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 THE WESTERN STATES.
 
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 THE WESTERN STATES; 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 DESCRIPTIVE SKETCHES 
 
 OF THEIIl 
 
 
 SOIL, CLIMATE, RESOURCES AND SCENERY. 
 
 BY JAMES HALL, 
 
 AUTHOR OF BORDER TALES, &C &C. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 HARRISON HALL, NO. 72 S. FOURTH STREET. 
 
 1838.
 
 *. 9 ■ \> V. **^« V% 
 
 
 Entered according to the act of Congress, in the year 1838, 
 by Harrison Hall, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court 
 of the United States, in and for the Eastern District of Penn- 
 sylvania. 
 
 I. ASHMEAD AND CO.. PRINTERS.
 
 tn.n 
 
 Vmn \( 
 
 
 If 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 The Western Plain — its limits — its topography — the general char- 
 acter of its formation, Page 13 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 The River Ohio — its etymology — scenery — timber — low water — 
 floods — the great flood of 1832 — impediments to navigation — pro- 
 posed improvements, 21 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 The River Mississippi — general character — Grand Tower — scenery 
 of the Upper Mississippi, 46 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 General surface of the country — the alternation of forest and prairie 
 — scenery in western Pennsylvania, western Virginia, Ohio, Illi- 
 nois, Indiana, Missouri and Kentucky, compared, 54 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 The Prairies— their surface — vegetation, and appearance at different 
 seasons, 69 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Theory of the Prairies — fires — ilifitrent theories respecting the for- 
 mation of prairies — plains in Pennsylvania and elsewhere,. . 79 
 
 i CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Soil of the Prairies — explanation in reference to the supposed want 
 of timber, 95
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Destitution of water on the prairies considered, and explained — wet 
 prairies, Page 105 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Wild animals in the western states, 110 
 
 CHAPTER X. % +i\ • 
 
 Agricultural products — fruits — gardens — floral calendar *-wood and 
 timber — domestic animals, . 126 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 The Public Domain — title of the United States to the public lands 
 examined — objections discussed — the policy of the government in 
 the disposal of the public lands — proposed reduction, and gradua- 
 tion of price, 1 50 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Western Steamboats — discouraging prospects in regard to naviga- 
 tion, at the first settlement of the west — the earliest boats — intro- 
 duction of steam — history of the first steamboats — calculations 
 relative to cost and expenses of steamboats — accidents — imposi- 
 tions — number of flat boats — table of distances and prices of pas- 
 sage — alphabetical list of the steamboats on the western waters — 
 comparative view of the number of steamboats built at different 
 places — comparative view of the number built in each state,. 213 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Trade and Commerce — western cities — manufactures — tabular state- 
 ment of the imports into New Orleans, consisting of produce de- 
 scending the Mississippi, during ten years — tabular statement of 
 the exports of cotton from New Orleans, for nine years — exports 
 of tobacco — exports of sugar and molasses — other tables, 264
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 We have no particular partiality for the task of writing a pre- 
 face. It is a ceremony imposed by custom, and is in general as 
 irksome to the writer, :is it is useless to the reader of the work, to 
 which it is appended. Publishers, however, have their own no- 
 tions of what is proper, and in their apprehension the preface is a 
 component part of a well gotten up book, and may not be dis- 
 pensed with without a departure from a long standing and inflexi- 
 ble law of their profession. We hold a different faith, and are 
 bold enough to avow our belief, that if there be an abuse in litera- 
 ture, demanding above all others, to be submitted to the process 
 of immediate abolition, it is this one of forcing an author to supply 
 his own book with a letter of introduction. For such, in practice, 
 is most usually the substance of a preface. It is a brief history of 
 the birth and parentage f the book, wherein it is expected that 
 the author shall explain why it was written, and wherefore it has 
 been published, with various other matters of no importance 
 whatever in themselves, and of no interest to any except the party 
 thus offending against good manners and correct taste. 
 
 The only valuable quality that we have ever been discerning 
 enough to discover in a preface, is the opportunity which it af- 
 fords to a modest author to herald the peculiar reluctance with 
 which he does an act that is entirely voluntary on his part, and 
 which he undertakes with the greatest apparent self-complacency. 
 In these brief pages we read volumes of evidence in favour of the 
 patriotism and benevolence of authors; and we cannot but honour 
 a race so prolific in good offices, performed from the most amia- 
 ble motives, yet attended with embarrassing circumstances of 
 bashfulness and self-abasement. We gather from these candid 
 fragments of literary history, that books are usually written mere- 
 ly to fill up a leisure hour, or to gratify the author's propensity 
 for some favourite study, without the most distant intention of 
 publication, and that they are only given to the public at tho 
 earnest solicitation of partial friends, or from an amiable desire 
 to be useful to a world which is seldom grateful for the liberal 
 self-sacrifices thus made. The man who in this manner gives to 
 a thankless public the treasured gleanings of his secret hours of 
 joy — the record of his private thoughts and studies — the unpre- 
 meditated out-pourings of his mind, or the choice reflections of 
 his wisest and saddest moments — merely to gratify his friends, 
 and to instruct the communitv, must be verv philanthropic indeed. 
 
 1*
 
 Via PREFACE. 
 
 Nor is this all. The history of books, as developed in prefaces, 
 discloses further, that they are, for the most part, very hastily 
 written, and full of imperfections, notwithstanding which the 
 writers generously yield them up, with all their faults, submitting 
 meeklv to the blame of these, rather than withhold that which 
 friends applaud and the public is eager to receive. We learn, 
 too, from the same authentic source, that it is not vanity, ambi- 
 tion, nor the lust of gain, that induces the reluctant author to 
 throw his bread upon the waters in the hope of finding it again 
 after many days; that however contemptuous may be our opinion 
 of a volume, none think so badly of it as the writer; and that none 
 are so indifferent as to its fate, as he who gave it existence. — 
 Like the bird of the desert, who buries her eggs in the sand, he 
 abandons his precious manuscript to its fate, to be hatched by the 
 parental care of the bookseller, and nurtured under the tender 
 mercies of the critic. 
 
 But although prefaces, serve thus a valuable purpose in afford- 
 ing the earliest and most frank intelligence of the imperfections 
 of books, and the disinterested philanthropy of authors, we ad- 
 here to the opinion we have expressed against them, because we 
 apprehend that however acceptable may be the information they 
 convey, it is such as would most usually be ascertained without 
 them. The public might be safely left to infer the unambitious 
 character of the author, from the contents of his work ; and the 
 partiality of friends, from the extent of the demand which may 
 appear to have been made upon their charity. 
 
 There is one case, however, in which we consider a preface 
 desirable and appropriate — a rare case, we admit, but one that 
 occurs, whenever an author has any thing to say to the public 
 about his book, which may be as properly said by himself as by 
 another. Such is the predicament in which we are placed at this 
 moment ; and having written much for the gratification of others, 
 we hope to be excused for occupying a few pages, with an expla- 
 nation for our own particular benefit. 
 
 In the two volumes of " Sketches of History, Life, and Man- 
 ners, in the "West," recently published, the author attempted to 
 illustrate the spirit and character of the history of this interesting 
 region, by throwing together in a popular form, such materials 
 relating to that subject, as were within his reach. These frag- 
 ments, for such they may be properly called, were necessarily 
 brief and unconnected, for some of the topics were new, and with 
 regard to most of them, but little aid could be derived from 
 books. Much of the work consisted of the traditions which the 
 author had collected, and the observations he had made, during 
 a residence of twenty years in the western country, during the 
 greater part of which he has been engaged in pursuits which 
 obliged him to travel much, and to associate intimately with the 
 people. It was not intended, nor was it practicable, to give to
 
 PREFACE. IX 
 
 such sketches the condensation of history, or the form of a con- 
 tinuous narrative; all thai whs attempted was an unconnected se- 
 ries of pictun s, exi mplifying the nature of the wants which cha- 
 racterized the settlement of the western States, and the peculiar 
 character of the adventures, the sufferings, the daring, and the 
 intelligence of the pioneers. In this hasty outline, one of the 
 
 objects of the author was, to place in bolder relief than any in 
 which they had heretofore been presented, many facts which are 
 highly honourable to the character of the western people, and to 
 disprov. the prejudiced and distorted charges of ignorance, bru- 
 tality, and heathenism, which have been alleged against them. — 
 A ample denial of the statements was not sufficient ; it was neces- 
 sar\ to adduce the evidence which should refute them, and 
 accordingly a series of facts were presented, which show conclu- 
 sively to any candid mind, that among those who have founded 
 colonies or states on our continent, there have been none who 
 have excelled the western pioneers in hardihood or generOUS 
 courage, none have' shown more forbearance or humanity, nor 
 have any, in laying the foundations of civil government, observ- 
 ed with greater strictness the maxims of justice, morality, ana 
 order. 
 
 These facts have not been controverted, but the inferences 
 drawn from them have given offence to some, who have been 
 pleased, upon the authority ol inferior evidence, to arrive at con- 
 clusions more in accordance with their preconceived notions, or 
 local prejudices. 
 
 In the North American Review, No. XC1I. the editor has con- 
 descended to notice the existence of the writer of these volumes, 
 as we believe for the first time — for that work is so very North 
 American, as seldom to bring within the scope of its criticism the 
 literature of the more genial latitudes of our republic. When he 
 deigns, therefore, to extend his vision beyond the charmed circle, 
 which though somewhat small is supposed to comprise the con- 
 centrated effulgence of American genius, and favours the world 
 with his notions of thing's in the distant and dark corners of the 
 continent, it becomes us to listen with reverence to his opinions. 
 In the West especially, buried as we are, in those clouds of igno- 
 rance of which we are so often reminded, we should not only be 
 grateful for any notice bestowed on us from so high a source, but 
 should diligent!) study, and respectfully learn, our own history 
 anil character, from such undoubted authority. 
 
 When we learned that our humble volumes had been noticed 
 in the respectable pages of the North American, we could not but 
 feel complimented, and it was with do small degree of admiration 
 and awe that we read the following- strictur- 
 
 * Judge Hall is not an accurate writer. In the work before us, 
 (vol. 1, p. 247,) he informs us that sir William Johnson purchased 
 of the Six Nations, in 1768, their claim to the lands on the North-
 
 X PREFACE. 
 
 west side of the Ohio to the Great Miami. This does not appear 
 on ihe treaty. Page 251 represents two grants from the Cherokees 
 to Henderson and his company ; whereas it appears there was 
 onlv one, the other being a grant to the crown in 1770. On page 
 31, (vol. 2,) he alters the date of the purchase of Louisiana from 
 1803 to 1795, probably confounding it with the Spanish treaty of 
 1795. On page 36, he comes to the conclusion that there was 
 nothing treasonable in the Spanish conspiracy, on a dispassionate 
 consideration of the whole matter. But in this dispassionate con- 
 sideration he has wholly omitted the most treasonable features, 
 saying nothing- of the proposal made through Power in 1797, to 
 withdraw from the Federal Union, and to form a government 
 « wholly unconnected with the Atlantic States ;' nothing of the 
 hundred thousand dollars offered as a bribe to bring this about; 
 and nothing of the concealment of the whole matter by all con- 
 cerned. All this looks a little treasonable. On page 119, he 
 calls Kaskaskia a garrisoned town, when the fort was unoccupied, 
 and the town defended onh by militia; and on page 124, he tells 
 us that the capture of Vincennes in 1779, led to the setdement of 
 Louisville in 1778." 
 
 We copy this paragraph entire, as a remarkable specimen of 
 the great amount of accurate historical knowledge, and critical 
 acumen, which may be crowded into a small paragraph by the 
 editor of the North American. Unfortunately, however, the 
 paragraph is not original — as every allegation contained in it, is 
 extracted from an article published in May last, in an obscure 
 periodical called the Western Messenger, and signed by Mann 
 Butler. Indeed the coincidence between these two articles in 
 many respects is such, that it would not be difficult to prove from 
 them a common origin, as conclusively as a New York writer 
 proved Captain Basil Hall to be Mrs. Trollope. This coincidence 
 is the more remarkable, as the editor of the North American, in 
 the article in question, institutes a parallel between us and Mr. 
 Butler, giving- the preference to the latter, who, in his opinion, 
 excels in "fairness, earnestness, and fidelity;" while Mr. Butler 
 seems to entertain the same opinion of himself, and in his endea- 
 vours to convict us of error,. complacently quotes his own book as 
 authority. As they both therefore agree that Mr. Butler is an 
 accurate historian, we ask the favour of them to read the follow- 
 ing sentences: 
 
 The first is from the North American: 
 
 "Judge Hall is not an accurate writer. In the work before us he 
 informs us that Sir William Johnson purchased of the Six Na- 
 tions in 1768, their claim to the lands on the Northwest side of 
 the Ohio to the Great Miami. This does not appear on the 
 treaty." 
 
 The next is from Mann Butler's Review: 
 
 " Mr. Hall not only withholds all credit from others for reviving-
 
 PREFACE. \1 
 
 this ancient and important document of western history ; but with 
 the treaty under his eyes, mistakes its purport so much, as to re- 
 present it as ceding the country northwest of the Ohio, while not 
 an acre northwest of that river was ceded by the Indians till the 
 treaty of Tort Mcintosh in 1785." 
 
 The third extract is from the " History" of the same Mann 
 Butler, and is as follows: 
 
 "In 1781, Colonel Croghan who, for thirty years had been de- 
 puty superintendent among* the si\ Nations deposed, 'that these 
 Indiana claimed by right of conquest, all the lands on the southeast 
 side of the Ohio, to the Cherokee river, and on the west tide, 
 down to the Jiin; Miami, otherwise called Stony River.' This 
 titl>, at has been maintained, was alienated to the British crown in 
 the treat 1/ to which reference has just been had." Historv of Ken- 
 tucky, p. 5 St 6. 
 
 The treaty here alluded to, is the treaty of Fort Stanwix, and 
 in reference to the point at issue, we have on one side the asser- 
 tions of the Editor of the North American, and Mr. Butler in 
 his character of reviewer, and on the other myself, and the same 
 Mr. Butler in his character of historian. There being therefore 
 an equal weight of testimony on each side, our inaccuracy is not 
 established; and we recommend that the editor of the North 
 American cross examine his witnesses, or, what would be better , 
 read the treaty. 
 
 The next charge in the North American, is as follows: " Page 
 251 represents two grants from the Cherokees to Henderson and 
 his company ; whereas it appears that there was only one, the 
 other being- a grant to the crown in 1770." Mr. Butler makes 
 the same charge more at length. Had either of these gentlemen 
 read the book carefully, which they undertake to condemn, they 
 would have seen that we state (vol. 1, p. 246) that our account 
 of these transactions was compiled " from the original papers of 
 the gentlemen concerned" — they would have seen that the boun- 
 daries described in the two deeds, are distinctly and separately 
 set forth — they would have seen further, (vol. 2, p. 272,) that in 
 a memorial of Henderson and company to Congress they ex- 
 pressly state that "they the said company obtained from the said 
 Indians two several deeds" — and if these asserters of our inaccu- 
 racy are still incredulous we will at any time they will call upon 
 us, take great pleasure in showing them the original deeds, which 
 are in our possession. 
 
 The next count in the indictment is this: 
 
 "On page 31, (vol. 2.) he alters the date of the purchase of 
 Louisiana, from 1803 to 1795, probably confounding it with the 
 Spanish treaty of 1795." 
 
 This charge is simply untrue. There is not a single date of 
 any description on page 31, vol. 2, nor is the purchase of Louis- 
 iana stated, on that or any other page of the work, to have oc-
 
 Xll PREFACE. 
 
 curred in 1795. Had the editor of the North American written 
 with the " sketches" before him, he would not hare fallen into 
 this mistake, but having- incautiously copied the same blundering 
 original before alluded to, he has adopted the calumnies of ano- 
 ther man, and made them his own bv the reiteration. 
 
 The next charge is made more at length, and consists of seve- 
 ral distinct misapprehensions and misstatements, so grossly inac- 
 curate that it is difficult to conceive how any gentleman profess- 
 ing to be a critic could have ventured to place them upon paper. 
 
 " On page 36 he comes to the conclusion, that there was no- 
 thing treasonable in the Spanish conspiracy on a dispassionate 
 consideration of ' the whole matter.' But in this dispassionate 
 consideration he has wholly omitted the most treasonable fea- 
 tures, saying nothing of the proposal made through Power in 
 1797, to withdraw from the Federal Union, and to form a govern- 
 ment ' wholly unconnected with that of the Atlantic States;' no- 
 thing of the hundred thousand dollars offered to Sebastian as a 
 bribe to bring about this; nothing of the concealment of the 
 whole matter by all concerned. All this looks a little treason- 
 able." 
 
 The above paragraph is a condensed paraphrase of more than 
 a page of incomprehensible matter in Mr. Butler's review, and 
 may be readily answered. We denied in substance that, rela- 
 tive to the matter alluded to, there was any treasonable conduct 
 or intention, on the part of the people of Kentucky, or their 
 leading men; while Mr. Butler, for the purpose of fixing the 
 stain of treason upon some of the most conspicuous men of that 
 State, enters into a long detail of offers that were made them by 
 the Spanish Governor of Louisiana. He seems not to compre- 
 hend that his entire argument is a non sequitur, nor does the edi- 
 tor of the North American hesitate to adopt his sophisms. The 
 proof that treasonable offers were made by one party, does not 
 prove that another party, to whom they were made, were traitors. 
 On the contrary, if the offer was not accepted, the inference is 
 in favour of the innocence of the party declining them ; and in 
 this very case, after pertinaciously insisting that the Kentuckians 
 were traitors, because the Spanish crown endeavoured to cor- 
 rupt them, Mr. Butler clumsily defeats his own argument, by ad- 
 mitting that the offers of the Spanish, were "indignantly reject- 
 ed" by some of the persons, while he does not show that they 
 were accepted by any. But the strangest assertion is made by the 
 North American, when he accuses us of saying "nothing of the 
 concealment of the whole matter by all concerned." So far from 
 there having been any concealment, all the circumstances attend- 
 ing these transactions were public, and the most of them were 
 communicated by the persons attempted to be implicated, to the 
 Legislature of Kentucky, and the President of the United States. 
 In reference to the frankness with which these disclosures were
 
 PREFACE. xiii 
 
 made we remarked, at page 35, vol. 2, of the Sketches — " If these 
 men were conspirators, they were the most frank, communica- 
 tive, and honest men, that ever deserved that appellation; if they 
 enteitained designs hostile to the honour or the interests of their 
 country, they certainly were singular in their choice of their con- 
 fidants — members of Congress, and officers of the law them- 
 selves, their communications are addressed to the President, to 
 a judge, and to the people!" Such is the evidence upon which 
 the North American charges us with inaccuracy, and revives 
 an obsolete calumny upon some ©f the -purest patriots of our 
 country. 
 
 There is one notion in the Review of the North American for 
 which the writer of that article is entitled to full credit, as it is 
 one of the very few remarks which he has ventured to make, 
 without the authority of his confederate, the historian of Ken- 
 tucky. We quote it at length: 
 
 "Judg-e Hall, in attempting- to make out a theory which cha- 
 racterizes the intercourse of the Americans with the indians as 
 habitually cruel and unfaithful, has brought an accusation ag-ainst 
 the Pilgrims of New England, so grossly inaccurate that we can- 
 not let it pass unnoticed. After praising them for various quali- 
 ties, he goes on to say, that, "the perversion of public opinion 
 which could lead such men, themselves the victims of oppres- 
 sion, and the asserters of liberal principles, to treat the savages as 
 brutes, must have been wide spread and deeply seated ; yet such, 
 was certainly their conduct." The reviewer continues, "this 
 charge filled us with surprise. We tried to recall the events in 
 New England annals, which might justify such a sweeping asser- 
 tion." We have no doubt that the surprise expressed is quite 
 sincere, as we have had evidence enough that the reviewer's his- 
 torical reading has not been very extensive; the difficulty there- 
 fore which he experienced in recalling the events to which we 
 alluded is quite natural. He need not, however, have called spi- 
 rits from the vasty deep, which would not come, by taxing 
 his recollection — for had he turned to page 60, vol. 1, of the 
 ** Sketches," he would have found the instances quoted in which 
 the founders of New England treated the savages as brutes. He 
 would there have found extracts from the history of Connecticut 
 by Trumbull, in which we are told of an instance in which thirty 
 Indians, who were prisoners taken in battle, were put to death, 
 while " the Pequot women and children who had been captivat- 
 ed, were divided among the troops. Some were carried to Con- 
 necticut, others to Massachusetts. The people of Massachu- 
 setts sent a number of the women and boys to the West Indies, 
 and sold them as slaves.'" Many more such instances could be 
 quoted, but we have sufficiently shown, that we stated only the 
 truth — for if the massacre of prisoners in cold blood, and the sale
 
 \iv PREFACE. 
 
 of women and children into slavery be not considered treating" 
 them as brutes, we need offer no other evidence. 
 
 But the whole of the last paragraph which we have quoted 
 from the North American, is a disingenuous endeavour to de- 
 ceive. We did not attempt " to make out a theory which cha- 
 racterizes the intercourse of the Americans with the Indians as 
 habitually cruel and unfaithful" — on the contrary we showed 
 conclusively that the Americans had been more just in their in- 
 tercourse with the savages, than any other civilized nation, ex- 
 cept the French, and the writer of that article has entirely mis- 
 conceived our object, or deliberately misrepresented it. His 
 confederate Mr. Butler objects to the same part of our book for 
 another reason. In illustrating- our subject we introduced some 
 well known facts in history, relative to the dealing's of the Spa- 
 nish and Portuguese discoveries, with the American Indians and 
 Africans ; and Mr. Butler's comment is as follows: " The views 
 of Mr. Hall on this part of his subject are not sufficiently enlight- 
 ened by original and native authorities, and too full of political 
 speculation \o maintain any critical details." The objection in 
 the first member of this sentence, when translated out of the wri- 
 ter's vernacular, which even his Boston ally admits to be rather 
 homely, seems to be, that we should have ventured to state that 
 Columbus discovered America, and that the Portuguese doubled 
 the Cape of Good Hope, without giving original and native 
 authorities, in the Spanish, Portuguese, Hottentot, and Indian 
 tongues, to prove these very novel and hazardous propositions. 
 We thought it sufficient to make some general reflections, in 
 plain English, and to rely on the intelligence of our readers for 
 all the corroboration the case required, and we certainly did not 
 expect to be called upon to produce documents in four or five 
 languages, to prove that the Indians and Africans suffered much 
 unprovoked wrong. Mr. Butler however, with a more scholas- 
 tic taste, and a devotion to philology resulting either from pro- 
 fessional habits, or from his recent association with the North 
 American critic, thinks our text would be vastly improved by a 
 dash of the Mexican, Castilian, Malay, or perhaps a copious in- 
 terlarding of any outlandish dialect which might be original and 
 native. What he means by saying that the "Sketches" are "too 
 full of political speculation to maintain any critical details," may 
 perhaps be guessed at by his northern friends, but certainly is not 
 verv obvious. It would seem, that political speculation might as 
 well be made the subject of criticism as anv other: and it is a 
 rather singular reason for an historian to give for avoiding a sub- 
 ject, that it is political. The political speculations of bis own 
 book may possibly set criticism at defiance ; but this is no crite- 
 rion by which to judge others. 
 
 The most amusing part of the criticism of Mr. Butler, we shall
 
 TREFACE. XV 
 
 •tow place before our readers, as a curious specimen of the "fair- 
 ness and fidelity'' for which he is so much extolled by his Boston 
 friend, lie Bays, " Mr. Hall lias availed himself of other men's 
 labours, without any acknowledgment, in a manner which we can 
 neither reconcile with justice nor generosity. Now it strikes us 
 that when a man lias brought to light new sources of information, 
 either bv the revival of forgotten documents, or by obtaining 
 new facts ; he should enjoy the credit due to labours for the pub- 
 lic gratification with writers who have gathered the fruit of these 
 labours. Such we C insider the case with the descent of the Mis- 
 sissippi by the Taylors, 1769; the expedition of Capt. Thomas 
 Bullit with the McAfees in 177S\ the treaty of Fort Stanwix in 
 1768, and the establishment of a proprietary government in Ken- 
 tucky in 1775. These facts are all used without any mention 
 that "they were not the result of the author's own inquiries." 
 
 ■We doubt very much whether many of our readers will sym- 
 pathise with this complaint — for it will very generally be conced- 
 ed that it was quite unnecessary for us to tell the public that 
 "these fads" were not the result of our inquiries, for as these 
 fact* occurred before we were born, they could not have resulted 
 from any of our doings. 
 
 The charge of our using- Mr. Sutler's labours, is too childish 
 to require a reply, and we only notice it with other thing's, to 
 show up in his proper colours the writer who is extolled by the 
 North American as being " in the higher qualities of an histo- 
 rian" u above all praise." We have no doubt that Mr. Butler, in 
 the simplicitv of his heart, verily believes that he discovered the 
 treaty of Fort Stanwix, and that it is very wrong- ill us to allude 
 to it," without citing- him as authority. How all knowledge of that 
 memorable event came to be obliterated, we are not told, but we 
 are informed how the historian of Kentucky made the marvel- 
 lous discovery which has induced him to appropriate that event 
 to himself, and the reader will read with admiration, that Mr. 
 Butler "with great trouble and disappointment, traced this treaty 
 from Dr. Franklin's memorial in his works!" and brought it to 
 light,— yea, brought it out of the darkness of Dr. Franklin's ob- 
 scure, into the marvellous light of the history of Kentucky! "We 
 are onlv surprised that he did not publish the whole of Dr. Frank- 
 lin's works m his appendix, and thereby not only rescue them 
 from the neglect into which he seems to think they have fallen, 
 but become himself the happy proprietor of all that was written 
 by that great philosopher. But much as we sympathise in the 
 trouhk which he was put to seeking", and the disappointment he 
 met with in finding- it, we hope we shall stand excused for having 1 
 gathered what little we said about it from Marshall, Franklin, or 
 some other of the numerous writers who had spoken of it, and 
 for having- forgotten to record that it was the same treaty that Mr.
 
 XVI PREFACE. 
 
 Butler read about in Dr. Franklin's works and wrote about in the 
 history of Kentucky. 
 
 As for the plagiarism complained of in reference to Bullit, 
 Taylor, and the McAfees, my offence is comprised in four lines: 
 "In the year 1773, Thomas Bullit, Hancock Taylor, and the 
 McAfees engaged with ardour and success in the business of ex- 
 ploring and settling Kentucky, and became conspicuous indivi- 
 duals in the new community." This statement is not controvert- 
 ed, and if it be true that the gentlemen named were conspicuous 
 men, we are not aware of any patent right which the historian of 
 Kentucky could have for manufacturing their adventures into a 
 book. All that we have said of them was printed by others, long 
 before Mr. Butler became an author, and probably still longer 
 before the editor of the North American commenced the study 
 of western history. 
 
 The most singular claim of Mr. Butler, is that in regard to the 
 proprietary government of Henderson and company. We ex- 
 pressly stated, at page 246, vol. 2. of the Sketches, that these 
 facts were compiled "from the original papers of the gentleman 
 concerned." Several of these papers are published entire in our 
 appendix, and all of them remain in our possession. They furn- 
 ish the only accurate account of the events alluded to, which had 
 been published, and bear little resemblance to the statement of 
 the same events given by Mr. Butler, who never saw the original 
 papers, and had no knowledge of them except from our publi- 
 cation. 
 
 The queer notion of Mr. Butler, that all the facts which he is 
 pleased to compile into his book, became thereby his individual 
 property, even when they are confessedly taken by him from 
 other writers, has a touch of oddity about it which does him cre- 
 dit, as it is certainly one of the very few original ideas that have 
 dropt from his pen. Through his whole article he complains of 
 the injustice we have done him, in writing on the same subjects 
 upon which he has written — for that we ever copied any thing 
 from him he does not pretend — and if ive had taken the trouble 
 of translating some of his crudities into the English language, 
 we should be glad to know why we might not claim the credit of 
 brhiging them to tight* vipon the same principle that Mr. Butler 
 claims the fragments which he has brought to light from the pub- 
 lished writings of Franklin. It is singularly unfortunate how- 
 ever, for this charge of plagiarism, that the public are generally 
 aware, that we were engaged in writing and publishing, on west- 
 ern subjects, about ten years before the History of Kentucky 
 made its appearance, and the work entitled Sketches is made up 
 of articles which had been separately published in periodicals, 
 and which the author collected into the two volumes in question. 
 The eastern critic might not have been aware of this fact — for
 
 PREFACE. XVU 
 
 we will do him the justice to admit, that he has given ample evi- 
 dence of his innocence of any personal knowledge on the sub- 
 ject; hut he has, in giving- currency to the calumnies of Mr. But- 
 ler, done injustice to us, and practised a fraud upon the public. 
 
 We shall quote one more instance of the critical tact of our 
 joint opponents, in which it will be seen, not only how keen they 
 mutually are, upon the scent of an inaccurate statement, but how 
 remarkably they coincide in sentiment. Had the same mind, or 
 same want of mind dictated both articles, they could not be more 
 identical in spirit. 
 
