved 
 to be escaped convicts, were warned 
 not to land. The committee went on to 
 establish a central and branch offices, 
 organized a patrol, and raised funds for 
 carrying on their operations. Persons 
 charged with minor offences were hand- 
 ed over to the public authorities, the 
 committee taking care to keep in their 
 own hands the adjudication of those ca- 
 ses which seemed to require a prompt 
 decision, thus keeping up the frest'ige 
 which they had gained by their first bold 
 act. On the 12th of July, a Sydney con- 
 vict named Stuait, was brouglit bef<)re 
 the committee on a charge of robbery. 
 He proved to be the ringleader of a 
 gang of desperadoes, who had long in- 
 fested the country. He was found guil- 
 ty, and the tolling of the bell summf)ned 
 the public to witness the act of execu- 
 tion. The criminal' was brought out, 
 pinioned, and escorted by more than five 
 hundred nembers of the committee, and 
 executed i-i broad day, in the presence 
 of a great ".rowd, without show of tu- 
 mult or res-stance. Previous tc^ his 
 death he madi a long confession of the 
 crimes he had cinmitted, and implicated 
 a number of per'^ons as accomplices. 
 
 Subsequently fwo Sydney buiglara 
 najned Whittaker ard M'Kenzie were 
 ari'ested, tried, co-^demned, and sen- 
 tenced by the vigilance committee to 
 be hung. But a few hours before the 
 period fixed for their execution, they 
 were rescued by the gov*^r»ior, wiih aid 
 of the sheriff and his subordinates. The 
 vigilance committee, believing that the 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 617 
 
 authorities by this act, intended to shield 
 them from all punishment, watched their 
 opportunity, obtained access to the prison 
 where the convicts wei"e confined, tonk 
 them forcibly out, and carried out their 
 sentence against them, by hanging them 
 upon the outer wfills of the building in 
 which their committee-rooms were lo- 
 cated. 
 
 Several other criminals were arrested 
 and as summarily executed under the 
 direction of the vigilance committee, at 
 Saci'amento city, Monterey, and other 
 places — but the details already given are 
 amply sufficient to show the determined 
 course of action pursued by this com- 
 mittee, to repress and punish outrages 
 against person and pi-operty, by means 
 they deemed more prompt and sure than 
 those furnished by the (srdinary admin- 
 istration of the law. And, although in 
 the executions that took place, not a 
 shadow of doubt existed of the guilt of 
 the convicts — indeed, they all acknowl- 
 edged the justice of their fate — yet, it 
 is to be legretted that the trial and pun- 
 ishment of these miserable outcasts could 
 not have been left to the legitimate, 
 though perhaps imperfect and tardy 
 process of the courts of justice. But at 
 this distance from the scene of these 
 events, so difficult is it to form a correct 
 judgment as to the necessity that called 
 for the organization of this selfcon- 
 Btituted tribunal of justice — so impossi- 
 ble is it to fully appreciate the critical 
 position in which life and property were 
 placed by the congregating there of Bot- 
 any Bay convicts, and desperadoes from 
 all parts of the world, and who, through 
 the inefficiency of the legal authorities, 
 went " unwhipt of justice" — -that we 
 should hesitate before pronouncing con- 
 demnation upon the foimation and sub- 
 sequent action of a committee, number- 
 ing among its membei-s some of the 
 most respectable and valnable citizens 
 of San Francisco. 
 
 Still, there is danger, that, as prece- 
 dents for future guidance of bodies of 
 men, less cool and unerring in their judg- 
 ment, and more impulsive and less scru- 
 pulous in their proceedings, the formation 
 and acts of this committee may lead to 
 results far more injurious to the com- 
 
 munity, than a longer endnrnnce of the 
 evils which its measures were intended 
 to eradicate. Heaven grant that the 
 seed thus sown in that susceptible soil 
 may not prove the geim of a bohun-upas 
 hereafter to spring up and poison the 
 moral and social atmosphere of that oth- 
 erwise promising and thriving young Pa- 
 cific state. 
 
 San Francisco has now (November, 
 1851), a population of about forty thou- 
 sand, with one hundred miles of streets 
 laid out, and sustains several daily pa- 
 pers. It has recovered entirely from the 
 disastrous effects of the two great fires 
 of May and June, the space burnt over 
 having been completely rebuilt in far 
 better style than before. Numerous fire- 
 proof and stone buildings have been 
 erected, and the city in various respects 
 is far better prepared to resist a confla- 
 gration than ever before. 
 
 The number of arrivals of steamers 
 and sail-vessels from foreign ports dur- 
 ing the past year was close upon two 
 thousand, about half as numerous as 
 those of New York, and much more 
 numerous than those of any other port 
 in the Union. There are now eleven 
 steamers, regularly traversing the Pa- 
 cific, in additiim to five others in the 
 Panama and Oregon trade. There are 
 also about fifty steamers engaged on the 
 river-trade, and over three hundred oth- 
 er crafts of various kinds navigating the 
 rivers and bay. The amount of gold 
 shipped from San Francisco, during 1850, 
 was over forty millions of dollars. That 
 of 1851 will be much larger. 
 
 The view of San Francisco, given on 
 page 613, is taken from the foot of Tele- 
 graph hill, looking from Ringon point 
 and Mission valley. The city is given 
 boldly in the middle-foregronnd, while 
 the harbor, with its imposing grandeur 
 and beauty covered with a forest of 
 masts, stietches away in the perspective. 
 The foreground is characteristic and 
 trutliful of the neighborhood of the city, 
 and the belongings of the gold country. 
 
 Sackamento City. — The plan of Sac- 
 ramento city is very simple. It is situ- 
 ated on the west bank of the Sacramento 
 river, at its junction with the Rio Amei'- 
 icano, one hundred and fifteen miles from 
 
618 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 San Francisco. The town-plot embiaces 
 a square of about one and a halt' miles to a 
 side. The site of ihe city was coveted 
 with oaks and sycamores of gigantic size, 
 which have been cut down as far as is 
 absolutely necessary to make room for 
 buildings, and the trees that are left 
 Standing give the place an air not unlike 
 that of one <;f the oldest and best-shaded 
 towns of New England. It is laid out 
 in retrulHr rig^lit-anoles, after the plan of 
 Pliiladelphia, those streeis running east 
 and west named after the alphabet, and 
 those north and south after the arith- 
 metic. 
 
 The rapid growth of this " city in 
 the woods" seems like the fabled pro- 
 ductions of the magician's wand. In 
 April, 1S49, the town contained four 
 houses. Six months laier, the number 
 of inhabitants, in tents and houses, was 
 little short of ten thou-and. At the pres- 
 ent time, the population amounts to about 
 fifteen thousand. 
 
 The aspect of Sacramento city on ap- 
 jjroaching it from the liver is decidedly 
 more novt;l and picturesque than that of 
 any other town in the country. 'ilie 
 forest of masts along the embarcadero 
 (but which does nor appear in our engra- 
 ving, as it would intercept the view of the 
 city) rivals the n >ble growth of the soil. 
 
 The city is settled principally by New- 
 Yorkers, New-Jei. ey men, and emigrants 
 from the western states. In activity and 
 public spirit it is not behind San Fran- 
 cisco, while its growth, in view of the 
 ditierence (jf locadon is more remark- 
 able. 
 
 In the jnonth of January, 1849, a great 
 overflow of the Sacramento river oc- 
 curred, deluging the country both above 
 and below the city of Sacramento, the 
 flood extending in many places like an 
 immense sea over the whole breadth of 
 the valley. The course of the river was 
 indicated only by the trees and shrub^ 
 bery with which the banks were coveied. 
 A great number of horses and cattle 
 were swept away by the Hood and 
 drowned. The wood-cutters and char- 
 coal-burners on the bunks uf the river 
 weie obliged t(j climb into tieeS in order 
 to save their lives. On the night of 
 January 9th, the city of Sacramento was 
 
 entirely submerged, and remained un- 
 der watei for several days. The streets 
 in which the ])rin(ipal business opera- 
 tions were conductiid wore swept com- 
 pletely through by the raging torrent. 
 Every description of merchandise was 
 borne away in the mighty rush. Boats 
 navigated the streets, taking passengers 
 from the second stories of the dwelling- 
 houses. The ridge of high land in the 
 rear of the city was studded with tents, 
 and man and beast, seeking safety in 
 flight, were crowded together in dire con- 
 fusion. Sutterville, situated a few miles 
 below Saci'amento city, was overflowed. 
 The ranches back of the river suffered 
 the same fate. A large amount of prop- 
 erty was destroyed by this inmidation, 
 but it is believed that no lives were lost, 
 A strong embankment has since been 
 erected along the bank of the Sacra- 
 mento, which will protect the city from 
 a like calamiiy in future. 
 
 A seiious disturbance occurred during 
 the month of August, 1849, in the city of 
 Sacramento, growing out of the disputes 
 between the squatters and landholders. 
 An arined body of the squatters pro- 
 ceeded through the streets of the city, 
 and a collision ensuing between them 
 and the authorities, several persons were 
 shot and some mortally wounded. The 
 city was placed under martial law, and 
 it was seveial days before tranquillity 
 was restored. 
 
 San Jose (pronounced San-hosa), the 
 lale capital of California, is sixtj milea 
 south of San Francisco, and nine miles 
 from the south end of San Francisco bay. 
 It is situated in a valley of rich land 
 twenty miles wide by seventy long. It 
 is an old Spanish town, and has sonic 
 fine gardens, fruit-trees, &c. The cli- 
 mate is considered very fine. From 
 eight o'clock in the morning to four in 
 the evening the sun has great power, 
 and the thermometer rises up to eighty 
 and ninety degrees. The whole day a 
 fine breeze is blowing, so that persons 
 in the shade are veiy comfortable; but 
 in the sun it is sometimes oppressive. 
 After four o'clock it gradually becomes 
 cool, sometimes making a fire necessary 
 for comfort; indeed, generally a liille 
 fire after dark is jjlcasant. The nights 
 
620 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 being cool, sleep is sound and refiesh- 
 inf. The sky is ever bright, except 
 whei fogs occasinnnlly aiise during the 
 night ; but when they do, the morning 
 sun soon dispels tliem. 
 
 San Jose, from its pleasant and healthy 
 locality, will probably become the re^i- 
 I dence of many weallhy families who do 
 business elsewhere. Many gentlemen, 
 merchants of San Francisco, have al- 
 ready purchased residences here. San 
 Jose has daily communicalion wilh San 
 Francisco, by stage and steamer. A 
 railroad between the two places has also 
 been projected. 
 
 MoNTEREV, the ancient capital of Alta 
 CaHfornia, is about one hundted miles 
 south of San Franc'sco. The situation 
 of the city is admirable. The houses 
 are built on a l)road, gentle slope of 
 land, about two miles from Point Pinos, 
 the southern end of the bay of Monterey. 
 They are scattered over an extent of 
 three fourths of a mile, leaving ample 
 room for the growih of the city for 
 many years to come. The outline of the 
 hills in the rear is somewhat similar to 
 those of Staten Island, near the city of 
 New York, but they increase in height 
 as they run to the southeast, till at the 
 distance of four miles they are merged 
 in the mountain -^ of the coast range. 
 The northern shore of the bay is twenty 
 miles distanl, curving so far to the west, 
 that the Pacific is not visible from any 
 part of the city. Eastv/ard, a high, rocky 
 ridge, called the Tora mountains, makes 
 a prominent object in the view, and 
 when the aii- is clear, the Sierra de Gavi- 
 lan, beyond the Salmas plains, is dis- 
 tinctly visible. 
 
 The barber of Monterey is equal to 
 any in California. The bight in which 
 vessels anchor is entiiely protected from 
 the noithwesters, by Seagull point, and 
 from the southeastern winds by mount- 
 ains in the rear. In the absence of light- 
 houses, the dense fog renders navigation 
 dangerous on this coast, and in spite of 
 an entrance twenty-five miles in bieadth, 
 vessels frequently run below Point Pinos, 
 and are obliged to anchor on unsafe 
 ground in Carmel bay. A road leads 
 from the town over the hills to the ex- 
 mission of Carmel situated at the head 
 
 of the bay, about four miles distant. 
 Just beyond it is Point Lobos, a ])rom- 
 ontory on the coast, famous ff)r the num- 
 ber of seals and sea-lions which congre- 
 gate there at low tide. 
 
 The trade of Monterey has rapidly 
 increased since the territory of Califoi- 
 nia was ceded to the United States. It 
 contains about two thousand inhabitants. 
 From the salubrity of the climate and 
 the cheapness of living at Monterey, it 
 will be preferred as a residence by ma- 
 ny of those who have retired with a 
 competence from their golden labors. 
 The pine-crowned slopes back of the 
 town contain many sites of unsurpassed 
 beauty for private residences. 
 
 With the exception, perhaps, of Los 
 Angeles, Monterey contains the most 
 pleasant society to be found in Califor- 
 nia. There is a circle of families, Amer- 
 ican and native, residing there whose 
 genial and refined social character is in 
 strong contrast with the popular idea of 
 Califoi'nia life. In spite of the lack of 
 cultivation, except such instruction as 
 the priests were competent to give, the 
 native population possesses a natural re- 
 finement of manners, which would grace 
 the most polished society. 
 
 Stockton. — This city is situated on 
 sloughs which contain the back waters 
 formed by the junction of the Sacra- 
 mento and San Joaquin rivers. The 
 town was laid out, in 1849, by Mr. Weav- 
 er, who emigrated to the country seven 
 years before, and obtained a grant of 
 eleven square leagues of land from the 
 government, on condition that he would 
 retain settlers for the whole of it within 
 a specified time. In planning the town 
 of Stockton, he displayed a great deal 
 of shrewd business tact, the sale of lots 
 having brought him upward of half a 
 million of dollars. A great disadvantage 
 of the location is the sloughs by which it 
 is surrounded ; which in the wet season, 
 render the roads next to impassable. 
 There seems, however, to be no other 
 central point so well adapted to supjily- 
 ing the rich district between the INloke- 
 lumne and Tuolumne, and Stockton 
 will evidently continue to grow with a 
 sure and gradual increase. 
 
 Stockton has been twice desolated by 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 621 
 
 fire. The first took place on the night of 
 the 24th of Decembei-, 1849, the same 
 night the fiist fire occurred at San Fran- 
 cisco. By tins fire property was de- 
 stroyed to the amount of a quarter of a 
 milHon of dollars. Stockton was again 
 visited by conflagration, on ihe 12th of 
 May, 1S51. Both of these fires were 
 believed to be the work of incendiaiies. 
 