 III*. Butler savs, we "represent Kaskaskia as a garrisoned 
 town," and as "fortified," vol. 2, page 119, and adds, "It is true 
 there was a fort; but the only garrison that could be obtained for 
 it was the militia of the village, who, at the attack by Col. Clarke, 
 were snuglv at their houses; and their governor, Mr. Uocheblave 
 was in bed." The North American echoes " he calls Kaskaskia 
 a garrisoned town, when the fort was unoccupied and the town 
 defended only by militia." The facts here enumerated must cer- 
 tainly have been brought to light by the historian of Kentucky, 
 and as he is a gnat stickler for the inviolability of his literary- 
 property, future writers should be careful how they infringe it. 
 We are sure that no other historian ever found out, that a town 
 at which "it is true there was a fort," was not fortijiid, or that a 
 place was not garrisoned, because the "only garrison" was mili- 
 tia. The striking fact that the governor "was in bed," is en- 
 titled to great weight, yet we confess we have our doubts, whe- 
 ther in strictness, the" individuals composing a military bodv, 
 cease to be soldiers, whenever their commander puts on his 
 night-cap, and whether the garrison, which was a garrison when 
 Mr. Uocheblave was wide awake, became a garrison no longer, 
 when that important personage sought the repose of the pillow. 
 Butler in lis history, at page 53, relates, that " the fort was 
 taken ; Clarke entered it by a postern gate left open on the river 
 side, of the fortification"— bvit the same Mr. Butler turned critic, 
 and commenting on our account of the same event, denies that 
 place to be fortified, which he had himself admitted to have a 
 fort and a fort ijicat ion,- and he speaks of Clark as entering the 
 fort by a gate which was left open, and taking it, which was no 
 very great exploit, if the fort was not fortified, and had no gar- 
 rison. If there was neither armament, nor men, in the fort, we 
 cannot conceive why Clark should assail it, or the accurate Mr. 
 Butler describe the" capture; and Oil the whole we adhere to our 
 opinion, that a place winch has a fort is fortified, and that a town 
 protected by soldiers, even though they be militia, does not cease 
 to be garrisoned when the governor goes to sleep. The truth is, 
 the governor spoken of, was a military officer, and his authority, 
 whether he watched Or reposed, was strictly martial. In the 
 French records preserved at Kaskaskia, he is styled command-
 
 XV111 PREFACE. 
 
 ant; the English apply the title governor to the commanding offi- 
 cer of a garrisoned town, and it was through an English transla- 
 tion that Mr. Butler possessed himself of the word as applied 
 to M. Rocheblave^thottgh he has not been careful to give us the 
 original and native authorities. 
 
 We have deemed it a matter of proper self-defence, to expose 
 the frivolity of the criticisms by wluch it has been attempted to 
 destroy the reputation of the Sketches of the West; and to exhi- 
 bit the singular collusion between our two assailants, who have 
 each asserted the same charges, and with a remarkable fatality, 
 have in every instance based their accusations upon misappre- 
 hension. Having thus refuted each of the several charges of in- 
 accuracy brought against us by the North American,, we have 
 discharged a duty to ourselves, and to the subject ; and we leave 
 it to others to decide upon the correctness of the sweeping de- 
 nunciation, pronounced by the Boston critic. Disguising his 
 spleen under a Jesuitical air of frankness, he remarks, " The 
 work of Judge Hall is written in his usual easy and graceful 
 style; it is calculated, to interest readers who would not venture 
 upon a regular history ; without being very profound, it has an 
 air of philosophy* well adapted to the parlour fireside; without 
 much accuracy, it rambles over the whole ground, so as to satisfy 
 an easy curiosity." Again, he says of us, " He professes to be a 
 western man ; the scene of his stories is generally in the west; his 
 incidents are taken from western life; but of western character he 
 knows little, and of ivestern spirit he possesses nothing." We have 
 of course no reply to make to these assertions; they are the opin- 
 ions of the critic, who has an undoubted right to think as he 
 pleases, and to say what he thinks. Whether he is qualified to 
 judge of western character and spirit is another question ; we 
 think we have already shown that he is grossly ignorant of the 
 whole subject. The intelligent reader will however be not a 
 little amused vyhen we inform him, that after the critic had run 
 through the catalogue of offences which we have quoted, he adds 
 "these are small matters," and again "with these qualifying re- 
 marks we recommend the * Sketches' to our readers as a work 
 full of entertaining anecdote and description." What a clever 
 critic! How much his readers must be obliged to him for recom- 
 mending to them a work written without much accuracy, by one 
 who knows Utile of his subject, and possesses nothing of its spirit. 
 These however are, in his judgment, "small matters," and we 
 have no doubt that he is sincere in the belief that to write well on 
 a subject it is not necessary to understand it, or to treat it with 
 accuracy, and that he has acted upon these principles in his own 
 very recondite essay upon western history. "Judge Hall's book," 
 says this remarkably acute critic, " might all have been compos, 
 ed by one who had never been beyond the atmosphere of Lon- 
 don, but who had heard a few anecdotes, and read a few, works
 
 PREFACE. XIX 
 
 about the western world." In the next sentence but one he 
 speaks of Judge Hall's " well-earned fame ;" and we are left at 
 a loss to imagine how a ivell-ear/tn/ fumt, or any fame at all, could 
 be acquired by one without knowledge, or accuracy, whose inci- 
 dents are taken from western life, which he knows nothing about, 
 and of which he could have written as well, had he "never been 
 beyond the atmosphere of London" — unless we again resort to 
 the conclusion that our critic fancies that " a well-earned fame" 
 may be the offspring' of ignorance and self conceit, and proposes 
 to furnish in his own production a splendid instance of this spe- 
 cies of illegitimate success. 
 
 To enable our western readers to judge of the degree of know- 
 ledge, as well as of candour* with which the North American has 
 examined this subject, we shall make some further quotations, 
 from which it will appear that we are not the only mark at which 
 the reviewer discharges his envenomed shafts. In allusion to the 
 Spanish conspiracy, he says: '^From these facts, taken wholly 
 from Mr. Butler, who is evidently disposed to shield the actors in 
 them as far as possible from censure, it appears evident, that most 
 of the leading men in Kentucky, through a long course of years, 
 were in favour of separating from the union, and establishing an 
 independent government, and took every measure in their power 
 to bring this about." 
 
 So far from there being a word of truth in this statement, Mr. 
 Butler's book affords no evidence "that most of the leading- men 
 in Kentucky" favoured the proposition alluded to. Even the 
 bitter newspaper denunciations of the day, published in the heat 
 of party warfare, and which have biased the decision of Mr. 
 Butler, do not accuse but a few individuals* and so far from using- 
 "every measure in their power to bring this about," not a single 
 measure of the kind was adopted. The question in relation to 
 the right of the American people to navigate the Mississippi, was 
 zealously arg-ued in the newspapers, and at the conventions, and 
 other public meetings of the Kentuckians, and the opinion was 
 openly expressed, that if our government should not secure to 
 the western citizens, a right so vitally necessary, they would be 
 compelled, in self-defence, to erect a separate government. From 
 such expressions — used in the heat of an animated discussion, 
 the reviewer infers that measures were taken to bring a separation. 
 In speaking- of the French intrigue, he remarks "Here again we 
 see distinguished citizens of Kentucky, such men as Shelby and 
 Clark, underrating or overlooking the duties which they owed the 
 Federal government, in a mad sympathy with French republican- 
 ism. Mr. Butler attempts to defend g-overnor Shelby for the 
 course taken by him in, this matter, and Judge Hall passes it over 
 wiih his usual easy negligence." This paragraph is just as " in- 
 accurate," as all others we have quoted, and shows with how lit- 
 tle care the reviewer had read the history of a people whose lead-
 
 XX PREFACE. 
 
 ing men he calumniates. General Clark proposed to do, pre- 
 cisely what General Houston, Mr. Burnet, and other Americans 
 are now doing-, with the approbation of a large portion of the 
 American people. He proposed to wrest from the Spaniards, a 
 portion of their North American possessions, by means of an army 
 to be raised in the western states. Governor Shelby was called 
 upon to arrest the expedition, and hesitated because he was 
 doubtful whether he had any power under the constitution of 
 Kentucky, to prevent the citizens of that state from emigrating" 
 with arms in their hands. A similar case has occurred in our 
 times, and we ask, what governor has arrested the volunteers 
 who have passed through our country on their way to Texas ? — 
 Troops have been publicly enlisted, public meetings have been 
 held, banners have been presented; while almost simultaneously 
 the Texan revolt has been spoken of with approbation on the 
 fioor of Congress. If no duty to the Federal Government has 
 been violated in this case, none was violated by General Clark; 
 the scruple of Shelby was justifiable, and the eminent services of 
 these revolutionary heroes might have protected their memories 
 from the supercilious sneer of the reviewer, as well as from the 
 Jesuitical defence of the historian of Kentucky, who has the sin- 
 gular art of calumniating those whom he affects to applaud. 
 
 It is however not surprising that the reviewer who could ven- 
 ture an excuse for Hull, who had surrendered a gallant army, 
 without striking a blow, to an inferior force, under circumstances 
 which conclusively show that either treason or the most abject 
 cowardice was the impelling- motive of the disgraceful act — 
 should feel but little sympathy for the reputation of such men as 
 Clark and Shelby. Where he learned that the defence published 
 by Hull "caused a decided change of opinion through a great 
 part of the union," we are unable to decide, unless it was in 
 some such work as the admirable History of Kentucky, wherein 
 he read of the "syren song of peace and farming," which was so 
 artfully sung by Col. Burr. 
 
 In further evidence of the "accuracy" of our reviewer, and 
 his knowledge of western character, we quote the following re- 
 marks, wherein he sets forth his opinion of the Kentuckians: 
 " Tor fear of using Puritanical restraints, the child is left 
 to go his own way to destruction. Mothers encourage their 
 children to fight with their companions, and praise their passion or 
 anger. The death of those children, shot or stabbed in some 
 wild fray, is too often the terrible result of such early lessons. — 
 Young ladies lavish their favour and approbation on the chival- 
 ric, and give their smiles to the lawless reprobate who glories in 
 the murders he has committed on the field of honour." All this 
 is deliberately set down, as the sober truth, in the North Ameri- 
 can Review, a periodical of the highest class, purporting to be 
 conducted under the auspices of gentlemen and scholars, who
 
 PREFACE. XXI 
 
 are not sparing" of their indignation when similar remarks are 
 made by English tourists. They give out these sentiments with- 
 out qualification as applicable to a whole people — a people as gene- 
 rous, as virtuous, as moral, as respectable, as those of any other 
 state in the union. The statement is not, that some children are 
 left to go their own way to destruction, but that all are alike 
 abandoned to vice, — not that some mothers encourage their chil- 
 dren to fight, but that such is the admonition of the Kentucky 
 matron — not that some young ladies prefer a reprobate whose 
 hand is stained with blood, but that it is the taste of the Kentucky 
 maiden to lavish her smiles on the murderer. We would ask the 
 reviewer how he would like to see the besetting sins of a portion 
 of the population of his own state set down as characteristic of 
 the whole people ? Suppose some one should write of them — 
 the child is brought up m the love of money, and hatred of Ro- 
 man Catholics. Mothers encourage their children to counterfeit 
 bank notes, to fabricate bad shoes and leaky tin vessels, and to 
 manufacture ingenious wooden imitations of nutmegs. The dis- 
 cipline of the penitentiary, or the Lynching of these children in 
 southern latitudes, is too often the terrible result of such early les- 
 sons. Young ladies lavish their smiles on the lawless reprobate who 
 glories in having assisted at the tearing down of a convent. Their 
 chivalry is displayed in making war upon women, and their reli- 
 
 fion in coveting the man servant and maid servant, of their neigh- 
 our. We do not say that one word of this would be true of the 
 people of Massachusetts — -but we do assert without the fear of 
 contradiction, by any candid man, that it would be just as true as 
 the reviewer's character of the Kentuckians. 
 
 But we are not yet done with our reviewer. His gall is con- 
 centrated at the sequel of his article, like the drop of poison upon 
 the sting of the venomous insect, and he sums up his opinion of 
 western character after the following fashion: " Religious restraint 
 is needed, moral principle is needed, wise guidance is needed. 
 A deep reverence for truth, a profound respect for law, a ready 
 submission to right, a loyal allegiance to duty, these will make 
 the western character as perfect as humanity can ever hope to 
 become." 
 
 If this is intended merely as one of those Yankee flourishes, 
 written to make the village gossips roll up the whites of their 
 eyes and exclaim "do tell!" "why how you talk!" — it may 
 pass. If it is one of those " awful disclosures," which are put 
 forth to pioneer the way for Boston school books, and schoolmas- 
 ters, and agents, it may go for what it is worth. But if the edi- 
 tor of the North American takes upon himself the responsibility 
 of asserting with critical " accuracy," that western character is 
 deficient in religious restraint, moral principle, reverence for truth, 
 respect fur law, submission to right, and allegiance to duty, we 
 have only to say, that he is not the man we took him for — his lack
 
 * 
 
 XXU TREFACE. 
 
 of information on the subject upon which he has chosen to write 
 for the edification of his readers, is a venial defect compared with 
 the want of politeness, charity, and common sense, evinced in 
 the composition of such a paragraph. 
 
 With regard to the work now offered to the public, we have 
 only to remark, that like its predecessor, it consists of sketches 
 illustrative of western subjects. The greater portion of them 
 have already been published in periodical works. The article 
 on the Public Domain, appeared in the American Quarterly Re- 
 view, and that in relation to the Western Prairies, was written 
 for the Illinois Monthly Magazine. We are thus particular, be- 
 cause several years have elapsed since a portion of this matter 
 was first published, and a good deal of it mav have been " brought 
 to lig-ht" in the compilations that have since been made up, by 
 persons who might be disposed to dispute the paternity of our 
 offspring, if we did not thus specially identify it. 
 
 Since the publication of the foregoing remarks in the first edi- 
 tion of this work, another article has appeared in the North 
 American, in which the editor, though evidently disconcerted by 
 our exposure of his gross mistakes — to give them no harsher 
 name — has not had the liberality to correct them. We had sup- 
 posed it possible, that the blundering criticism in question had 
 been imposed upon him by some weak-minded person, who had a 
 private pique to gratify or a petty interest to advance, and that 
 on being convinced of the manifold inaccuracies of that very pue- 
 rile and stupid production, he would have taken pleasure in dis- 
 owning it. The editor, however, deliberately persists in giving 
 circulation to the reputed calumnies, and leaves me no alternative, 
 but that of reiterating the exposure of his unprovoked and dis- 
 creditable attack. 
 
 We cheerfully admit that, if we had, in the volumes in ques- 
 tion, and other of our works, availed ourselves of " other men's 
 labours" to a greater extent than has been our practice, those 
 works might have been much more worthy of public approbation; 
 and a seasoning of "original and native authorities," might have 
 earned us a reputation for scholarship, to which we have never 
 aspired. But such was not our plan ; and if any meaning at all 
 can be extracted from the misty grumblings of' Butler, and the 
 puerile jeers of the North American, our offence seems to be, in 
 their eyes, that of not compiling a history, from existing publica- 
 tions, instead of writing sketches from observation and memory. 
 
 Having spent many years in the Western States, engaged in 
 active business — in travelling extensively — in mingling intimately 
 with the people — we proposed to do little more than record the 
 results of our own experience, and of the information gathered per- 
 sonally from the inhabitants; and we confess that while we were 
 startled, on the one hand, by the call for original and native aw-
 
 PREFACE. Xxiil 
 
 thorities, we were not less surprised on the other, at the sweeping 
 charge of knowing liftU of Western character^ and poseeasing 
 
 nothing of Western spirit. Nor was that .surprise lessened by the 
 evidence adduced by the critic to sustain his assertions: for when 
 he attempts to specify the inaccuracies that indicate the alleged 
 ignorance of western character, and deficiency of western spirit, 
 what do they amount to? A few dates, it seems, are supposed to 
 have been misstated — an obsolete treaty is thought to have been 
 
 misquoted — a stale electioneering calumny has been repudiated 
 
 and what then') Suppose we admit the supposed errors — has the 
 critic made out his case? Has he proved that our books " might 
 all have been compiled by one who had never been beyond the 
 atmosphere of London?" Alas! what ills await the critic who, 
 abandoning the safe obscure of a vague generality, ventures in 
 to the dangerous daylight of a specification! Any man may write 
 another down an ass, but he who would prove such a charge, 
 must make his evidence conform to his declaration. We are ac- 
 cused of entire ignorance, titter destitution of the spirit of our sub- 
 ject, and writing, professedly upon personal knowledge^ books that 
 could as well have been written by one who had not seen the 
 country, nor witnessed any of the facts, purporting to be described 
 — and the evidence shows up a few inaccuracies, which the editor 
 himself calls M *fnoff matter*/" Small matters indeed! the charges 
 involve ignorance and knavery ; the evidence only purports to 
 show the most venial mistakes! Knavery may be a small matter 
 in the region of the North American, but in the more generous 
 latitude in which we learned our morality, the writing of a book 
 professedly from personal knowledge, on a subject of which the 
 author was wholly ignorant, would be considered a serious of- 
 fence. We are aware that in some other parts of our continent, 
 people are less squeamish, and the code of ethics not so rigid. — 
 So far, however, from sustaining his grave charges, the errors 
 attributed to us, are precisely those to which a native of the 
 country would have been as liable as a foreigner, for they relate 
 to times long past, and to events beyond the personal knowledge 
 of the writer. They are among the very few fragments of this 
 work which have been gleaned from books, but which prove 
 nothing in relation to the author's know ledge of western charac- 
 ter, or possession of western spirit. Even these alleged mistakes, 
 wc have proved to be unjustly charged to us; while no attempt 
 has been made to refute a statement or expose a fallacy, in the 
 far greater portions of our several works, in which are contained 
 the writer's own views and opinions.

 
 THE WESTERN PLAIN. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 The Western Plain — Its Limits — Its Topography — The Genera) 
 Character of its Formation — Its Mineral Resources. 
 
 In order to understand the subject distinctly, it will be 
 necessary to consider carefully the topography of that 
 part of the valley of the Mississippi embraced within 
 our remarks, with a few of its geological features. It 
 extends from the western slope of the Allegheny moun- 
 tains, to the great sand plains of the west, a distance of 
 about fifteen hundred miles ; and from the northern lakes 
 to the mouth of the Ohio, a distance of about six hun- 
 dred miles. 
 
 "We confine ourselves chiefly within these limits, be- 
 cause they circumscribe a territory naturally connected, 
 by similarity of climate, and contiguity of territory. It 
 is properly the West, the seat of what is called the 
 Western population, and the most valuable tract of coun- 
 try in the United States. It embraces the states of Ken- 
 tucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, the territory of 
 Michigan, and parts of Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ten- 
 nessee, and a region of about five hundred miles in 
 width lying west of those organised boundaries. There 
 is probably not on the globe, an equal expanse of sur- 
 face, of such uniform fertility ; and when in addition to 
 that advantage, we take into view, its temperate climate, 
 its salubritv, the abundance of its mineral resources, the 
 
 B 13
 
 14 THE WESTERN PLAIN*. 
 
 variety of its productions, the multiplicity and extent of 
 its navigable communications, and its central position in 
 relation to our continent, it will be conceded that there is 
 none which better deserves to be described and studied. 
 
 The term valley — the valley of the Mississippi — 
 which is popularly applied to this region, does not ex- 
 press its real character, as it is in fact a plain, one of the 
 most remarkable features of which, is the great extent of 
 level surface embraced within its area ; for although un- 
 dulations, and even hills, sometimes swell before the eye 
 of the traveler, the general plane is almost invariable. The 
 difference in elevation over its whole surface — leaving oul 
 of view a few unimportant local inequalities — is only a 
 few feet. There is, however, a gradual declination from 
 the north east, towards the southwest. This will become 
 obvious from an examination of the annexed table, com- 
 piled by Colonel Long, and founded on actual observa- 
 tions had in his expedition to the sources of the St. Peter 
 
 river. 
 
 A table shewing the probable altitudes, in feet, of the water level, at 
 a variety of points therein specified, above tide water. 
 
 Points Indicated. Elevation. 
 
 Mouth of the Ohio River 300 
 
 Ohio River at Cincinnati 41-1 
 
 Do. at the mouth of Sciota River - - 464 
 Do. at the mouth of Muskinorum River - 541 
 Surface of Lake Erie; River des Plaines 20 miles 
 above its mouth ; Mississippi at th'e head of the 
 rapids Des Moines ; and the Ohio, a few miles be- 
 low Wheeling-, Va. - 565 
 Lakes Huron and Michigan - 571 
 Lake Superior ------- 595 
 
 The Ohio at. Pittsburgh ; the Mississippi at St. Peters ; 
 
 and the Missouri at the mouth of the River La Platte G80 
 Sources of the St. Peter and Red Rivers - 830 
 
 Source of the Muskingum ----- 902 
 
 Source of Big Beaver ------ 907 
 
 Source of the Sciota 919 
 
 Source of the Miami ------ 964 
 
 Lake of the Woods 1040 
 
 Rainy Lake 1100
 
 TOPOGRAPHY. 15 
 
 Point* Indicated. Elevation. 
 
 Sources of the streams on the route of the Expedi- 
 tion, tributary to lakes Winnepeck and Superior; 
 and licui waters of the Mississippi ... 1200 
 
 Dog Lake 1000 
 
 Lake Winnepeck ______ (j3o 
 
 These elevations may be relied upon, as possessing all 
 the accuracy desirable for the purpose of topographical 
 description, having been derived from sources entitled to 
 the highest credit. Thev have reference to the water 
 surface, and shew, that from Pittsburgh, the Ohio river 
 has a descent of less than four hundred feet, to its 
 mouth, — a distance, by its meanders, of eleven hundred 
 miles ; and that from the sources of the Mississippi to 
 the same point, the descent is only about seven hundred 
 feet. The surface of the plain itself approaches still 
 nearer to an actual level. Its north east corner near 
 Pittsburgh, lies about seven hundred feet above the 
 tides ; the plains of Kentucky and West-Tennessee are 
 about the same height, and as we proceed westwardly 
 up the Missouri or Arkansas, we reach similar elevations. 
 These are the exterior limits of the plain which de- 
 scends as well from the Rocky Mountains, as from the 
 Alleghenies, towards the Mississippi. 
 
 " The great and numerous rivers that cross this plain," 
 savs an acute writer in the American Quarterly Review, 
 "instead of forming distinct valleys, do but indent nar- 
 row lines or grooves into its surface, barely sufficient to 
 2ontain their floods. These river channels, as the cur- 
 nut rolls on, must form a declivity, and towards the 
 lower parts of their courses sink deep into the plain ; 
 henoe the lar^e rivers, Ohio, Missouri and others, seem 
 bordered with abrupt hills of several hundred feet eleva- 
 tion ; but the tops of these hills are the level of the irreat 
 plain, and an- formed by smaller streams which fall into 
 those large rivers, where their channels are thus worn 
 down ; and to give themselves an easy slope, these
 
 16 TOPOGRAPHY. 
 
 streams must wear down, in a corresponding manner the 
 neighboring parts of the plain ; and presenting abrupt 
 points between them, shew the appearance of river hills." 
 We give the language of another, in this instance, rather 
 than our own, that our views may be corroborated by 
 those of other persons. 
 
 When we take into view the level surface, its uniformi- 
 ty of conformation, and the fact that it rests on a con- 
 tinuous stratum of rock, which is found to preserve its 
 horizontal position with remarkable regularity, it is not 
 surprising that comparatively few water courses take their 
 rise within the more central parts of its limits, and that 
 the subterranean currents, which are abundant, seldom 
 rise to the surface, but find vent upon the margins of 
 streams, where the valley has been washed down to their 
 level. Rich as our country is in noble rivers, almost all 
 of those of superior magnitude take their rise in the dis- 
 tant mountains, and receive comparatively but little trib- 
 ute from the wide regions through which they roll; and 
 thus the great streams, which in the spring of the year, 
 when swelled by heavy rains, and by the melting snows 
 of the mountains, fill their banks to overflowing, become 
 exhausted in the summer and autumn, by undergoing in 
 their long meandering courses, the impoverishing pro- 
 cesses of evaporation and absorption, while they receive 
 but little accession from their tributaries. The Ohio, 
 Missouri, Cumberland, Tennessee, Arkansas, Red 
 River, and all the great rivers of Tennessee and Ken- 
 tucky, take their rise in the mountains, and the Missis- 
 sippi flows from a region beyond the limits of our plain ; 
 the Illinois, Wabash, Sciota, Muskingum, Miami, and 
 others of secondary importance, originate in the interior 
 of the plain, and afford but little water during the dry 
 part of the season. 
 
 The formation of this plain, as the reader will have 
 already discovered, is secondary. It rests upon a hori-
 
 CHARACTER OF FORMATION. 17 
 
 zontal limestone pan, of such depth that its thick strata 
 have never been pierced through, although the auger has 
 penetrated into it in search of .suit water, in many places, 
 from four to six hundred feet. The rock lies but a few 
 feet below the surface, and supports throughout its whole 
 extent, strata of bituminous coal, and saline impregna- 
 tions. To the decomposition of this limestone may be 
 attributed, in part, the fertility of the soil, while its ab- 
 sorbent and cavernous nature, prevents the accumulation 
 of swamps and standing pools, and renders the whole 
 plain dry and salubrious, in a remarkable degree. The 
 most striking indications of the cavernous character of 
 the limestone, are to be seen in Kentucky and Tennessee, 
 where gigantic caves extend their varied and gloomy 
 ramifications, throughout the whole of the substrata of 
 widely extended districts. The curious have explored 
 some of these cavities for many miles, and spent succes- 
 sive days, in examining their winding passages, and pro- 
 digious chambers, without being able to discover their 
 utmost limits. The same singular configuration of the 
 limestone is inferred, in other places, in nearly all the 
 western states, by the existence of curious depressions 
 of the earth, popularly called sink holes, which are deep 
 funnel shaped cavities, sinking abruptly from the surface 
 of the soil, and extending down to that of the rock, and 
 which are doubtless caused by the dropping of the earthy 
 particles, through some fissure of the limestone. These 
 holes are often found in large groupes, when they pre- 
 sent a most singular appearance. They are usually dry ; 
 but instances occur, where the outlet at the bottom havinc 
 become choked by some impervious substance, the rain 
 water accumulates, and remains unexhausted throughout 
 the year. 
 
 In the year 1811, a series of earthquakes continued for 
 a few months, to shake the whole southern portion of 
 this immense district. The region of Kentucky south 
 
 b 2
 
 18 CHARACTER OF FORMATION. 
 
 of Green river, and southern parts of Illinois and Mis- 
 souri, formed the chief scenes of this alarming phenome- 
 non, the vibrations of which were however felt in a 
 slight degree in the higher latitudes of the plain. The 
 shocks were sufficiently severe to prostrate chimnies, and 
 to cause the timbers of log and framed houses to be shaken, 
 and even separated. At New Madrid on the Mississippi, 
 the earth yawned, and the inhabitants were driven from 
 their homes ; and at one point in that vicinity, so large a 
 quantity of water is said to have been engulphed in a chasm 
 beneath the bed of the river, that this mighty river ceased 
 for a moment to roll its waters towards the ocean. The 
 latter statement, however, must be received with caution, 
 as it rests solely upon the hasty observations of a few 
 panic stricken voyagers, through an almost uninhabited 
 region. The terror caused by this visitation was very 
 great, and it still continues to be a prominent subject in 
 the traditions of that part of the country. But there is 
 not the slightest reason for believing in the existence of 
 any permanent causes, which would render this plain li- 
 able to such occurrences. In the twenty-four years which 
 have subsequently elapsed, the alarm has not been re- 
 peated ; while the uniformity of the surface of this coun- 
 try, and the remarkable absence of the appearances that 
 indicate the disruption of the strata, shew that such 
 events had not occurred in earlier times. 
 
 The first settlers, and the earliest travelers, spoke of 
 hurricanes of vast extent and tremendous power, as 
 among the peculiar phenomena of this plain ; but their 
 statements have not been confirmed by experience. Those 
 who travel over uninhabited countries, or reside in tem- 
 porary dwellings in the wilderness, are exposed in a 
 greater degree than ordinary, to the accidents of the 
 seasons, and are apt to magnify those usual occurrences, 
 which might have passed unobserved under other circum- 
 stances, when less personal inconvenience or danger
 
 CHARACTER OF FORMATION'. 19 
 
 would have resulted from them. The diversities of tem- 
 per, and of physical organisation! are so numerous, that 
 we should receive with great distrust, any observations 
 upon elimate, detailed by persons who are exposed to its 
 action for a season, and who neither make deliberate sci- 
 entific experiments, nor report a series of facts, carefully 
 recorded. 
 