 Vallejo is a city yet in embryo. It 
 is the site where the seat of government 
 has been permanently located. Vallejo 
 has a water front of about seven miles 
 in extent affording a secure anchorMge 
 for vessels of the largest size. It is 
 bounded on the west by Napa bay, on 
 the opposiie side of which is Mare island, 
 recommended by the naval commission- 
 ers as the best location for the great 
 Pacific navy-yard. 
 
 Although Vallejo is but in its infancy, 
 yet many buildings have been put up, and 
 many others are in process of construc- 
 tion. The statehouse, in course of erec- 
 tion, is a substantial building, one bun- 
 dled feet long by thirty broad, and two 
 stories high. The senate-chamber is in 
 the upper s'ory and the assembly-hall in 
 the lower one, «»ne immediately above the 
 other. 
 
 The fine climate and healthy and oih- 
 erwi-e advantageous location of the new 
 capita], and the natural resources of the 
 surrounding country, will render Vallejo 
 a most attractive sp(»t. 
 
 Benicia, once thought to be a rival to 
 San Francisco, is situated on the straits 
 of Carquinez thii"ty-five miles from tlie 
 ocean. I-t is a very pretty place. The 
 situation is well-chosen, the land grad- 
 ually sloping back from the water, with 
 ample space for the spread of the town. 
 Tlie anchorage is excellent, vessels of 
 the largest size being able to lie so near 
 shoie as to land iheir cargoes without 
 lightering. The back country, including 
 the Napa and Sonoma valleys, is one of 
 the finest agricultural districts of Cali- 
 fornia. Notwithstanding these advanta- 
 ges, Benicia must always remain inferior, 
 in commercial importance, to both San 
 Francisco and Sacramento city. 
 
 New-York of the Pacific, with its 
 awkward but aspiring name, is located 
 on a level plain on the southern shore 
 
 of Suissin bay, backed by a range of 
 barren mountains. The anchorage is 
 good, but it will never be a large town. 
 
 San Diego is a seaport at the south- 
 ern extremity of the state of California. 
 It is situated at the foot of a high hill, 
 on a sand flat, two miles wide, reaching 
 from the head of San Diego bay, to False 
 bay. A high promontory, of neaily the 
 same width, runs into the sea four or 
 five miles, and is connected by the flat 
 with the main land. The bay is a nar- 
 row arm of the sea, indenting the land 
 some four or five miles, and having 
 twenty feet of water at the lowest tide. 
 San Diego is considered one of the best 
 harbors on the Pacific coast. Befoie 
 California came into the possession of 
 the United States, the principal trade 
 of San Diego was hides, which were 
 collected there for e>cportation. 
 
 Near San Diego, and within a day's 
 march of the Pacific ocean, at the head 
 of the gulf of California, ancient ruins 
 have been discovei"ed, which will interest 
 the antiquary as much, perhaps, as the 
 discovery of gold, has thousands of oth- 
 ers. Portions of temples, dwellings, 
 lofty stone pyramids (seven of these 
 within a mile square), and massive gran- 
 ite rings or circular walls, round venera- 
 ble trees, columns and blocks of hiero- 
 glyphics, all speak of some ancient race 
 of men, now for ever gone, their history 
 actually unknown to any of the existing 
 families of mankind. In some points, 
 these ruins resemble the recently dis- 
 covered cities of Palenque, &;c., near ihe 
 Atlantic or Mexican gulf coast; in oth- 
 ers, the ruins of ancient Egypt; in oth- 
 ers, again, the monuments of Phoenicia, 
 and yet in many features they differ from 
 all tliat have been referred to. It is 
 said the discoverers deem them to be 
 antediluvian, while the present Indians 
 have a tradition of a great civilized na- 
 tion, which their ferocious forefathers 
 utfeily destroyed. The region of the 
 ruins is called by the Indians '* the val- 
 ley of mystery." 
 
 There are many other towns and cities 
 in California, but they are increasing so 
 rapidly in numbers, extent, and popula- 
 tion, that it is futile to attempt to de- 
 scribe them even had we room. Prob- 
 
622 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 ably a week does not pass without wit- 
 nessing tlie fdUiulation of some new 
 town o! fiilure city. Some idea may he 
 formed of the extent of settlement in 
 CaUfoinia, fron the following list of post- 
 offices already established, with the 
 names of the towns and counties in wliich 
 they are located. Those in italic aie 
 county-seats: — 
 
 OFFICES. COUNTIES 
 
 Antioch, Contra Costa 
 
 Auburn, Placer 
 
 Benicia, Solano 
 
 Bid well's Bar, Butte 
 
 Big Bar, Trinity 
 
 Chico, Butte 
 
 Colusi, Colusi 
 
 Coloma, El Dorado 
 
 Dobbin's Branch Yuba 
 
 Double Springs, ..Calaveras 
 
 Downieville, Yuba 
 
 Foster's Bar, Yuba 
 
 Fremont, Yolo 
 
 Georgetown El Dorado 
 
 Goodyear's Bar, Yuba 
 
 Hamilton Burt(! 
 
 Jackson, Calaverai^ 
 
 Knigbt'sFerry, .San.loaquii 
 
 Lasfen's Butte 
 
 Los Angeles, ...Los Angeies 
 
 Louioville, El Dorado 
 
 Jtariposa, Maiiposa, 
 
 Martinez, Contra Co-ta 
 
 Marysville, Yuba 
 
 Mokelumne Hill, .Calavei-as 
 
 MonroevHle, Colusi 
 
 Moon's Ranch, Colusi 
 
 Monterey, Monterey 
 
 Mormon Island, Sacramento 
 Napa, Napa 
 
 OFFICES. COtJNTIES. 
 
 Nevada, Nevada 
 
 Nicolau?, Suiter 
 
 Oak Sprins, Tuoluinne 
 
 i'ark's Bar, Yul)a 
 
 I'lacerville, El Dorado 
 
 Quartzburg, Mariposa 
 
 Rough auil Ready, ..Nevada 
 Sail Francisco, .S. Francisco 
 
 Sacramento, Sacramento 
 
 Salmon Falls El Dorado 
 
 Santa Clara, Santa Clara 
 
 .■^an Jose, Santa Clara 
 
 Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz 
 
 San Juan, Monterey 
 
 9rtre Luis Obispo, S. L Oliispo 
 Santa Barbara, Sta. Barbara 
 
 San Diego, San Die^o 
 
 Shasta, Sba/Tla 
 
 Sono7nn, Sonoma 
 
 Soitora, Tuiilumne 
 
 Sttipli.''.s Ranch, . . . Calaveras 
 
 Stockton, San Joaquin 
 
 Trinidad, Trinity 
 
 Vallejo Solano 
 
 rernon, Sutter 
 
 Volcano, Calaveras 
 
 JVeavcrville, Trinity 
 
 Wood's Diggins, .Tuolumne 
 Yuba City, .'. Yuba 
 
 Mineral Wealth of California. — 
 The gold region of Califoiiiia is about 
 six hundred miles long, and eio;hty miles 
 broad, following the line of the Sieira 
 Nevada. It embraces within its limits 
 those entensive ranges of hills which rise 
 on the eastern bolder of the plain of the 
 Sacramento and San Joaquin, and ex- 
 tending eastwardly from fifty to sixty 
 miles, they attain an elevation of about 
 four thousand feet, and terminate at the 
 base of the main ridge of the Sierra Ne- 
 vada. There are numerous streams 
 which have their sources in the springs 
 of the Sierra, and receive the water from 
 its melting snows, and that which falls 
 in rain during the wet season. 
 
 These streams form rivers, which have 
 cut their channels through the ranges 
 of foot hills westwardly to the plain, and 
 disembogue into the Sacramento and 
 San Joaquin. Tliese rivers are from 
 ten to fifteen, and probably some of them 
 twenty miles apart. 
 
 The piincip il lorma'ion or substratum 
 
 in these hills is talcose slate ; the ."super- 
 stratum, sometimes penetrating to a 
 great depth, is quartz. This, however, 
 does not cover the entire face of the 
 country, but extends in large bodies in 
 various directions — is found in masses 
 and small fragments on the sutface, and 
 seen along the ravines, and in the mount- 
 ains overhanging the rivers, and in the 
 hill sides in its original beds. Tt crops 
 out in the valleys and on the tops of the 
 hills, and forms a striking feature of the 
 entire country over which it extends. 
 Fiom innumeiable evidence and indica- 
 tions, it has come to be the universally 
 admitted opinion among the miners and 
 intelligent men who have examined this 
 region, that the gold, iclictJier in detached 
 particles and in j^ieces, er in veins, was 
 created in comhination xoitli the qvartz. 
 Gfild is not found in the surface of the 
 country, presenting the appearance of 
 having been thrown up and scattered in 
 all directions by volcanic action. It is 
 only found in particular localities, and 
 attended by peculiar circumstances and 
 indications. It is found in the bars and 
 shoals of the rivers, in lavines, and in 
 what are called the dry-diggings, and in 
 all these localities is accessible to any 
 man who has the strength to use a pan 
 or washer, a spade and pickaxe. 
 
 The rivers, in forming their channels, 
 or breaking their way through the hills, 
 have come in contact wiih the quartz 
 containing the gold veins, and by con- 
 stant attrition cut the gold into fine flakes 
 and dust, and it is found among the sand 
 and gravel of their beds at those places 
 where the swiftness of the current re- 
 duces it, in the dry season, to the nar- 
 rowest possible limits, and where a wide 
 margin is, consequently, left on each 
 side, over which the water rushes, dur- 
 ing the wet season, with great force. 
 
 As the velocity of some streatns is 
 greater than others, so is the gold found 
 in fine or coarse particles, appaiently 
 corresponding to the degree of attrition 
 to which it has been exposed. The 
 water from the hills and upper valleys, 
 in finding its way to the rivers, has cut 
 deep ravines, and, wherever it came in 
 coniact wiih the qiiaitz, has dissolved 
 or crumbled it in pieces. 
 
> IM 
 
624 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 In the dry season these channels are 
 mostly without water, and gold is found 
 in the beds and margins of many of tijem 
 in large quantities, but in a much coarser 
 state than in the rivers ; owing, undoubt- 
 edly, to the moderate flow and tempo- 
 rary continuance of the current, which 
 has reduced it to smooth shapes, not un- 
 like pebbles, but had not sufficient force 
 to reduce it to flakes or dust. 
 
 Rounded water-woru Pebble of Gold with duartz. 
 
 The dry-diggings are places where 
 quartz containing gold has cro|)ped out, 
 and been disintegrated, crumbled to frag- 
 ments, pebbles, and dust, by the action 
 of water and the atmosphere. The gold 
 has been left as it was made, in all im- 
 aginable shapes ; in pieces of all sizes, 
 and from one grain to several pounds in 
 weight. The evidences that it was cre- 
 ated in combination with quartz are too 
 numerous and striking to admit of doubt 
 or cavil. They are found, in combination 
 in large quantities. 
 
 A very large proportion of the pieces 
 of gold found in these situations have 
 more or less quartz adhering to them. 
 In many specimens they are so com- 
 bined they can not be separated without 
 reducing the whole mass to powder and 
 subjecting it to the action of quicksilver. 
 
 This gold, not having been exposed 
 to the attrition of a strong current of 
 
 water, retains, in a great degree, its ori- 
 ginal conformation. 
 
 These diggings, in some places, spread 
 over valleys of considerable extent, which 
 have the appearance of alluvion, formed 
 l)y washings from the adjoining hills, of 
 decomposed quartz and slate earth, and 
 vegetable matter. 
 
 In addition to these facts, several vein- 
 mines have been taken, showing the min- 
 ute Connexion between the gold and the 
 rock, and indicating a value hitherto un- 
 known in orolJ-miuingr. 
 
 These veins do not present the ap- 
 pearance of places where gold may have 
 been lodged by some violent eruption. 
 It is combined with the quartz, in all 
 imaginable forms and degrees of rich- 
 ness. 
 
 The rivers present very striking and, 
 it would seem, conclusive evidence re- 
 specting the quantity of gold remaining 
 undiscovered in the quartz veins. It is 
 not probable that the gold in the dry 
 diggings, and that in the rivers — the 
 former in lumps, the latter in dust — was 
 created by different processes. Tliat 
 which is found in the rivers has undoul)t- 
 edly been cut or worn from the veins in 
 the rock, with which their currents have 
 come in contact. All of them appear to 
 be equally rich. This is shown by the 
 fact that a laboring man may collect 
 nearly as much in one river as he can in 
 another. They intersect and cut through 
 the gold legion, running from east to 
 west, at irregular distances of fifteen to 
 twenty, and perhaps some of them thirty 
 miles apart. 
 
 Hence it appears that the gold veins 
 are equally rich in all parts of that most 
 remarkable section of country. Were 
 it wanting, there are further proofs of 
 this in the ravines and dry diggings, 
 which uniformly ctmfirm what nature so 
 plainly shows in the rivers. 
 
 It is now a well-demonstrated fact that 
 the gold found in the beds of the streams 
 has been cut or worn from the veins in 
 the quartz through which they have 
 forced their way, and considering that 
 they are all rich, and are said to be 
 nearly equally productive, we may form 
 some idea of the vast amount of treasure 
 remaining: undisturbed in the veins which 
 
G26 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 run through the masses of rock in vari- 
 ous directions over a space comprising 
 nearly fifty thousnnd square miles. 
 
 If we may be allowed to form a con- 
 jecture respecting hie richness of these 
 veins from the quantity of lump or coarse 
 gold found in the dry diggings, where 
 it appears to occupy Mearly the same 
 superfices it did originally in the rock — 
 its specific gravity being sufficient to re 
 sist ordinary moving causes — we shall 
 be led to an estimate almost beyond hu- 
 man calculation and belief Yet, there 
 is no plausible reason why the veins 
 which remain in the quartz may not be 
 as valuable as those which have become 
 separated from the decomposed rock. 
 This matter is being satisfactorily decided 
 by actual discoveries. These gohl-bear- 
 ing veins have, as yet, been pierced only 
 at intervals, but the developments thus 
 made, indicate that in her fields and 
 ledges of auriferous quartz, California 
 possesses an element of wealth, of incal- 
 culable extent and value. 
 
 The first experiments in quartz-raining 
 were made in 1850, in Mariposa. An 
 injudicious location and light machinery 
 rendered this fii'st trial in extracting gold 
 from quartz comparatively a failure. The 
 works were soon discontinued. Since 
 then, improvements in machineiy have 
 been made, more eligible locations se- 
 lected, and cjuartz-mining operations are 
 being prosecuted with vigor and success. 
 