 The same course of reasoning may be applied to the 
 alledged variability, and the reputed unhealthiness, of 
 our climate. Facts of such grave importance should not 
 be considered as settled, by that common rumor, whose 
 want of veracity is so notorious. The results of patient 
 and careful investigation, by competent men of science, 
 will hereafter decide these points, and will, in our opinion, 
 shew that the current reports in relation to these matters, 
 have been in direct opposition to the truth. 
 
 When we speak of the present advantages, and future 
 greatness, of the West, it is proper that we should dis- 
 criminate, so as not to deceive those who have not the 
 means of judging for themselves. The climate differs but 
 little from that of corresponding parallels of latitude, in 
 the United States. So far as health is concerned, we 
 suppose the advantage to lie on our side of the mountains, 
 while in reference to vegetation, there is no observable 
 difference. 
 
 Neither is there any supernatural fertility in our soil, 
 which yields its rich returns only under the operation of 
 careful and laborious tillage. It is the great breadth and 
 continuity of our fertile surface, which gives to the West 
 its superior advantages. It is the accumulation within 
 one wide and connected plain, of the most vast resources 
 of agricultural and commercial wealth ; and the facilities af- 
 forded by our country, for concentrating and using an un- 
 limited amount of wealth, and bringing into combined ac- 
 tion the energies of millions of industrious human beings, 
 on which are based the broad foundations of our greatness.
 
 20 MINERAL RESOURCES. 
 
 With the breadth of an empire, we have all the facili- 
 ties for intercourse and trade, which could be enjoyed 
 within more limited boundaries. Our natural wealth is 
 not weakened by extension, nor our vigor impaired by 
 division. The riches of soil, timber, and minerals, are 
 so diffused as to be every where abundant ; and the com- 
 munication between distant points is so easy as to render 
 the whole available. The products of the industry of 
 millions may be here interchanged with unparalleled ease 
 and rapidity ; and when our broad lands shall be settled, 
 there will be a community of interest, and an intimacy 
 of intercourse, between myriads of men, such as were 
 never before brought under the operation of a common 
 system of social and civil ties. 
 
 The mineral resources are abundant. The coal, which 
 is pure and excellent, spreads throughout the whole re- 
 gion, and is in most places easily accessible. Iron ore 
 abounds generally : especially in Pennsylvania, Tennes- 
 see and Missouri, and the best ore is said to yield seven- 
 ty-five per cent, of fine malleable iron. At Pittsburgh 
 and Cincinnati, but particularly at the former place, this 
 metal is wrought into a great variety of manufactures. 
 The lead districts of Illinois and Missouri, would cover 
 two hundred miles square, and form undoubtedly the 
 richest region of that metal which has been discovered 
 on any part of the globe. The French resorted to these 
 mines many years ago, but it is only recently that their 
 extent and value have been made known ; yet something 
 like twenty millions of pounds of lead have been smelted 
 at them, in the course of one year, and there is no ques- 
 tion of their capacity to afford a permanent supply of that 
 useful metal to the whole civilized world. The cavernous 
 region of Kentucky has been found to be strongly im- 
 pregnated with salt-petre, of which vast quantities have 
 been made and exported. Copper has long had a tradi- 
 tionary existence, in the neighborhood of the north wes-
 
 THE RIVER OHIO. 21 
 
 tern lakes. The ore has been found in small quantities 
 in different places, and at one spot a solid mass weighing 
 several tons, of remarkable purity, has attracted the at- 
 tention of the curious; but all attempts to discover a suf- 
 ficient body of the mineral, to render the manufacture 
 productive, have failed. Salt is an important article of 
 manufacture. Saline springs are distributed throughout 
 the whole region, some of which are copious and strongly 
 impregnated. On an average, one hundred and twenty 
 gallons of the water will make sixty pounds of salt, but 
 it is much stronger in some places than at others. Of the 
 mineral waters the chalybeate is most frequently found, 
 impregnations of pure sulphur are common ; those of 
 copperas, alum, and sulphate of magnesia, are occasion- 
 ally met with. 
 
 In treating the subjects under consideration more in de- 
 tail, we shall be under the necessity of dividing the re- 
 gion under consideration into two separate districts, and 
 to speak occasionally of the valley of the Ohio, and that 
 of the Mississippi ; for although the whole forms, in 
 fact, one great, and remarkably uniform plain, there are 
 yet some striking peculiarities which distinguish each of 
 these rivers, as well as the lands lying upon their mar- 
 gins. Of these peculiarities I propose to treat under the 
 several heads into which this work will be divided. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 The River Ohio. 
 
 It may be well to commence our rapid sketch of this 
 river, with an attempt to explain the etymology of its 
 name. We shall, however, do no more than present the 
 views of messrs. Duponceau and Heckewelder, — two 
 gentlemen who have bestowed great attention upon the
 
 22 THE RIVER OHIO. 
 
 aboriginal languages of our country, — as expressed in a 
 paper in the Transactions of the American Philosophical 
 Society. 
 
 From this communication, it appears evident, that the 
 idea, which has prevailed to some extent, that the word 
 Ohio is derived from the Iroquois language, is not correct. 
 It has been said, that the Iroquois Indians called the Ohio 
 the fine or beautiful and sometimes the bloody river. 
 Mr. Duponceau examined the vocabularies of that lan- 
 guage, for the words corresponding with these terms, and 
 became satisfied that the word Ohio was not derived from 
 them. Farther examination, satisfied his mind that the 
 position taken by Mr. Heckewelder, is correct, which is, 
 that the term Ohio is derived from a word or words in the 
 Delaware language, which mean the white or the white 
 foaming river. 
 
 Mr. Heckewelder expresses the opinion that the four 
 letters composing the word Ohio do not comprise the 
 whole of the Indian name. His reasons are the following: 
 
 1st, That the names given by the Indians to rivers, are 
 invariably descriptive either of those streams or some- 
 thing about them. 
 
 2nd, That he had never heard the Indians call this 
 river by the name of Ohio, 
 
 3d, Because the French and English, in using Indian 
 names, are accustomed to drop a part of them, to render 
 the pronunciation easy, 
 
 Mr. Heckewelder then gives a list of words from which 
 he argues that this name has been derived ; some of 
 which, with their meaning in the English language, are 
 here quoted, 
 
 O'hui — Ohi, very. 
 
 O'peu, white. 
 
 Opelechen, bright, shining, 
 
 Opeck, white with froth. 
 
 Ohiopechen, it is of a white color.
 
 THE RIVER OHIO. 23 
 
 Ohiopeek, very white, (caused by froth or white caps.) 
 
 Ohiophaniu', very white stream. 
 
 Ohiopeeklianne, very deep and white stream, (by its 
 being covered over with white caps.) 
 
 Ohiopehhele, which signifies white frothy water. 
 
 Mr. lit (kr welder then adds, " The Ohio river being 
 in many places wide and deep, and so gentle, that for 
 many miles, in some places, no current is perceivable : 
 the least wind, blowing up the river, covers the surface 
 with what the people of that country call white caps; 
 and I have myself, for days together, witnessed that this 
 has been the case, caused by southwardly and south-west- 
 wardly winds, so that we, navigating the canoes, durst 
 not venture to proceed, as these white caps would have 
 filled and sunk our canoe in a minute. Now in all such 
 cases, when the river could not be navigated by canoes, 
 nor even crossed with this kind of craft — when the whole 
 surface of the water presented white foaming swells, the 
 Indians would, as the case was at the time, apply one or 
 other of the above quoted words to the state of the river ; 
 they would say 'juh Ohiopicchen,' 'Ohiopeek ohio- 
 peekhanne ;' and when they supposed the water very 
 deep, they would say, ' Kitschi ohiopeeklianne,' which 
 means, ' verily this is a deep white river.' 
 
 Again recurring to the habit of abbreviating Indian 
 words, so generally prevalent among the French and Ame- 
 ricans, Mr. Heckewelder concludes his interesting remarks 
 upon this subject, with the supposition that at an early 
 day, the emigrants to the west, took the first syllable of 
 the Indian name ' Ohiopekhanne,' because both easy to 
 pronounce and to keep in the memory. 
 
 The river Ohio, for some distance below Pittsburgh is 
 rapid, and the navigation interrupted in low water by 
 chains of rock extending across the bed of the river. 
 The scenery is eminently beautiful, though deficient in 
 grandeur, and exhibiting great sameness. The hills, two
 
 24 THE RIVER OHIO. 
 
 or three hundred feet in height, approach the river, and 
 confine it closely on either side. Their tops have usual- 
 ly a rounded and graceful form, and are covered with the 
 verdure of an almost unbroken forest. Sometimes the 
 forest trees are so thinly scattered as to afford glimpses of 
 the soil, with here and there a mass, or a perpendicular 
 precipice, of grey sandstone, or compact limestone, the 
 prevailing rocks of this region. The hills are usually 
 covered on all sides with a soil, which though not deep, 
 is rich. 
 
 Approaching towards Cincinnati, the scenery becomes 
 still more monotonous. The hills recede from the river 
 and are less elevated. The bottom lands begin to spread 
 out from the margin of the water. Heavy forests cover 
 the banks, and limit the prospect. But the woodland is 
 arrayed in a splendor of beauty, which renders it the 
 chief object of attraction. Nothing can be more beauti- 
 ful, than the first appearance of the vegetation in the 
 spring, when the woods are seen rapidly discarding the 
 dark and dusky habiliments of winter, and assuming their 
 vernal robes. The gum tree is clad in the richest green ; 
 the dogwood and red-bud are laden with flowers of the 
 purest white and deepest scarlet; the buckeye bends un- 
 der the weight of its exuberant blossoms. The oak, the 
 elm, the walnut, the sycamore, the beech, the hickory, 
 and the maple, which here tower to a great height, have 
 yielded to the sunbeams, and display their bursting buds, 
 and expanding flowers. The tulip tree waves its long 
 branches, and its yellow flowers high in the air. The 
 wild rose, the sweet-briar, and the vine, are shooting in- 
 to verdure ; and clinging to their sturdy neighbors, mod- 
 estly prefer their claims to admiration, while they afford 
 delightful promise of fruit and fragrance. 
 
 The scenery still exhibits the same appearance, as we 
 continue to descend the river, except that the hills gradu- 
 ally become less bold and rocky. The shores of the
 
 THE RIVER OHIO. 25 
 
 Ohio do not any where present that savage grandeur, 
 which often characterises our larger streams. No tall 
 clifl's, no bare peaks, nor sterile mountains, impress a sen- 
 timent of dreariness on the mind. The hills are high, 
 but gracefully curved, and every where clothed with ver- 
 dure. There is a loneliness arising from the absence of 
 population, a wildness in the variegated hues of the 
 forest, and in the notes of the feathered tribes; but the 
 traveler feels none of that depression which results from 
 a consciousness of entire insulation from his species, 
 none of that awe which is inspired by those terrific out- 
 lines that display the convulsions of nature or threaten 
 the existence of the beholder. It is impossible to gaze 
 on the fertile hills and rich bottoms that extend on either 
 side, without fancying them peopled; and even where no 
 signs of population appear, the imagination is continually 
 reach ing forward to the period when these luxuriant spots 
 shall maintain their millions. 
 
 The absence of population alluded to, is to be consid- 
 ered in a comparative sense. With Ohio, Indiana and Il- 
 linois on the one hand, and Kentucky and Virginia on the 
 other, there can be no dearth of inhabitants ; but their 
 dwellings are less frequently presented to the traveler's 
 < ye than might be supposed. We continually pass villages, 
 great or small, and farm houses are scattered along the 
 shore ; but we often float for miles without discovering 
 any indication of the residence of human beings. Many of 
 the river bottoms are inundated annually, and land has not 
 yet become so scarce or valuable as to induce the owners i 
 to reclaim these spots from the dominion of the water. 
 Such places remain covered with gigantic timber, which 
 conceals the habitations beyond them. The commanding 
 eminences are seldom occupied, because the settlers are 
 farmers, who consult convenience, rather than beauty, in 
 the location of iheir dwellings, and who generally pitch 
 their tents in the vicinitv of a spring, upon the low grounds. 
 
 C
 
 2G THE RIVER OHIO. 
 
 <o 
 
 One peculiarity, which is common to this river and the 
 Mississippi, and is perhaps owing as well to their great 
 volume of water, as to the nature of the secondary formation 
 through which they roll, is the rounded and graceful 
 shape of their meanders. The noble stream, clear, 
 smooth, and unruffled, sweeps onward with regular ma- 
 jestic force. Continually changing its direction, as it 
 flows from vale to vale, it always winds with dignity, and 
 avoiding' those acute angles which are observable in less 
 powerful streams, sweeps round in graceful bends. The 
 word bend is very significantly applied, in the popular 
 phraseology of this region, to express these curvatures 
 of the river. 
 
 The beautiful islands, which are numerous, should not 
 be foro-otten. These are sometimes large and fertile, but 
 generally subject to inundation, and seldom under tillage. 
 Sometimes they are mere sandbanks, covered with thick 
 groves of the melancholy willow, whose branches dip 
 into the water. The term toiv-head, is significantly ap- 
 plied to the latter, by the boatmen. 
 
 Below the Falls of Ohio, we find a country, not essen- 
 tially different from that above, but presenting a different 
 appearance to the eye, as viewed from the river. The 
 change has been so gradual, that the traveler only now 
 begins to realise a diversity of surface, soil, and climate 
 The country is flat, the soil is deep, black, and rich. 
 Small ranges of hills are seen at intervals ; but the rock 
 foundation is seldom exposed to the eye. The river- 
 bottoms become more extensive, exhibit decided appear- 
 ances of annual inundation, and are intersected by bay- 
 oux, or deep inlets, which are channels for the water in 
 time of flood, and remain empty during the rest of the 
 year. Cane-brakes are occasionally seen along the banks. 
 The cane is an evergreen, from twelve to twenty feet in 
 height, which grows chiefly in rich flats. It stands so 
 thick upon the ground, as to form an almost impenetrable
 
 THE RIVER OHIO. 27 
 
 thicket, and as it is usually, in this region, found among 
 ponds and b ayot i x , tin- cane-brake is always a secure re- 
 treat lor bears, which feed upon the buds, and for deer 
 and other gregarious animals. The first settlers find them 
 very valuable, as affording food for their cattle during the 
 winter; and even after the country has been many years 
 settled, the inhabitants -drive their cattle to the cane in the 
 autumn, and suffer them to remain without any further 
 attention until the ensuing spring. The cane, however, 
 is generally destroyed in a few years, by the large num- 
 ber of cattle which arc thus wintered upon it. Cattle and 
 horses eat it greedily, and will stray several miles in 
 search of this favorite food, which is said to be very 
 nourishing. 
 
 Cotton-wood, peccans, catalpas, and gigantic syca- 
 mores, are now seen in the rich bottoms. Extensive 
 groves of cotton-wood sometimes clothe the shores of the 
 river. The tree is large, and extremely tall ; the foliage 
 of a rich deep green, resembling that of the Lombardy 
 poplar, to which tree this also assimilates somewhat in 
 shape. Nothing can exceed the beauty of these groves : 
 at a distance, a stranger might imagine them forests of 
 Lombardy poplar ; and as that tree is devoted to orna- 
 mental purposes, it is scarcely possible to refrain from 
 fancying, that some splendid mansion is concealed in the 
 impervious shade ; while the deep gloom with which 
 they envelop the soil, gives a wild, pensive, and solemn 
 character, to the cotton tree grove. 
 
 The eatalpa is a small graceful tree, remarkable for the 
 beauty of its flowers. The peccan is a tall tree, resem- 
 bling the hickory, to which it is nearly related ; it yields 
 :t rich, fine nut, of which large quantities are annually 
 exported. It is found on the margin of the Ohio and 
 V> bash for a short distance above and below the junction 
 of those rivers, and within the corresponding parallel on 
 th( Mississippi, but not elsewhere in this region. Grape-
 
 28 THE RIVER OHIO. 
 
 vines are numerous and very large, the stems being some- 
 times nearly a foot in thickness, though seldom exceeding 
 six or eight inches, and the branches extending to the 
 tops of the tallest trees. 
 
 The misletoe is seen hanging from the branches of the 
 trees throughout the whole course of the Ohio. It be- 
 comes more abundant after passing Cincinnati, and is 
 seen in the greatest profusion between Louisville and the 
 mouth of the river. This little plant never grows upon 
 the oround, but with a very poetic taste, takes up its attic 
 residence upon the limbs of the tallest trees. The berry 
 which contains the seed, is so viscous as to adhere to the 
 feet of birds, who carry it from tree to tree, and thus 
 contribute to the propagation of this ornamental parasite. 
 
 The paroquet is now seldom seen north of Cincinnati. 
 They are abundant below Louisville, where flocks of 
 them are heard chattering in the woods, or beheld sport 
 ing their bright green plumage in the sunbeams. 
 
 One of the most remarkable characteristics of this, and 
 other western rivers, is the vast and rapid accumulation 
 in the volume of water which takes place, usually in the 
 spring, but occasionally at other seasons, and is caused 
 by the immense extent of the territory drained. 
 
 When the waters are low, as is commonly the case, in 
 the dry seasons of the summer and autumn, the majestic 
 Ohio dwindles to a small stream, affording but limited 
 facilities for navigation. Among the hills of Pennsyl- 
 vania and Virginia, it is seen rippling over chains of rock, 
 through which a passage is barely afforded to boats of 
 the lightest burthen. Further down, its channel is but 
 rarely obstructed by ledges of rock ; but instead of these, 
 a series of sandbars, extending in some places from shore 
 to shore, and in others projecting from the margin of the 
 river far into its bed, and covered by but a few inches of 
 water, render the navigation almost impracticable. Steam 
 boats constructed for the purpose, and navigated by skill-
 
 THE RIVER OHIO. 29 
 
 ful pilots, ply with difficulty from port to port. Many 
 are grounded upon the bars, from which perilous situa- 
 lion some are relieved with great labor, while others are 
 obliged to remain exposed to the elements, daring the 
 rest of the season, and are either lost, or seriously injured. 
 The larger boats are wholly useless during this pan of 
 the year ; and of the hundreds of noble vessels that are 
 seen at other times actively plying upon these rivers, 
 freighted with rich cargoes, the greater portion now lie 
 inactive. 
 
 As a general rule, it may be stated that the water is 
 lowest during the months of July, August, and Septem- 
 ber. The autumnal months are frequently dry, and the 
 river remains low, in that case, until the winter. More 
 usually there are slight rises of water throughout the fall 
 season, which render the navigation practicable ; and as 
 the weather becomes cold, there is a gradual increase in 
 the volume of water. Throughout the winter, the fre- 
 quent changes from cold to moderate weather, produce 
 rains and rapid thaws, which occasion a series of freshets, 
 and afford an ample supply of water. 
 
 The change from the severe cold of the winter, to the 
 higher temperature of spring, is usually sudden, and is 
 attended by the precipitation of vast floods into the chan- 
 nels of the larger rivers. The snows that lie deep spoil 
 the Allegheny mountains, are rapidly melted, and the 
 immense mass of water which is thus produced upon the 
 whole of the western declivity of that wide chain, from the 
 borders of New York to those of North Carolina, are 
 thrown into the Ohio. If the melting of the snow 
 is accompanied by heavy and general rains, which is 
 often the case, it will be seen that causes are brought into 
 operation, of sufficient magnitude to produce the most 
 astonishing results. The long and deep channels of the 
 rivers become filled to overflowing, the islands sink be- 
 neath the surface, the alluvial bottoms and lowlands are 
 
 c %
 
 80 THE RIVER OHIO. 
 
 covered, and we gaze upon a mass of waters, the immen 
 sity of which creates a feeling of awe, as well as of intense 
 curiosity. 
 
 This accumulation is attended with but comparatively 
 few inconveniences, and scarcely any danger, while its 
 beneficial effects are incalculably great. The arrange- 
 ments of Providence, intended for the advantage of man, 
 however gigantic and uncontrollable, seldom carry with 
 them any cause for terror. We have none of those sud- 
 den and precipitous floods, which in mountainous districts, 
 are sometimes poured down upon the valleys, with unex- 
 pected violence, attended by widespread desolation of life 
 and property. Our rivers rise with rapidity until the 
 channels become nearly filled ; but as the waters swell 
 to the brink, the width and capacity of these reservoirs 
 become so great, the inlets and branches so numerous, 
 the lowlands to be covered so wide, that the perpendicular 
 accumulation of the volume becomes slow and gradual. 
 After leaving the immediate region of the mountains, the 
 descent of the water courses is so gradual, as to prevent 
 the flood from rolling forward with violence, while the 
 channels prepared for it by nature, and planned upon the 
 most magnificent scale, are too immense to be rapidly 
 filled to overflowing. 
 
 In speaking of the lowlands which border on the river 
 Ohio, we use a phrase, which is comparative in its im- 
 port. When the waters are low, or even at the medium 
 height which affords safe navigation for the largest vessels, 
 the voyager sees the alluvial banks high above him on 
 either hand, and can scarcely imagine that any concur- 
 rence of ordinary natural causes, can produce a volume 
 of water of sufficient magnitude for their submersion. 
 The increase of water therefore, to the point at which in- 
 undation commences, is not the work of an hour nor of 
 a day — it is not like the hasty rising of a brook, nor the 
 rush of a mountain torrent — but the powerful swelling of
 
 THE RIVER OHIO. 31 
 
 a great stream, increasing with gradual and majestic 
 progression, and affording to man and brute, due notice 
 of its approach* In so large a volume of water, it will 
 also be readily understood that the force of the current 
 will be near its centre, the portion that rolls in contact 
 with the hanks will have a retarded motion, while that 
 which overflows the flat lands, will be stagnant, or How 
 gently backward in eddies. Such in fact is the invaria- 
 ble operation of these great causes ; and although domes- 
 tic animals which linger on the higher spots of the shore 
 until the surrounding lands are immersed, and their retreat 
 is cut of, are sometimes drowned, and although fences are 
 floated off, there is never, on any of the overflowed lands, 
 a strength of current great enough to sweep away per- 
 manent dwellings, or to endanger the lives of men or 
 cattle, where ordinary prudence is used. 
 
 As the waters rise, trade and navigation are quickened 
 into activity. The largest vessels now float in safety ; 
 the steam boat of six hundred tons burthen, is as secure 
 from the dangers of the river navigation as the lightest 
 skiff; and it is a noble sight to behold these immense 
 vessels, darting along with the current, with all the addi- 
 tional velocity which can be given by a powerful engine, 
 or stemming with apparent ease the rolling torrent, whose 
 immense bulk seems to give it a fearful energy, which 
 no human means might attempt to overcome. 
 
 At this season the spectator who is stationed upon the 
 shore, — perhaps at a spot where no human dwelling is 
 within sight, and where the wilderness is untamed and 
 unaltered, — sees these vessels passing in rapid succession, 
 — not unfrequently several at the same time being visible 
 — laden so heavily that the whole hull is immersed, and 
 it would seem as if the least additional weight would 
 sink them. 
 
 The flat bottomed boats are also numerous at this sea- 
 son. These are built along the shores of the river, but
 
 32 THE RIVER OHIO. 
 
 more frequently on its tributary streams, and often on the 
 smaller rivers and creeks, far inland, and at points beyond 
 the reach of all ordinary navigation. Here they lie, with 
 their cargoes, waiting until the annual rise of water shall 
 afford them the means of proceeding upon their voyages ; 
 when they are floated ofi', with their immense freights, 
 consisting chiefly of the heavier articles of the produce 
 of the country. 
 
 The highest rise of water which has been known for 
 many years, was the great flood of 1832, with regard to 
 which our friend Dr. John Locke of Cincinnati, has been 
 kind enough to furnish us with the following memoranda, 
 of observations made bv himself at that city, and which 
 are rendered valuable, by the undoubted accuracy and 
 skill of that gentleman in his philosophical investigations. 
 
 The section of the river opposite to Walnut street, 
 Cincinnati, at low water, would be 1006 feet wide at the 
 surface, and 7 feet deep, at the deepest place. The area 
 would be 4774 square feet. 
 
 The rise of water which commenced early in February 
 1832, reached its greatest elevation on the 18th day of 
 that month, when it was 63 feet perpendicular above the 
 low water mark ; and the sectional area became 91, 16 1 
 square feet, without including its extension over the 
 lower parts of Cincinnati and Covington. The number 
 of cubic feet discharged per hour, was - 2,998.529,714 
 'J 1 he number of cubic feet discharged per 
 
 minute, was 48,308,8-28 
 
 The number of cubic feet discharged per 
 
 second, was 805,117 
 
 ■ 
 
 The velocity of the stream was ascertained to be 6~ 
 miles per hour. 
 
 Such a stream would fill a lake, presenting an area of 
 one square mile, 107 feet deep, in one hour. 
 
 Having ascertained the quantity of water discharged, 
 the next inquiry was in relation to the sources of the
 
 THE RIVER OHIO. 33 
 
 flood. The first point to be examined was in reference 
 
 to the area ot" the valley <»!' the Ohio, ami its waters, 
 above Cincinnati, or in other words, the exit nt of the 
 surface drained by the tributaries which are discharged 
 into the Ohio, above our city. 
 
 S<Jii<irr Mi 
 
 This valley includes about | of Ohio, - - 27,000 
 
 i of Virginia, 27,000 
 
 \ of Kentucky, 7,000 
 5 of Pennsylvania, 11,500 
 
 of New York, 1,000 
 
 of Maryland, 500 
 
 of N. Carolina, 500 
 
 Total, 77,000 
 By calculation it appears that a depth of four inches 
 only, over this immense space of seventy seven thousand 
 square miles, was sufficient to maintain the river at the 
 above uncommon height and velocity for fourteen days. 
 The winter of 1831-2 had been unusually severe, and 
 the ground was frozen to a great depth, when there sud- 
 denly fell, according to the register of Dr. Hildreth of 
 Marietta, eight inches of rain. Ordinarily, most of the 
 water which falls to the earth, is absorbed by it ; but in 
 this instance the surface being completely sealed, the 
 whole of the water which fell, was suddenly thrown into 
 the channels of the rivers. This appears to be a probable 
 and sufiicient cause, for the inundation which destroyed 
 so much property, and caused so much distress and 
 alarm. If it be the true theory, it follows that no such 
 flood can happen in the temperate months, nor at any 
 season, except upon a conjunction of circumstances, so 
 rarely occurring in combination, as to render its recur- 
 rence probable only at remote periods — perhaps not more 
 frequently than once in a century. 
 
 \ general law in relation to freshets in rivers, is, that 
 the water attains its greatest elevation at a point nearly
 
 34 THE RIVER OHIO. 
 
 midwav in the length of the stream. The rule applies 
 usually to each stream proper — each having its separate 
 valley ; and would be operative upon the Ohio, within 
 the limits embraced by its name, beginning at Pittsburgh, 
 and ending at its confluence Avith the Mississippi. The 
 application of such a law, cannot however be very exact, 
 as it will be modified by a variety of circumstances. It 
 can only be assumed as a fact of usual occurrence, grow- 
 ing out of very obvious reasons, that, the causes which 
 produce a freshet, act with powerful and rapidly aug- 
 menting force, to a point somewhere nearly midway of 
 tha course of the stream, from which point the counter- 
 acting causes begin to operate, and the volume becomes 
 diminished in depth by the greater width of the channel, 
 by absorption upon the overflowed grounds, by evapora- 
 tion, and by other means. Assuming Cincinnati to be 
 sufficiently near a central position, as regards the length 
 of the Ohio, to satisfy this rule, we may suppose that 
 the greatest periodical accumulation of w r ater is at this 
 point, and adopting the data afforded by the great rise in 
 the spring of 1832, the height of sixty three feet may be 
 safely given, as the maximum perpendicular increase 
 above low water mark. 
 
 The mass of water occasioned by these causes, comes 
 loaded with floating logs and drift wood, — not however 
 in such quantities as to impede the navigation — and with 
 alluvial soil, and silicious particles, swept from the shores ; 
 and as the waters which spread over the bottom lands, 
 soon become nearly stationary, the earthy matter held in 
 suspension settles down, and adds a rich coat to the soil, 
 while the floating wood is left in the same position by the 
 subsiding of the flood. Hence the annual accumulation 
 of ihe alluvion lands ; and the regular formation, in con- 
 sequence of which the surface is always found to be most 
 elevated, near the margin of the stream, where the first
 
 THE RIVER OHIO. 35 
 
 and most abundant depositc is made, as the water flows 
 outward o\ er the hanks. 
 