 The present gi'eat centre of quartz- 
 mining is Grass valley, in Nevada county. 
 This town is distant northeasterly from 
 Sacramento city about seventy miles. 
 The first quartz discoveries at this lo- 
 cality, were made about the month of 
 November, 1850 ; but no machinery 
 was erected until the latter part of the 
 winter. So rich did the veins ou"Gold 
 hill" prove, even by the slow process of 
 crushing in hand-mortars and wasliing 
 in water only, that shafts were sunk on 
 almost every hill for several milts 
 around, in nearly every instance striking 
 rich veins. There are between thirty 
 and forty hills opened in the single town- 
 ship of Grass valley (f lur and a half 
 miles square), and exhibiting incf)ntest- 
 able evidence that extensive veins (if 
 gold-bearing quartz underlie them all. 
 
 The machinery for crushing the quartz 
 rock is of course very expetisive, and 
 not nearly all of those possessing quartz 
 claims have the means wherewith to 
 purchase it; consequently, the principle 
 of a division of labor commences to op- 
 erate, and in the most favorable manner 
 for the miner; that is, the miner gets out 
 the rock from his claim, and then sells 
 it to the parties owning machinery, who 
 crush it and extract the gold. 
 
 There are now about eight mills in 
 successful operation in and near the vil- 
 lage of Centreville, in Grass valley town- 
 ship. Many others are in process of 
 erection at the same localiiy, and still 
 others in various parts of Nevada county. 
 Centreville is already a ihiiving village 
 of fifteen hundred to two thousand in- 
 habitants, with some good dwellings, 
 hotels, stores, markets, &c., and a saw- 
 mill in active operation, turning out six 
 thousand feet of lumber per day, which 
 finds ready sale at eighty-five dollars 
 per thousand. 
 
 Gold-mining may be said to be but in 
 its infancy in California. The gold hith- 
 erto obtained, by individual effint, though 
 amounting to over a hundred millions of 
 dollars, has been gathered by no more 
 effort than literally scratching the earth's 
 surface, and will prove but an inconsid- 
 erable sum, when compared with the 
 treasures which combined labor and cap- 
 ital, with the aid of efficient machinery, 
 will yet bring to light. 
 
 The present condition of California is 
 rich in hope and promise. While the 
 mines continue to yield their golden trib- 
 ute witltout abatement, many are turning 
 their attention to agricultuial pursuits, 
 and large quantities of land have been 
 taken up and placed under culture. So- 
 ciety is rapidly assuming a regular and 
 permanent shape. The tide of immigra- 
 tion continues to flow steadily in filling 
 the state with a hardy, enterprising pop- 
 ulation. Under the benign influence of 
 a republican government, with life and 
 property protected, and laws properly 
 respected and efficiently administered, 
 this latest child of our cherished Union 
 can not fail to stride forward with giant- 
 steps to the maturity of its strength, 5nd 
 the flush of consummate prosperity. 
 
THE TERRITORIES. 
 
 TEIUIITORY OF OREGON, 
 
 Northwestern America is probably 
 the largest portion of the world yet un- 
 subdued by cultivation. Till very re- 
 cently, in aregiou comprising more than 
 four millions of square miles, two or 
 throe stations on the Pacific coast, and 
 a few hunting-posts and missionary es- 
 tiblishments in the interior, were the 
 only points inh'ibited by civilized man. 
 
 A portion of this territory is the Ore- 
 gon country, bounded on the north by 
 the parallel fifty-four degrees forty min- 
 utes, on the east by the Rocky mount- 
 ains, on the south by the Klamet range, 
 or Snowy mountains, extending along 
 or near the forty-second parallel, and 
 on the west by the Pacific ocean. The 
 British portion includes all north of lati- 
 tude forty-nine degrees, while that be- 
 longing to the United States comprises 
 all lying south of that parallel. It ex- 
 tends about five hundred miles north 
 and south, and of average breadth of 
 about five hundred miles — being nar- 
 rower toward the north and broader 
 toward the south, the Rocky mountains 
 running in a southeasterly direction. It 
 contains, therefore, about two hundred 
 and fifty thousand square miles. 
 
 The Oregon territory is divided into 
 three natural belts or sections, viz. : 1st. 
 That between the Pacific ocean and the 
 President's range, or Cascade mount- 
 ains, called the loestern section ; 2d. That 
 between the Cascade and Blue mount- 
 ain ranofe, or middle section ; 3d. That 
 between the Blue and Rocky mountam 
 chains, or eastern section : and this di- 
 vision will equally apply to the soil, cli- 
 mate, and productions. All these divis- 
 ions are crossed by the Columbia river ; 
 the main stream is formed, in the mid- 
 dle region, by ihe union of several 
 branches flowing from the Rocky mount- 
 
 ains, and receiving in their course tev- 
 eral smaller streams, draining the inter- 
 mediate sections. 
 
 The Cascade range runs pni-allel with 
 the seacoast, the whole length of the 
 territory, and rising in many places, in 
 regular cones, fi'om twelve to more than 
 fourteen thousand feet above the level 
 of the sea. 
 
 The distance from the seashore to 
 this chain, is from one hundred to one 
 hundred and fifty miles, and the ridge 
 almost interrupts the communication be- 
 tween the first and second sections, ex- 
 cept where the Columbia river forces a 
 passage through it ; there are a few 
 mountain passes, but they are difficult, 
 and only to be attempted late in the spring 
 and summer. The climate of this section 
 is mild throughout the year, experien- 
 cing neither the extreme cold of winter 
 nor the heat of summer. The prevailing 
 winds in the summer are from the north- 
 ward and westward, and in the winter, 
 from the southward, and westward, and 
 southeast, which are tempestuous. The 
 winter is supposed to last from Decem- 
 ber to February. Rains usually begin 
 to fall in November, and last till March ; 
 but they are not heavy, though frequent. 
 Snow sometimes falls, but it seldom lies 
 over three days. The frosts are early, 
 occurring in the latter part of August ; 
 this, however, is to be accounted for by 
 the proximity of the mountains. Fruit- 
 trees blossom early in April. The soil, 
 in the northern parts, varies from a 
 light brown loam to a thin vegetable 
 earth, with gravel and sand as a subsoil ; 
 in the middle parts, from a rich heavy 
 loam and unctions clay to a deep heavy 
 black loam, on a ti"ap-rock ; and in the 
 southern (the Willamette valley), the soil 
 is generally good, varying from a black 
 
628 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY OF OREGON. 
 
 vegetable loam to decomposed basalt, 
 with stiff clay, and portions of loose 
 gravel-soil. The hills are generally ba- 
 salt, and stone, and slate ; between the 
 Umpqua river and the southern boundary 
 the rocks are primitive, consisting of 
 slate, hornblende, and granite, which 
 produce a gi'itty and poor soil ; there 
 are, however, some places of rich prai- 
 rie, covered with oaks. It is, for the 
 most part, a well-timbered country. It 
 is intersected with the spurs or offsets 
 from the Cascade mountains, which ren- 
 der its surface much broken ; these are 
 covered with a dense forest. The tim- 
 ber consists of pines, firs, spruce, oaks 
 (red and white), ash, arbutus, arbor vi- 
 tae, cedar, poplar, maple, willow, cher- 
 ry, and tew, with a close undergrowth 
 of hazel, rubus, roses, &c. The richest 
 and best soil is found on the second or 
 middle prairie, and is best adapted for 
 as^riculture ; the hicjh and low being ex- 
 cellent for pasture-land. The climate and 
 soil are admirably adapted for all kinds 
 of grain — wheat, rye, oats, barley, peas, 
 &c. Indian corn does not thrive in any 
 part of this territory whei'e it has been 
 tried. Many fruits appear to succeed 
 well, particularly the apple and pear. 
 Vegetables grow exceedingly well, and 
 yield most abundantly. 
 
 The Blue mountains are irregular in 
 their course, and occasionally interrupt- 
 ed, but generally running in a northerly 
 direction ; they commence in the Kla- 
 met range, near the southern boundary 
 of the territory; they are broken through 
 by the Saptin or Snake river, at the 
 junction of the Kooskooske river, and 
 branch off in hills of moderate elevation, 
 until they again appear on the north side 
 of the Columbia river, above the Okana- 
 gan river, passing in a north direction, 
 until they unite with the Rocky mount- 
 ains, in latitude fifty-three degrees north. 
 The climate of the middle section is va- 
 riable ; during the summer the atmo- 
 sphere is much drier and warmer, and 
 the winter much coldei", than in the 
 western section. Its extremes of heat 
 and cold are more frequent and greater, 
 the mercury, at times, falling as low as 
 minus eijrhteen degrees of Fahrenheit, 
 in winter, and rising to one hundred and 
 
 eighty degrees in the shade of summer : 
 the daily difference of temperature is 
 about forty degrees of Fahrenheit. It 
 has, however, been found extremely sa- 
 lubrious, possessing a pure and healthy 
 air. No dews fall in this section. The 
 soil is, for the most part, a light sandy 
 loam ; in the valleys a rich alluvial ; and 
 the hills are generally barren. The sur- 
 face is about one thousand feet above 
 the level of the western section, and is 
 generally a rolling prairie country. The 
 part lying to the north of the parallel of 
 forty-eight degrees is very much broken 
 with mountain-chains and rivers, conse- 
 quently barren and very rugged. From 
 the great and frequent changes in its 
 temperature, it is totally unfit for agri- 
 culture, but is well supplied with game 
 of all kinds that are found in the coun- 
 try. In the centre of this section, and 
 near and around the junction of the 
 Saptin or Snake and Columbia rivers, is 
 an extensive rolling country, which is 
 well adapted for grazing. South of the 
 Columbia, and extending to the south- 
 ern boundary of the territory, it is des- 
 titute of timber or wood, unless the 
 wormwood (artemisia) may be so called, 
 although there are portions of it that 
 might be advantageously farmed. 
 
 The Rocky mountains foi'm the boun- 
 dary of the eastern section, and of the 
 territory. They commence on the Arc- 
 tic coast, and continue an almost unbro- 
 ken chain until they merge in the Andes 
 of South America. That part forming 
 the eastern boundary of Oregon, ex- 
 tending north from the Great South 
 pass, at latitude forty-two degrees north, 
 to about the fifty-second degree, at the 
 Committee's Punch-bowl pass, forms an 
 almost impenetrable barrier, the few 
 passes between being very difficult and 
 dangerous. The climate of the eastern 
 section is extremely variable. In each 
 day there are all the changes incident to 
 spi'ing, summer, autumn, and winter. 
 There are places where small farms 
 might be located, but they are few in 
 number. The soil is rocky and uneven, 
 and presents an almost unbroken bar- 
 ren waste. Stupendous mountain-spurs 
 traverse it in all directions, affording lit- 
 tle level ground. Snow lies on the 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY OF OREGON. 
 
 629 
 
 mountains nearly, if not quite, through- 
 out the year. It is exceedingly dry and 
 arid, rains seldom falling, and but little 
 snow. This country is partially tim- 
 bered, and the soil much impregnated 
 with salts. 
 
 The Columbia is the gi'eat river 
 of the territory. Its northern branch 
 takes its i-ise in the Rocky mountains, 
 in latitude fifty degrees north, longitude 
 one hundred and sixteen west; thence 
 it pursues a northern route, to near 
 M'Gillivary's pass, in the Rocky mount- 
 ains. At the boat encampment, the 
 river is three thousand six hundred feet 
 above the level of the sea (here it re- 
 ceives two small tributaries — the Canoe 
 river, and that from the Committee's 
 Punch-bowl), thence it turns south, hav- 
 ing some obstructions to its safe naviga- 
 tion, and receiving many tributaries in 
 its course to Colville, among which are 
 the Kootanie, or Flat Bow, and the Flat 
 Head, or Clarke river, from the east, 
 and that of Colville from the west. This 
 great river is bounded thus far on its 
 course, by a range of high mountains, 
 well wooded, and in places expands into 
 a line of lakes before it reaches Colville, 
 where it is two thousand forty-nine feet 
 above the level of the sea, having a fall 
 of five hundred and fifty feet in two hun- 
 dred and twenty miles. To the south 
 of this it trends to the westward, receiv- 
 ing the Spokan river from the east, which 
 is not navigable, and takes its rise in the 
 lake of Coeur d'Alene. Thence it pur- 
 sues a westerly course for about sixty 
 miles, receiving several smaller streams, 
 and, at its betid to the south, it is joined 
 by the Okanagan, a river that has its 
 source in a line of lakes, affording canoe 
 and boat navigation for quite a distance 
 to the northward. The Columbia thence 
 passes to the southward until it reaches 
 Wallawalla, in the latitude of forty-five 
 degrees, a distance of one hundred and 
 sixty miles, receiving the Piscous, Y'Ak- 
 ama, and Point de Boise, or Entyatecoom, 
 from the west, which lake their rise in 
 the Cascade range, and also its great 
 southeastern branch, the Saptin or Lew- 
 is, v/hich has its source in the Rocky 
 mountains, near our southern boundary, 
 and brings a large quantity of water to 
 
 increase the volume of the principal 
 stream. 
 
 The Lewis is not navigable, even for 
 canoes, except in reaches. The rapids 
 are extensive and of frequent occurrence. 
 It generally passes between the Rocky 
 mountain spurs and the Blue mountains. '< 
 It receives the Kooskooske, Salmon, and ' 
 several other rivers, from the east and 
 west — the former fiom the Rocky 
 mountains, the latter from the Blue 
 mountains — and, were it navigable, 
 would much facilitate the intercourse 
 with this part of the country. Its length, 
 to its junction with the Columbia, is 
 five hundred and twenty miles. The 
 Columbia, at Wallawalla, is one thou- 
 sand two hundred and eighty-six feet 
 above the level of the sea, and about thir- 
 ty-five hundred feet wide ; it now takes 
 its last turn to the westward, receiv- 
 ing the Umatilla, Quisnel's, John Day's, 
 andDe Chute rivers from the south, and 
 Cathlatate's from the north, pursuing its 
 rapid course of eighty miles, previous to 
 passing through the range of Cascade 
 mountains, in a series of falls and rapids 
 that obstruct its flow, and form insui*- 
 mountable barriers to the passage of 
 boats by water during the floods. These 
 difficulties, however, are overcome by 
 portages. Thence there is still-water 
 navigation, for forty miles, when its 
 course is again obstructed by rapids. 
 Thence to the ocean, one hundred and 
 twenty miles, it is navigable for vessels 
 of twelve feet draught of water at the 
 lowest state of the river, though ob- 
 structed by many sand-bars. In this 
 part it receives the Willamette from the 
 south, and the Cowelitz from the north. 
 The former is navigable for small ves- 
 sels twenty miles, to the mouth of the 
 Klackamus, three miles below its falls ; 
 the latter can not be called navigable, 
 except for a small pai't of the year, du- 
 ring the floods, and then only for canoes 
 and barges. The width of the Colum- 
 bia, within twenty miles of its mouth, is 
 much increased, and it joins the ocean 
 between Cape Disappointment and Point 
 Adams, forming a sand-spit from each, 
 by deposite, and causing a dangerous 
 bar, which greatly impedes its naviga- 
 tion and entrance. 
 
630 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY OF OREGON. 
 
 Frazer's river takes its rise in the 
 Rocky mountains, near the source of the 
 Canoe river, taking a northwesterly 
 course of eighty miles ; it then turns to 
 the southward, receiving the waters of 
 Stuart's river, which rises in a chain of 
 lakes near the tiorthern boundary of the 
 territory ; it then pursues a southerly 
 coui'se, receiving the waters of the Chil- 
 cotin, Pinkslitsa, and several smaller 
 streams, from the west, and those of 
 Thompson's river, and other streams, 
 from the east (these take their rise in 
 lakes, and are navigable in canoes, by 
 making portages) ; and, under the par- 
 allel of forty-nine degrees, it breaks 
 through the Cascade range, in a succes- 
 sion of falls and rapids, and, after a west- 
 erly course of seventy miles, it empties 
 into the gulf of Georgia, in the latitude 
 of forty-nine degrees and seven minutes 
 north. The latter portion is navigable 
 for vessels that can pass its bar drawing 
 twelve feet water ; its whole length be- 
 ing three hundred and fifty miles. 
 
 The Chikeelis is next in importance. 
 It has three sources among the range of 
 hills that intersect the country north of 
 the Columbia river. After a very tor- 
 tuous course, and receiving some small 
 streams issuing from the lakes in the 
 high ground near the head-waters of 
 Hood's canal and Puget's sound, it dis- 
 embogues in Grey's harbor ; it is not 
 navigable except for canoes ; its current 
 is rapid, and the stream much obstructed. 
 
 To the south of the Columbia thei'e 
 are many small streams, but three of 
 of which deserve the name of rivers : 
 the Umpqua, Too-too-tut-na or Rogue's 
 river, and the Klamet, which latter emp- 
 ties into the ocean south of the pai'allel 
 of forty-two degrees. None of these 
 form harbors capable of receiving a ves- 
 sel of more than eight feet draught of 
 water, and the bars for most pait of 
 the year, are impassable, from the surf 
 that sets in on the coast. The charac- 
 ter of the great rivers is peculiar — rapid, 
 and sunken much below the level of the 
 c juntry, with perpendicular banks; in- 
 deed, they are, as it were, in trenches, 
 it being extremely difficult to get at the 
 water in many places, owing to the 
 steep basaltic walls ; and, during the 
 
 rise, they are in many places confined 
 by dalles, which back the water some 
 distance, submerging islands and tracts 
 of low prairie, giving the appearance of 
 extensive lakes. 
 
 History. — On the 7th of May, 1792, 
 Captain Robert Gray, in the ship Co- 
 lumbia, of Boston, discovered and en- 
 tered the Columbia river; to which he 
 gave the name of his vessel. He was 
 the first person that established the fact 
 of the existence of this great river, and 
 this gave to the United States the right 
 of discovery. In 1804-'5, Captains Lew- 
 is and Clark, under the direction of the 
 government of the United States, ex- 
 plored the country from the mouth of 
 the Missouri to the mouth of the Co- 
 lumbia, and spent the winter of 1S05 
 -'6 at the mouth of the Columbia. This 
 exploration of the river Columbia, the 
 first ever made, constituted another 
 ground of the claim of the United States 
 to the country. In 1808, the Missouri 
 fur company, at St. Louis, established a 
 trading post beyond the Rocky mount- 
 ains, on the head-waters of Lewis river, 
 the first ever formed on any of the wa- 
 ters of the Columbia. In 1810, the Pa- 
 cific fur company, under John Jacob 
 Astor, of New York, was formed ; and 
 in 1811 they founded Astoria, eight 
 miles from the mouth of the Columbia, 
 as their principal trading post, and pro- 
 ceeded to establish others in the inte- 
 rior. A little later in the same year, 
 the Northwest company sent a detach- 
 ment to form establishments on the Co- 
 lumbia ; but when they arrived at the 
 mouth of the river they found the post 
 occupied. In consequence of the expo- 
 sure of Astoria by the war of 1812, the 
 post was sold out to the Northwest com- 
 pany. At the close of the war, Astoria 
 was restored, by order of the British 
 government, to its original founders, 
 agreeably to the first article of the treaty 
 of Ghent, Various attempts have been 
 made since the vi'ar to renew the fur- 
 trade in Oregon. In 1821, the Hud- 
 son's bay and Northwest company, who 
 had previously been rivals, were united, 
 and since that time have greatly extend- 
 ed their establishment in the region of 
 Orecfon. 
 
^T^=_=fl 
 
632 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY OF OREGON. 
 
 That section of Oregon watered by 
 the Columbia river and its tributaries, 
 was for a long time a subject of dispute 
 between the United States and Great 
 Britain. But by a treaty concluded at 
 Washington, on the fifteenth of June, 
 1846, this long-pending question, which 
 at one time seriously threatened to 
 break the harmony existing between the 
 two nations was put for ever at rest, 
 by fixing the parallel of division be- 
 tween- the respective portions, as given 
 at the commencement of this description. 
 There have been for some years sev- 
 eral missionary stations at different 
 points in Oregon, and since the settle- 
 ment of the question of boundary, new 
 ones have been established. 
 
 It will be almost impossible to give 
 an idea of the extensive fisheries in the 
 rivers, and on the coast. They all 
 abound in salmon of the finest flavor, 
 which run twice a year, beginning in 
 May and October, and appear inexhaust- 
 ible ; the whole population live upon 
 them. The Columbia produces the lar- 
 gest, and probably affords the greatest 
 numbers. There are some few of the 
 branches of the Columbia that the spring 
 fish do not enter, but they are plentifully 
 supplie 1 in the fall. The great fishery 
 of the Columbia is at the Dalles ; but 
 all the rivers arp well supplied. The 
 last one on the northern branch of the 
 Columbia is near Colville, at the Kettle 
 falls ; but salmon are found above this 
 in the river and its tributaries. In Fra- 
 zei''s river the salmon are said to be 
 very numerous, but not large; they are 
 unable to get above the falls, some 
 eighty miles from the sea. In the riv- 
 ers and sounds are found carp-soles, 
 salmon, salmon-trout, sturgeon, cod, 
 flounders, ray, perch, herring, lamprey- 
 eels, and a kind of smelt called " shrow," 
 in great abundance; also large quanti- 
 ties of shell-fish, viz., crabs, clams, oys- 
 ters, mussels, &c., which are all used by 
 the natives, and constitute the greater 
 proportion of their fi)od. Whales, in 
 numbers, are found along the coast, and 
 are frequently captured by the Indians 
 in and at the mouth of the straits of Juan 
 de Fuca. 
 
 Abundance of game exists, such as 
 
 elk, deer, antelope, bears, wolves, fox- 
 es, muskrats, martens, beavers, a few 
 grizzly bears, and siffleurs, which are 
 eaten by the Canadians. In the middle 
 section, or that designated as the rolling 
 prairie, no game is found. In the east- 
 ern section the buff'alo is met with. The 
 fur-bearing animals are decreasing in 
 numbers yearly, particularly south of 
 the parallel of forty-eight degrees ; in- 
 deed, it is very doubtful whether they 
 ai'e sufliciently numerous to repay the 
 expense of hunting them. The Hud- 
 son's bay company have almost the ex- 
 clusive monopoly of this business. They 
 have decreased owing to being hunted 
 without regard to season. This is not, 
 however, the case to the north ; there 
 the company have been left to exercise 
 their own rule, and prevent the indis- 
 criminate slaughter of either old or 
 young, out of the proper season. In the 
 spring and fall the rivers are literally 
 covered with geese, ducks and other 
 water-fowl. 
 
 In 1848, a bill passed both houses of 
 Congress, and was approved by the pres- 
 ident on the 14th of August, by which 
 Oregon was erected inti) a territorial 
 government, and soon after the necessa- 
 ry oflBcers were sent out, and the gov- 
 ernment organized. 
 
 Oregon City, the tenilorial capital, is 
 situated ab(jut thirty miles up the Wil- 
 lamette river, and two miles above the 
 Clackmas rapids, which pievent all nav- 
 igation to the city. Few other places 
 in the Union have such immense water 
 privileges, and many large saw-mills are 
 •already in operation. The view we have 
 placed on the opposite page, is from a 
 drawing taken on the spot in 1847, since 
 which time it has considerably increased. 
 The population in 1850, was 702. 
 
 Portland, twelve miles below the 
 falls may be considered as the port of 
 Oregon City. Its trade with the Pa- 
 cific towns, and also with those of the 
 Atlantic, especially witli New York, is 
 prosperous and increasing. Population 
 about 1,000. 
 
 Astoria, near the mouth oftho Colum- 
 bia, reierred to on a previous pag{>, has a 
 good harbor, and many nalural advan- 
 tages for becoming eventually a gieat 
 
634 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY OF OREGON. 
 
 commercial depot. At present, howev- 
 er, there are but a few buildings in the 
 place. Astoria is a port of entry. 
 
 Fort Vancouver, on the iiorih bank 
 of the Columbia river, one bundled 
 miles fiom its mouth, is ihe principal tra- 
 ding post of the Hudson's Bay compa- 
 ny, west of the mountains. Ships draw- 
 ing fourteen feet water, can ascend 
 twenty miles further up the river. The 
 establishment consists of about hundred 
 houses enclosed by picket-fences, and 
 defended by armed bastions and a block- 
 house. A catholic church is the only 
 building of note. The inhabitants are 
 chiefly South-Sea Islanders in the em- 
 ploy of the company. The establish- 
 ment is on an extensive scale, and the 
 centre of vast intejests — all the compa- 
 ny's Indian trade being conducted here. 
 Extensive agricultural operations for 
 the support of the traders, are carried 
 on. , The farm contains about three 
 thousand acres. Tlie stock of cattle and 
 sheep is very large, and is rapidly in- 
 creasing in numbers and improving in 
 breed fn>m the importation of European 
 stock. The mixed breed of sheep yields 
 from twelve to eighteen poutids of fleece. 
 The mills and outposts of the f )rt ex- 
 tend several miles above on the jiver. 
 
 The upper colony from the United 
 States is situated on the Willamette riv- 
 er, ninety-four miles from its entiance 
 into the Columbia. It consists of about 
 one hundred families, who raise consid- 
 e'"able grain, and have about four thou- 
 sand head of cattle, extensive fields of 
 wheat, potatoes, peas, and vegetables, of 
 all descriptions. They have hogs, poul- 
 try, &c., in abundance. 
 
 Fort Wali.awalla is on the south 
 side of the Columbia, ten miles below the 
 entrance of Lewis river. On the Willa- 
 mette river, tifiy-five miles above its en- 
 trance into the Columbia, is M'Key's 
 settlement, and twelve miles above, is 
 Jarvis' settlement, which contain about 
 twenty families. 
 
 Fort Colvim.e is on the south side of 
 Clark's river, below the Kettle falls, just 
 before it enters the Columbia. Here is 
 a considerable farming establishment. 
 
 Fort Okanagan is at the entrance into 
 the Columbia of the river of tiiat name. 
 
 one hundred miles below Clark's river. 
 The Hudson's Bay company have seve- 
 ral other trading posts in this territory. 
 
 Fort Nesquali.y, on Puget's sound, 
 is occupied by the " Puget's Sound Ag- 
 ricultural Company." Their farms are 
 very extensive, and are kept in a high 
 state of cultivation. They sujiply pr.^- 
 visions to the Hudson's Bay company's 
 servants west of the mountains, and ex- 
 port largely to the Sandwich Islands and 
 the Russian post of Sitka. 
 
 There are a few other small but thri- 
 ving villages and settlements in Oregron. 
 
 Since the discovery of gold in Califor- 
 nia, a great demand has arisen for the 
 agricultural products of Oregon, and, as 
 a consequence, a commercial connexion 
 has been the result. The export of lum- 
 ber has been large. This incipient com- 
 merce will not be transitory — the de- 
 mand for building materials is constantly 
 on the increase, and that for breadstuff's 
 and provisions will last as long as mi- 
 ning is the chief employment in Califor- 
 nia. Some commercial intercourse is 
 maintained also with the Sandwich 
 Islands and the Russian settlements on 
 the north. But with all these fortu- 
 it(ms circumstances that have attended 
 the first settlement of the territory, it 
 must still remain much as it is — a mere 
 agricultural and pastoral country, unless 
 some means of easy and rapid commu- 
 nication can be maintained with the 
 western states and the Atlantic coast. 
 A railroad is the only solution of this 
 difficulty. The one proposed by Mr. 
 Whitney seems to have some claims to 
 consideration, and by its means the 
 shf)res of Lake Michigan would be 
 brought into a juxtaposition with the 
 mouth of the Columbia river. The de- 
 tails f(jr the construction of sui.h an 
 avenue, chieffy through a countiy in- 
 fested with hostile Indiai.s, and through 
 mountain passes almost inaccessible, 
 have been laid beftre Congress, and are 
 favorably spoken of; but to mature 
 plans, and obtain capital for such a work, 
 seems to offer almost insuperable diffi- 
 culties even to its commencement. Still 
 we trust the day is not far distant that 
 will witness the triumphant completion 
 of this gigantic enterprise. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY OF MINNESOTA. 
 
 635 
 
 TERRITORY OF MINNESOTA. 
 
 The early history of Minnesota is 
 involved in mucli obscurity, though Fa- 
 ther Hennepin in 16S0, and Baron La 
 Hontan in 1689, both Frenchmen, visited 
 that region, but sul:)sequently gave nar- 
 ratives to the world, so strangely inter- 
 mixed wiili the truth and seeming fable, 
 that little reliance was placed on their 
 statements. It would seem on investi- 
 gation, that for several hundred years 
 the possession of the land was fiercely 
 contested by different Indian nations; 
 mainl} between the great tribes (jf Dnko- 
 tahs o: Siou.\ and the Alg niquins or 
 Chippewas. The latter, from their east- 
 ern location on Lake Superior, about 
 the falls of Si. Mary, and earlier inter- 
 course with the French fur-traders, be- 
 came first possessed of fiieaims, which 
 gave them a superiority that enabled 
 them to drive the Dakotahs from the 
 lich midland hunting-grounds, rice and 
 fish lakes, in the country about the head 
 Wdters of the Mississippi. 
 