 In lower water the navigation of this river is impeded, 
 in its upper portions by ledges of rock, and lower down, 
 by snags and sandbars. These obstructions might un- 
 doubtedly be removed ; and as there is scarcely any sub- 
 ject of so much importance, it seems to us that there has 
 been a singular apathy in the public mind in relation to it. 
 The Ohio and Mississippi rivers stretch from one end to 
 the other, of this great valley, and extend their larger 
 tributaries throughout its whole breadth. The Atlantic 
 itself does not, within our empire, wash so extensive a 
 line of coast, or bear the freights of commerce to so many 
 ports. Thirteen states and territories, embracing half the 
 members of the union, and a still larger proportion of its 
 surface, lie in contact with these waters, and are directly 
 interested in their navigation. It is therefore as much a 
 matter of national concern, and as important to the Amer- 
 ican people, to improve the natural avenues of intercom- 
 munication afforded by those rivers, as the protection of 
 our commerce on the ocean by a naval force, or the con- 
 struction of harbors and light-houses for its convenience. 
 The one is a national commerce, not because it embraces 
 an intercourse with foreign countries, but on account of 
 its general utility, and of the numbers who enjoy its 
 benefits ; and the other is equally national for the same 
 reasons. Like the ocean too, this great thoroughfare is 
 common to all. It is difficult to say which state is most 
 interested in its trade and navigation, or where the line 
 of demarkation would be drawn, which should separate 
 the direct interest of one from another, or shew where 
 one ended and the other commenced. 
 
 But these are precisely the kind of public improvements 
 which have been, least of all, pressed upon the considera- 
 tion of the general government. The western states, very 
 properly, consider themselves entitled to a liberal share
 
 36 THE RIVER OHIO. 
 
 of so much of the public treasure as may be set apart for 
 such purposes; for all of them, in which the land is 
 owned by the government, have made concessions 
 which far exceed the donations received by them. The 
 appropriations of the general government, in aid of inter- 
 nal improvements, have usually received their direction 
 from calls made upon congress by the state legislatures ; 
 and the latter, influenced by selfishness, by personal con- 
 siderations, and by that very natural species of patriotism 
 which looks first at home, and only at home, have been 
 in the habit of confining their recommendations, chiefly, 
 to objects of public utility within their own boundaries. 
 All of them have claimed assistance for their colleges, 
 their common schools, their roads, or their canals : praise- 
 worthy objects, upon which we care not how liberal, or 
 how lavish, may be the expenditure of the federal trea- 
 sure. But there has been an absence of that enlarged 
 policy, which should have looked to results of wider and 
 more permanent advantage to the whole west ; and which 
 should have brought the combined interest of the whole 
 to act for the general good. Appropriations of money 
 for purposes of limited or doubtful utility have been 
 passed with difficulty through the legislative branches of 
 the government, and have sometimes been arrested by 
 the executive ; for they must struggle against selfishness, 
 opposing interests, constitutional scruples, and even po- 
 litical intrigue. But works like those under consideration, 
 would be obnoxious to no objection, nor alarm any 
 honest scruple; and a weight of influence might be 
 arrayed in their favor, which would look down every 
 shadow of opposition. If the whole west should unite 
 in demanding from the national treasury an appropriation 
 sufficient to complete all the labors requisite to the im- 
 provement of these rivers, no state, nor combination of 
 states, could arrest the passage of a law which should pro- 
 vide for so noble an object — Pennsylvania and Virginia
 
 THE RIVER OHIO. 37 
 
 being parties concerned, and .New York having a direct 
 interest and connexion with the west, which would con- 
 ciliate her favor. Among ourselves, there could be but 
 one opinion. There is not a farmer, a merchant, nor an 
 owner of real estate, in the west — not a man who has 
 interests in common with those of his country, who 
 would not be directly benefitted, by such improvements as 
 should make the Ohio and Mississippi rivers navigable 
 throughout the year. 
 
 That such improvements are feasible, that they are 
 within the scope of the means at the command of the 
 nation, and strictly within the constitutional exercise of 
 its power, are points, which we think will not now be 
 disputed, by any rejecting mind. The rapids in the 
 upper p.irts of these rivers, are composed of ledges of 
 rock, or masses of loose stone, through which permanent 
 channels may be made with facility. The snags, once 
 so formidable, have been greatly diminished in number, 
 and may be entirely removed. 
 
 The reader is probably aware, that snags are formed 
 by the trunks of large trees, which are precipitated into 
 the river by the crumbling of the banks. The base of 
 ill-' stem, with its mass of lateral roots, would by its own 
 weight be sunk to the bottom, but it is rendered still 
 heavier by the mass of clay which adheres to it. This 
 part therefore, sinks — the top of the tree floats, and is 
 thrown into the direction of the current — the roots bury 
 themselves in the mud, and the subsequent deposites of 
 sand or earth, fix the obstruction firmly in the channel. 
 The smaller branches of the tree soon drop off, and the 
 large limbs remain, pointing down the stream. When 
 these sunken trees, are concealed beneath the surface, 
 they are very dangerous to boats ascending the stream, 
 which rushing upon them with the momentum given by 
 a powerful steam engine, seldom fail, when they strike 
 them, to have the hull of the vessel completely perforated. 
 
 D
 
 38 THE RIVER OHIO. 
 
 This subject has already received some attention from 
 Congress, and the results have been auspicious. Taking 
 all that has been done together, little as it has been, we 
 are not aware that any expenditure of public money has 
 been more judicious. 
 
 In the year 1819 an examination of the whole bed of 
 the Ohio was made by a board of commissioners appoint- 
 ed by the several states interested, whose report justified 
 the hope that the navigation of this fine river was sus- 
 ceptible of great improvement. 
 
 Subsequent examinations have afforded more minute 
 details, tending to strengthen the opinion then entertained. 
 We copy the following just remarks, from a report made 
 in 1835, by Lieutenant G. Dutton, of the United States 
 corps of Engineers. 
 
 " The Ohio river derives from the Allegheny its prin- 
 cipal and most lasting supply ; during the summer months 
 its volume is maintained, and very frequently increased, 
 by occasional rains during that period, which enlarge 
 materially the supplies drawn from the copious basin of 
 this tributary, and it is only during a season of unusual 
 drought, that it arrives at its minimum stage ; this, from 
 a comparison of the best authorities, is assumed at 15 
 inches. The least depth obtained during the examina- 
 tion this season was 2 min. 2 sec, although the water, 
 for the brief space of a few days only, has been as low 
 as two feet over some of the shoals between Pittsburgh 
 ind Wheeling. The Ohio through its w T hole course has 
 in general a very equable and gentle current. During 
 high stages this is the most uniform, although its rate is 
 then considerably increased ; at low stages the river be- 
 comes resolved into a succession of ripples, with exten- 
 sive slack water basins between them varying in depth 
 from two to three, and even five fathoms. The valley 
 of the river is bounded on each side by richly timbered 
 hills of great uniformit)' in their average height, enclosing
 
 THE RIVER OHIO. 39 
 
 fertile bottoms which alternate in very regular succession 
 on either side of the river; ledges of rock occasionally 
 appear along its banks ; these are generally of stratified 
 and easily wrought sandstone. 
 
 ''There are few points on the river deserving the name 
 of gorges ; the nearest approach to an opening of ihat 
 character is found at Brown's island, 65 miles below Pitts- 
 burgh. The heights here approach within the distance 
 of 600 yards, and ledges of rocks exhibit themselves on 
 eacli side of the river. There are several other formida- 
 ble passes on the river, which however, in comparison 
 with the shoals are few in number ; of the character 
 alluded to are Captina and Buflington's islands, and the 
 rapids called Le Tart's falls ; these are more dangerous 
 for the passage of keel and flat boats than for that of 
 steamers, which under the management of careful pilots, 
 are exposed to little risk, when there is found sufficient 
 depth of water at those points for floatage. The obstruc- 
 tions in the river generally arise from want of sufficient 
 depth of water, over many of the shoals at low stages. 
 There are points however, where owing to the existence 
 of projecting rocks, the navgiation is not safe for as much 
 depth as is contained in the channel. The bars in the 
 river may be classed, 1st, into those formed of hard and 
 apparently of permanent gravel ; 2nd, shifting or loose 
 gravel ; and 3rd, shifting sandbars. The first abound in 
 the upper section of the river. These are generally ex- 
 posed to a strong current, and formed of rounded oblong 
 pebblef and stones, varying from one to fifty pounds and 
 upwards ; they become by the continued action of the 
 water, cleared of all smaller particles, firmly imbedded, 
 and by their conformation resist the action of the current, 
 the bottom assuming the consistency of, or similarity 
 with, a pavement of smooth stones. 
 
 "The bars of the second class are composed of fine 
 gravel, moveable by strong currents, and occur, as well
 
 40 THE RIVER OHIO. 
 
 as the sandbars at the lower junction of the chutes formed 
 by the islands ; these change their position, when upon 
 the fall of the waters, the main channel of the river pre- 
 dominates in a new direction, and the fall and current 
 increase by the subsidence of the lower basins. In the 
 upper section of the river, the sandbars are always found 
 under the lee of the islands, or at the meeting of the chan- 
 nels. In the lower are extensive sandbars unaccompanied 
 by islands ; the most important of these are met with be- 
 tween Guyandot and Cincinnati. In addition to the 
 shoals, large quantities of logs and snags are distributed 
 in different parts of the river. On some of the shoals, 
 they lie imbedded in the gravel, forming dangerous ob- 
 structions to the low water navigation. Large trees with 
 their roots, branches, and foliage, in full verdure, under- 
 mined and thrown into the stream by the gradual abrasion 
 of the alluvial banks at high water, are of frequent occur- 
 rence. Many logs are disgorged from the smaller tribu- 
 taries and creeks which empty into the Ohio. These 
 creeks, when swelled by rains into rapid torrents, dis- 
 charge large quantities of pebbles, and large angular stones, 
 into the bed of the river ; in many cases forming extensive 
 bars at their junction. 
 
 " In descending the river from its head, a considerable 
 improvement is experienced in the depth of water after 
 reaching the foot of Wheeling island ; from this point 
 the river, at stages admitting the passage of light draught 
 steamers, is practicable for about six inches greater draught 
 than the section above it. This circumstance is not due 
 to the reception of any important tributary to its waters, 
 but solely to the decrease in the rapidity of its descent ; 
 this difference in the depth is less perceptible at an ex- 
 treme low stage. From a comparison of the best data 
 obtainable, the descent from Pittsburgh to Wheeling has 
 been estimated approximative^, at one foot to the mile ; 
 from Wheeling to Guyandot, eight inches ; and thence
 
 THE RIVER OHIO. 41 
 
 to Louisville, four inches per mile. Below Guyandot, 
 the character of the river becomes materially changed ; 
 it here enlarges its bed, and flows onward with a dimin- 
 ished current ; the level reaches are longer, and the de- 
 scent at the ripples less. This enlargement of its bed, 
 however, renders the depth over some of the shoals in 
 this part at the river, very slight at low water, forming 
 several very shoal sand and gravel bars. From Cincin- 
 nati to Louisville, the navigation becomes comparatively 
 much improved. There are two or three bars on this 
 section, and some dangerous snags below the mouth of 
 Kentucky river, which require attention. It would be 
 desirable to give a specific description and sketch of each 
 shoal, were it not that their great number and similarity 
 would render such description a monotonous repetition 
 of nearly the same circumstances. 
 
 " An important feature in the Ohio river is observable 
 in the fact, that at all the islands are also located the worst 
 shoals and rapids, or falls. These islands are considered 
 rather the effect, than the cause of this fall, and formed, 
 like the alluvial bottoms, by the gradual deposite from the 
 river, which, at those points being spread out at low wa- 
 ter, leaves some portions of the projecting parts of its bed 
 uncovered. In respect to Captina and Burlington's 
 islands, the low water channel at each deflects from the 
 main direction of the bed, and passes off laterally, through 
 a narrow and circuitous route, around the island. The 
 main or direct channel, in both the cases alluded to, is 
 rendered dangerous by rocks, and too shoal at low water 
 for navigation. 
 
 " The rocks in the Ohio chute, at Captina island, appear, 
 from recent examinations, to be of a detached character, 
 and susceptible of removal. The direct channel at Buf- 
 nngton's island, is bounded by a ledge of stratified sand 
 stone rock, projecting into the river, which is supposed 
 to continue entirely across the channel, beneath the gravel 
 
 d2
 
 
 42 THE RIVER OHIO. 
 
 bottom ; it is, however, situated nearly at the foot of the 
 rapids. Some loose rocks are scattered in this channel. 
 " With regard to the islands, and particularly those at 
 which the low water channel deviates from the direct 
 continuation of the main bed of the river, shifting bars are 
 always found under the lee of the islands. This rule 
 appears, from the result of my examination, to be of 
 general application in regard to all similar points on the 
 river. The water, at high stages, passes with the greatest 
 volume and current through the most direct and spacious 
 channel, which then predominating, throws into the foot 
 or junction of the smaller passage powerful eddies, de- 
 positing therein a bar, which again changes and deepens 
 upon the fall of the waters. With regard to the rapids, 
 called Letart's falls, the river here passes over a rocky 
 bottom, with a descent and current far greater than is 
 found at any other point above the falls ; the bottom is 
 free from dangerous projections, and the concentration of 
 the water at this place, by the more prominent parts of 
 the rocky bed on each side, renders the depth over these 
 rapids much greater than upon most of the shoals in the 
 river. The current, which is here five and three quarters 
 miles per hour, at a moderate stage, can, in general, be 
 stemmed by steamboats of sufficient power ; but for keel 
 boats, and the lighter class of steamers, permanent warp- 
 ing fixtures are here necessary. The points most requir- 
 ing immediate attention, in the shoaler section of the river, 
 lying between Pittsburgh and the junction of the Muskin- 
 gum, at Marietta, are, Logtown bar, Black's and Brown's 
 islands, Beech Bottom bar, McMahon's creek below 
 Wheeling, which requires the removal of many dangerous 
 rocks and logs, Captina island, Petticoat ripple in the 
 long reach, Carpenter's bar, and Marietta island ; at this 
 latter point, the junction of the Ohio channel, opposite 
 to the town of Marietta, is crossed by a large bar of loose 
 shifting sand, which makes from the foot of the island
 
 
 THE RIVER OHIO. 43 
 
 across to the mouth of the Muskingum. At the head of the 
 island, throe in i lis above, the Virginia channel is crossed 
 by a shoal gravel bar. 
 
 M By the execution of that part of the plan of improve- 
 ment now in progress, viz : the removal or clearing the 
 channel of all sunken log? 1 , stumps, snags, and projecting 
 rocks, the navigation at low stages, and particularly for 
 light draught sti amers and keel boats, will be rendered 
 much safer, and even practicable for a deeper draught, 
 than it is under present circumstances considered prudent 
 to employ. There are some sand and light gravel bars, 
 which are among the very shoalest on the river, but 
 which, notwithstanding, are not ranked among the most 
 serious obstructions, from the comparative safety with 
 which their passage may be attempted. A system of im- 
 provement, having for its object to secure a specific deptli 
 of water at all seasons, sufficient to meet the demands of 
 the trade upon those streams which are rendered impassa- 
 ble during the dry seasons, from the diminution of the 
 supplies derived from their tributaries, can be effected 
 with certainty only by a series of dams and locks. 
 
 "As this mode is not, however, contemplated with regard 
 to the Ohio, the concentration of the river into one chan- 
 nel, and the appropriation of all the water passing, to that 
 object, during low stages, will, it is believed, accomplish 
 all the further improvement contemplated." 
 
 The project of removing the snags and sunken timber 
 from the beds of the Ohio and Mississippi, originated 
 with Captain Henry M. Shreve, who next to Fulton, has 
 done more for steam boat navigation in the west, than any 
 other man. He contrived a steam boat, for this purpose, 
 which operates with such speed and energy, that scores 
 of the largest trees are raised in a day, with the assistance 
 of a few hands. The business of removing snags is per- 
 formed onlv when the water is low ; at other times the 
 crews of the boats are employed in cutting away the
 
 44 THE RIVER OHIO. 
 
 overhanging timber from the falling in banks, — that is 
 from such banks as are gradually becoming undermined 
 by the action of the current, and which supply the great- 
 est amount of these dangerous obstacles to navigation. 
 The boat is of the most simple construction, yet has such 
 power, that the largest tree, however firmly fixed, is re- 
 moved in a few minutes. A number of these ingenious 
 vessels have been employed for several years, under the 
 direction of Captain Shreve, in the Ohio and Mississippi, 
 and thousands of snags have been removed by them. In 
 the year ending in September 1833, 1960 were taken up 
 in the latter river, and supposing many to have been left, 
 the chances of danger to ascending vessels, were dimin- 
 ished by at least that number. Within the same year, 
 the crews of those boats were employed, when the water 
 rose too high to admit of working on the bed of the river, 
 in cutting away the trees which overhung the stream, or 
 stood on banks liable to be undermined, and actually 
 felled 10,000 trees, which must soon have been precipi- 
 tated into the mighty current. The same operation has 
 now been continued for several years, at an annual ex- 
 penditure of less money, than was previously lost by the 
 yearly destruction of property, from this single cause — 
 to say nothing of the loss of life. It is true that the ob- 
 structions are continually renewed ; but the number of 
 trees which are thrown into the stream, must be annually 
 decreased, by the settlement of the country, and the con- 
 sumption of timber for fuel, by steam boats. Firewood 
 has already become a valuable article ; and but few years 
 will elapse before every tree, on the margin of a navigable 
 river, will have acquired a value sufficient to induce 
 measures for converting into fuel, the whole of that im- 
 mense mass, which would otherwise have been carried 
 away by the spring floods. 
 
 The sandbars of the Ohio, present a more permanent 
 and serious obstruction to navigation. These are numer-
 
 THE RIVER OHIO. 45 
 
 ous — many of them extending entirely across the bed of 
 the river, and affording less than two feet of water in any 
 part. To cut a channel through a bank of sand, would 
 not be impracticable ; but the excavation thus effected 
 would be filled by the deposites of the next ilood. It is 
 difficult to project a remedy for this evil, which shall be 
 effectual and permanent. About ten years ago, Colonel 
 Long of the topographical engineers, was instructed by 
 the government to make an experiment, and adopted the 
 plan of throwing out wing-dams from each side of the 
 river, so as to confine the current within narrow bounds, 
 and to give it sufficient volume to wash a channel for 
 itself. He spent a summer in constructing such a work 
 at Henderson bar, 200 miles below Louisville. The 
 dams were constructed of piles driven into the sand and 
 rising but a few inches above its surface. The enter- 
 prizing Captain Shreve has since pursued and improved 
 the same plan, and has constructed similar dams at 
 French island, at Three-mile island, at Scuflletown bar, and 
 at the Three sisters. These were formerly the shoalest and 
 most difficult bars in the Ohio ; they have been greatly im- 
 proved, and may now be passed in the lowest water. The 
 most extensive of these works, and that which, if success- 
 ful, will most satisfactorily attest the correctness of the 
 principle which applies to them all, is the one now in pro- 
 gress and nearly completed, at Cumberland island, near 
 the mouth of Cumberland river. It is proposed to change 
 the channel of the river, so as to force its waters to pass be- 
 tween the island and the Kentucky shore, by which means 
 a channel will be washed through the bar below, and the 
 mouth of the Cumberland river relieved of a very formi- 
 dable obstruction. Two hundred men were employed 
 last year on this work. The length of the dam is about 
 half a mile, its width at the base thirty feet, and its height 
 sixteen feet; it is composed of large masses of limestone 
 rock, quarried from the shores above.
 
 46 THE RIVER MISSISSIPPI. 
 
 Some diversity of opinion has been entertained, as to 
 the advantages to be derived from these operations, in 
 reference both to sandbars and snags ; but the doubts are 
 not greater, nor better founded, than those which have 
 invariably assailed every novel and bold undertaking. It 
 is obvious too, that many of them proceed from interested 
 persons ; the pilots decry every improvement in the 
 navigation of the rivers, which by making it more safe 
 and easy, has a tendency to render their own calling less 
 important, and their services less valuable, while the 
 owners and officers of insufficient and badly managed 
 boats, are always ready to attribute those disasters, by 
 which life and property have been wantonly endangered 
 to any other cause than their own cupidity or criminal 
 mismanagement. 
 
 The only objection to any of these measures, is that 
 they have not been attempted on a scale of magnitude 
 becoming their importance, and urged with all the energy 
 which could be given by the resources of a great nation. 
 The western plain is the centre of our empire, the citadel 
 of its strength, the magazine of its resources, the heart, 
 whose healthful operation must throw out nourishment 
 and vigor to the whole continent, — and here should the 
 nation lay deep and broad the foundations of its future 
 greatness. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 The River Mississippi. 
 
 From the Ohio, we proceed naturally to that part of the 
 Mississippi river, comprised within the region to which 
 we confine our remarks. 
 
 In descending from St. Louis, the traveler is at once 
 struck with the magnitude and boisterous character of the 
 stream which has been so appropriately called, the Father
 
 the river Mississippi. 47 
 
 of waters. The current is powerful and impetuous. The 
 water, loaded at all seasons with particles of white clay, 
 carries upon its discolored surface, the evidence of the 
 violence which it is continually committing upon its 
 shores. The torrent itself, has always an angry appear- 
 ance — boiling up or whirling round in eddies, and foam- 
 ing, and lashing the shore, as it rushes along. On the 
 Missouri side, a large portion of the country is high and 
 broken, and the river often sweeps along the rocky bases 
 of abrupt hills — behind which are the regions of lead and 
 iron. Between these elevations are large tracts of alluvial 
 bottom lands, which predominate on the Dlinois side, 
 whose shore presents an almost unbroken line of forest 
 trees, extending their luxuriant foliage to the water's edge. 
 The low, ragged, broken banks, are subject to continual 
 change — accumulating at one point, while at another they 
 are undermined, precipitating masses of earth and im- 
 mense trees, into the headlong torrent, to be whirled in 
 its eddies, or planted in its navigable channels. 
 
 Almost midway between St. Louis, and the mouth of 
 the Ohio, masses of limestone rock are seen on either 
 side, which, though now unconnected, have the appear- 
 ance of having once formed a continuous ridge, crossing 
 the general course of the river in an oblique direction. 
 It has been suggested that a cataract, as mighty as that 
 of Niagara, may once have existed at this spot. If such 
 was ever the fact, the barrier has now been worn down 
 to the general level of the channel of the river. But 
 there is no reason to believe that such obstruction ever 
 existed at this place, as the surface of the plain, on the 
 Illinois side of the river, is such as to give a decisive 
 negative to the supposition ; for the river, if obstructed 
 here, would have flowed over the low ground on that 
 side, instead of being dammed up at this point. The 
 stream thus confined, is narrower here than above or be- 
 low, and in crossing the rocks, its course suddenly
 
 48 THE RIVER MISSISSIPPI. 
 
 changes to a direction nearly at right angles with that of 
 the ridge. 
 
 Approaching from above, we first discover the ridge 
 throwing out a bold promontory into the stream on the 
 Illinois shore, on the extreme point of which, is a large 
 rounded mass of rock, 50 or 60 feet in height, shaped 
 like an oven, and thence termed the Devil's Bake-oven. 
 A low neck of land connects this with a range of perpen- 
 dicular rocks, which frown in rugged precipices over the 
 stream, and whose summits are beautifully crowned with 
 vegetation. As the current sweeps abruptly round this 
 cape, another promontory is seen jutting out from the 
 opposite shore. Against this the whole force of the cur- 
 rent beats with fearful velocity, and by its attrition, has 
 worn it away until a large fragment has been separated, 
 and left standing in solitary grandeur in the midst of the 
 waves. This is the Grand Tower. Its height may be 
 50 feet, and its diameter about the same. Its contour is 
 remarkably exact and symmetrical, forming a column as 
 nearly circular as if its proportions had been marked out 
 by the hand of art. The sides are nearly perpendicular, 
 but the different strata distinctly marked out. The whole 
 has the appearance of a regular column, whose height is 
 equal to its diameter. The top is flat, and supports a 
 stratum of soil, which gives birth to a short, but rich 
 growth, of trees and shrubs. 
 
 In our early history, this was a noted spot. The river 
 boats, which before the application of steam, were pro- 
 pelled up the stream with difficulty, by human labor, 
 were unable to ascend this rapid pass with oars or poles. 
 Not only was the current too strong for this operation, 
 but the danger of being dashed against the rocks, was 
 imminent. The only way to surmount these obstacles 
 was, to drag the boat round the cape on the Illinois side, 
 by means of ropes. To effect this object, it was necessary 
 for a portion of the crew to land, and an opportunity was
 
 THE RIVER MISSISSIPPI. 49 
 
 offered to the Indians to attack them, when the prospects 
 of resistance or of flight, were equally hopeless. Here 
 then they formed their ambuscades, and many a crew 
 was slain at this spot, to gratify the savage lust for plun- 
 der and revenge, while many boats were wrecked by the 
 violence of the waves. 
 
 These dangers exist now only in tradition. The Indi- 
 ans have retired, and our own industrious citizens inhabit 
 these shores ; while the introduction of steamboats has 
 obviated the dangers of navigation, and rendered this spot 
 as safe as any other. When we behold the steam vessel 
 slowly and majestically overcoming the mighty current, 
 riding along in perfect safety, and then turn our eyes to 
 the surges which are beating against the rocks and send- 
 ing up their sheets of white foam into the air, we cannot 
 but acknowledge the deep debt of gratitude, which our 
 country owes to the memory of Fulton. And when we 
 behold this grand and durable tower, so graceful and so 
 appropriate in its form, so appositely placed in the midst 
 of scenes, calculated to awaken respect for the genius, 
 and gratitude for the "services, of Fulton, we are induced 
 to hope that a monument, to the fame of this illustrious 
 citizen will be erected upon this natural pedestal. 
 
 The deviVs tea table, and other appurtenances of the 
 dominion of his Satanic majesty, are found in this neigh- 
 borhood. The cornice rocks, are great curiosities. The 
 perpendicular sides of the limestone precipices, have been 
 worn by the water into regular shapes, and in some 
 places, a continuous formation resembling a handsome 
 cornice work, maybe seen, overhanging the cliffs, whose 
 sides represent columns, and other architectural devices. 
 
 The upper Mississippi is a much more beautiful river 
 than it is generally believed to be. In richness, beauty, 
 and variety of landscape, it far surpasses the Ohio ; and 
 we cannot conceive why the French, who knew both, 
 should have called the latter la belle in preference to 
 
 E
 
 50 THE RIVER MISSISSIPPI. 
 
 the former, unless, indeed, they considered that it would 
 have been a solecism in language to have made a belle out 
 of the Father of streams. For the first thirty miles above 
 St. Louis, the country, although extremely rich and valu- 
 able, is not interesting in its appearance. Within that 
 distance, the Missouri river comes in on the one hand, 
 and the Illinois on the other ; and after passing the latter, 
 the shores become attractive. 
 
 The whole character of the river is changed, after pass- 
 ing the mouth of the Missouri. Above that, the Miss- 
 issippi is a clear stream, with a strong, but smooth 
 current. Instead of the low alluvial banks, which are 
 continually accumulating at one spot, and falling in at 
 another, as is the case upon the lower Mississippi, here 
 are bold and beautiful shores, such as no other river that 
 I have ever seen, can boast. On the Illinois side, we 
 now behold a range of tall bluffs, rising perpendicularly 
 from the water's edge, to the height of from one to two 
 hundred feet, and faced with a solid bed of limestone. 
 
 In looking at these bluffs, the imagination readily sug- 
 gests the idea, that the river has once flowed upon a level 
 with their summits, and has cut its present channel, by 
 the action of its current. This is doubtless in part true, 
 in reference to this, as to all other rivers. But the ap- 
 pearances which cause this conjecture may be accounted 
 for much more easily. Th? horizontal lines and projec- 
 tions, resembling long rows of cornice, which are noticed 
 by the voyager far above his head, have doubtless been 
 produced by the trickling of the rain water down the 
 sides of the precipice. The strata being horizontal, and 
 of different degrees of hardness, the particles have been 
 removed most rapidly from the softer parts, and with a 
 regularity corresponding with the formation of the rock. 
 The escarpments or steep sides of the rock, exhibit no 
 angular shapes, but are smoothed and rounded as if by 
 the long continued action of a powerful current of water.
 
 THE RIVER MISSISSIPPI. 51 
 
 Numerous holes appear on the face of the solid rock, 
 sometimes shallow and irregular, but often deep and 
 cylindrical ; they are precisely such as geologists call 
 pot-holes, and are far above the present high watermark. 
 Every projection is rounded, and every cavitv is globular, 
 and so regular has been this operation, as to have pro- 
 duced in some instances, a series of columnar formations, 
 which display much of the symmetry of art, and ex- 
 tending from the base to the summit of the rock, serin 
 like immense buttresses intended to strengthen and support 
 these massive walls. The peaks seem to have been long 
 since decomposed, and have mouldered down into grace- 
 fully rounded hills, covered with vegetation. These 
 summits are on a level with the plane of the country. 
 