 The dispossessed bands of the Dako- 
 tahs moved westwaid, sweeping in their 
 progress, the Sheans, the lowas, and 
 other tribes from their lands; until, in 
 the course of time, the fugiiive Dakotahs 
 of the Upper Mississippi, became the 
 fiercest lords of the vast buffalo-plains 
 of the Upper Missouri. By a treaty 
 negotiated under the protection of the 
 United Stages, at Fort Crawford, near 
 Pi'airie du Cliien, in 18:^5, between all 
 the different tribes of the northwest, 
 their respective boundaries wei"e de- 
 fined ; and thenceforward comparative 
 peace ensued between them. 
 
 The name Minnesota is derived from 
 the Indian name of the St. Peter's river, 
 the principal local stream of the country. 
 The Indians, living on its banks, called 
 it thus on account of the different appear- 
 ance of the waters froi^i those of the 
 Mississippi. At the junction of the two 
 streams, the waters of the last-named 
 river may be observed generally tinged 
 of a chocolate color, derived from the 
 extensive tamarac and pine swamps 
 toward the north, in which it paitly has 
 
 its head springs ; while the waters of the 
 Minnesota are entirely different in ap- 
 pearance, being light-colored and clear. 
 The name is compounded of two words, 
 minne, "water," and sotah, "sky-col- 
 ored." This poetical designation, " The 
 territory of the sky-coloied watei," re- 
 ceives additional ornament in the Dako- 
 tah name bestowed on the junction of 
 the river with the Mississippi, that of 
 Mendota, or "Mingling of the Waters." 
 This is also the appellation of the Indian 
 trading-town at the mouth. 
 
 The Uniied States had little authority 
 over this region till 1812. In 1816, a 
 law of Congress excluded foreigners 
 from the Indian trade ; and fi)r the en- 
 couragement of our citizens the military 
 post at Fort Snelling was established in 
 1819. Among the explorers of this coun- 
 try, the names of Pike, Caiver, Loiig, Bel- 
 trami, Cass, Schoolcraft, Nicollet, Owen, 
 &c.. will ever be intimately connected 
 with its history. The honor of veiifying 
 the sources of the Mississippi belongs to 
 Schoolcraft. 
 
 Previous to the erection of Iowa into 
 a state, all that portion of Minnesota west 
 of the Mississippi was included in Iowa 
 territory, and that part immediately on 
 the river was embraced in the county of 
 Clayton. The oiganization of Iowa into 
 a state threw all north of 43^ 30^ without 
 the bounds of any organized government. 
 Little, if any, inconvenience resulted to 
 the white inhabiiants in the excluded poi'- 
 tion, as it was entirely Indian coimtry, 
 and under the control of the United States 
 laws " legulaling tiade and intercourse 
 with the Indians." But in 1848, Wis- 
 consin was admitted into the Unicm ; and 
 her boundary on the noilh and northwest 
 being the St. Croix, cut off the principal 
 portion of two organized counties of the 
 territory of Wisconsin — viz., St. Croix 
 and La Pointe — comprising a consider- 
 able population, one county-seat, and 
 important interests engaged in lumber- 
 ing and trading. The people of this por- 
 tion of the " Territory of Wisconsin," 
 thus suddenly deprived of a judiciary, 
 

 636 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY OF MINNESOTA. 
 
 and the monns of a pi'oper administra- 
 tion of the laws, as the only remedy for 
 ihe threatened evils of such a state of 
 things, met in convention, and resolved 
 tliat, inasmuch as the law establishing 
 Wisconsin territory was not specially re- 
 pealed by the erection of Wisconsin state, 
 that their country Wi\s, dc facto, said ter- 
 ritory; and the acting govefnor of Wis- 
 consin, Hon. John Catlin, secretary of 
 the said territoiy, coinciding in this view, 
 issued his proclamation for the election 
 of a delegate to Congress. The people 
 also memorialized Congress in regard 
 to their condiiion, and instructed their 
 delegate to ask the erection of a new ter- 
 ritory, to be called "Minnesota.'^ This 
 was granied, by act of Congress, on the 
 3d of March, 1849. Shortly after, Alex- 
 ander Ram ay was appointed governor. 
 St. Paul's was made the capital, where 
 the government was soon after organ- 
 ized. 
 
 The territory of Minnesota, thus cre- 
 ated is situated between 43° 30' and 49° 
 north latitude, and 89^ 30' and 102° 10' 
 west longitude ; and is bounded north 
 by British Amei-ica, ea^t by Lake Supe- 
 rior and the state of Wisconsin, south by 
 the state of Iowa, and west by Missouri 
 territoiy. Of the immense territory in- 
 cluded within these limits, 22,336 square 
 miles belonged to the late territory of 
 Wisconsin, and the remainder to the late 
 territory of Iowa. 
 
 Throughout the whole of this territoi-y 
 scarcely an elevation that could be dig- 
 nified with the name of mountain occurs. 
 The surface is in general level or undu- 
 lating, but varies considerably in eleva- 
 tion, and in the ascents and descents of 
 its plateaux. In some parts, especially 
 in the neighborhood of the Mississippi 
 and St. Peter's, the ground is much bro- 
 ken, and their margins lined with high 
 bluffs of various formations ; while in oth- 
 ers the rivers flow through deep chan- 
 nels, seemingly worn into the e^rth by 
 the force of their waters. 
 
 Every portion of Minnesota may be 
 reached by inland navigation. The trav- 
 eller will meet constantly with springs 
 and small lakes, the sources of mighty 
 rivers, who .; waters ate discharged thou- 
 sand? of mile^ to the nortli into Hudson's 
 
 bay, as many to the east into the gulf of 
 St. Lawrence, or to the south into the 
 gulf of Mexico. Springs are often seen 
 within a ?ew feet of each other, the sour- 
 ces of rivers whose outlets in the ocean 
 are some six thousand miles apart ! In 
 almost every direction, canoe naviga- 
 tion, with short portages, is practicable 
 by means of the numerous rivers, whose 
 sources are nearly interlocked or con- 
 nected by chains of lakes. The Missis- 
 sippi has its source here, some three 
 thousand miles from its mouth. Nine 
 hundred miles of the length of this ma- 
 jestic river are embraced in this territo- 
 ry, and its numerous tributaries course 
 through its fertile plains. The northeast 
 portion is washed by the crystal watei's 
 of Lake Superior, which is of itself an 
 inland sea for the prosecution of trade 
 and commerce, and opens an avenue to 
 the Atlantic. The Missouri, after hav- 
 ing flowed nearly one thousand miles 
 from the base of the Rocky mountains, 
 sweeps ahjng its whole western bounda- 
 ry, insuring navigation almost to Oregon. 
 Its larg-e tributaries, Jaines and Biff Si- 
 oux rivers, water valleys of great beauty 
 and fertility. Extensive prairies, bloom- 
 ing with flowers, and covered with luxu- 
 riant grasses, afford sustenance to im- 
 mense herds of buff"alo, saying nothing 
 of elk, deer, antelopes, and other small 
 game. Red river, which discharges it- 
 self into Lake Winnipeg, has its sources 
 near those of the IMississippi, Beautiful 
 lakes of transparent water, well stocked 
 with fish, and varying in size from ponds 
 to inland seas, are pi'ofusely scattered 
 over the territory. Forests of pine and 
 other evergreens, oi'chards of sugar-ma- 
 pie, groves of hard and soft woods of va- 
 rious species, wild rice and cranberries, 
 and vai'ious species of wild fruit, copious 
 springs of pure water, a fertile soil, and 
 water-power, easily improved and abun- 
 dantly distributed, lender this region pe- 
 culiarly adapted to the wants of man. 
 Add to these a salubrious climate, and 
 Minnesota appears to enjoy eminent ca- 
 pacities for becoming a thriving and pop- 
 ulous state. Its mineral resources arc 
 as yet but imperfectly known, but indi- 
 cations and discoveries havb been made 
 that certify its wealth in copper and lead. 
 
 L^ 
 
■(— 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY OF MINNESOTA. 
 
 637 
 
 BuilcIIng-stoue ofevery description, lime- 
 stone, &c., are found everywhere under- 
 lying the soil, while many valuable and 
 precious stones are found on the shores 
 of the lakes. For a couutiy so over- 
 spread with lakes, and traversed by such 
 a number of rivers, it is astonishingly 
 free from -naisli and morass. The land 
 has a gre^t elevation above the gulf of 
 Mexico and the waters of the north and 
 east, and, as a consequence, is easily and 
 pei'fectly drained ; and, moieover, the 
 margins of the lakes and rivers them- 
 selves are generally surrounded by hills 
 and bluffs, which protect their neighbor- 
 hoods from inundation. The whole coun- 
 try is thus eligible for agriculture. 
 
 As yet, the selllements made in the 
 territory are chiefly confined to the pe- 
 ninsula between the Mississippi and St. 
 Croix Oii the south, and on the Red river 
 on the north. Otherwise ihe country is 
 inhabited only by ihe aboriginal hunters, 
 the Chippewa and Sioux Indians. Their 
 numbeis are not ascertained, but may 
 approximate to about twelve thousand. 
 With some of the tribes treaties have 
 been made for the purchase of their lands 
 and for their removal, which, when fully 
 effected, will open to the v/hite settler 
 immerse tracts of rich and fertile soils, 
 produ'"ive ofevery species of grain and 
 I'ruits I'Tually grown in noi'lhern climates. 
 The Lantinsf-orounds of the Indians are 
 now oniefly confined to the vast prairies 
 west of the Mississippi. The white in- 
 habitants are from almost every portion 
 of the world : the Canadian, the sons of 
 New England and the middle states, with 
 English, French, and Germans, are all 
 intermingled ; and not a kw of the citi- 
 zens consist of half-breeds, who chiefly 
 reside on the Red river, and have settle- 
 ments for some distance on both sides of 
 our northern boundary. These are de- 
 scendants of the original settlers at Lord 
 Selkirk colony, and Indian women of the 
 Chippewa family. 
 
 In the new settlements, the industry 
 of the whites is almost entiiely agricul- 
 tural. They have mills on a number of 
 the streams, and steamboats ply regu- 
 larly on their waters. They are build- 
 ing roads, and, from the energy they ex- 
 hibit in overcctuing natural obstacles, the 
 
 real prosperity of the territt»ry seems to 
 be insured. A large business has been 
 already done by the steamboats that sail 
 regularly between Galena and St. Paul's 
 and Stillwater. The products of the 
 chase and the fruits of the field are ex- 
 ported in considerable quantities. 
 
 With regard to immigration, the pros- 
 pects are favorable. Farmers, laborers, 
 and professional men, are daily ascend- 
 ing the rivers in search of a new home. 
 The day, indeed, is not distant, when the 
 forests will be laid low, and the flowery 
 prairies be converted into fields and gar- 
 dens, producing every necessary to the 
 use and enjoyment of man. Earth, air, 
 and water, abound in the prerequisites 
 of man's happiness and enjoyment, and 
 are only awaiting his advent to yield up 
 their now-unused abundance. 
 
 So recent has been the oi'ganization 
 of the government of the terrritory, that 
 it is impossible to exhibit by statistics 
 the resources of this new and almost un- 
 touched country. The first legislature, 
 which adjourned after a session of sixty 
 days, was chiefly employed in organizing 
 the government, and dividing the terri- 
 loi-y into suitable civil districts, and ap- 
 pointing officers to enforce the laws. 
 Among other important acts of the ter- 
 ritorial legislature, are those establishing 
 the judiciary, a school system, and those 
 relative to the improvement of roads. All 
 these will have a paramount influence 
 over the future destiny of the country. 
 Perhaps one of the most humane and pol- 
 itic acts of the legislature is the admis- 
 sion to citizenship of "all persons of a 
 mixture of white and Indian blood, who 
 shall have adopted the habits and cus- 
 toms of civilized men ;" and not less pol- 
 itic is that law which requires the eslab- 
 lishment of schools throughout the ter- 
 ritory. The act of the general govern- 
 ment organizing the territory, appropri- 
 ates two sections of land in every town- 
 ship for the support of common schools. 
 No other state in the Union has received 
 more than one section in li&cn township 
 for such purpose. According to the cen- 
 sus of 1S50, the population of Minnesota 
 was rising 6,000. 
 
 The territory was divided by the legis- 
 lature into nine counties, in lieu of the 
 
C38 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY OF MINNESOTA. 
 
 counties of St. Croix and La Pointe, 
 which constituted the jemainine^ portions 
 of the territories of Iowa and Wisconsin 
 of wliich Miiines(tta was formed. The 
 principal settlements are St. Paul's, Still- 
 water, Mendota, Fort Snelling. Pembi- 
 na, &c. 
 
 St. Paul's, the capital, is situated on 
 the left bank of the Mississippi, fifteen 
 miles by water, and eight miles by land, 
 below the falls f»f St. Anthony. The 
 town is situated on a plateau termina- 
 ting oti the river in a precipitous bluff 
 of eighty feet elevation above the water. 
 The bluff recedes from the river at the 
 upper and lower ends of the town, form- 
 ing two hi ndi rigs, from both of which the 
 ascent is gradual. The first store or tra- 
 ding-house was built in 1842. In June, 
 1849, the town contained one hundred 
 and forty-two houses, all of which, with 
 the exception of perhaps a dozen, had 
 been built within the year previous : this 
 number included the government-house, 
 three hotels, four warehouses, ten stores, 
 several groceries, two printing-offices — 
 from which two newspapers are issued 
 weekly — a schoolhouse, several mechan- 
 ics' shops, &c. There was not a brick 
 or stone house in the town. Since the 
 peiiod above mentioned, however, sev- 
 eral churches and many durable houses, 
 built of stone and brick, from materials 
 in the vicinity, have been erected. The 
 population, according to the census of 
 18,'iO, was 1,135. St. Paul's is well lo- 
 cated for commerce; and fmm its being 
 at the head of navigation below the falls 
 of St. Anthi)ny, must necessai ily become 
 not only the political but the commercial 
 capital of the territory. In the neigh- 
 borhood of St. Paul's there is an exten- 
 sive settlement of Canadians, chiefly per- 
 sons formerly employed by the Hudson 
 Bay Company, called Little Canada. Its 
 population is about 800. 
 
 Stillwater is situated on the west 
 side of Lake St. Croix, near its head, on 
 ground having a gentle ascent from the 
 shoie to a hi<^h liluff in the rear, which 
 extends in the fwrm of a crescent, and 
 nearly encloses the town. The first set- 
 • leinent was made in 184.3. It contains 
 a courthouse, several hotels and stores, 
 and many neat dwellings. Steamboats 
 
 seldom ascend higher than this place. 
 The environs consist of a beautiful prairie 
 country, and are being rapidly brought 
 under cultivation. Population in June, 
 1850, 636. 
 
 Marine Mills is a flourishing settle- 
 ment on the St. Croix river, a few miles 
 above its entrance into the lake. The 
 precinct contains about 300 inhabitants. 
 Its water-power, and the fine country 
 which suirounds it, must speedily enforce 
 its increase and prosperity. 
 
 Several villages on the Wisconsin side 
 of the St. Croix river have been estab- 
 lished, and are rapidly increasing in im- 
 portance. Indeed, the resources of the 
 vicinity on both sides are such as to in- 
 sure to the villages considerable com- 
 merce. 
 
 Fort Snelling is situated on the high, 
 rocky promontory, more than a hundred 
 feet above the water, at the confluence 
 of St. Peter's river with the Missif^sippi. 
 The military woiks were commenced 
 in 1819. The fort is in the form of a 
 hexagon, and surrounded by a stone wall. 
 From the river its appearance is imposing 
 and seemingly impregnable. It is, how- 
 ever, within the reach of cannon from 
 higher ground ; but the object for which 
 the site was selected — the proteciion f)f 
 the frontier from savage incursion — is 
 well attained by its situation. The gar- 
 rison usually consists of three companies 
 of dragoons. The view from these for- 
 tifications is extensive. The military res- 
 ervation of the establishment embraces 
 an aiea often miles square, of which the 
 foi t is near the centre. The settlement 
 in the neighborhood contains only about 
 forty inhabitants. In the fort there were 
 267 males and 50 females in June, 1849. 
 
 Mendota, or St. Peter's, on the west 
 bank of the Mississippi, south of tlie con- 
 fluence of St. Peter's river, has been oc- 
 cupied for several years by the Ameri- 
 can Fur Company, as a depot for their 
 trading establishments with the Indians 
 of the northwest. Two stores and two 
 or three houses constitute the village. 
 It is, however, a fine town site; and be- 
 ing situated at the junction of two great 
 rivers, and near the head of steam navi- 
 gation, its importance in a commercial 
 point of view has not been overlooked. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY OF MINNESOTA. 
 
 639 
 
 Whites are not allowed to reside here 
 without special permission from the Uni- 
 ted States government, the village being 
 in tlie military reservation. Ir will ulti- 
 mately command ihe trade of the St. Pe- 
 ter's river. Population in 1850, 200. 
 
 Some other small villnges exist in this 
 neighborhood, but of their importance oi 
 present stiite little is known. IvArosiA, 
 from its situation neir the point of land 
 opposite St. Paul's, though yet iitlle mort; 
 than an Indian town, may ultimately be- 
 come of consequence. Sauk Rapids, 
 opposite tlie mouth of Osakis river, is 
 on the eastern bank of the Mississippi ; 
 and higher up, on both sides of Nokay 
 river, is Fort Gaines, the most norther- 
 ly military esiablishment in the country. 
 The supplying of these remote stations 
 with provisions, &c., creates consideralde 
 traffic and travelling by both land and 
 water. The return traffic consists of fuis 
 and peltry, with other Indian contribu- 
 tions. 
 
 The city of St. Anthony, which is 
 laid out on the east side of the Missis- 
 sippi, directly opposite the cataract, is a 
 beautiful town sile. A handsome, ele- 
 vated prairie, with a gentle inclination 
 toward the river bank, and of sufficient 
 width for parallel streets, extends up and 
 down the river. Tn the rear of this, an- 
 other branch of table land swells up, 
 forming a beautiful and elevated plat- 
 form. The inhabitants are chiefly from 
 the state of Maine, and form an enter- 
 prising population. 
 
 The town of Pembina, situated on Red 
 river, a short distance this side of the 
 British line, contained, accoiding to the 
 census of 1850, 636 inhabitants: of these, 
 294 were males and .342 females. The 
 men follow the chase, and engaL;e in the 
 pursuits of grazing and agiiculiure ; and 
 the women, besides attending to the usu- 
 al domestic av(»caiions, manufacture mo-t 
 of the woollen and linen fabrics necessa- 
 ry to clothe their families. Hardy and 
 hard-working, prudent as the New Eng- 
 land farmer, rehgious, brave, and intelli- 
 gent, these half-breeds foim no mean 
 class in the general communiiy. They 
 trade with the southern tettlers of the 
 territory, exchanging furs and pemmican 
 for the superfluities of the south. They 
 
 have churches and schools, and many of 
 the better class are educated at a colle- 
 giate establishment which has long been 
 maintained among them. As a conse- 
 quence, however, of their ostracized sit- 
 uation, they still letain many of the pe- 
 culiarities of their original nations, modi- 
 fied indeed by the circumstances that 
 surround them, and their connexion with 
 savage life. 
 
 Minnesota einbraces within its borders 
 all the natural advantages necessary to 
 a great state. Its water-power is inex- 
 haustible. Mines of copper, lead, and 
 iron, are abundant. It is doubtless des- 
 tined to be one of the most powei'ful 
 members of the confederacy. Its popu- 
 latifrn is rapidly increasing, and in two 
 or three years they will be knocking at 
 the door of the fJnion for admission as 
 a sovereign state. 
 
 The remaining portion of the United 
 States territory east of the Rocky mount- 
 ains is known as the Western territory, 
 and is a part of the Louisiana purchase 
 of 1803. It exterrds from the Nebraska 
 or Platte river nor-thward to the 49th 
 parallel, and from While Earth and Mis- 
 souri rivers westward to the Rocky 
 mountains. The territory has an area 
 of 579,584 square miles. 
 
 The greater part of this immense ter- 
 ritory is watered by the Missoirri and its 
 numerous tributaries. The Yellowstone, 
 the largest of these, extends its branches 
 to the very base of the Rocky mountains, 
 and to near the sources of the Nebraska, 
 A mountain-ridge, which branches from 
 the great Rocky mountains, in about 42^' 
 north latitude, traverses the country in a 
 northeast direction toward Lake Winni- 
 peg. In the east portion of the tei ritoiy 
 the country is partly covered with for- 
 ests, but beyond this commences a vast 
 ocean of prairie, almost level, and clothed 
 in grass and flowers. As yet the whole 
 territory is inhabited by Indians, but the 
 time is not far distant when the pioneer 
 will penetrate its wilds, and bring under 
 cultivaiion the soil that from its creation 
 has not been turned by the labor of man. 
 The wild herds will be replaced by the 
 ox, the horse, and. the sheep ; anu golden 
 cr ops will succeed the flowers and grasses 
 that now bloom and wither without use. 
 
640 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO. 
 
 TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO. 
 
 The history of New Mexico lies very 
 much in the dark. The Spaniai'ds, it 
 seems, received the first information con- 
 cerning it in 1581, from a party of ad- 
 venturers under Captain Francisco de 
 Levya Bonillo, who, upon finding the 
 aboriginal inhabitants and the mineral 
 vv^ealth of the country to be similar to 
 those of Mexico, called it Neic Mexico. 
 In 1594, the then viceroy of Mexico, 
 Count de Monterey, sent the gallant Ju- 
 an de Oiiate, of Zacatecas, to New Mex- 
 ico, to take formal possession of the coun- 
 try in the name of Spain, and to estab- 
 lish colonies, missions, presidios (forts), 
 &c. They found a great many Indian 
 tribes and settlements, which they suc- 
 ceeded in Christianizing after the usual 
 Spanish maimer, with sword in hand, and 
 made them their slaves. The villages 
 of the Christianized Indians were called 
 pueblos, in opposition to the wild and 
 roving tribes that refused such favors. 
 Many towns, of which ruins only exist 
 at present, were then established ; many 
 mines were worked ; and the occupa- 
 tion of the country seemed lo be secured, 
 when, quite unexpectedly, in 1680, a 
 general insurrection of all the Indian 
 tribes broke out against the Spanish 
 yoke. The Indians massacred every 
 white male ; and the then governor of 
 New Mexico, Don Antonio de Otermin, 
 after a hard fight, was compelled to re- 
 treat with his men from Santa Fe, and 
 march as far south as Paso del Norte, 
 where they met with some friendly In- 
 dians, and laid the foundation of the pres- 
 ent town of that name. The insurrection 
 lasted ten years, when Spain recovered 
 possession of the whole province of New 
 Mexico. Several other revolts occurred 
 subsequently, but none so disastrous as 
 the first. However, the deep rancor of 
 the Indian race against the white has 
 continued to the present time, and in all 
 the frequent and bloody revolutions of 
 later years in New Mexico, the pueblos 
 have generally acted a conspicuous and 
 cruel part. 
 
 This country followed the fate of Mex- 
 
 ico after the revolution that overthrew 
 the Spanish power, and since that period 
 has been silently degenerating. The his- 
 tory of New Mexico, previous to the in- 
 vasion by the Americans, has little to ar- 
 rest attention. It is a continuous record 
 of barbarism and tyranny. On the 8lh 
 of September, 1846, Santa Fe was cap- 
 tured by the Americans under General 
 Kearney, and soon after several of the 
 river towns were visited on his route to 
 California. A civil government was now 
 established. On the 19th of January, 
 1847, an insurrection broke out against 
 the Americans, and in several pueblos 
 many Americans were murdered, among 
 whom were Governor Bent and Sheriff 
 Lee. Taos, Anoya-Hondo, and Rio Col- 
 orado, were the chief scenes of strife. 
 The battles of La Canada and El £m- 
 budo also occurred in this month, and in 
 February the battle of Taos — in all of 
 which the Mexicans were completely 
 vanquished. Some few skirmishes oc- 
 curred after these, but none of impor- 
 tance. From this period the United 
 States authorities exercised exclusive ju- 
 risdiction and power. On the 2d of Feb- 
 ruary, 1848, a treaty of peace and ces- 
 sion was signed at Guadalupe Hidalgo, 
 by which New Mexico was assigned to 
 the Union, It has since been erected 
 into a separate territory, by act of Con- 
 gress, which gave ten millions of dollars 
 to Texas as an equivalent for the claim 
 she preferred to that portion of the ter- 
 ritory of New Mexico which lies east of 
 the Rio Grande. The following are the 
 boundaries of New Mexico, as estai- 
 lished by Congress : " Beginning at a 
 point in the Colorado ri\L'r where the 
 boundary line with the republic of Mex- 
 ico crosses the same ; thence eastwardly 
 with the said boundary line to the Rio 
 Grande; thence following the main chan- 
 nel of the said river to the parallel of the 
 thirty-second degree of nprth latitude; 
 thence east with said degree to its inter- 
 section with the one hundred and third 
 degree of longitude west of Greenwich ; 
 thence north with said degree of longi- 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO. 
 
 641 
 
 tude to the parallel of thirty-eight de- 
 grees of north latitude ; thence west with 
 the said parallel to the summit of the 
 Sierra Madre ; thence south with the 
 crest of said mountains to the thirty-sev- 
 enth parallel of north latitude ; thence 
 west with said parallel to its intersection 
 with the boundary line of the stale of 
 California; thence with said boundary 
 line to the place of beginning." 
 
 New Mexico is a very mountainous 
 country, with an extensive valley in the 
 middle, running from north to south, and 
 formed by the Rio del Norte. The valley 
 is generally about twenty miles wide, and 
 bordered on the east and west by mount- 
 ain-chains — continuations of the Rocky 
 mountains — which have here received 
 different names, as Sierra blanca, de los 
 Organo&t oscura, on the eastern side, and 
 Sierra d'e los GruJlas, de Aclia, de los 
 Mimbres, toward the west. The height 
 of these mountains, south of Santa Fe, 
 may upon an average be between six 
 and eight thousand feet ; while near that 
 town, and in the more northern regiflns, 
 some snow-covered peaks are seen that 
 may rise from ten to twelve thousand 
 feet above the sea. The mountains are 
 principally composed of igneous rocks, 
 as granite, senite, diorit, basalt, &c. On 
 the higher mountains excellent pine tim- 
 ber grows; on the lower, cedars, and 
 sometimes oak; in the valley of the Rio 
 Grande, mezquite. 
 
 The main artery of New Mexico is the 
 Rio del Norte, the longest and largest 
 river in Mexico. Its head-waters wercf* 
 explored in 1807 by Captain Pike, be- 
 tween the thirty-seventh and thirty-eighth 
 degrees of north latitude ; but its highest 
 sources are supposed to be about two de- 
 grees farther north in the Rocky mount- 
 ains near the head-waters of the Arkan- 
 sas and the Rio Grande (or the Coloi ado 
 of the west). Following a generally south- 
 ern direction, it runs thi-ough New Mex- 
 ico, where its principal affluent is the Rio 
 Chamas fiom the west, and thence winds 
 its way in a southeastern course through 
 the states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, and 
 Tamaulipas, to the gulf of Mexico, in 
 25° 50)' north latitude. Its tributaries in 
 the latter states are the Pecos, from the 
 north, and the Chonchos, Salado, Alamo, 
 
 and San Juan, from the south. The en- 
 tire course of the Rio del Norte, in a 
 straight line, would be nearly twelve hun- 
 dred miles ; but by the meandering of its 
 lower half, it runs at least two thousand 
 miles from the region of eternal snow to 
 the almost tropical climate of the gulf. 
 The elevation of the river above the sea 
 near Albuquerque, in New Mexico, is 
 about 4,800 feet ; at El Paso del Norte, 
 about 3,800 ; and at Reynosa, between 
 three and four hundred miles from its 
 mouth, about 170 feet. The fall of the 
 water between Albuquerque and El Paso 
 appears to be from two to three feet in 
 a mile, and below Reynosa one foot in 
 two miles. The fall of the river is sel- 
 dom used as a motive power, except for 
 running some flour-mills, which are of- 
 tener worked by mules than by water. 
 The principal advantage which is at pres- 
 ent deiived from this river by the inhab- 
 itants is for agricultural purposes, by 
 their well-managed system of irrigation. 
 As to its navigation in New Mexico, it is 
 very much doubted if even canoes could 
 be used, except perhaps during May or 
 June, when ihe liver is in its hio-hest 
 state, from the melting of the snow in 
 the mountains. The river is entirely too 
 shallow, and interrupted by too many 
 sand-bai's, to promise anything for navi- 
 gation. On the southern portion of the 
 river, the recent exploration by Captain 
 Sterling, of the United States steamer 
 " Major Brown," has proved that steam- 
 boats may ascend from the gulf as far 
 as Laredo, a distance of seven hundred 
 miles. Although this steamer did not 
 draw over two feet of water, yet the ex- 
 plorers of that region express their opin- 
 ion that, by spending about one hundred 
 thousand doUai-s in a proper impr'ovc- 
 ment of the river above Miei", boats draw- 
 ing four feet could readily ply between 
 the mouth of the Rio Grande and Lare- 
 do. Whenever a closer connexion be- 
 tween this head-point of navigation and 
 New Mexico shall be considered, irotli- 
 ing will answer but a railr-oad, crossing 
 from the valley of the Rio Grande to the 
 high table-land in the Mexican slate of 
 Chihuahua. 
 