 After passing a few miles further, these vertical declivi- 
 ties are no longer presented to the eye. We now see the 
 crystal stream beating against a bank of gravel, from 
 which the shores rise with a gradual slope. In a few 
 instances the hills rise boldly from the water's edge, or 
 push out their steep promontories, so as to change the di- 
 rection of the river ; but more generally we see on either 
 bank a series of graceful slopes, swelling and sinking as 
 far as the eye can reach. The prairie, for the most part, 
 extends to the water, and no pen can describe the singu- 
 lar and captivating effect of such scenery. Imagine a 
 stream of a mile in width, whose waters are as transpa- 
 rent as those of the mountain spring, flowing over beds 
 of rock or gravel. Fancy the prairie commencing at the 
 water's edge — a natural meadow covered with grass and 
 flowers, rising with a gentle slope, for miles, so that in 
 the vast panorama, thousands of acres are exposed to the 
 eye. The prospect is bounded by a range of low hills, 
 which >miu, times approach the river, and again recede, 
 and whose summits, which are seen gently waving along 
 the horizon, form the level of the adjacent country. The 
 prairies are not flat, but composed of a succession of
 
 52 THE RIVER MISSISSIPPI. 
 
 swells, and the idea impressed upon the mind by the 
 whole conformation of the surface is, that the level plane 
 of the country once terminated on the brink of the river, 
 that the channel of the latter has been for ages increasing 
 in depth, and that the vales which we now see receding 
 from it, were at first mere ravines, washed by the torrents 
 of rain water, which have been gradually widened and 
 rounded off by beating rains, into their present harmony 
 of outline. The timber is scattered in groves and strips, 
 the whole country being one vast illimitable prairie, orna- 
 mented by small collections of trees. Sometimes the 
 woodland extends along the river for several miles con- 
 tinuously — sometimes it is seen stretching in a wide belt 
 far off into the country, and marking the course of some 
 tributary stream, and sometimes in vast groves, of several 
 miles in extent, standing alone like islands, in this wilder- 
 ness of grass and flowers. But more often we see the 
 single tree without a companion near, or the little clump 
 composed of a few dozen oaks or elms ; and not unfre- 
 quently, hundreds of acres embellished with a kind of 
 open woodland, and exhibiting the appearance of a splen- 
 did park, decorated with skill and care by the hand of 
 taste. Here we behold the beautiful lawn enriched with 
 flowers, and studded with trees, which are so dispersed 
 about as not to intercept the prospect — standing singly, 
 so as not to shade the ground, and occasionally collected 
 in clusters, while now and then the shade deepens into 
 the gloom of the forest, or opens into long vistas and 
 spacious plains, destitute of tree or shrub. 
 
 We doubt whether there can be found, on the globe, a 
 tract of country to compare with this. Commencing a 
 little north of St. Louis, and extending two hundred miles 
 from east to west, and the same distance north, is to be 
 found the most extensive tract of rich land in the world. 
 Within these bounds, the country is nearly all as captivat- 
 ing to the eye as that which we have described. Scarcely
 
 THE RIVER MISSISSIPPI. 53 
 
 any of the land is subject to inundation. On the contrary, 
 although incalculably rich, and sufficiently level for cul 
 tivation, it is a high, rolling, champaign country, and the 
 shores of the streams are mostly bold. Healthy it mustbe. 
 At the foot of the upper rapids is one of the most pic- 
 turesque scenes that we recollect to have beheld. On 
 the western side, a series of slopes are seen rising one 
 above another for a considerable distance, until the back 
 ground is terminated, by a chain of beautifully rounded 
 hills, over the whole of which trees are thinly scattered, 
 On the other side of the river, is a broad flat plain of rich 
 alluvion, several miles in length, and more than a mile in 
 breadth, and terminated by a range of wooded hills. On 
 this prairie is a small village of the Sauk and Fox Indians, 
 composed of rude lodges, scattered carelessly about. 
 Their chief village was a few miles in the interior ; and 
 it was for the possession of this beautiful country, that the 
 followers of Black Hawk contended, in the recent war 
 which resulted in such disastrous consequences to that 
 ill fated tribe. In the front of the landscape, and presents 
 ing its most prominent feature, is Rock Island ; the 
 western shore of which, is washed by the main current 
 of the Mississippi, while the eastern side is separated 
 from the main land by a narrow channel, which is forda- 
 ble in low water. The southern point of the island is 
 elevated about 40 feet above the ordinary level of the 
 river, and is supported by a perpendicular parapet of rock. 
 Here stands Fort Armstrong, a strong and very neat 
 work, garrisoned by two companies of United States' 
 troops ; and here will be one of the most desirable sites 
 for a town, upon the upper Mississippi. Rock river, 
 which enters into the Mississippi a few miles below the 
 island., is a rapid stream, which may be easily rendered 
 navigable ; and which affords abundant water power for 
 the propulsion of any kind of machinery. The whole of 
 this region is fruitful, healthy, and agreeable to the eye, 
 
 e3
 
 54 SURFACE OF THE COUNTRY. 
 
 Here the wild honeysuckle nourishes luxuriantly ; thous- 
 ands of acres are covered with the wild gooseberry, 
 plum, grape, mulberry, and other indigenous fruits, and 
 the soil teems with the richest beauties and bounties of 
 Providence. 
 
 Above this point the scenery becomes occasionally more 
 hilly and diversified, but the same general character marks 
 its features as far up as the falls of St. Anthony, and we 
 shall only refer the reader to the volumes detailing the 
 two expeditions of Colonel Long and his scientific com- 
 panions, whose remarks, so far as we have trod over the 
 same ground, we have found singularly accurate, and can 
 recommend safely, to those who desire to make more 
 minute researches, than those for which our own pages 
 will furnish the materials. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 General Surface of the Country. 
 
 The traveler who visits our Valley for the first time, 
 advancing from the east, to the Ohio river, and thence 
 proceeding westward, is struck with the magnificence of 
 the vegetation which clothes the whole surface. The 
 vast and gloomy grandeur of the forest, the gigantic size 
 and venerable antiquity of the trees, the rankness of the 
 weeds, the luxuriance and variety of the underbrush, the 
 long vines that climb to the tops of the tallest branches, 
 the parasites that hang in clusters from the boughs, the 
 brilliancy of the foliage, and the exuberance of the fruit, 
 all show a land teeming with vegetable life. The forest 
 is seen in its majesty ; the pomp and pride of the wilder- 
 ness is here. Here is nature unspoiled, and silence un- 
 disturbed. A few years ago, this impression was more 
 striking than at present; for now, farms, villages, and
 
 SCENERY. 55 
 
 even a few large towns air scattered over this region, 
 diversifying it* landscapes, and breaking in upon the 
 characteristic wildness of its scenery. Still there are 
 wide tracts remaining in a state of nature, and displaying 
 all the savage luxuriance which first attracted the pioneer; 
 and upon a general survey, its features present at this day, 
 to one accustomed only to thickly populated countries, 
 the same freshness of beauty, and the same immensity, 
 though rudeness of outline, which we have always been 
 accustomed to associate with the idea of a western land- 
 scape. 
 
 I know of nothing more splendid than a forest of the 
 west, standing in its original integrity, adorned with the 
 exuberant beauties of a powerful vegetation, and crowned 
 with the honors of a venerable age. There is a grandeur 
 in the immense size of the great trees — a richness of 
 coloring in the foliage, superior to any thing that is 
 known in corresponding latitudes — a wildness and an un- 
 broken stillness that attests the absence of man — above all, 
 there is a vastness, a boundless extent, an uninterrupted 
 continuity of shade, which prevents the attention from 
 beinff distracted, and allows the mind to fill itself, and the 
 imagination to realize the actual presence, and true char- 
 acter, of that which had burst upon it like a vivid dream. 
 
 This effect is the more uniform since the rivers have 
 become the great avenues of commerce, and the explora- 
 tions of the majority of those who travel, are confined to 
 their wooded shores. Here the forest is most abundant, 
 and the growth of the tree the most gigantic ; and as the 
 steamboat paddles her way rapidly through the water, 
 the spectator beholds, for mile after mile, a continuous 
 border of unbroken woodland, alternating with the village, 
 or the solitary farm, which is occasionally presented to 
 his view. In no instance does the prairie, — the natural 
 meadow, clothed with grass — appear upon the margin of 
 the Ohio, or of any of its tributaries ; but invariably the
 
 56 SCENERY. 
 
 rich alluvion lands that skirt those streams, and the low 
 rounded hills, are shaded by a prolific growth of heavy 
 timber. 
 
 But when the traveler forsakes the valley of the Ohio, 
 and advancing westward, ascends to the level of that 
 great plain, which constitutes the general surface of this 
 extensive region, he finds himself in an open champaign 
 country— in a wilderness of broad plains, covered with a 
 rich sward of grass, and destitute of trees. The transition 
 is as sudden, as it is complete. Behind him are the most 
 gigantic productions of the forest — before him are the 
 lowly, the verdant, the delicate, inhabitants of the lawn ; 
 behind him are gloom and chill, before him are sunlight 
 and graceful beauty. He has passed the rocky cliff, and 
 the savage mountain pass, where the den of the rattle- 
 snake is concealed, — the marshes that send up foetid 
 steams of desolating miasma, — and the canebrake where 
 the bear and the panther lurk ; and has reached the pas- 
 ture where the deer is feeding, and the prairie-flower 
 displays its diversified hues. He has seen the wilder- 
 ness in all its savage pomp, and gloomy grandeur, arrayed 
 in the terrors of barbarian state ; but now beholds it in its 
 festal garb, reposing in peace, and surrounded by light, 
 gayety, and beauty. 
 
 This distinction is not imaginary ; no observing man 
 can pass from one part of this region to another, without 
 remarking the natural antithesis to which we allude ; and 
 that mind would be defective in its perceptions of the 
 sublime and beautiful, which did not feel, as well as see, 
 the effects of this singular contrast. There is in the ap- 
 pearance of one of our primitive forests, a gloomy wild- 
 ness, that throws a cast of solemnity over the feelings , 
 a something in the wide spread solitude which suggests 
 to the traveler that he is far from the habitations of man 
 — alone, in the companionship of his own thoughts, and 
 the presence of his God. But the prairie landscape
 
 KIVER SCENERY. 57 
 
 awakens a different train of thought. Here light pre- 
 dominates instead of shade, and a variety of hue instead 
 of a wearisome exuberance and monotony of verdure ; 
 while the extent of the open scene which is spread he fore 
 the vision, allows the eye to roam abroad, over an endless 
 diversity of agreeable objects. 
 
 The same remarkable contrast is equally striking in the 
 contour of the surface — in the difference between the 
 broken, and the level districts. The former lie chiefly 
 along the Allegheny mountains, and are composed of the 
 lateral ridges which extend from the principal chain into 
 the valley ; the latter is the common formation of a great 
 portion of this extensive country. If the traveler looks 
 down from the western pinnacles of the Allegheny, he 
 beholds a region beautifully diversified with hill and dale, 
 and intersected by rapid streams, tumbling over ledges 
 of rock, or beds of gravel. In western Pennsylvania, 
 Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee, he finds every varie- 
 ty of scenic beauty — the hill, the valley, and the plain, 
 the rocky cliff, the secluded dell, the clear fountain, and 
 the rivulet pitching headlong from vale to vale. 
 
 The rivers have each their characteristic scenery. The 
 Monongahela winding through a mountainous country, 
 overhung with precipices, and shaded by heavy forests, 
 with a current sufficiently gentle to be easily navigable 
 by steam boats, has its peculiar features, which are in- 
 stantly lost when the traveler has passed on to the bosom 
 of the Ohio. The Allegheny differs from both ; more 
 turbulent than either, it has not the majesty of the one, 
 nor the romantic beauty of the other. The winding course, 
 and rugged scenery of the Ohio between Pittsburgh and 
 Wheeling, impress the beholder as strikingly wild and 
 picturesque ; below the latter place the features of the 
 landscape become softened, the hills recede farther from 
 the river, are less lofty, and more rounded ; and again, 
 after passing Louisville, these elevations are seen less
 
 58 RIVER SCENERY. 
 
 frequently, and gradually melt away, until the river be- 
 comes margined by low shores, and a continuous line of 
 unbroken forest. But if we leave the gentle current of the 
 Ohio, and ascend the Kentucky or the Cumberland, we 
 again find rapid streams, overhung with precipices, and 
 a country abounding in the diversities of bold and roman- 
 tic landscape. Here may be seen the rapid current 
 foaming and eddying over beds of rock, and the tall peak 
 towering above in solitary grandeur. Here the curious 
 tourist may penetrate the gloom of the cavern, may clam- 
 ber over precipices, or refresh himself from the crystal 
 fountain bursting from the bosom of the rock. But he 
 will find every hill clad with timber, every valley teeming 
 with vegetation — even the crevices of the limestone para- 
 pets giving sustenance to trees and bushes. Green River, 
 though lying between these is essentially different from 
 both : though often hemmed in by hills, its current is 
 gentle, and its navigable facilities extended far into the 
 country through which it flows. 
 
 The Kenhawa river deserves a separate mention. From 
 its junction with the Ohio at Point Pleasant, the field of 
 a battle in which the characteristic valor of Virginia was 
 most conspicuously displayed, the traveler ascends a val- 
 ley of little width, through which meanders a small and 
 gentle river. A narrow belt of rich bottom land, divided 
 into highly productive farms, is seen on one or the other 
 side of the river, and sometimes on both — beyond which 
 is a range of high, precipitous, and rocky hills. At a 
 distance of about sixty miles from the mouth, by the 
 meanders of the river, commences the richest salt region 
 in the United States. It extends about ten miles along 
 the river; and within that distance there are eighty or 
 ninety separate establishments for the manufacture of salt, 
 thickly scattered along the shore on either side of the 
 stream. A large portion of the salt used in the west, has 
 been furnished from these furnaces, which have proved
 
 MOUNTAIN SCENERY. 59 
 
 extremely lucrative to the proprietors. Although they 
 have been in operation for many years, the supply of 
 brine remains undiminished, and the neighboring hills 
 furnish an inexhaustible supply of bituminous eoal, lying 
 in thick horizontal Strata, in sight of the furnaces, and in 
 positions ekvated a few feet above them. 
 
 Punning the river a few miles further, we arrive at a 
 cataract formed by a ledge of rock which crosses its chan- 
 nel, and which forms a curious and beautiful scene. Im- 
 mediately beyond this point, the landscape becomes grand 
 and romantic, combining the wildest and most splendid 
 features of scenic attraction. At the spot where the Gau- 
 ley and New rivers unite, and merge their names, in that 
 of the Kenhawa, we reach the foot of the mountains, 
 down whose precipitous gorges these streams are seen 
 rushing. The great road which pursues the valley of 
 one of these tributaries, winding with its sinuosities, and 
 for the most part hewed out of the sides of perpendicular 
 parapets of rock, affords a series of the most extensive 
 and sublime prospects. After toiling up an ascent of 
 several miles, passing over deep ravines, and often turn- 
 ing the angle of a projecting cliff, along whose edge the 
 traveler passes with an involuntary shudder, as he gazes 
 on the perilous depth below, we arrive at the celebrated 
 and magnificent spot called the Hawk's Nest. This is 
 the highest peak of this part of the chain of mountains. 
 It is not seen from the road, which at this point has left 
 the steep side of the chasm, and passes for a short dis- 
 tance along a ridge shaded on either side by forest trees. 
 The stage is stopped, in order that the natural curiosity 
 of the traveler may be indulged in beholding a scene of 
 uncommon grandeur. A small footpath leading at right 
 angles is pointed out to him, pursuing which tor a few 
 yards, he suddenly funis himself Standing on the project- 
 ing ledge of a precipice, from whose brink he may cast a 
 stone into the New river, which foams over a bed of rock
 
 60 SURFACE OF THE COUNTRY. 
 
 two thousand feet below him. The landscape is perfect 
 — its extent, its grandeur, its variety, its romantic char- 
 acter, and the splendid beauty of its details, are incom- 
 parably magnificent. The sublimity of the scene, is not 
 less than that of the Niagara cataract ; its gigantic out- 
 lines fill the beholder with wonder, while the dizzy height 
 at which he stands, on a narrow ledge, projected over a 
 gulph of such awful magnitude, causes a sensation of ter- 
 ror to mingle with the thrilling sensations of astonishment 
 and delight that fill his bosom. 
 
 The toils and perils of a journey over the mountains 
 are amply compensated by a view of this fine scene, to 
 which nothing of the kind can be superior. It is on the 
 road which leads from Guyandot on the Ohio, by the 
 Virginia springs, to Fredericksburg in Virginia. The 
 road itself is a clay turnpike, nearly impassable in the 
 wet season, but in the summer superior to any other 
 by which the Allegheny ridge is crossed, and which af- 
 fords infinitely the most agreeable route for an excursion 
 from east to west in hot weather. 
 
 The scenery presented on the western shore of the 
 Ohio, is altogether different. The mountain is seen no 
 more ; the hill, the rock, the precipice, and the limpid 
 torrent occur but seldom ; and although in Ohio the 
 change is not so marked, as in the more western states, 
 the traveler as he wanders successively over Indiana, 
 Illinois, Missouri, and the vast wilderness beyond, is as- 
 tonished at the immensity of the great plain, the regularity 
 of its surface, and the richness, the verdure, and the beauty, 
 of its wide spread meadows. 
 
 Whatever may be the purpose with which we contem- 
 plate the region now under review, it is necessary to keep 
 in mind this important diversity of surface and production. 
 To the poet, it afibrds the most picturesque and striking 
 contrasts of scenery ; to the inquirer after truth, it pre- 
 sents in an imposing manner, the extraordinary capabili-
 
 SURFACE OF THE COUNTRY. 61 
 
 ties of a country, which embrace! such varied resources 
 for agriculture and trade, and possesses so happy an 
 adaptation, to the different pursuits of life, and products 
 of industry. To all it must suggest how defective and 
 totally worthless are the accounts of those, who having 
 visited one part of this country, assume to describe the 
 whole ; whose personal observations have been confined 
 to the margins of the great rivers, while they have no 
 knowledge of the prairies, nor can imagine in their wild- 
 est dreams, the extent, the fertility, the peculiar confor- 
 mation, and singular agricultural advantages, of these 
 interesting plains, and are equally unacquainted with the 
 geology, the resources, and interior channels of inter- 
 course, of this broad land. 
 
 There are some other distinctions which are necessarily 
 to be considered, and to which reference should be had, 
 whenever general remarks are made, for they will suggest 
 the occasions where it may be necessary to make excep- 
 tions. In western Pennsylvania, and Virginia, the toils 
 of the pioneer have in a great measure ceased, the log hut 
 has disappeared, and commodious farm houses of framed 
 wood, or stone, have been reared. Agriculture has as- 
 sumed a permanent character, and is prosecuted with 
 steadiness and method. In Pennsylvania, particularly, 
 the immense treasures of iron and coal, and the great 
 manufacturing ability of Pittsburgh, has given a peculiar 
 character to the industry, and has caused the spirit of 
 commerce and enterprise, to be widely diffused among 
 the farmers. Great expenditures have been made upon 
 roads and canals, and the traveler sees many symptoms 
 of an active and prosperous traffic. 
 
 Ohio has grown more rapidly, and the new is here 
 seen singularlv mixed with the old — neat villages, exten- 
 sive farms, and valuable improvements, alternating with 
 rude hamlets, solitary log houses, or masses of unbroken 
 forest. The appearances of commercial and agricultural 
 
 F
 
 62 SURFACE OF THE COUNTRY. 
 
 activity, are of the most cheering character, the actual 
 improvement which is going forward in every department 
 of life and business, is great, — yet the exterior develope- 
 ment, as presented to the eye of the stranger, is new, 
 rough, and uninviting. The beauty of nature has been 
 destroyed, and the embellishments of art have not been 
 supplied. Wealth and labor have been employed with 
 great energy and success, in reducing the wild land into 
 cultivated fields, in bringing the resources of the country 
 into operation, and in providing the comforts of life ; but 
 few expenditures have been made for ornament or luxury. 
 To him who passes rapidly through the land, and glances 
 only at the rude exterior, every thing appears crude and 
 unformed, but there is notwithstanding an admirable sys- 
 tem in the industry, as well as in the social and moral 
 condition of the people. The skeleton of a regularly 
 organized civil society, with all its strong muscles and 
 ligaments is vigorously developed, and those parts only 
 are wanting, which are necessary to give grace and full- 
 ness to the outline. 
 
 Passing westwardly through Indiana, Illinois, and 
 Missouri, there will be found still less appearance of im- 
 provement. In some parts of Indiana, the people are 
 treading rapidly in the footsteps of those of Ohio, sub- 
 stantial houses have been built, and farms have been 
 brought into a high state of culture. But generally speak- 
 ing the settlers in these states continue to reside in their 
 primitive dwellings ; the log house, and the rough worm- 
 fence, are the chief objects of human construction that 
 meet the eye. The fields are rudely tilled, yet yield 
 abundant harvests. There is an abundance, even to pro- 
 fusion, of all the necessaries of life, but none of the lux- 
 uries, and few of what would be called comforts, by 
 those who are unaccustomed to the habits of the country. 
 There is however a vast deal of substantial comfort, and 
 the people are independent, cheerful, and intelligent.
 
 SURFACE OF THE COUNTRY. 63 
 
 The beauty that attracts the eye in this region, is that of 
 nature, and is found in the wide tracts of wilderness that 
 remain untouched by the axe or the plough. Such is the 
 greater part of the country, over which the farms are 
 thinly scattered, and where the cattle still roam at large 
 through the woods and prairies, as in the days of the 
 patriarchs. A large proportion of the people of these 
 three states, partake more of the pastoral, than of the 
 agricultural character. They belong to a race to whom 
 wealth is not so desirable as to cause them to seek it by 
 hard labor, and they aim at nothing beyond a competent 
 support. Their numerous domestic animals, ihat ieed in the 
 natural pastures, and the game of the forest, supply them 
 with food in rich abundance, and their fields are careless- 
 ly tilled, because the produce is of secondary importance. 
 But when we cross the Ohio, and pass through Ken- 
 tucky, we find a different state of society, and a widely 
 different aspect in the appearance of the country. In 
 passing from Maysville to Lexington, the stage rolls over 
 one of the finest Macadamised roads in the United States. 
 The country is hilly, but moderately fertile, and well 
 improved, until we reach the vicinity of Licking river. 
 The agriculture is good, the houses well constructed, and 
 comfortable. The forming stage of society is past, and 
 much attention is paid to the refinements and courtesies 
 of domestic life. On approaching Licking river a wild 
 and sterile tract presents itself, extending for a few miles 
 on either side of that stream. The hills are abrupt, 
 broken, and rocky, the soil thin, and the vegetation 
 stinted. The rocks are overgrown with moss and lichens, 
 and instead of the tall timber of other localities, we find 
 a straggling and dwarfish growth of low bushes. Nothing 
 can be more dreary than this sombre landscape, or more 
 strongly contrasted with the rich and cheerful districts 
 that lie around in every direction. It is a mineral region, 
 abounding in saline impregnations, and to this cause an
 
 64 SCENERY. 
 
 acute writer attributes the appearances which we have 
 noticed. Dr. Yandell, of the Lexington Medical school, 
 remarks : " At one time the hills, which, now bare, show 
 as wasted skeletons, must have had a covering of clay 
 and vegetable mould, for the country in every direction, 
 at the distance of a few miles, is rich, and clothed in lux- 
 uriant vegetation. It is well known that the first adven- 
 turers to the west, found it abounding in every species 
 of wild game. Deer, elks, and buffaloes, were met with 
 in numbers altogether incalculable. These animals re- 
 sorted in vast numbers to the springs, and the latter came 
 from a distance, and lingered for weeks in the neighbor- 
 hood. It is said that the roads which they made in 
 journeying thither, are still visible at this distant day. 
 And finally, the mastodon, and arctic elephant, we may 
 infer from the osseous remains that have been exhumed, 
 were among the ancient visitors at these watering places. 
 The effect of such a concourse of animals sojourning for 
 weeks together in the neighborhood, and feeding upon 
 the shrubs, herbaceous plants, and such limbs of trees as 
 were in their reach, bruising and lacerating their roots in 
 passing to and fro, must have been in time, the destruc- 
 tion not only of the grass and more tender herbs, but of 
 the forests themselves ; and the soil thus deprived of its 
 necessary support, would be ultimately washed by rains 
 into the streams and valleys. This cause, of course has 
 long ceased to operate, and with its cessation, a new 
 change has commenced. The soil is again in a process 
 of renewal, and the sides and summits of the hills begin 
 to assume an appearance of verdure and life." 
 
 Having passed through this region of sterility, the road 
 to Lexington winds through an open champaign country 
 of the most delightful appearance. The heavy forest, 
 which once threw its deep shade over the lurking Indian, 
 has been cleared away, and highly cultivated fields adorn 
 the whole of the wide landscape. The surface is not
 
 SCENERY IN KENTUCKY. 65 
 
 broken by hills, nor is it level, — but of that beautifully 
 rolling or undulating character, which is, above all others, 
 the most pleasing to the eye, and the best adapted to the 
 purposes of husbandry. Its similarity, in this respect, 
 to the gracefully waving prairies in the central and nor 
 them parts of Illinois is very striking. The soil is of the 
 richest kind, and the improvements not only substantial, 
 but elegant. It is seldom that the eye of the traveler is 
 delighted with so pleasing a combination of rural beauty 
 and tasteful embellishment. The dwellings are commo- 
 dious and comfortable ; most of them are very superioi 
 to those usually inhabited by farmers, while many are the 
 elegant mansions of the opulent and refined. These are 
 surrounded by gardens and pleasure grounds, adorned 
 with trees and shrubs, tastefully disposed. There is 
 a something substantial, as well as elegant, in the resi- 
 dence of a farmer of this part of Kentucky ; a combina- 
 tion of taste, neatness, comfort, and abundance, which is 
 singularly interesting, and which evinces a high degree 
 of liberality in the use of wealth, as well as great industry 
 in its production. The fields are extensive and well cul- 
 tivated. Not a spot remains in its pristine state of wilder- 
 ness ; but everywhere the hand of art is seen to have 
 exerted its energies with an unusual vigor and felicity of 
 execution. Every foot of ground has been adorned, or 
 rendered productive. The woodland pastures which are 
 peculiar to this section of country are remarkably beauti- 
 ful, giving to its extensive farms an unusual degree of 
 elegance, and to the whole character of the scenery an 
 originality, which attracts the attention of the most casual 
 observer, while it fills a genuine admirer of nature with 
 the most pleasurable emotions. This agreeable effect 
 is produced by a simple procedure. The woodlands are, 
 all inclosed ; the underwood, and the useless trees are 
 removed, while the valuable timber trees are left, standing 
 suflicientlv wide apart to admit the rays of the sun, and 
 
 f 2
 
 66 SURFACE OF THE COUNTRY. 
 
 the free circulation of the air, between them. The ground 
 is then sown with grass, and extensive tracts, which 
 would otherwise have been mere wilderness, are thus 
 converted into spacious lawns, studded with noble trees. 
 These are so numerous, and of such extent, as to form a 
 prominent feature in the scenery, and it is hardly possible 
 to imagine any thing more beautiful, than the alternations 
 of woodland and meadow, with hemp and cornfields, and 
 orchards, which the eye here meets in every direction. 
 The dwelling houses are usually large edifices of brick or 
 frame, surrounded by numerous offices, and embowered 
 in shade trees, among which th« locust, and the lombar- 
 dy poplar, are most frequently seen. The fences and 
 other improvements are excellent, and the grounds neatly 
 kept. The whole appearance is that of a country pos- 
 sessing wealth, industry, and refinement — the residence 
 of a hospitable people, who cherish the social virtues, 
 and who bestow much care in surrounding themselves 
 with the comforts and luxuries of domestic life. 
 
 This beautiful region comprises several counties, and 
 includes a circuit of more than forty miles in diameter, 
 of which Lexington is the centre ; but there are several 
 other counties lying round it, but little inferior in point 
 of fertility, and marked by similar features of industry, 
 improvement, and manners. 
 
 The traveler cannot but pause to contrast the appear- 
 ance of this country, with that of the wilderness which 
 existed here forty years ago. Within the memory of living 
 witnesses, the soil which is now so finely embellished, 
 and which supports a numerous and highly refined popu- 
 lation, was covered with luxuriant forests and vast cane- 
 brakes, which afforded shelter to the roving Indian, and 
 the prowling beast of prey. Here were the lodge of the 
 Indian and the camp of the solitary hunter. Here the 
 pioneer endured in his rude log cabin, all the precarious 
 toils and sudden vicissitudes of the border life, laboriously
 
 SURFACE OF THE COUNTRY. 67 
 
 opening the rich soil to the action of the sun, felling one 
 by one the gigantic trees, and resting by night, like the 
 weary soldier, with his rifle by his side. And here are 
 still seen the ruins of those primitive fortresses, which 
 protected the emigrants and their families, from the tom- 
 ahawk, when the savage warriors came in sufficient force 
 to drive the hunter from his camp, and the settler from 
 his newly cleared fields. 
 
 So rapid has been this change, and so complete the 
 transformation, that it seems as if the pioneers who had 
 expelled the Indian, and the beast of prey, had been in 
 their turn supplanted by a more wealthy and refined race, 
 who by the magic influence of gold, and the energy of 
 a superior industry, had converted the face of the land 
 from a desert to a paradise. But such was not the actual 
 procedure. The wealthy farmers who now occupy the 
 soil, the educated and accomplished individuals who com- 
 pose the population, are, for the most part, the immedi- 
 ate descendants of the hardy men by whose courage the 
 country was subdued, and by whose enterprise its resour- 
 ces were brought into operation. 
 