 The soil in the valley of the Rio del 
 Norte, in New Mexico, is generally sandy 
 
 41 
 
642 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO. 
 
 and looks poor, bat by irrigation it pro- 
 duces abundant crops. Though agricul- 
 ture is can-ied on in a very primitive way, 
 with the hoe alone, or with a rude plough, 
 made often entirely of wood, without a 
 particle ofiron, the inhabitants raise large 
 quantities of wheat, Indian corn, beans, 
 onions, and red peppers, together wiih 
 some fruits. The most fen ile part of 
 the valley begins below Santa Fe, along 
 the river, and is called Rio abajo (or ihe 
 [country] down the river). It is not un- 
 common there to raise two crf)ps within 
 one year. 
 
 The general dryness of the climate, 
 and the aridity of the soil, in New Mex- 
 ico, will always confine agriculture to 
 the valleys of the water-courses, which 
 are as rare as over all Mexico — such, at 
 least, as contain running water through- 
 out the yeai'. But this important defect 
 may be remedied by Artesian wells. On 
 the high table-land from Santa Fe south, 
 at a certain depth, layers of clay are 
 found, that may form reservoirs of the 
 sunken water-courses from the eastern 
 and western mountain-chains, which, by 
 the improved method of boring (or Ar- 
 tesian wells), might be easily made to 
 yield their water to the surface. If ex- 
 periments to that effect should prove suc- 
 cessful, the progress of agriculture in 
 New Mexico will be more rapid, and 
 even many dreaded jornadas might be 
 changed from waterless deserts into cul- 
 tivated plains. But at present, irrigation 
 from a water-course is the only available 
 means of carrying on agriculture. The 
 irrigation is effected by damming the 
 streams, and throwing the water into 
 larger and smaller ditches (acequias) 
 surrounding and intersecting the whole 
 cultivated land. The inhabitants of the 
 towns and villages, therefore, locate their 
 lands together, and allot to each cultiva- 
 tor a part of the water at certain periods. 
 These common fields are generally with- 
 out fences, which are less needed, as the 
 grazing stock is guarded by herdsmen. 
 Tlie finest fields are generally seen on 
 the haciendas, or large estates, belonu;ing 
 to the rich property-holders in New Mex- 
 ico. These haciendas are apparently a 
 remnant of the old feudal system, and 
 were granted, with the Indians and all 
 
 other appurtenances, by the Spanish 
 crown to favorite vassals. The inhabit- 
 ants pay considerable attention to the 
 raising of stock, and the great owners 
 are possessed of large numbers of horses, 
 mules, cattle, and sheep ; these, however, 
 are generally of small size. The pastu- 
 rage in the uncultivated parts of the ter- 
 ritory is extensive, and thousands of stock 
 graze thereon throughout the year. The 
 Indians prove the greatest enemies to 
 the farmers, and frequently carry off nu- 
 merous herds of cattle, &c. 
 
 The mines of New Mexico are very 
 rich. Mining, however, has long been 
 neglected by the native population, and 
 many of the most valuable jo/acer*, which 
 were formerly worked, have been wholly 
 deserted. Gold, silver, iron, and copper, 
 are plentiful in the mountains. Gold is 
 found in the Sante Fe district as far south 
 as Gran Quivira, and north as far as the 
 Rio Sangre de Cristo. The poorer clas- 
 ses occupy some of their time in washing 
 out gold-dust, which is largely deposited 
 in the mountain-streams. The mines in 
 the neighborhood of Santa Fe are the 
 only ones worked at the present time. 
 Silver-mines were worked by the Span- 
 iards at Avo, Cerillos, and in the Nambe 
 mountains, butoperations have long since 
 ceased. Copper is abundant throughout 
 the country, and iron is equally so ; but 
 these metals are entirely overlooked by 
 the Mexicans as useless ! Coal has also 
 been discovered in a number of places; 
 and gypsum, both common and selenite, 
 is found in large quantities. The com- 
 mon is used as lime for whitewashing, 
 and the crystalline, or selenite, instead 
 of window-glass. On the high table- 
 lands, between the Rio del Norte and 
 Pecos, are some extensive salinas, or 
 salt-lakes, from which all the domestic 
 salt in New Mexico is procured. Large 
 caravans from the capital visit these in 
 the dry season, and return with as much 
 salt as they can conveniently carry. The 
 merchants exchange one bushel of salt 
 for an equal quantity of wheat, or sell it 
 for one or sometimes two dollars a bushel. 
 The climate is generally temperate, 
 constant, and healthy. Considerable at- 
 mospheric differences, howevei-, are ex- 
 perienced in the mountain districts an«.l 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO. 
 
 643 
 
 in the low valley of the river. In the 
 latter, the summer-heat sometimes rises 
 to 100° Fahrenheit, but the nights are 
 always cool and pleasant. The winters 
 are comparatively of long duration, and 
 frequently severe. The sky, however, 
 is clear and dry, owing to the condensa- 
 tion of the moisture on the frozen hills. 
 The months from July to October inclu- 
 sive constitute the rainy season, but the 
 rains are neither so heavy nor so regular 
 in their returns as on the more southern 
 part of the continent. Disease is little 
 known, except some inflammations and 
 typhoid fevers in the winter season. In 
 taking the census of the territory in 1850, 
 many remarkable instances of longevity 
 were found among the native population, 
 proving New Mexico to be one of the 
 most healthful i-egions of the Union. 
 
 Population. — The whole population 
 of New Mexico was, according to the 
 census of 1793, 30,953 ; in 1833, it was 
 calculated to amount to 52,360, and that 
 number to consist of one twentieth Gap- 
 uchines (Spaniards), one fifth Creoles, one 
 fourth mestizoes of all grades, and one 
 half of pueblo Indians. In 1842, the pop- 
 ulation was estimated at 57,026 ; and ac- 
 cording to the census of 1850, it was by 
 counties as follows: Santa Fe, 7,713; 
 Taos, 9,507; Rio Ariba, 10,668; San 
 Miguel, 7,071; Santa Ana, 4,656 ; Ber- 
 nalio, 7,752 ; and Valencia, 14,207. To- 
 tal, 61,574. This is exclusive of the in- 
 dependent tiibes of Indians which still 
 exist in the country. The Navajoes are a 
 powerful tribe, inhabiting a fine country 
 west of the Rio Grande, and numbering 
 about 7,000 ; the Eutaws inhabit the 
 northwestern frontier, and number 4,000 
 or 5,000 ; the Apaches, about 5,000, roam 
 ov3r the vast I'egions east of the Rio 
 Grande and north of El Paso ; the Jico- 
 rilles, a branch of the Apache family, 
 500 in number, are neighbors of the Eu- 
 taws on the northwestern frontier. To 
 these must be added large parties of Ca- 
 in anches, Arrapahoes, and Cheyennes — 
 perhaps 36,000 in number — which infest 
 the borders to the north and east, and lay 
 the unwary traveller under contribution 
 — frequently committing the foulest mur- 
 ders, or carrying off women and children 
 into captivity. 
 
 The chief city of New Mexico is Santa 
 Fe, one of the oldest of the Spanish set- 
 tlements. Its elevation above the sea is 
 7,047 feet. Santa Fe is about twenty 
 miles east, in a direct line, from the Rio 
 del Norte, and lies in a wide plain, sur- 
 rounded by lofty mountains. A small 
 creek, rising in the hills and flowing past 
 the city, supplies it with water. The 
 land around is sandy, poor, and destitute 
 of timber ; but the mountains are cov- 
 ered with pine and cedar. No pasturage 
 is observed about the settlements, and 
 as a consequence stock is driven to the 
 mountains. The climate is delightful, 
 and free from extremes ; the sky is clear 
 and cloudless, and the atmosphere dry. 
 The houses are built o^ adobes (sunburnt 
 brick), but one story high, with flat roofs. 
 The streets are narrow and irregular. 
 The plaza, or public square, is spacious, 
 and one side is occupied by the official 
 residence of the executive of the territo- 
 ry. The palace is, without being very 
 grand, a good building, and exhibits two 
 curiosities, viz., windows of glass, and 
 festoons of Indian ears. Among the pub- 
 lic buildings there are two churches with 
 steeples, but of an oi'dinary construction. 
 There are thirty or forty stores in the 
 city, principally kept by Americans. The 
 inhabitants, except the Americans, are 
 Spaniards and Indians, and the castes 
 sprung from an indefinite amalgamation 
 of the two races. Society is in a deplo- 
 rable condition. The native population 
 spend their time in card-playing, drink- 
 ing, smoking, and 2iX fandangoes. They 
 are expert thieves, and live in a misera- 
 ble state of ignorance, superstition, dirt, 
 and poverty. The city proper contains 
 4,000 or 5,000 souls, and about as many 
 more are settled within its jurisdiction, 
 Santa Fe is the depot of a considerable 
 commerce carried on between northern 
 Mexico and the western states, and is 
 generally visited by the overland emi- 
 grants to California, 
 
 Las Vagas, seventy-five miles from 
 Santa Fe, contains about 400 inhabitants, 
 with a few American families. It is a 
 military outpost, and has one company 
 of about fifty soldiers. Tecalote, ten 
 miles this side of Las Vagas, has about 
 200 souls, and a few American families. 
 
644 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO. 
 
 San Miguel, fifteen miles this side of 
 Las Vagas, has about 700 souls, but no 
 Americans. San Jose, three miles far- 
 ther on, has a population of about 300, 
 all Mexicans. There are two or three 
 other small villages, off the road. 
 
 Northwardly from Santa Fe, the first 
 towi of importance is Canada ( Canyar- 
 tha? ), iwenty-five miles distant. It is a 
 place of considerable trade, and contains 
 about 2,000 inhabitants. The town is 
 located about one mile from the eastern 
 bank of the Rio del Norte. The valley 
 is thickly settled, and is said to be among 
 the most beautiful and fertile portions of 
 New Mexico. The river is at this place 
 one hundred and fifty or two hundred 
 yards wide, its current running seven or 
 eight miles an hour. At low-water mark 
 it is fordable. Proceeding on about for- 
 ty-five miles farther, passing several un- 
 important places, you arrive at Taos, 
 with a population of about 2,000 souls. 
 This is a military station. There are no 
 American families here, however. The 
 entire Taos valley is pt)pulous, and the 
 people are wealthy. There are about a 
 dozen American families in the region, 
 chiefly farmers. 
 
 Throughout this, as well as the valley 
 of the Rio Grande, are to be seen mount- 
 ains of the most singular shapes imagina- 
 ble. Some of them appear like gigantic 
 fortifications of very ancient date ; others 
 rise hundreds of feet in the form of pyra- 
 mids, then surmounted by lofty towers 
 of symmetrical propoi tions, with perpen- 
 dicular sides. One high mountain, called 
 the Sugarloaf, is seen north of Albiquin, 
 resembling a truncated cone. Appioach- 
 ing Albiquin, the valley is under better 
 cultivation, and more productive. This 
 part of the valley is moie thickly settled 
 than that below. 
 
 Albiquin, one of the most noithern 
 military stations in ihe teriitory, is a 
 small village, formerly an Indian pueblo, 
 and is a romaniic place. It is siiuated 
 on a high bluff, and nearly surrounded 
 by mountains. That part of the valley 
 seen frcjm the town is tiuly charming. 
 The Rio Chalma runs through the centre 
 of it, thus lendering irrigation easy. The 
 Navajo and Eutaw Indians roam through 
 this section of country, to prevent whose 
 
 depredations a company of dragoons is 
 stationed at Albiquin. 
 
 Southwardly fiom Santa Fe, the first 
 town is Agua Fres (Cold Water), six 
 miles distant, and containing about 200 
 inhabitants, with few or no Americans. 
 Algodonis, forty miles distant, also has 
 a population of about 200. Sandia, fifty- 
 four miles from Santa Fe, is a pueblo In- 
 dian town, containing about 150 souls. 
 Albuquerque, a large town seventy miles 
 from Santa Fe, has a population of 1,500. 
 This is a military station, with a few resi- 
 dent American families. Socora is an 
 important military station about one hun- 
 dred and twenty-five miles south. Zuni, 
 about two handred miles distant, is an 
 Indian town with a population of 2,000 
 or more. This is one of the most re- 
 markable tribes on the continent, higlily 
 civilized in some respects ; living in good, 
 substantial two-story houses ; obtaining 
 their livelihood by agiiculture ; not war- 
 like, yet able to defend thmselves against 
 all their enemies. They are noted for 
 their intelligence, universal benevolence, 
 and kindness of heai't. These Indians 
 are now citizens of the United States. 
 In the same vicinity are the Mochins, 
 who are very similar to the Zunians. 
 
 El Paso, three hundred and twenty 
 miles from Santa Fe, situated on the Rio 
 Grande, has some 300 inhabitants on the 
 American side of the river, including a 
 few settled American families. A mili- 
 tary post is established there. 
 
 Manners and Customs. — The man- 
 ners and customs of the New Mexicans 
 proper are very similar to those over all 
 Mexico, so often described by travellers 
 to that country. While the higher clas- 
 ses conform themselves more to Ameri- 
 can and European fashions, the men of 
 the lower classes are faithful to their se- 
 rapes or colored blankets, and to their 
 wide trousers with glittering buttons, and 
 split from iiip to ankle, to give the white 
 cotton drawers also a chance to be seen ; 
 and the ladies of all classes are more than 
 justified in not giving up their coquettish 
 rebozo, a small shawl drawn over the 
 head. Both sexes enjoy the cigarito or 
 paper-cigar, hold their siesta after din- 
 ner, and amuse themselves in the even- 
 ing with monle (a hazard game) or fan- 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO. 
 
 645 
 
 dangoes. Their dances, which are very 
 graceful, are generally a combinati >n of 
 quadrille and waltz. 
 