 This beautiful region extends to the borders of the Ken- 
 tucky river, to the south of which we find a hilly region, 
 interspersed with fertile valleys, and crossed by several 
 rocky, elevated, and precipitous ridges. Much of the 
 land in this district is poor; the population is thinly scat- 
 tered, and many of the settlers are rough and illiterate, 
 though independent and hospitable. 
 
 Thence proceeding to the south west we meet with the 
 Barrens, an extensive tract of rolling land, some of which 
 is said to be rich, though a large portion of it is certainly 
 not of that description. It received its name from having 
 been, when first visited by the whites, wholly destitute 
 of timber, and covered with bushes, and from the belief 
 entertained by those who then explored it, that it was not 
 sufficiently fertile to produce trees. That opinion has,
 
 68 SURFACE OF THE COUNTRY. 
 
 however, been exploded by the fact, that since the settle- 
 ment of the country timber has been rapidly produc- 
 ed ; and many parts of it are now thickly set with flour- 
 ishing young forests, where not a tree was to be seen 
 forty years ago. In some places the timber has attained 
 a size which renders it useful to the farmer for fuel and 
 fencing, but in general, the young trees are not tall enough 
 to shade the road, while they are sufficiently high to pre- 
 vent the circulation of the air, and in consequence, the 
 traveler who rides through this region in sultry weather, 
 finds the heat insufferably oppressive. This tract is near- 
 ly level, and very dry. But few springs or running 
 streams are found upon the surface ; and its general re- 
 semblance to the prairies, of which we shall treat here- 
 after, sufficientlv shews an identity of character and origin. 
 
 Beyond the Barrens, and throughout what is termed the 
 Green river country, the lands are timbered, and in gen- 
 eral fertile. Some of the counties are populous and well 
 improved ; but this part of the state having been settled 
 at a comparatively recent period, exhibits for the most 
 part, the indications peculiar to a newly settled country. 
 
 As our plan does not admit of great minuteness of de- 
 tail, we shall not pursue these descriptions through the 
 state of Tennessee. The variety of surface and scenery 
 is even greater here than in Kentucky. A large propor- 
 tion of the territory is occupied by mountains ; while 
 another part extending to the Mississippi partakes of 
 the alluvial character which distinguishes the borders of 
 that river. 
 
 In attempting to describe the remarkable features of 
 the topography of the western country, our intention is 
 to dwell chiefly on those which are the most peculiarly 
 characteristic. We have passed hastily over those parts 
 which differ in appearance and in quality, from the 
 general surface, so greatly as to form exceptions, but 
 which yet partake of some of the attributes of the whole ;
 
 THE PRAIRIES. 69 
 
 and shall proceed to speak of that broad plain which com- 
 prises the great body of the lands of the west, and which 
 in the vastness of its extent, in the uniformity of its out 
 line, in the singularity of its conformation, and in the 
 unbounded fertility of its soil, stands without a rival. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 The Prairies — their Appearance. 
 
 It is perhaps not easy to account for the intense curiosity 
 and surprise, which have been universally excited by the 
 existence of these plains ; for they have been found in 
 various parts of the world. The steppes of Asia, the 
 pampas of South America, and the deserts of Africa, are 
 alike destitute of timber. But they have existed from 
 different causes ; and while one has been found too arid 
 and sterile to give birth to vegetation, and another snow- 
 clad and inhospitable, others exist in temperate climates and 
 exhibit the most amazing fertility of soil. These facts 
 show that there are various causes inimical to the growth 
 of trees, and that the forest is not necessarily the spon- 
 taneous product of the earth, and its natural covering, 
 wherever its surface is left uncultivated by the hand of 
 man. The vegetable kingdom embraces an infinite vari- 
 ety of plants, ' from the cedar of Lebanon to the hysop 
 that groweth on the wall ;' and the plan of nature, in 
 which there is no miscalculation, has provided that there 
 shall be a necessary concatenation of circumstances — a 
 proper adaptation of soil, climate, moisture — of natural 
 and secondary causes, to produce and to protect each : 
 just as she has assigned the wilderness to the Indian, the 
 rich pasture to the grazing herd, and the Alps to the 
 mountain goat.
 
 70 THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 I apprehend that the intense astonishment, with which 
 the American pioneers first beheld a prairie, and which 
 we o//feel in gazing over these singularly beautiful plains, 
 is the result of association. The adventurers who pre- 
 ceded us, from the champaign districts of France, have 
 left no record of any such surprise ; on the contrary, they 
 discovered in these flowery meadows something, that re- 
 minded them of home ; and their sprightly imaginations 
 at once suggested, that nothing was wanting but the vine- 
 yard, the peasant's cottage, and the stately chateau, to 
 render the resemblance complete. But our immediate 
 ancestors came from lands covered with wood, and in 
 their minds the idea of a wilderness was indissolubly con- 
 nected with that of a forest. They had settled in the 
 woods upon the shores of the Atlantic ; and there their 
 ideas of a new country had been formed. As they pro- 
 ceeded to the west, they found the shadows of the heavy 
 foliage deepening upon their path, and the luxuriant forest 
 becoming at every step more stately and intense, confirm- 
 ing the impression, that as they receded from civilization, 
 the woodland must continue to accumulate the gloom of its 
 savage and silent grandeur around them — until suddenly 
 the glories of the prairie burst upon their enraptured gaze, 
 with its widely extended landscape, its verdure, its flow- 
 ers, its picturesque groves, and all its exquisite variety of 
 mellow shade and sunny light. 
 
 Had our English ancestors, on the other hand, first set- 
 tled upon the plains of Missouri and Illinois, and the tide 
 of emigration was now setting towards the forests of Ohio 
 and Kentucky, climbing the rocky barriers of the Alle- 
 gheny ridge, and pouring itself down upon the wooded 
 shores of the Atlantic, the question would not be asked, 
 how the western plains became denuded of timber, but 
 by what miracle of Providence, a vast region had been 
 clothed, with so much regularity, with the most splendid 
 and gigantic productions of nature, and preserved through
 
 THE PRAIRIES. 71 
 
 whole centuries from the devastations of the frost and the 
 fire, the hurricane and the flood. We have all remarked 
 how simple and how rapid is the process of rearing the 
 annual ilower, or the more hardy varieties of grass, and 
 with what ease a spot of ground may be covered with a 
 carpet of verdure ; and we know equally well how diffi- 
 cult it is to protect an orchard or a grove, and how nu- 
 merous are the accidents which assail a tree. An expanse 
 of natural meadow is not therefore so much an object of 
 curiosity, as a continuous forest; the former coming rap- 
 idly to perfection, with but few enemies to assail it, the 
 latter advancing slowly to maturity, surrounded by dan- 
 gers. Hence there is, to my mind, no scene so imposing, 
 none which awakens sensations of such admiration and 
 solemnity, as the forest standing in its aboriginal integrity, 
 and bearing the indisputable marks of antiquity — where 
 we stand upon a soil composed of the vegetable mould, 
 which can only have been produced by the undisturbed 
 accumulation of ages, and behold around us the healthful 
 and gigantic trees, whose immense shafts have been in- 
 creasing in size for centuries, and which have stood 
 during that whole time exposed to the lightning, the wind, 
 and the frost, and to the depredations of the insect and 
 the brute. 
 
 The scenery of the prairie country excites a different 
 feeling. The novelty is striking, and never fails to cause 
 an exclamation of surprise. The extent of the prospect 
 is exhilarating. The outline of the landscape is sloping, 
 and graceful. The verdure and the flowers are beautiful : 
 and the absence of shade, and consequent appearance of 
 a profusion of light, produce* a gaiety which animates the 
 beholder. 
 
 It is necessary to explain that these plains, although 
 preserving a general level in respect to the whole country, 
 are yet in ihemselves not JIat, but exhibit a gracefully 
 waving surface, swelling and sinking with an easy slope,
 
 72 THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 and a full rounded outline, equally avoiding the unmean- 
 ing horizontal surface, and the interruption of abrupt or 
 angular elevations. It is that surface which, in the ex- 
 pressive language of the country, is called rolling, and 
 which has been said to resemble the long heavy swell of 
 the ocean, when its waves are subsiding to rest after the 
 agitation of a storm. 
 
 It is to be remarked also, that the prairie is almost al- 
 ways elevated in the centre, so that in advancing into it 
 from either side, you see before you only the plain, with 
 its curved outline marked upon the sky, and forming the 
 horizon, but on reaching the highest point, you look 
 around upon the whole of the vast scene. 
 
 The attraction of the prairie consists in its extent, its 
 carpet of verdure and flowers, its undulating surface, its 
 groves, and the fringe of timber by which it is surrounded. 
 Of all these, the latter is the most expressive feature — it 
 is that which gives character to the landscape, which im- 
 parts the shape, and marks the boundary of the plain. 
 If the prairie be small, its greatest beauty consists in the 
 vicinity of the surrounding margin of woodland, which 
 resembles the shore of a lake, indented with deep vistas 
 like bays and inlets, and throwing out long points, like 
 capes and headlands ; while occasionally these points 
 approach so close on either hand, that the traveler passes 
 through a narrow avenue or strait, where the shadows of 
 the woodland fall upon his path, — and then again emerges 
 into another prairie. Where the plain is large, the forest 
 outline is seen in the far perspective, like the dim shore 
 when beheld at a distance from the ocean. The eye 
 sometimes roams over the green meadow, without dis- 
 covering a tree, a shrub, or any object in the immense 
 expanse, but the wilderness of grass and flowers ; while 
 at another time, the prospect is enlivened by the groves, 
 which are seen interspersed like islands, or the solitary 
 tree, which stands alone in the blooming desert.
 
 THE PRAIRIES. 73 
 
 If it be in the spring of the year, and the young grass 
 has just covered the ground with a carpet of delicate green, 
 and especially if the sun is rising from behind a distant 
 swell of the plain, and glittering upon the dew-drops, no 
 scene can be more lovely to the eye. The deer is seen 
 grazing quietly upon the plain ; the bee is on the wing ; 
 the wolf, with his tail drooped, is sneaking away to his 
 covert with the felon tread of one who is conscious that 
 he has disturbed the peace of nature ; and the grouse 
 feeding in flocks, or in pairs, like the domestic fowl, 
 cover the whole surface — the males strutting and erecting 
 their plumage like the peacock, and uttering a long, loud, 
 mournful note, something like the cooing of the dove, 
 but resembling still more the sound produced by passing 
 a rough finger boldly over the surface of a tambourine. 
 The number of these birds is astonishing. The plain is 
 covered with them in every direction ; and when they 
 have been driven from the ground by a deep snow, I have 
 seen thousands — or more properly tens of thousands — 
 thickly clustered in the tops of the trees surrounding the 
 prairie. They do not retire as the country becomes set- 
 tled, but continue to Jurk in the tall grass around the 
 newly made farms ; and I have sometimes seen them 
 mingled with the domestic fowls, at a short distance from 
 the farmer's door. They will eat, and even thrive when 
 confined in a coop, and may undoubtedly be domesticated. 
 
 When the eye roves ofT from the green plain, to the 
 groves, or points of timber, these also are found to be at 
 this season robed in the most attractive hues. The rich 
 undergrowth is in full bloom. The red-bud, the dog- wood, 
 the crab-apple, the wild plum, the cherry, the wild rose, 
 are abundant in all the rich lands ; and the grape vine, 
 though its blossom is unseen, fills the air with fragrance. 
 The variety of the wild fruit, and flowering shrubs, is so 
 great, and such the profusion of the blossoms with which 
 
 G
 
 74 THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 they are bowed down, that the eye is regaled almost to 
 satiety. 
 
 The gayety of the prairie, its embellishments,' and the 
 absence of the gloom and savage wildness of the forest, 
 all contribute to dispel the feeling of lonesomeness, which 
 usually creeps over the mind of the solitary traveler in 
 the wilderness. Though he may not see a house, nor a 
 human being, and is conscious that he is far from the 
 habitations of men, he can scarcely divest himself of the 
 idea that he is traveling through scenes embellished by 
 the hand of art. The flowers, so fragile, so delicate, and 
 so ornamental, seem to have been tastefully disposed to 
 adorn the scene. The groves and clumps of trees appear 
 to have been scattered over the lawn to beautify the land- 
 scape, and it is not easy to avoid that illusion of the fancy, 
 which persuades the beholder, that such scenery has been 
 created to gratify the refined taste of civilized man. Eu- 
 ropeans are often reminded of the resemblance of this 
 scenery to that of the extensive parks of noblemen, which 
 they have been accustomed to admire, in the old world ; 
 the lawn, the avenue, the grove, the copse, which are 
 there produced by art, are here prepared by nature ; a 
 splendid specimen of massy architecture, and the distant 
 view of villages, are alone wanting to render the simili- 
 tude complete. 
 
 In the summer, the prairie is covered with long coarse 
 grass, which soon assumes a golden hue, and waves in 
 the wind like a ripe harvest. Those who have not a 
 personal knowledge of the subject, would be deceived by 
 the accounts which are published of the height of the 
 grass. It is seldom so tall as travelers have represented, 
 nor does it attain its highest growth in the richest soil. 
 In the low, wet prairies, where the substratum of clay lies 
 near the surface, the centre or main stem of this grass, 
 which bears the seed, acquires great thickness, and shoots 
 up to the height of eight or nine feet, throwing out a few
 
 THE PRAIRIES. 75 
 
 long coarse leaves or blades, and the traveler often finds 
 it higher than his head as he rides through it on horseback. 
 The plants, although numerous and standing close to- 
 gether, appear to grow singly and unconnected, the whole 
 force of the vegetative power expanding itself upward. 
 Hut in the rich undulating prairies, the grass is finer, with 
 less of stalk, and a greater profusion of leaves. The 
 roots spread and interweave so as to form a compact even 
 sod, and the blades expand into a close thick sward, 
 which is seldom more than eighteen inches high, and 
 often less, until late in the season, when the seed-bearinsr 
 stem shoots up. 
 
 The first coat of grass is mingled with small flowers ; 
 the violet, the bloom of the strawberry, and others of the 
 most minute and delicate texture. As the grass increases 
 in size, these disappear, and others, taller and more gau- 
 dy, display their brilliant colors upon the green surface, 
 and still later a larger and coarser succession rises with 
 the rising tide of verdure. A fanciful writer asserts that 
 the prevalent color of the prairie flowers is, in the spring 
 a bluish purple, in midsummer red, and in the autumn 
 yellow. This is one of the notions that people get, who 
 study nature by the fireside. The truth is, that the whole 
 of the surface of these beautiful plains, is clad throughout 
 the season of verdure, with every imaginable variety of 
 color, ' from grave to gay.' It is impossible to conceive 
 a more infinite diversity, or a richer profusion of hues, or 
 to detect any predominating tint, except the green, which 
 forms the beautiful ground, and relieves the exquisite 
 brilliancy of all the others. The only changes of color 
 observed at the different seasons, arise from the circum- 
 stance, that in the spring the flowers are small and the 
 colors delicate ; as the heat becomes more ardent a hardier 
 race appears, the flowers attain a greater size, and the 
 hue deepens ; and still later a succession of coarser plants 
 rise above the tall grass, throwing out larger and gaudier
 
 76 THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 flowers. As the season advances from spring to midsum- 
 mer, the individual flower becomes less beautiful when 
 closely inspected, but the landscape, is far more variegat- 
 ed, rich, and glowing. 
 
 In the winter, the prairies present a gloomy and deso- 
 late scene. The fire has passed over them, and consumed 
 every vegetable substance, leaving the soil bare, and the 
 surface perfectly black. That gracefully waving outline, 
 which was so attractive to the eye when clad in green, is 
 now disrobed of all its ornaments ; its fragrance, its notes 
 of joy, and the graces of its landscape, have all vanished, 
 and the bosom of the cold earth, scorched and discolored, 
 is alone visible. The wind sighs mournfully over the 
 black plain; but there is no object to be moved by its in- 
 fluence — not a tree to wave its long arms in the blast, nor 
 a reed to bend its fragile stem — not a leaf, nor even a 
 blade of grass to tremble in the breeze. There is nothing 
 to be seen but the cold dead earth and the bare mound, 
 which move not — and the traveler with a singular sensa- 
 tion, almost of awe, feels the blast rushing over him, 
 while not an object visible to the eye, is seen to stir. 
 Accustomed as the mind is to associate with the action of 
 the wind its operation upon surrounding objects, and to 
 see nature bowing and trembling, and the fragments of 
 matter mounting upon the wind, as the storm passes, 
 there is a novel effect produced on the mind of one who 
 feels the current of air rolling heavily over him, while 
 nothing moves around. 
 
 By those who have never seen this region, a very toler- 
 able idea may be formed of the manner in which the 
 prairie and forest alternate, and the proportions of each, 
 by drawing a colored line of irregular breadth, along the 
 edges of all the water courses laid down in the map. The 
 border thus shaded, which would represent the woodland, 
 would vary in width from one to five or six miles, and 
 would sometimes extend to twelve. As the streams ap-
 
 THE PRAIRrES. 77 
 
 proach each other, these borders would approximate, or 
 come into contact; and all the intermediate spaces, not 
 thus colored would be prairie. It is true therefore, as a 
 general rule, in relation to the states in which the prairies 
 are situated, that wherever there is a considerable tract 
 of surface, not intersected by water courses, it is level, and 
 destitute of timber ; but in the vicinity of springs and 
 
 streams the country is clothed in forest. 
 
 Taking as an example the country lying between the 
 Ohio and Mississippi rivers, it will be seen that in the 
 point formed by their junction, the forest covers the whole 
 ground, and that as these rivers diverge, the prairies begin 
 to intervene. At first there is only an occasional meadow, 
 small, and not very distinctly defined. Proceeding north- 
 ward the timber is found to decrease, and the prairies to 
 expand ; yet the plains are still comparatively small, 
 wholly unconnected with each other, and their outlines 
 distinctly marked by the woodlands which surround and 
 separate them. They are insulated and distinct tracts of 
 meadow land, embosomed in the forest. Advancing fur- 
 ther to the north, the prairie surface begins to predominate ; 
 the prairies now become large, and communicate with 
 each other like a chain of lakes, by means of numerous 
 avenues or vistas ; still however, the traveler is surrounded 
 by timber ; his eye never loses sight of the deep green 
 outline, throwing out its capes and headlands ; though ho 
 sees no more those dense forests and large trees, whose 
 deep shade almost appalled him in the more southern 
 district. 
 
 Travelling onward in the same direction, the prairies 
 continue to expand, until we find ourselves surrounded 
 by one vast plain. In the country over which we have 
 passed, the forest is interspersed with these interesting 
 plains ; here the prairie is studded with groves and 
 copses, and the streams fringed with strips of woodland. 
 The eye sometimes roves over an immense expanse 
 
 o2
 
 78 THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 clothed with grass, discovering no other object on which 
 to rest, and finding no limit to its vision but the distant 
 horizon ; while more frequently it wanders from grove to 
 grove, and from one point of woodland to another, charmed 
 and refreshed by an endless variety of scenic beauty. 
 
 This description applies chiefly to Illinois, from a 
 careful inspection of which state we have drawn the pic- 
 ture ; but its general outlines are true of Indiana and 
 Missouri, and are applicable, to some extent, to Ohio and 
 Michigan. But if our path lie still farther to the west, 
 and conduct us to the wide tracts that extend from the 
 waters of the Arkansas to those of the Missouri and Mis- 
 sissippi, we arrive at a region of boundless plains — bound- 
 less to the eye of the traveler, which discovers nothing 
 but the verdant carpet and the blue sky, without a grove, 
 a tree, or a bush, to add variety to the landscape, and 
 where the naked meadow often commences at the very 
 margins of the streams. 
 
 When the prairie is bare, it is easy to distinguish the 
 rich from the poorer lands, by the small hillocks which 
 are scattered over them, and which are most abundant 
 where the soil is least productive. They are from a few 
 inches, to two or three feet in height, and can only, of 
 course, exist where the clay lies near the surface ; as such 
 mounds composed of the rich mould, would soon crumble 
 away. They have a singular appearance, and are some- 
 times so thickly scattered as to be inconvenient to the 
 horseman, who attempts to ride through the high grass. 
 The inhabitants call them gopher hills, under the belief 
 that they were raised by a small quadruped of that name. 
 I never saw a gopher — nor a man who had seen one. 
 Col. Long, however, and his companions saw them far 
 to the west ; so that while the existence of such an ani- 
 mal seems to be proved, it is obvious from the fact that it 
 is no longer seen within our settlements, that like the In- 
 dian it cannot endure the vicinity of civilized man, and
 
 THEORY OF THE PRAIRIES. 79 
 
 has long since forsaken our borders. But I am inclined 
 to believe that very few of the hillocks attributed to these 
 animals are of their workmanship. In the wet prairies 
 they are thrown up by craivjlsh, who always burrow in 
 the clay, and not in rich or crumbling soil, that would 
 cave in and mar their labor ; in drier situations they have 
 been thrown up by industrious colonies of ants, who also 
 belong to the clay party, and make their internal improve- 
 ments in the kind of earth best suited to their purpose 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Theory of the Prairies. 
 
 The prairies afford a subject of curious inquiry to 
 every traveler who visits these regions. Their appearance 
 is novel and imposing- and he who beholds it for the first 
 lime experiences a sensation similar to that which fills 
 the imagination at the first sight of the ocean. The wide 
 and unlimited prospect calls up perceptions of the sublime 
 and beautiful ; its peculiarity awakens a train of inquisi- 
 tive thought. Upon the mind of an American especially, 
 accustomed to see new land clothed with timber, and to 
 associate the idea of a tangled and silent forest, with that 
 of a wilderness, the appearance of sunny plains, and a 
 diversified landscape, untenanted by man, and unimproved 
 by art, is singular and striking. Perhaps if our imagina- 
 tions were divested of the impressions created by memo- 
 ry, the subject would present less difficulty ; and if we 
 could reason abstractly, it might be as easy to account for 
 the origin of a prairie, as for that of a forest. 
 
 It is natural to suppose that the first covering of I lie 
 earth would be composed of such plants as arrive at ma- 

 
 80 THEORY OF THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 turity in the shortest time. Annual plants would ripen, 
 and scatter their seeds, many times, before trees and 
 shrubs would acquire the power of reproducing their own 
 species. In the mean time the propagation of the latter 
 would be liable to be retarded by a variety of accidents — 
 the frost would nip their tender stems in the winter — fire 
 would consume, or the blast would shatter them — and 
 the wild grazing animals would bite them off, or tread 
 them under foot ; while many of their seeds, particularly 
 such as assume the form of nuts or fruit, would be de- 
 voured by animals. The grasses, which are propagated 
 both by the root and by seed, are exempt from the opera- 
 tion of almost all these casualties. Providence has, with 
 unerring wisdom, fitted every production of nature to sus- 
 tain itself against the accidents to which it is most ex- 
 posed, and has given to those plants which constitute the 
 food of animals, a remarkable tenacity of life ; so that al- 
 though bitten off, and trodden, and even burned, they 
 still retain the vital principle. That trees have a similar 
 power of self protection, if we may so express it, is evi- 
 dent from their present existence in a state of nature. 
 We only assume, that in the earliest s'ate of being, the 
 grasses would have the advantage, over plants less hardy, 
 and of slower growth ; and that when both are struggling 
 together for the possession of the soil, the former would 
 at first gain the ascendancy ; although the latter, in con- 
 sequence of their superior size and strength, would final- 
 ly, if they should ever get possession of any portion of 
 the soil, entirely overshadow and destroy their humble 
 rivals. 
 
 We have no means of determining at what period the 
 fires began to sweep over these plains, because we know 
 not when they began to be inhabited. It is quite possible 
 that they might have been occasionally fired by lightning 
 previous to the introduction of that element by human 
 agency. At all events, it is very evident that as soon as 

 
 THEORY OF THE PRAIRIES. 81 
 
 fire began to be used in this country by its inhabitants, 
 the annual burning of the prairie must have commenced. 
 
 One of the peculiarities of this climate is the dryness 
 of its summers and autumns. A drought often commences 
 in August, which, with the exception of a few showers 
 towards the close of that month, continues, with little in- 
 terruption, throughout the fall season. The autumnal 
 months are almost invariably clear, warm, and dry. The 
 immense mass of vegetation, with which this fertile soil 
 loads itself during the summer, is suddenly withered, and 
 the whole earth covered with combustible materials. 
 This is especially true of the prairies, where the grass 
 grows from two to ten feet high, and being entirely ex- 
 posed to the action of the sun and wind, dries with great 
 rapidity. A single spark of fire, falling any where upon 
 these plains, at such a time, instantly kindles a blaze, that 
 spreads on every side, and continues its destructive course 
 as long as it finds fuel. 
 
 Travelers have described these fires as sweeping with 
 a rapidity, which renders it hazardous even to fly before 
 them ; and our children's books and school geographies 
 are embellished with plates, representing men, horses, 
 and wild animals, retreating at full speed, and with every 
 mark of terror, before the devouring element. These are 
 exaggerations. If instances of this kind of danger have 
 ever occurred, they have been rare. We have never 
 witnessed, or heard of such a scene'. There is not an 
 authenticated case, on record, or in tradition, in which a 
 man or an animal has been burned by these fires, unless 
 he was drunk or wounded. The burning of several In- 
 dians mentioned by Lewis and Clarke, was probably the 
 result of some unusual accident, which they did not think 
 necessary to explain. The thick sward of the prairie 
 presents a considerable mass of fuel, and offers a barrier 
 to the progress of the flame, not easily surmounted. The 
 fire advances slowly, and with power. The heat is in-
 
 82 THEORY OF THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 tense. The flames often extend across a wide prairie, and 
 advance in a long line. No sight can he more sublime, 
 than to behold at night, a stream of fire several miles in 
 breadth, advancing across these plains, leaving behind it 
 a black cloud of smoke, and throwing before it a vivid 
 glare which lights up the whole landscape with the bril- 
 liancy of noonday. A roaring and cracking sound is 
 heard like the rushing of a hurricane. The flame, which 
 in general rises to the height of about twenty feet, is seen 
 sinking, and darting upward in spires, precisely as the 
 waves dash against each other, and as the spray flies up 
 into the air ; and the whole appearance is often that of a 
 boiling and flaming sea, violently agitated. The progress 
 of the fire is so slow, and the heat so great, that every 
 combustible material in its course is consumed. The 
 root of the prairie-grass alone, by some peculiar adapta- 
 tion of nature, is spared ; for of most other vegetables, 
 not only is the stem destroyed, but the vital principle ex- 
 tinguished. Woe to the farmer, whose ripe corn fields 
 extend into the prairie, and who has carelessly suffered 
 the tall grass to grow in contact with his fences ! The 
 whole labor of the year is swept away in a few hours. 
 But such accidents are comparatively unfrequent, as the 
 preventive is simple, and easily applied. A narrow strip 
 of bare ground prevents the fire from extending to the 
 space beyond it. A beaten road, of the width of a single 
 wagon track, arrests its progress. The treading of the 
 domestic animals around the inclosures of the farmer af- 
 fords often a sufficient protection, by destroying the fuel 
 in their vicinity ; and in other cases a few furrows are 
 drawn round the field with the plough, or the wild grass 
 is closely mowed down on the outside of the fence. 
 
 It will be readily seen, that as soon as those fires com- 
 menced, all the young timber within their range, must 
 have been destroyed. The whole face of the country be- 
 ing spread out into vast plains, unbroken by hills, and but
 
 THEORY OF THE PRAIRIES. 83 
 
 little intersected by streams, or other obstacles which 
 might obstruct the onward career of the devouring ele- 
 ment, the tire kindled at different places, would sweep 
 on unchecked, until it had passed over the whole region — 
 with a few exceptions, of which we shall now speak. 
 
 In the bottom lands, and along the margins of streams, 
 the grass and herbage remains green until late in the 
 autumn, in consequence of the moisture of the soil. Here 
 the fire would stop, for want of fuel ; the shrubs would 
 thus escape from year to year, and the outer bark acquire 
 sufficient hardness to protect the inner and more vital 
 parts. The margins of the streams having thus become 
 fringed with thickets, the latter, by shading the ground, 
 would destroy the grass, and prevent the moisture of the 
 soil from being rapidly evaporated ; so that even the fallen 
 leaves would not become dried so thoroughly, or so early 
 in the season, as the grass of the open plains, and the fire 
 would always afterwards find here comparatively little 
 fuel. These thickets grow up into strips of forests, which 
 continue to extend until they reach the high table land 
 of the prairie ; and so invariably exact is this process, 
 that we see the timber now, not only covering all the 
 bottom lands, and hillsides skirting the streams, but 
 wherever a ravine or hollow extends from the low grounds 
 up into the prairie, these are filled with young timber of 
 more recent growth. But the moment we reach the level 
 plain of the country, we see the evidences of a continued 
 struggle between the forest and the prairie : at one place, 
 where the fire has, on some occasion, burned with greater 
 fierceness than usual, it has successfully assailed the 
 edges of the forest, and made deep inroads, and at ano- 
 ther, the forest has pushed long capes or points into the 
 prairie. 
 
 Having thus stated briefly the theory which seems to 
 us to be consistent with reason, and adduced as many 
 facts as appear neeessary to its support, we shall for the 

 
 84 THEORY OF THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 present, to avoid repetition, omit some striking proofs 
 which will be necessarily alluded to hereafter, and proceed 
 to exhibit some of the hypotheses advanced by others. 
 
 The flood has, of course, been cited as the grand cause 
 of the formation of the prairies — for what phenomenon 
 in the geological or the topographical aspect of the earth, 
 has not been referred to some one of the great concatena 
 tion of events which attended that extraordinary exertion 
 of omnipotence ! But we do not venture to go back so 
 far. We are satisfied with having found a sufficient ex- 
 planation within a more recent period. That the great 
 plain of the west may have been formed by the deposition 
 of earthy particles which took place upon the subsiding 
 of the waters, after that wonderful catastrophe, is very 
 probable ; though we doubt whether much light will ever 
 be shed upon the subject, or whether it be practicable to 
 ascertain any thing further in relation to that awful event, 
 than the sacred historian has deemed it proper to disclose. 
 It has however little to do with the growth of timber at 
 one location, or the absence of that production at another 
 
 A writer in the American Quarterly Review, for whose 
 judgment we entertain the most perfect respect, has sug- 
 gested an explanation somewhat different from that which 
 we have advanced. He says, " The origin of these 
 prairies has occasioned much theory ; it is to our minds 
 very simple ; they are caused by the Indian custom of 
 annually burning the leaves and grass in autumn, which 
 prevents the growth of any young trees* Time will thus 
 form prairies ; for some of the old trees annually perish- 
 ing, and there being no undergrowth to supply their place, 
 they become thinner every year ; and as they diminish 
 they shade the grass less, which therefore grows more 
 luxuriantly, and when a strong wind carries a fire through 
 the dried grass and leaves which cover the earth with com- 
 bustible matter several feet deep, the volume of flame de- 
 stroys all before it ; the very animals cannot escape.
 
 THEORY OF THE PRAIRIES. 85 
 
 We have seen it enwrap a forest upon which it was pre- 
 cipitated, and destroy whole acres of trees. After a 
 beginning is made, the circle widens every year, until 
 prairies open as boundless as the ocean. Young growth 
 follows the Americas settlement, since the settler keeps 
 off those annual burnings* Another proof of our theory 
 is, that prairies are all upon rich, rolling, and compara- 
 tively dry, soil, where much vegetable matter would 
 accumulate to raise the ilame, and but little moisture to 
 counteract it." 
 
 This writer differs from us, in supposing that the forest 
 has Seen destroyed by the action of fire, while we ima- 
 gine that its production has been prevented by that cause. 
 We deny that there is any proof of fires in the woods 
 having been so extensive, or so destructive as he sup- 
 poses. The destruction of growing timber by fire is not 
 a common occurrence, though we do not question that 
 the writer has witnessed it under the circumstances which 
 he states. The fact is undeniable, that in those countries 
 where woodland and prairie are found adjacent, the fire 
 ceases to display the same destructive energy in the for- 
 mer, that it exhibits in the latter. The edges of the 
 prairie do not exhibit appearances of encroachment by 
 fire on the timber ; on the contrary the woodland seems 
 to be increasing, and it is much more common to see 
 young thickets spreading out from the woods upon the 
 plain, than to behold the stumps and trunks of trees 
 which had been killed by fire. But a conclusive argu- 
 ment is, that the destruction of the forest by fire, for 
 which the -writer contends, would have taken place on the 
 hills, and on broken grounds, as well as on the level, while 
 the prairie only occupies the latter. 
 
 In the very interesting narrative of Long's First Expe- 
 dition to the west, we find a statement similar to that 
 which we have quoted, though advanced with less confi- 
 dence. " The lands immediately in the rear of St. Louis, 
 
 H
 
 86 THEORY OF THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 between the Mississippi and the Missouri, below their 
 junction, have an undulated surface, and a deep alluvial 
 soil. Since their occupation by permanent inhabitants, 
 the yearly ravages of the fire have been prevented, and a 
 dense growth of oaks and elms has sprung up." 
 
 " In this fact we have a satisfactory explanation of the 
 cause of the present want of forest trees in extensive tracts 
 on the Missouri, which appear, in every respect, adapted 
 to the growth of timber. If these lands, called prairies, 
 ivere at any former period covered with forests, it may 
 easily be supposed, the yearly devastations of fires break- 
 ing out in dry seasons, would destroy many of the trees. 
 The forests being thus broken, the growth of grass and 
 annual plants would be greatly facilitated by the naked- 
 ness of the soil, and the free admission of the rays of the 
 sun. Forests attract rain, and impede evaporation, while 
 the reverberation from the surface of vast plains and des- 
 erts, tends to dissipate the clouds and vapors which are 
 driven over them by the winds. In fertile districts like 
 the alluvial lands of the Missouri and Mississippi, a heavy 
 annual growth of herbaceous plants is produced, which, 
 after the autumnal frosts, becomes dry and peculiarly adapt- 
 ed to facilitate and extend the ravages of fire. In a coun- 
 try occupied by hunters, who are kindling their camp 
 fires in every part of the forest, and who often like the 
 Mongalls in the grassy deserts of Asia, set fire to the 
 plains, in order to attract herbivorous animals, by the 
 growth of tender and nutritious herbage which springs 
 up soon after the burning, it is easy to see these annual 
 conflagrations could not fail to happen." 
 
 "In the Autumn of 1819 the burnings, owing to the 
 Unusual drought, continued until very late in the season, 
 so that the weeds in the low grounds were consumed, to 
 the manifest injury of the forests. Large bodies of tim- 
 ber are so frequently destroyed in this way, that the ap-
 
 THEORY OF THE PRAIRIES. 87 
 
 pearance has become familiar to hunters and travelers, 
 and has received the name of deadening," 
 
 To this statement, taken altogether, we have no objec- 
 tion, as it does not differ materially from our own views. 
 If the plains, — as the author cautiously suggests, were at 
 any former period covered with forest, there is no other 
 agent than fire, by means of which they could have become 
 denuded. And the admission, in the latter part of the quo- 
 tation, that an unusual drought, continuing late in the 
 season, is necessary to carry the tire into the low grounds, 
 and render it injurious to the forests, is all that we could 
 ask, to shew that these are exceptions, whose occasional 
 occurrence could not produce an effect so invariable* as the 
 non-existence of timber on the plains of the west. 
 
 Major Stoddard, in his Sketches of Louisiana, hold? the 
 following language : " The prairies are covered with 
 grass. These were probably occasioned by the ravages 
 of fire ; because whenever copses of trees are found on 
 them, the ground about them is low, and too moist to ad 
 mit the fire to pass over it." 
 
 An opinion differing from all these is expressed by the 
 enterprising traveler, Pike, who in speaking of the prairies 
 attributes their destitution of timber, to a deficiency of 
 moisture in the soil and climate. " I therefore consider,' 
 says he, " that this country never was timbered, as from 
 the earliest ages, the aridity of the soil, having so few 
 water courses running through it, and they being princi- 
 pally dry in summer, has never afforded moisture suffi- 
 cient to support the growth of timber." This argument 
 might apply, with sufficient plausibility, to the deserts of 
 Arabia, and to the sand plains lying east of the Rocky 
 mountains, where there is not enough of moisture to afford 
 nourishment to any vegetation ; but the character of our 
 prairies is not that of barrenness. The plain of the Mis- 
 sissippi is dry, but not so arid as to be incapable of sup- 
 porting vegetable life. The luxuriance of the wild growth,
 
 88 THEORY OF THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 and the admirable adaptation of the soil to the purposes 
 of husbandry, afford conclusive evidence that although 
 the surface be parched, there is some process by which 
 nature affords an ample supply of moisture : and this is 
 probably by the ascension of v\ T ater by capillary attraction, 
 through the porous substrata, from the subterranean cur- 
 rents, which are known to be abundant, and to lie near 
 the surface. General Pike wrote before any part of the 
 prairie region was settled by the American people, when 
 but little of it had been explored, and when the facts to 
 which we have alluded in support of our views, had not 
 been ascertained. 
 
 It has been suggested that the prairies were caused by 
 hurricanes, which had blown down the timber, and left it 
 in a condition to be consumed by fire, after it was dried 
 by lying on the ground. A single glance at the immense 
 region in which the prairie surface predominates, must 
 refute this idea. Hurricanes are quite limited in their 
 sphere of action. Although they sometimes extend for 
 many miles in length, their track is always narrow, and 
 often but a few hundred yards in breadth. And it is a 
 well known fact, that wherever the timber has been thus 
 prostrated, a dense and tangled thicket shoots up imme- 
 diately, and protected by the fallen trees, grows with un- 
 common vigor. 
 
 Some have imagined that our prairies have been lakes ; 
 but this hypothesis is not tenable. If the whole state of 
 Illinois is imagined to have been one lake, it ought to be 
 shewn that it has a general concavity of surface. But so 
 far from this being true, the contrary is the fact : the high- 
 est parts of the state are in its centre. If we suppose, 
 as some assert, that each prairie was once a lake, we are 
 met by the same objection ; as a general rule, the prairies 
 are highest in the middle, and have a gradual declivity 
 towards the sides ; and when we reach the timber, instead 
 of finding banks corresponding with the shores of a lake,
 
 THEORY OF THE PRAIRIES. 89 
 
 we almost invariably discover valleys, ravines, and water 
 courses, considerably depressed below the general level 
 of the plain. Nor does the circumstance of ponds being 
 found in the middle of prairies, disprove the assertion that 
 they are convex, and highest in the centre, as is suggest- 
 ed by one of our writers, any more than depressions on 
 the surface of the globe, prove that it is not round. There 
 cannot be the least ground for a doubt, that, as a general 
 rule, the prairie surface is slightly, but decidedly, convex. 
 Wherever hills are found rising above the common plane 
 of the country, they are clothed with timber ; and the 
 same fact is true of all broken lands. This affords addi- 
 tional evidence in support of our theory. Most of the 
 land in such situations is poor ; the grass would be short, 
 and if it burned at all, would occasion but little heat. In 
 some places the progress of the fire would be checked by 
 rocks and ravines ; and in no case would there be that 
 accumulation of dry material which is found on the fer- 
 tile plain, nor that broad unbroken surface, and free ex* 
 posure, which are required to afford full scope to the 
 devouring element. 
 
 There are other facts, too well known to admit of dis- 
 pute, which strongly corroborate these views. It is un- 
 deniable, that from the first settlement of the western 
 prairies, the timber has been rapidly increasing ; and 
 from the best information that we can get on the subject, 
 it is pretty certain, that it spreads in a proportion at least 
 equal to the increase of population. Although thousands 
 of acres of woodland are annually cleared, it is unques- 
 tionably true, that the quantity of timber in the whole 
 region in which prairies are embraced, is increasing with 
 every year. Wherever a prairie, of but few miles in ex- 
 tent, is entirely surrounded by the farms which occupy 
 the adjoining woodland, it is found that the wild grass is 
 quickly succeeded by a growth of weeds, and that these 
 in turn give place to bushes. The operation is simple, 
 
 n 2
 
 90 THEORY OF THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 We have already shown, that the growth of timber is only 
 prevented by the annual fires ; and it is easily seen that 
 where a portion of the prairie is insulated, as above de- 
 scribed, the precautions used by the farmers, to defend 
 their own property from the devouring element, will also 
 protect that portion of the prairie which is thus detached 
 from the main body. The large herds of domestic cattle, 
 also, which run at large in the new settlements, contribute 
 to this process, by keeping down the luxuriance of the 
 natural grass, so as to leave but little fuel for the fire, 
 even in places exposed to its approach. It is therefore a 
 common observation, that around all the farms, the prairie 
 has given, or is giving way, to thickets. In the oldest 
 counties, where settlements have existed for twenty or 
 thirty years, forests of excellent timber are now shown, 
 of several miles in extent, the whole of which has grown 
 up within the memory of the inhabitants. So rapid, and 
 so certain, is this process, that we may state the fact as 
 undeniable, that wherever the soil is protected from the 
 action of the fire, timber will grow spontaneously, which, 
 in from sixteen to twenty years, will be fit to be used for 
 fuel, fencing, and many other purposes. 
 
 An instance of the facility with which the soil, when 
 protected from fire becomes covered with timber, occur- 
 red under the notice of the writer. An individual had 
 enclosed a single field in the prairie, in which corn was 
 cultivated for several years, when it was abandoned, and 
 the rails which composed the fence carried away. In 
 the mean while the corners of the fence, and a narrow 
 strip on each side of it, having been protected from the fire 
 on the one hand, and the plough on the other, grew up 
 in bushes. After the field was deserted, this natural 
 hedge remained for years, and still remains ; having 
 grown up into a row of tall trees, occupying the former 
 'ine of the fence, while the interior of the square became
 
 THEORY OF THE TRAIRLES. 91 
 
 also covered with brushwood ; and thus a grove has been 
 formed which bids defiance to the lire. 
 
 It will be remembered that we have maintained that the 
 earth was coveml with grass, antecedently to the growth 
 of trees. We admitted that on the margins of streams, 
 upon mountains, and on broken grounds, — wherever, in 
 short, the progress of the autumnal fires should be inter- 
 cepted, either by the conformation, or the moisture, of 
 the surface, timber would rapidly cover the ground, while 
 at the same time we contended, that in the open plains 
 grass would long continue to hold possession. We have 
 given ample proof of the correctness of this theory, in 
 reference to our western prairies ; and we shall now show 
 that it is probably true of other parts of the United States. 
 
 In the " Memoirs of the Historical Society of Pennsyl- 
 vania," we find an article entitled " Sketches of the early 
 history of Byberry in the county of Philadelphia, by Isaac 
 Comly," a worthy member of the Society of Friends, and 
 a descendant of the companions of Penn. Byberry town- 
 ship lies in the north east end of the county of Philadel- 
 phia, distant from the city between thirteen and sixteen 
 miles. The account is compiled from the most authentic 
 sources, and reaches back to the first settlement of the 
 country. The writer says, " Byberry was settled early 
 after the arrival of William Penn. When the white peo- 
 ple first came here, we are informed they f omul but few 
 large trees standing, though plenty of saplings and un- 
 derbruslt ; and in some places, particularly in Mooreland, 
 the ground was covered with coarse grass, as high as a 
 man's head." This is a very striking passage. It seems, 
 that there were prairies in Philadelphia county ! and that 
 the ground ivas covered ivith coarse grass that grew as 
 high as a mail's head, answering precisely to the des- 
 cription of the prairie grass of the West. Other spots 
 were destitute of large trees, but produced " plenty of sap- 
 lings and underbrush," — being in the state intermediate
 
 92 THEORY OF THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 between prairie and forest, and thus affording- the strong- 
 est proof of the change which the country had then re- 
 cently undergone. 
 
 In another volume of the transactions of the same socie- 
 ty, we have " An account of the first settlement of the 
 townships of Buckingham and Solesbury, in Bucks county, 
 Pennsylvania, by Dr. Joseph Watson," — a gentleman 
 who died some few years ago, at an advanced age, and 
 whose own recollections, with the accounts transmitted to 
 him by his father and grandfather, the latter of whom 
 came out with William Penn, supplied him with the most 
 authentic information. Speaking of the employments o** 
 the first settlers, he says, " they cut grass in the plains, 
 or swamps, often at several miles from home, stacked it 
 up on the spot, and hauled it home in the winter." The 
 counties of Bucks and Philadelphia, lie adjoining, if we 
 mistake not, and occupy an extensive undulating plain on 
 the margin of the Delaware ; and we think that the evi- 
 dence of the two writers, who state the facts above quoted, 
 incidentally, without any view to the support of a theory, 
 sufficiently proves the former existence of prairies in that 
 region ; while their non-existence within the memory of 
 the present inhabitants, shews also the rapidity with 
 which, after settlements are made, timber will cover the 
 interjacent plains. 
 
 The first settlers of Kentucky found large tracts of the 
 country destitute of trees, and covered with bushes. Sup- 
 posing that the want of timber was caused by the sterility 
 of the soil, or some other circumstance unfriendly to vege- 
 tation, they gave to these spots, the expressive name of 
 " the barrens," and carefully avoided them in making 
 their selections of land. The barrens, were extensive 
 plains, interspersed with hill and dale — not so level as 
 the prairies, north and west of the Ohio, yet not broken 
 by deep ravines, or abrupt ridges. It was soon discover- 
 ed that the bushes were growing up into thrifty saplings ;
 
 THEORY OF THE TRAIRIES. 93 
 
 and on farther examination the soil was found to be of 
 good quality. The country was soon occupied, and now 
 contains a large population ; while forests of valuable tim- 
 ber are growing upon the soil, over which, within the 
 memory of living witnesses, the hunter could see the deer 
 bounding over the brush, as far as the eye could reach. 
 
 Trumbull in his " History of Connecticut," a work 
 compiled with great care and labor, from the most au- 
 thentic sources, speaks in various places of the practice 
 of the early settlers, of cutting hay from the wild meadows : 
 a phraseology which distinctly asserts the existence of 
 plains, covered with grass, and destitute of timber. He 
 also describes these natural meadows, and gives his own 
 inferences as to their formation. He says, 
 
 " When the English became first acquainted with that 
 tract, comprised within the settled part of Connecticut; it 
 was a vast wilderness. There were no pleasant fields, 
 nor gardens, no public roads, nor cleared plats. Except 
 in places where the timber had been destroyed, and its 
 growth prevented by frequent fires, the groves were thick 
 and lofty. The Indians so often burned the country, to 
 take deer and other wild game, that in many of the plain 
 dry parts of it, there was but little small timber. Where 
 the lands were thus burned, there grew bent grass, or, as 
 some called it, thatch, two, three, and four feet high, ac- 
 cording to the strength of the land. This, with other 
 combustible matter which the fields and groves produced, 
 when dry in the spring and fall, burned with violence and 
 killed all the small trees. The large ones escaped, and 
 generally grew to a notable height and magnitude. In 
 this manner the natives so thinned the groves, that they 
 were able to plant their corn and obtain a crop." 
 
 This statement is undoubtedly accurate so far as the 
 author has related the facts which came down to him ; 
 while so much as is the result of his own attempt at ex- 
 planation is fallacious. There were plains, which were
 
 94 THEORY OF THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 annually burned, on which grass grew, and where the 
 Indians raised corn. But corn never grew under the 
 shade of large trees of ''notable" growth. Whatever 
 might have been true of other places, the spots on which 
 the grass grew four feet high, and where corn was culti- 
 vated, must have been entirely exposed to the action of 
 the sun. 
 
 Captain Smith, on the contrary, found the whole of 
 Virginia covered with timber, and is careful to record that 
 he saw no plains, " but only where the Salvages inhabit, 
 but all overgrown with trees and weeds, being a plaine 
 wildernesse as God first made it." 
 
 Captain Owen, of the British navy, in a late voyage to 
 the coast of Africa, of which an interesting account has 
 been published, describes a large tract of the interior 
 which he explored, as " a low level country, with some 
 knots of trees, like park land ;" and from other allusions 
 in the same book, we suppose that he often met with ex- 
 tensive plains of wild meadow, precisely similar to those 
 of Illinois and Missouri. The fact may pass for what it 
 is worth. We adduce it for the purpose of shewing that 
 there is nothing in the character of our prairies so anoma- 
 lous, or so contrary to the laws of nature, as is supposed 
 by those who have been accustomed to see wild lands 
 clothed with timber.
 
 SOIL OF THE PRAIRIES. 95 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Soil of the Prairies — Explanations in regard to the want of timber. 
 
 Fanciful writers have divided the prairies into alluvial 
 and rolling ; but no such distinction exists in point of 
 fact, or is tenable according to any received theory, or 
 scientilic deduction. The formation of the whole is so 
 invariable in character, as to render it certain, that if any 
 part is alluvial, the whole is equally so, nor do those plains 
 whicli are rolling, as nearly all are, differ in soil from the 
 remainder, so as to justify this sort of classification. The 
 probability is that the whole western plain is diluvial, 
 with the exception only of the bottom lands on the mar- 
 gins of rivers, which are alluvial, and of recent formation. 
 The levelness of the surface, the absence of stones, the 
 light quality of the loam, with other indications, seem to 
 establish the fact, that this vast plain is composed of the 
 sediment, deposited at the universal deluge. Marine 
 shells have been found in our prairies ; at one place par- 
 ticularly, an immense mass of oyster shells lie deposited 
 not far below the surface. Logs have been discovered, 
 buried thirty or forty feet deep. Boulders, or detached 
 masses of stone, are occasionally seen on the prairies, ly- 
 ing loosely on the ground, not only entirely separate from 
 the limestone pan beneath, but differing from it in kind. 
 They are obviously not meteoric ; and it seems that they 
 have been wrenched from their native beds, and brought 
 to the places where they are now seen, by some great 
 convulsion of nature. They are granite, and there is no 
 spot at which that description of rock exists, and from 
 which they could have been brought, nearer than the 
 Allegheny, or the Rocky mountains, or the northern 
 shores of the lakes. Yet they are numerously scattered 
 throughout Illinois and Missouri.
 
 96 SOIL OF THE PRAIRIES. 
 
 The great cause of the amazing fertility of the soil of 
 new countries, is, the accumulation of decayed vegetable 
 matter upon the surface. The leaves and grass, and other 
 annual productions, which decay in the autumn, cover the 
 ground every year with a new coat, of the most fertilizing 
 quality. The boughs which are continually falling, the 
 bark, of which most trees throw off a portion annually, 
 and the trees themselves, which are torn up by tempests, 
 or die of old age, form altogether an inexhaustible store, 
 which continually rotting and adding to the soil, is as 
 continually receiving and preparing new supplies. The 
 plains as well as the woodland, are thus enriched. The 
 annual burning of the prairies, may interfere to a consider- 
 able extent with this arrangement, but it does not defeat 
 it ; for although the fall of the leaf occurs emphatically 
 and poetically in the autumn, it is not confined exclusive- 
 ly to that season. On the contrary, every vegetable is 
 constantly throwing off a portion of its substance, and 
 throughout the whole season of vegetation, the soil is daily 
 gaining something, by deposit ; even the ashes left by the 
 autumnal fires, are not without their value. However 
 thin the coat may be, which is spread over the earth in 
 one year, and how trifling soever it may seem to us, yet, 
 when we reflect that this process has been going on for 
 ages, it is easy to see that the accumulation must, in the 
 aggregate, be important. Nor can we in any other ration- 
 al manner, explain the reason of the difference between 
 new lands, and those which have been exhausted by cul- 
 tivation. The one is continually losing by exposure to 
 the sun and atmosphere, while its products are carried 
 away by man ; the contrary is true of the other, and the 
 fanner who manures his land, only resorts to a simple 
 operation of nature. 
 
 The decomposed vegetable matter, when completely 
 rotted, forms a light black mould, which is the very rich- 
 est and best manure in the world ; and which, if used
 
 SOIL OF THE PRAIRIES. 97 
 
 simply as such, would be prized by the European farmer, 
 above every other substance, which is usually applied to 
 that purpose. A soil of unrivalled fertility is thus formed, 
 extending throughout the whole country, but differing in 
 
 depth, according to circumstances. The light particles, 
 of which it is composed, are easily washed by rains, from 
 the higher into the lower grounds. The valleys thus re- 
 ceive new supplies, in addition to that which their own 
 vegetation affords, while the hills only retain the small 
 portions which may be intercepted by the grass or fibrous 
 roots, or by other accidental causes. On the low grounds, 
 therefore, the stratum of mould has been found to be, in 
 some instances, twelve feet deep ; while on the hills, it is 
 seldom more than a few inches. This process can, of 
 course, only prevail in the hilly and timbered regions, to 
 any extent ; and it is thus that those rich bottoms are 
 created, which margin all the streams, and those fertile 
 valleys, which astonish every beholder with the rankness 
 and beauty of the vegetation that covers them. A differ- 
 ent operation obtains upon the prairie, whose level surface 
 is not washed by rains. Here the accumulation is con- 
 tinual, though slow ; all that is gained is kept ; and the 
 diluvian plain is covered with a rich vegetable mould, 
 which is always increasing in depth. 
 
 It has been remarked, and there is no doubt of the fact, 
 that the highest points of the prairie are invariably the 
 richest ; a circumstance which cannot be readily account- 
 ed for, unless we suppose that these lands are diluvial, 
 and that those spots would be richest, at which the larg- 
 est masses of diluvium were accumulated. It is easy to 
 imagine the varieties which must occur, on these princi- 
 ples, between the extremes which we have suggested. 
 The exceptions are numerous and depend chiefly on the 
 quality of the subsoil ; if too porous it absorbs the ferti- 
 lizing juices ; if impervious to water, it retains too large 
 
 I
 
 98 EXPLANATIONS IN REGARD TO 
 
 a proportion of that element on the surface, and forms 
 what are called wet prairies. 
 
 Having thrown out these hints, it is only necessary to 
 add, briefly, that the soil is a rich black mould, containing 
 an admixture of fine silicious sand. It is supposed to 
 contain a portion of decomposed limestone, and is warm, 
 quick, and lively. Its depth is as remarkable as its won- 
 derful productiveness. 
 
 We pass now to some points of immediate practical 
 importance to the agricultural population of our valley, 
 which have not been understood abroad. When the eye 
 of the experienced farmer, roves for the first time over the 
 prairies of the west, he is struck with the dreariness of 
 the prospect. That which is beautiful and picturesque 
 to another, conveys no corresponding sensations to the 
 mind of one who views it simply in relation to its capa- 
 city for the support of man, and the business of life. The 
 absence of timber, seems to him an evil without remedy, 
 and in his judgment millions of acres appear destined to 
 bloom in eternal wilderness. So obvious is this view of 
 the case, that we frequently hear the remark, from judicious 
 men, that but for the want of timber, the advantages of 
 Illinois and Missouri, as agricultural states, would stand 
 unrivalled. An attentive examination of this question in 
 all its bearings, will shew that this conclusion is falla- 
 cious, and that in fact, the supply of this indispensable 
 article, is as abundant at this time, as its future increase 
 in quantity is certain. 
 
 We have explained the manner in which the forest and 
 prairie are interspersed throughout our country, and have 
 shown that the former is found skirting the shores of all 
 our rivers, and smaller water courses. Such are the situ- 
 ations, as regards locality, in which the first inhabitants 
 always choose to settle, for the purpose of enjoying the 
 united advantages of wood and water ; and the vicinity 
 of navigable streams holds out other strong inducements.
 
 THE WANT OF TIMBER. 99 
 
 The open prairies, or those parts of the country which 
 are now destitute of timber, being invariably the most 
 distant from living streams, would of course, as a general 
 rule, be the last to he settled, even if all the surface was 
 alike covered with wood. {Such has been the actual pro- 
 cess of settlement. The margins of the large rivers were 
 rirst settled, the inhabitants tenaciously adhering to the 
 rich bottom lands, in spite of their dampness and insalu- 
 britv, and in defiance of the immense masses of heavy 
 timber, which rendered the clearing of those lands a gigan- 
 tic labor. More recently the prairie lands have acquired 
 reputation, and the emigration has flowed towards the in- 
 terior parts of the new states. But the settler, in forsak- 
 ing the margins of the large rivers, pursues the meanders 
 of the smaller streams, and selects his farm on the edge 
 of a prairie, where he may enjoy the combined advantages 
 of timber and plain. 
 
 For the present population, the quantity of timber is 
 amply sufficient ; and so small a portion of the timbered 
 lands is yet occupied, as to justify the assertion that 
 enough remains to supply all the inhabitants which these 
 states may be reasonably expected to contain for the next 
 half century. There are exceptions to these statements : 
 instances in which settlements have spread over an entire 
 prairie, and artificial means have been adopted for supply- 
 ing the want of wood ; hut we shall show presently, that 
 these cases go to prove the correctness of our views. We 
 assume the positions, that at present the settlements are 
 generally confined to the woodlands and adjoining prairies, 
 where is found an abundant supply of timber ; and that a 
 very small proportion, in comparison to the whole of the 
 timbered binds, is thus occupied. The remainder stands 
 open to new settlers, while nature has made ample pro- 
 vision for future generations. 
 