 The principal ingredient in the Mexi- 
 can race is Indian blood, which is visible 
 in their features, complexion, and dispo- 
 sition. The men are, generally taken, 
 ill-featured, while the women are often 
 quite handsome. Another striking singu- 
 larity is the wide difference in the char- 
 acter of the two sexes. While the men 
 have often been censured for their indo- 
 lence, mendacity, treachery, and cruelty, 
 the women are active, affectionate, open- 
 hearted, and even faithful when their af- 
 fections are reciprocated. Though gen- 
 erally not initiated in the art of reading 
 and writing, the females possess never- 
 theless a strong common sense, and a nat- 
 ural sympathy for every suffering being, 
 be it friend or foe, which compensates 
 them in some degree for the wants of a 
 refined education. The treatment of the 
 Texan prisoners is but one of the many 
 instances where the cruelties of the Mex- 
 ican men were mitigated by the disinter- 
 ested kindness of their women. Many 
 of the evils of the present slate of society 
 in New Mexico will no doubt be eradi- 
 cated by the contact of a more advanced 
 civilization, and education will become an 
 indispensable requisite in order to keep 
 up with the progress of commerce, and 
 the influx of an educated population from 
 the east. 
 
 The New-Mexicans are a very de- 
 vout, though, at the same lime, none the 
 less immoral people. Their devotion 
 consists in all the forms, penances, con- 
 fessions, and discipline, imposed by their 
 church. All these are perfarmed with 
 undoubted sincerity and heartfelt devo- 
 tion, and upon these observances and on 
 these alone are based all their hopes of 
 "eternal life." The New Mexican ri- 
 sing generation exhibit an aptness to 
 learn, and are easily controlled and di- 
 rected, and by no means want talent and 
 capacity to become enlightened and in- 
 dependent in opinion. With a single ex- 
 ception, no really ell'ective schools exist 
 among them, though much desired by all 
 comj)Osing the better classes. Could a 
 general plan of education be established, 
 much good might be expected to follow. 
 
 New Mexico, previous to the late war, 
 as before remarked, was a state of the 
 Mexican republic, and its rulers consist- 
 ed of a governor and legislature (junta 
 departmental); but as the latter was 
 more an imaginary than a real power, 
 the governor was, in fact, despotic, and 
 subject only to the laws of revolution, 
 which, in this state, were very freely ad- 
 ministered by upsetting the gubeTnatorial 
 chair as often as the republic at large did 
 the presidential. Well knowing the fa- 
 vors of fortune were at all times piecari- 
 ous, the governors, in general, while in 
 office, plundered the treasury and pro- 
 vided against contingencies ! The peo- 
 ple, credulous and easily deceived, had 
 to submit to every outrage ; and should 
 one, more courageous than his fellows, 
 asseit the profligacy of the government, 
 his doom was as certain as speedy. Thus 
 has New Mexico dragged on its exist- 
 ence — the sport of despots and the foot- 
 ball of fortune. The judiciary was as de- 
 pendent as the executive was indepen- 
 dent, and all law succumbed to the dic- 
 tates of one man. Besides these, the 
 clergy, as well as the military classes, 
 had their own courts of justice. In re- 
 lation to the confedei'acy, however. New 
 Mexico always maintained greater inde- 
 pendence than any other of the states — 
 partly from its distance from the capital, 
 but more from the spirit of opposition in 
 the people, who derived no advantage 
 from the connexion, and suffered much 
 from its taxation, without an equivalent 
 j^rotection. The supreme government 
 never succeeded here in imposing upcm 
 the peo[)le the estranquillas, or monopo- 
 ly of the sale of tobacco, and New Mex- 
 ico was free from some other enormities. 
 In the same way the people resisted the 
 introduction of copper coin. This loose 
 connexion with the central power will 
 aid much in the assimilation of the peo- 
 ple of this newly-acquired teriitoty with 
 the immigrants from other parts of the 
 American Union, especially as the gov- 
 ernment of the latter will bestow upon 
 them — what the former could not — sta- 
 bility, safety, protection, and the just 
 rights which are enjoyed by all persons 
 under the aegis of American republican 
 principles. 
 
646 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY OF UTAH. 
 
 TERRITORY OF UTAH. 
 
 That portion of Alta-California, now 
 designated as the territory of Utah, was 
 never settled by the Spaniards, nor was 
 it over moi'e than a nominal dependency 
 of that nation or of the Mexican repub- 
 lic. Previous to the Mexican war, in- 
 deed, few white men, except those en- 
 gaged in scientific explorations, had en- 
 tered the country. About the period 
 when that war broke out, the Mormons 
 were driven from their city of Nauvoo, 
 in Illinois, by mob violence ; and shortly 
 afterward a portion of them, under the 
 leadership of Strang, removed to Beaver 
 island in Lake Michigan, while the main 
 body of the sect, directed by Brigham 
 Young (who was regarded as their true 
 " prophet" after the death of iheir found- 
 er, Joseph Smith, and in opposition to tlie 
 " infidel" leader Strang), migrated to the 
 borders of the Great Salt lake. Their set- 
 tlements became prosperous and popu- 
 lous, and within two years after the fiist 
 pioneers had entered the country, their 
 numbers had increased to about 10,000. 
 After peace had been ratified, they found 
 themselves without a civil government, 
 and without protection for their persons 
 or property. To remedy this anomalous 
 condition of things, they organized a tem- 
 porary government under the style of the 
 •'State of Deseret." Under its sanc- 
 tion they elected officers to manage the 
 affairs of the commonwealth, and made 
 application to Congress to be admitted 
 into the Union as a sovereign state. But 
 Congress did not deem that this new set- 
 tlement had ariived at that state of ma- 
 turity which would justify its erection 
 into a state, and passed a law authorizing 
 its organization as a territory, with the 
 following limits : on the west it is bound- 
 ed by the state of California, on the north 
 by the territory of Oregon, on the east 
 by the summit of the Rocky mountains, 
 and on the south by the thirty-seventh 
 parallel of latitude. Congress reserved 
 the right with Uiah, as also with New 
 Mexico, to divide it into two or more 
 territories, or to attach portions of it to 
 any state (u* terrioi-y in such manner and 
 
 at such times as it shall deem convenient 
 and proper. 
 
 Utah is one of the most singular coun- 
 tries in the world. The great basin in 
 which it is situated between the Sierra 
 Nevada and the mountains of New Mex- 
 ico, is some five hundred miles in diame- 
 ter every way, and comprises an area of 
 393,691 square miles. It is between four 
 and five thousand feet above the level 
 of the sea, shut in all around by mount- 
 ains, with its own system of lakes and 
 rivers, and without any direct connexion 
 with the ocean. Partly arid and thinly 
 inhabited, its general character is that of 
 a desert, but with great exceptions — 
 there being many parts of it very fit for 
 the residence of a civilized people ; and 
 of these the Mormons have established 
 themselves in one of the largest and best. 
 Mountain is the predominating structure 
 of the interior of the basin, with plains 
 between — the mountains wooded and wa- 
 tered, the plains arid and sterile. 
 
 In the northei'n part of this basin lies 
 the Great Salt lake. The waters of this 
 sheet are shallow, so far as explored ; 
 though probably its central parts will be 
 found very deep. Its waters are intense- 
 ly salt, more so than those of the ocean 
 — three gallons making one gallon of the 
 purest, whitest, and finest salt. South- 
 east of this lake, shut in by the mount- 
 ains, lies the Mormon valley, which con- 
 tains their capital city. This valley is 
 thirty miles long by twenty-two broad, 
 connected with another valley which is 
 about fifty miles by eight. These two 
 valleys contain the principal body of the 
 settlers, to the number of some 30,000 or 
 40,000. Explorers think that they are 
 capable of supporting a population of a 
 million. The Humboldt river is the prin- 
 cipal water-course of the great basin, and 
 possesses qualities which, in the progress 
 of events, may give it both value and 
 fame. It lies in the line of travel to Cal- 
 ifornia and Oregon, and is the best route 
 now known through the gieat basin, and 
 the one travelled by emigrants. Its di- 
 rection, east and west, is the right course 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY OF UTAH. 
 
 647 
 
 for that travel. It furnishes a level, un- 
 obstructed way for nearly three hundred 
 miles, and a plentiful supply of the in- 
 dispensable articles of water, wood, and 
 grass. Its head is towai'd the Great Salt 
 lake, and consequently toward the Mor- 
 mon settlements, which must become a 
 point in the line of emigration to Califor- 
 nia and the lower Columbia. Its termi- 
 nation is within fifty miles of the base of 
 the Sierra Nevada, and opposite the Sal- 
 mon Trout river pass — a pass only seven 
 thousand two hundred feet above the lev- 
 el of the sea, and less than half that above 
 the level of the basin, and leading into 
 the valley of the Sacramento, some forty 
 miles north of Sutter's fort. These prop- 
 erties give to lliis river a prospective 
 value ill future communications with the 
 Pacific. The Rio Gila bounds the ter- 
 ritory on the south, and the Rio Colora- 
 do traverses it in a southwest direction 
 from the Rocky mountains to the gulf 
 of California, into which both rivers emp- 
 ty by one mouth. 
 
 The City of the Great Salt Lake, 
 tho capital of Utah, is beautifully laid 
 out, within a short distance of the mount- 
 ain forming the eastern end of the valley. 
 It contains from 20,000 to 25,000 inhab- 
 itants, who are mostly engaged in agri- 
 culture, though a portion of their time is 
 devoted to mechanical pursuits when un- 
 derstood. The streets of the city inter- 
 sect each other at ric^ht angrles, and each 
 block is half a mile square, with an alley 
 from east to west and iiorth to south. 
 Each block is called a ward, and has a 
 bishop to preside over its government, 
 whose duties are to act as magistrates, 
 tax-collectors, and preachers, as well as 
 street commissioners. The city and all 
 the farming land are irrigated by streams 
 of pure water which flow from the adja- 
 cent mountains: these streams have been, 
 with great labor and perseverance, led in 
 every direction. In the city they flow 
 on each side of the different streets, and 
 their waters are let upon the inhabitants' 
 gardens at regular periods; so likewise 
 upon the extensive fields of grain lying 
 in the south of the city. 
 
 Fifty miles south of this city is the 
 Utah lake and valley. Here lies the city 
 of Prava, on the Prava river. The lake 
 
 is of pure water, eight miles long by four 
 in width, and abounds in fish. There is 
 still another valley, one hundred miles 
 farther south, called San Pete, where is 
 also a settlement ; and here are the hie- 
 roglyphic ruins, the remains of glazed 
 potteiy, &c., that indicate the former ex- 
 istence of the outlying cities of the Aztec 
 empire. 
 
 Wheat, oats, and barley, yield abun- 
 dantly in the great valley. Melons and 
 all the vines grow in perfection, as also 
 do vegetables ; while hopeful efforts are 
 making to raise the olive, orange, lemon, 
 pineapple, tea, coflfee, &c. The valley 
 below produces tropical fruits, while the 
 beach land or old lake shore, at the alti- 
 tude of three or four hundred feet, brings 
 forth all the productions of the temperate 
 zones ; and still higher up, the cedar, pine, 
 juniper, and other evergreens of a north- 
 ern clime, flourish. The pasturage on 
 the plains, as well as on the beach land 
 and side-hills, is luxuriant (the verdure 
 reaching to the mountain-tops), equal for 
 fattening qualities to that of Calif )rnia. 
 
 Utah abounds in minerals. A geo- 
 graphical survey has brought to light an 
 inexhanstible bed of stone-coal, equalling 
 that of Newcastle ; iron ore, with a vein 
 of silver running through it, which latter 
 alone would pay for working ; gold, in 
 small quantities, and platina, are found; 
 and traces of copper and zinc have been 
 discovered. Its mineral springs are fa- 
 mous, little as they have been tried, and 
 their analysis shows them to be equal to 
 those most resorted to at the east. 
 
 The counti-y only needs a thorough in- 
 vestigation, and hands enough to develop 
 its resources, and the population will be 
 independent of supplies from other quar- 
 ters. In conducting the river Jordan by 
 canal to the city of the Great Salt lake, 
 a distance of twenty-five miles along the 
 foot of the mountains, an immense scope 
 of land is brought under the influence of 
 irrigation, besides a vast water-power for 
 machinery. The Mormons are already 
 about to set up and finish their machines, 
 furnaces, &c., for smelting ore, casting 
 rails, and finishing engines, for manufac- 
 tuting purposes as well as for railways 
 to connect themselves with the neighbor- 
 ing country. A southern railway, to tap 
 
648 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY OF UTAH. 
 
 the Pacific at some practicable point, is 
 a favorite plan with them ; a road to Ore- 
 gon is also contemplated ; and the rail- 
 way from the head of navigation on the 
 Missouri to the Salt-lake valley will one 
 day be as much travelled as any of our 
 main thoroughfares are at present. 
 
 The whole character of the territoiy of 
 Utah is singular. While its geographi- 
 cal position and features are unlike those 
 of any other portion of North America, 
 its origin and the manner of its settle- 
 ment are no less strange. It is doubtful 
 if it would have been settled for many 
 years to come, had not persecution driven 
 the Mormons to seek refuge and a home 
 in its distant limits. They established 
 themselves here, at first, with the idea 
 that they would be cut oif from the world 
 by the natural difficulties of the contigu- 
 ous territory and the peculiarity of their 
 situation. Here they expected to form, 
 in secrecy and silence, a great, peculiar 
 religious empire ; but the stream of Cali- 
 fornia emigration discovered their trail 
 and invaded their principality, and their 
 territory is now the open, exposed half- 
 way house to the Pacific. Its peculiar 
 locality is and will continue to be of 
 essential service as a stopping-place for 
 the army of emigrants that, year after 
 year, will seek California or Oregon by 
 the southern pass ; and when the Pacific 
 railway is completed, it will prove of in- 
 calculable benefit as a great station-house 
 on the route. The apprehension, how- 
 
 ever, is not altogether groundless, that 
 in a community whose peculiar religious 
 faith is made paramount to all other ob- 
 ligations, a spirit of disaffection may be 
 engendered toward the United States 
 government, which will result in an at- 
 tempt to renounce their allegiance, and 
 to place themselves beyond the protect- 
 ing aegis of the Union, Indeed, such a 
 feeling has already " cast its shadow be- 
 fore." It is to be hoped, however, that 
 while all their natural and constitutional 
 rights shall be properly respected, a wise 
 and timely precaution will be exercised 
 by the United States authorities to insure 
 from them a due obedience to the con- 
 stitution and laws of the Union. And 
 however much we may regret to see a 
 community, numbering a population of 
 some 40,000 souls, so wedded to a reli- 
 gious faith which is little short of the 
 wildest fanaticism, and among whose 
 fruits is gross licentiousness, we can not 
 but admire the enterprise, the industry 
 and perseverance, which have laid the 
 fijundation of a future state in the deep 
 recesses of our vast wilderness territory, 
 and which are destined to transform that 
 desert region into smiling gardens and 
 fruitful fields. The foundation of Utah 
 will stand on the page of history as co- 
 eval with that of California, and the rec- 
 ord of its rise and progress will be re- 
 garded (though for far different reasons) 
 as scarcely less marvellous and unprece- 
 dented. 
 
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