 We have seen, moreover, that as the country becomes 
 settled, the timber rapidly increases. We need not add
 
 100 EXPLANATIONS IN REGARD TO 
 
 to what we have said on this point. We think that we 
 have shown conclusively that there have been numberless 
 instances in this, and other parts of our continent, in which 
 forests have grown up, within the memory of man, with- 
 out the aid of any effort of human ingenuity ; and we can 
 imagine no reason why the same process should not con- 
 tinue to be carried forward. On the contrary, we have 
 seen this munificent operation of nature proceeding regu- 
 larly through a long series of years ; and as we believe it 
 to be the result of those immutable laws of nature, which 
 pervade all ages and countries, we have no right to sup- 
 pose that the future will not resemble the past. A care- 
 ful examination of the subject must convince any rational 
 mind, that there will always, during the whole process of 
 the settlement of this wide region, be land enough reclaim- 
 ed from prairie, and covered with timber, within each 
 generation of inhabitants, to supply the increase of popu- 
 lation which may have occurred during that time, until 
 the whole country shall be thus supplied with a due pro- 
 portion of wood. 
 
 But we are met here with another consideration, which 
 is worthy of notice. The question arises, whether the 
 race of farmers, now rising up in our country, will require 
 timber in as large quantities as their predecessors. We 
 reply that they certainly will not. Whenever an article 
 is abundant, it will be used with profusion ; when scarce, 
 economy will be practiced in its consumption. American 
 farmers have been accustomed to reside in the vicinity, 
 or in the bosom of immense forests, and to enjoy the use 
 of wood without stint. Not only has it been unnecessary 
 to economise in this article ,- but every where in the 
 United States, except latterly in a few districts, the 
 destruction of timber has been a desirable object, and has 
 constituted an unavoidable and laborious part of the busi- 
 ness of the husbandman. Wood has therefore been used 
 with prodigality, for all the purposes to which it is neces-
 
 THE WANT OF TIMBER. 101 
 
 sarily applied; while it baa also been substituted in num- 
 berless instances, for substances which, under other cir 
 cumstances, would have been more suitable. Not to 
 speak of wooden houses, bridges, and roaih — of wood for 
 fuel and fencing — we lind it adopted in the west for pur- 
 poses more anomalous, where wooden pins are substituted 
 for nails, and wells are curbed with hollow logs, where 
 the cabin door swinging on wooden hinges, is fastened 
 with a wooden latch, and the smoke escapes through a 
 wooden chimney. Engineers have proposed to substitute 
 wood-work for masonry in the construction of railways 
 and canal locks ; and it is said that an eminent lawyer in 
 Missouri, had a very convenient office, made of a single 
 section sawed from a hollow sycamore. Well may ours 
 be called a wooden country ; not merely from the extent 
 of its forests, but because in common use wood has been 
 substituted for a number of the most necessary and com- 
 mon articles — such as stone, iron, and even leather. 
 Whenever, therefore, timber shall cease to be cheaper 
 than the substances which might be used in its place, the 
 demand for it will be proportionally diminished. 
 
 There is still another view of this question, which is 
 important. That which appears to the superficial obser- 
 ver as a defect, is, in truth, one of the greatest sources 
 of the prosperity of our country. The labor of clearing 
 woodland, is the most arduous task to which the western 
 farmer is subjected, and has constituted in itself, the 
 greatest drawback to the rapid growth of the new states. 
 Where the soil is rich, the timber is generally heavy ; 
 and a lifetime is consumed in opening a farm. No one 
 but a backwoodsman, accustomed to dwell in forests, to 
 wield the axe, and to depend mainly upon his rifle for 
 subsistence, is fitted for this herculean enterprise ; when 
 undertaken by the husbandman from the eastern states, it 
 has scarcely ever failed to produce the most disastrous 
 consequences : bankruptcy, disease, disappointment, and 
 
 ' \%
 
 102 EXPLANATIONS IN REGARD TO 
 
 death, have traced his footsteps, and poisoned his enjoy- 
 ments. If the farmer is not sufficiently wealthy to hire 
 laborers, a few acres only are annually reclaimed from 
 the forest ; and even this is effected by the most laborious 
 and painful drudgery. Years are consumed, and the in- 
 dustrious settler, sees the prime of his manhood wasted, 
 before he begins to reap the fruit of his labors. If the 
 same operation is attempted to be performed by hired 
 labor, the expense of clearing exceeds the value of the 
 land when cleared ; while the stumps of the trees remain 
 for many years, occupying a large portion of the ground, 
 and greatly impeding the business of husbandry. In the 
 mean while, nothing is added to the industry or trade of 
 the country, because those who are engaged in clearing 
 lands can make no produce for market. 
 
 Nor is this all. The clearing of new lands, has always 
 been found to be productive of diseases of the most ma- 
 lignant character. The settler builds his cabin in the 
 gloom of dense shadows. The vegetable deposit of ages 
 is suddenly exposed to the glaring beams of the sun. 
 Thousands of trees are levelled — large portions of which 
 are left to rot on the ground. The air is filled with nox- 
 ious exhalations ; and bilious fevers are the consequence. 
 
 Far different is the case in our open country. The 
 settler may always select, upon our prairies, land as fer- 
 tile as the richest river bottoms ; and by settling in the 
 edge of the timber, combine every advantage afforded by 
 the latter. He finds the land already cleared, and has 
 only to enclose it. The labor of bringing it into culture 
 is comparatively trifling. A heavy plough and a strong 
 team is required the first year, to turn over the sod. The 
 corn is dropped in the furrows, and covered with a hoe, 
 and no other labor is bestowed upon it until it is fit to 
 gather; because during that year the crop cannot be 
 tended in the ordinary way, as the sod, already bound 
 together by the fibrous roots of the grass, is merely turned
 
 THE WANT OF TIMBER. 103 
 
 over, and not pulverized so as to admit of tillage. But 
 by turning the grass down, exposing the roots to the sun, 
 and leaving the sod undisturbed, it becomes mellowed in 
 one season, and while undergoing the process of decom- 
 position affords nourishment to the growing corn. The 
 crop thus raised is not abundant, nor the grain very 
 good ; but something like half the ordinary crop is raised, 
 which amply pays for the labor of planting and gathering. 
 By the ensuing spring, the roots of the wild grass, are 
 found to be completely rotted, and the plough is put into 
 a rich, light mould, fit for all the purposes of husbandry. 
 The ordinary operations of farming may now be conducted 
 in the usual way ; and the labor of cultivating a light soil, 
 unincumbered with rocks and stumps, is so trifling as to 
 leave time for the farmer to improve his land and build- 
 ings. The plough runs on a level plain of rich mould, 
 and may be managed by a half-grown boy, as well as by 
 the strongest ploughman. In timber lands, newly cleared, 
 ploughing requires both strength and skill ; the plough 
 must be sharpened frequently, and is often broken ; and 
 at last the work goes on slowly. The difference in the 
 greater facility of working prairie lands ; the saving in the 
 wear of all implements of husbandry ; the economy of 
 time, and of course the greater degree of certainty in the 
 farmer's calculations ; the enjoyment of health — are so 
 great, as in our opinion, to outweigh any inconvenience 
 which can possibly be experienced in this country for the 
 want of timber, even under the most unfavorable circum- 
 stances. A farmer had better settle in the midst of a 
 prairie, and haul his fuel and rails five iniles, than under- 
 take to clear a farm in the forest. The farmers of Illinois 
 are beginning to be aware of this fact ; and there are now 
 many instances in which farmers, having purchased a 
 small piece of land for timber, in the woodland, make 
 their farms at a distance in the prairie. It is only neces- 
 sary to make a nice calculation of the time consumed in
 
 
 104 THE WAM1 OF TIMBER. 
 
 the transportation of wood for fuel and all other purposes 
 and to observe how small a proportion it bears to the 
 other labors of a farm, in order to satisfy any one who is 
 acquainted with the subject, that it is really a matter of no 
 importance, when brought into competition with the ad- 
 vantages of a prairie country. 
 
 It is to be recollected, that the prodigal consumption 
 of timber, which we now witness, will, in all probability, 
 be diminishing annually, with the improvement of the 
 country, and the introduction of a variety of substitutes 
 for wood. People will not forever make worm fences, 
 live in log cabins, and warm themselves by log-heaps 
 built up in great wooden chimnies, which occupy nearly 
 the whole gable end of a house. In an open champaigne 
 country, it is not possible that the planting of hedges can 
 be long delayed. If they can be used with advantage in 
 any country, they certainly will succeed in ours. The 
 climate is well adapted to the English white thorn ; and 
 we have several indigenous thorns which are admirably 
 suited to the purpose. The conformation of the country, 
 and its fertility, renders it easy to plant, to cultivate, to 
 protect, and to perpetuate the hedge ; and every circum- 
 stance combines to recommend this mode of enclosure. 
 In the greater part of the prairie region, building stone 
 cannot be had ; but in such places, brick may always be 
 substituted by those who wish to build good houses. The 
 stratum of clay which is found under our soil, is well 
 suited for brick-making, and in most places can be ob- 
 tained, by removing the light covering of loam which 
 forms the surface. As for fuel, there is no difficulty. No 
 part of this country has been explored, in which coal does 
 not abound ; that is to say, there is no extensive district 
 without it ; it is found in the broken lands, and bluff 
 banks of all our larger water courses, and though seldom 
 met with within the area of a prairie, it abounds on the 
 borders of all the streams which meander among these
 
 THE PRAIRIES WATER. 105 
 
 plains. That it has not been brought into use, at all, is 
 a proof of what we have asserted, viz. that wood is abun- 
 dant. Whenever the tanner shall discover that his forest 
 trees have become snllieientk valuable to be worth pre- 
 serving, he will have recourse to those inexhaustible 
 stores of fuel which Nature has treasured ap in the bow 
 els of the earth; his fields will be enclosed with hedges; 
 the axe will cease its wanton devastation ; the demand 
 for timber, and the quantity, will regulate each other; and 
 men will learn to believe the obvious truth, that there 
 never need be a scarcity of that, which can be preserved 
 by care, and produced by industry. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 The Prairies — their destitution of water explained. 
 
 In a practical point of view the absence of water is also 
 a serious objection to the prairie region. No spring 
 bursts out upon these plains. This is a truism ; for 
 wherever a stream, however small, trickles over the sur- 
 face, the soil thus moistened becomes covered with timber. 
 The prairie, therefore, is precisely that part of the whole 
 country, which is destitute of living streams upon its sur- 
 face. And when it is recollected that the greater part of 
 Illinois, Missouri, and the territory lying north, west, and 
 south of these states, is prairie, over which the eye of the 
 traveler may rove for miles, without discovering a shrub 
 or tree, it will be readily seen that the absence of water 
 must be great 
 
 It is true, that there is a dearth of water upon the sur- 
 face. In the summer'espeeially, the traveler may ride a 
 whole day without finding a rivulet, or even a standing
 
 106 THE PRAIRIES WATER. 
 
 pool at which he may water his horse ; and those who 
 traverse the unsettled parts of the country, complain of 
 this as one of the greatest inconveniences of the journey. 
 On the other hand, it is a fact equally well ascertained, 
 that water is every where found, in great abundance, at a 
 distance of a few feet below the surface. We have known 
 but a very few spots at which water could not be procured 
 by digging ; there are few countries in which the sinking 
 of wells is performed with so much ease, or with such 
 uniform success. There is, in general, no rock to per- 
 forate ; after removing the rich soil, a stratum of hard 
 clay presents itself, then gravel, and then another layer 
 of clay, all of which are so compact as to require no 
 curbing, during the progress of the operation. The water 
 is found in a stratum of fine clean sand. The depth of 
 the wells varies from twelve to forty feet, but most usu- 
 ally is from eighteen to twenty -five ; it very seldom varies 
 much from twenty feet. 
 
 There is therefore, in fact, no dearth of water. It is 
 present in great abundance, but not in the position most 
 desirable to the farmer, who, if settled at a distance from 
 the woodland, must adopt some artificial mode of supply- 
 ing his stock, with this indispensable article. At present 
 this want is not felt as an existing evil ; and Ave think it 
 will not become a subject of complaint for many years, 
 for the same reason which we suggested in relation to 
 timber. The present inhabitants of the prairie region, 
 are settled in situations amply supplied with water, and 
 there is still a great abundance of choice land remaining 
 vacant, on the margins of the rivers and smaller water 
 courses, to accommodate several generations of new set- 
 tlers. It is worthy of remark also, that the practice of 
 suffering cattle and other stock to roam at large over the 
 natural pastures, which now prevails universally, and 
 must long continue to be pursued, renders this rather an 
 imaginary want, than one of practical inconvenience.
 
 WET PRAIRIES. 107 
 
 The family is supplied, either by a spring or well, with a 
 suflicient quantity of good water for household purposes, 
 and for work-horses ; while the animals which seek their 
 own food on the wild lands, roam off to the streams which 
 are more or less distant. But the open prairie lands pos- 
 sess some advantages, which will go far towards counter- 
 balancing this deficiency. These, as we have remarked, 
 are their great fertility, the ease with which they may be 
 brought into cultivation, and the lightness of the soil, 
 which renders the tillage less laborious than that of other 
 lands. To these may be added, the facility of making 
 good roads, in consequence of the levelness of the coun- 
 try, and the dryness of the soil, — and the remarkable 
 adaptation of this whole region for internal communica- 
 tion by railroads and canals. 
 
 A great mistake has been made by travelers, and adopt- 
 ed by the compilers of books, in reference to wet prairies, 
 which they suppose to exist to a much greater extent 
 than is true. Taking it for granted that the prairie region 
 is a vast plain, they infer prima facie, that the water 
 which falls from the clouds, is slowly drained off, and 
 remains long on the ground, constituting extensive pools 
 and marshes. But the truth is, that the surface is undu- 
 lating, and that the process of draining has, in the lapse 
 of ages, gradually worn down the edges of the plains 
 nearest to the water-courses, so that the centre is in most 
 cases the highest. This conformation is not invariable : 
 there are prairies which are level, and upon others, even 
 the most elevated, will be found depressions, from which 
 the water is not drained. Taking into view these excep- 
 tions to the general rule, and considering them as charac- 
 teristic features in the topography of the country, a writer, 
 otherwise accurate, has said that " most of our large prai- 
 ries are so nearly level, or slightly concave in the centre, 
 as to render many places wet, and others inundated." A 
 country of which this remark should be true would be
 
 * 
 
 108 WET PRAIRIES. 
 
 scarcely habitable. As well might the writer deny the 
 convexity of the globe, because there are valleys upon its 
 surface, as to deny the same general shape to the prairies, 
 because in the almost imperceptible undulations of their 
 outline, the latter sometimes assumes for a short distance 
 the appearance of an exact plane, and sometimes sinks 
 into a hollow. The idea is contrary to the analogy of 
 nature, for the natural drainage of a country, will leave 
 those parts most elevated which lie at the greatest distance 
 from the rivers or valleys into which the rains flow off 
 from the surface. In a region of rock formation, this ef- 
 fect will be modified by other causes ; but on plains of 
 light soil, resting on clay and gravel easily worn by the 
 attrition of water, its operation is obvious and uniform. 
 
 In the spring of the year, or at any other season when 
 rain has fallen copiously, the light and porous soil of the 
 prairie becomes saturated with water, and as the process 
 of draining cannot be carried forward rapidly, in a country 
 so nearly level, the Avhole land seems almost inundated. 
 The slope of the entire plain of the west, has been shown 
 to be gentle ; the channels of its rivers have but little 
 declination, and carry off their waters slowly. The 
 smaller water courses, by the same law, have but little 
 fall ; they are therefore soon filled to overflowing. Creeks 
 assume the appearance of rivers — brooks are filled to their 
 brinks — the ravines in the prairies, dry at other seasons, 
 become the channels of immense floods, which slowly 
 flow off with an almost imperceptible motion. The whole 
 land is like a saturated sponge. But whenever the waters 
 subside, the porousness of the soil, and the rapidity of the 
 evaporation in so open a country, produce the effect of 
 drying the soil with remarkable celerity. 
 
 The objection to the prairie region, is not excess of 
 moisture either in the soil or climate ; the opposite, if it 
 be an objection, is that which might be alledged with 
 more propriety. It is a country of boundless plains, ac-
 
 
 WET PRAIRIES. 109 
 
 cessible to the winds from every direction — but little sha- 
 ded by timber — and having ft small proportion of springs 
 or running streams of water. Karly in the summer all 
 the streams except the largest, arc dried up; the traveler 
 is astonished as he passes over deep channels, perfectly 
 dry, to see, by the marks of water above his head, that 
 immense floods have recently filled them to overflowing, 
 and at finding in the beds of rivers of sounding name, in 
 which for months together a ship of the line might float, 
 rivulets almost exhausted, over which he could jump at a 
 single bound. 
 
 Wet prairies occur where the surface of the plain is 
 perfectly level, or slightly concave. A very small pro- 
 portion of the whole country is comprised within this de- 
 scription ; and all of it may be easily drained. We have 
 scarcely ever seen a prairie from which the standing water 
 might not be conveyed by a ditch a few feet in depth. 
 They are not sufficiently extensive to produce any effect 
 upon the atmosphere ; and as the waters are rapidly 
 evaporated, they become dry in the early part of the sum- 
 mer, and are covered like the other lands with grass ; so 
 that they do not generate miasma in any quantity which 
 can perceptibly effect the salubrity of the air. 
 
 The quality of the water in the interior, or prairie re- 
 gion, is often made a subject of complaint by travelers. 
 The reason is obvious. The first settlers in a new coun- 
 try, and those who keep the houses of entertainment at 
 which travelers stop, are persons who care little for the 
 luxuries of life, and who have been accustomed to the use 
 of spring water. They know little, and care less, about 
 the art of procuring the pure element by means of artificial 
 wells. When obliged to resort to this method of getting 
 water, they consider it a matter of importance to find it 
 as near the surface as possible, or rather, if they do not 
 find it after digging a few feet, they desist and seek it at 
 another spot ; and choice of a place at which to reside, 
 
 K
 
 110 WILD ANIMALS. 
 
 depends on the finding of water at the depth of twelve or 
 fifteen feet. The well is often so shallow that the water 
 may be warmed by the action of the sun. It is curbed 
 with green wood, from which sometimes the bark is not 
 removed— or more frequently with a hollow log termed a 
 gum — which is constantly decaying and imparting a bad 
 taste to the water ; while no pains are taken to remove 
 the leaves and woody fibre which are continually falling 
 into it. "When wells are properly dug, and walled with 
 stone or brick, the water is generally pure and excellent ; 
 nor can we conceive how it could be otherwise, passing, 
 as it almost invariably does, through a stratum of fine 
 clean sand. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Wild Animals. 
 
 There are several works on natural history, which 
 accurately describe the animals of this region. In orni- 
 thology especially, the labors of Wilson, Nuttal, and 
 Buonaparte, have left no room for additional remarks. 
 We shall confine ourselves to a few desultory hints relat- 
 ing to the settled parts of the country. 
 
 The buffalo has entirely left the inhabited districts. 
 Before the country was settled our immense prairies af- 
 forded pasturage to large herds of this animal ; and the 
 traces of them are still remaining, in the " buffalo paths" 
 which are to be seen in several parts of the new states. 
 These are well beaten tracts, leading generally from the 
 prairies in the interior, to the margins of the large rivers ; 
 shewing the course of their migrations as they changed 
 their pastures periodically, from the low marshy alluvion, 
 to the dry upland plains. In the heat of summer they
 
 WILD ANIMALS. Ill 
 
 would be driven from the latter by prairie flies, in the 
 autumn they would be expelled from the former by the 
 musquitoes ; in the spring the grass of the plains would 
 afford abundant pasturage, while the herds could enjoy 
 the warmth of the sun, and snuff the breeze that sweeps 
 so freely over them ; in the winter the rich cane of the 
 river banks, which is an evergreen, would furnish food, 
 while the low grounds thickly covered with brush and 
 forest, would afford protection from the bleak winds. I 
 know few subjects more interesting than migration of wild 
 animals, connecting as it does the singular displays of 
 brute instinct, with a wonderful exhibition of the various 
 supplies which nature has provided for the support of 
 animal life, under an endless variety of circumstances. 
 These paths are narrow, and remarkably direct, shewing 
 that the animals traveled in single file through the woods, 
 and pursued the most direct course to their places of 
 destination. 
 
 Deer are more abundant in some places than at the first 
 settlement of the country. They increase, to a certain 
 extent, with the population. The reason of this appears 
 to be, that they find protection in the neighborhood of 
 man, from the beasts of prey that assail them in the wil- 
 derness, and from whose attacks their young particularly 
 can with difficulty escape. They suffer most from the 
 wolves, who hunt in packs like hounds, and who seldom 
 give up the chace until a deer is taken. We have often 
 sate on a moonlight summer night, at the door of a log 
 cabin on one of our prairies, and heard the wolves in full 
 chace of a deer, yelling very nearly in the same manner 
 as a pack of hounds. Sometimes the cry would be heard 
 at a great distance over the plain ; then it would die away, 
 and again be distinguished at a nearer point, and in another 
 direction — now the full cry would burst upon us from a 
 neighboring thicket, and we could almost hear the sobs 
 of the exhausted deer, and again it would be borne away
 
 112 WILD ANIMALS. 
 
 and lost in distance. We have passed nearly whole nights 
 in listening to such sounds, and once we saw a deer dash 
 through the yard, and immediately past the door at which 
 we sate, followed by his audacious pursuers, who were 
 but a few yards in his rear. 
 
 Immense numbers of deer are killed every year by our 
 hunters, who take them for the hams and skins alone, 
 throwing away the rest of the carcass. Venison hams 
 and hides are important articles of export. The former 
 are purchased from the hunters at 25 cents a pair, the 
 latter at 20 cents a pound. In the villages of Illinois and 
 Missouri we purchase, for our tables, the saddle of venison 
 with the hams attached, for 37£ cents, which would be 
 something like one cent a pound. 
 
 There are several ways of hunting deer, all of which 
 are equally simple. Most generally the hunter proceeds 
 to the woods on horseback, in the day time, selecting 
 carefully certain hours, which are thought to be most 
 favorable. It is said that during the seasons when the 
 pastures are green, this animal rises from his lair, precise- 
 ly at the rising of the moon, whether in the day or night ; 
 and I suppose the fact to be so, because such is the testi- 
 mony of experienced hunters. If it be true, it is certainly 
 a curious display of animal instinct. This hour therefore 
 is always kept in view by the hunter, as he rides slowly 
 through the forest, with his rifle on his shoulder, while 
 his keen eye penetrates the surrounding shades. On be- 
 holding a deer the hunter slides from his horse, and while 
 the deer is observing the latter, creeps upon him, keeping 
 the largest trees between himself and the object of pur- 
 suit, until he gets near enough to fire. An expert woods- 
 man seldom fails to hit his game. It is extremely danger- 
 ous to approach a wounded deer. Timid and harmless 
 as this animal is at other times, he no sooner finds him- 
 self deprived of the power of flight than he becomes furi- 
 ous, and rushes upon his enemy making desperate lunges
 
 WILD ANIMALS. 113 
 
 with his sharp horns, and striking and tramping violently 
 with his forelegs, which being extremely muscular and 
 armed with sharp hoofs, are capable of inflicting very 
 severe wounds. Aware of this circumstance, the hunter 
 approaches him with caution, and either secures his prey 
 by a second shot, where the first has been but partially 
 successful, or, as is more frequently the case, causes his 
 dog to seize the wounded animal, while he watches his 
 own opportunity to stab him with his hunting knife. 
 Sometimes, where a noble buck is the victim, and the 
 hunter is impatient or inexperienced, terrible conflicts en 
 sue on such occasions. 
 
 Another mode, is to watch at night, in the neighbor- 
 hood of the salt licks. These are spots where the earth 
 is impregnated with saline particles, or where the salt 
 water oozes through the soil. Deer and other grazing 
 animals frequent such places, and remain for hours licking 
 the earth. The hunter secretes himself here, either in 
 the thick top of a tree, or most generally in a screen 
 erected for the purpose, and artfully concealed like a 
 masked battery, with logs or green boughs. This prac- 
 tice is pursued only in the summer, or early in the au- 
 tumn, in cloudless nights, when the moon shines brilliant- 
 ly, and objects maybe readily discovered. At the rising 
 of the moon or shortly after, the deer having risen from 
 their beds, approach the lick. Such places are generally 
 denuded of timber, but surrounded by it, and as the ani- 
 mal is about to emerge from the shade into the clear moon- 
 light, he stops, looks cautiously around, and snuffs the 
 air. Then he advances a few steps, and stops again, 
 smells the ground, or raises his expanded nostrils, as if 
 he " snuffed the approach of danger in every tainted 
 breeze." The hunter sits motionless, and almost breath- 
 less, waiting until the animal shall get within rifle shot, 
 and until its position in relation to the hunter, and the 
 light, shall be favorable, when he fires with an unerring 
 
 K 2
 
 114 WILD ANIMALS. 
 
 aim. A few deer only can be thus taken in one night, 
 and after a few nights these timorous animals are driven 
 from the haunts which are thus disturbed. 
 
 Another practice is called driving, and is only practised 
 in those parts of the country where this kind of game is 
 scarce, and where hunting is pursued as an amusement. 
 A large party is made up, and the hunters ride forth with 
 their dogs. The hunting ground is selected, and as it is 
 pretty well known what tracks are usually taken by the 
 deer when started, an individual is placed at each of those 
 passes, to intercept the retreating animal. The scene of 
 action being thus in some measure, surrounded, small 
 parties advance with the dogs from different directions, 
 and the startled deer in flying most generally pass some 
 of the persons who are concealed, and who fire at them 
 as they pass. 
 
 The elk, has disappeared. A few have been seen in 
 late years, and some taken ; but it is not known that any 
 remain at this time, within the limits of any of the states. 
 
 The bear is seldom seen. This animal inhabits those 
 parts of the country that are thickly wooded, and delights 
 particularly in canebrakes, where it feeds in the winter 
 on the tender shoots of the young cane. The meat is 
 tender and finely flavored, and is esteemed a great delicacy. 
 
 Wolves are very numerous in every part of the western 
 country. There are two kinds ; the common, or black 
 wolf, and the prairie wolf. The former is a large fierce 
 animal, and very destructive to sheep, pigs, calves, poul- 
 try, and even young colts. They hunt in large packs, 
 and after using every stratagem to circumvent their prey, 
 attack it with remarkable ferocity. Like the Indian, they 
 always endeavor to surprise their victim, and strike the 
 mortal blow without exposing themselves to danger. 
 They seldom attack man, except when asleep or wound- 
 ed. The largest animals, when wounded, entangled, or 
 otherwise disabled, become their prey ; but in general
 
 WILD ANIMAL?. 115 
 
 they onlv attack such as arc incapable of resistance. They 
 have bean known to lie in wait upon the hank of a stream 
 which the buffalo were in the habit of crossing, and when 
 one of those unwieldy animals was so unfortunate as to 
 sink in the mire, spring suddenly upon it, and worry it 
 to death, while thus disabled from resistance. Their most 
 common prey is the deer, which they hunt regularly ; but 
 all defenceless animals are alike acceptable to their raven- 
 ous appetites. When tempted by hunger they approach 
 the farm houses in the night, and snatch their prey from 
 under the very eye of the farmer ; and when the latter is 
 absent with his dogs, the wolf is sometimes seen by the 
 females lurking about in mid-day, as if aware of the un- 
 protected state of the family. Our heroic females have 
 sometimes shot them under such circumstances. 
 
 It is said by hunters that the smell of burning assafcetida 
 has a remarkable effect upon this animal. If a fire be 
 made in the woods, and a portion of this drug thrown 
 into it, so as to saturate the atmosphere with the odor, 
 the wolves, if any are within reach of the scent, immedi- 
 ately assemble around, howling in the most mournful 
 manner, and such is the remarkable fascination under which 
 they seem to labor, that they will often suffer themselves 
 to be shot down rather than quit the spot. 
 
 Of the few instances of their attacking human beings, 
 of which we have heard, the following may serve to give 
 some idea of their habits. In very early times, a negro 
 man was passing in the night, in the lower part of Ken- 
 tucky, from one settlement to another. The distance 
 was several miles, and the country over which he travel- 
 ed entirely unsettled. In the morning his carcass was 
 found entirely stripped of flesh. Near it lay his axe, 
 covered with blood, and all around the bushes were beaten 
 down, the ground trodden, and the number of foot tracks 
 so great, as to shew that the unfortunate victim had fought 
 long and manfully. On pursuing his track it appeared
 
 116 WILD ANIMALS. 
 
 that the wolves had pursued him for a considerable dis 
 tance, he had often turned upon them and driven them 
 back. Several times they had attacked him, and been 
 repelled, as appeared by the blood and tracks. He had 
 killed some of them, before the final onset, and in the last 
 conflict had destroyed several. His axe was his only 
 weapon. 
 
 On another occasion, many years ago, a negro man 
 was going through the woods, with no companion but his 
 fiddle, when he discovered that a pack of wolves were on 
 his track. They pursued very cautiously, but a few of 
 them would sometimes dash up, and growl, as if impatient 
 for their prey, and then fall back again. As he had sev- 
 eral miles to go, he became much alarmed. He some- 
 times stopped, shouted, drove back his pursuers, and then 
 proceeded. The animals became more and more auda- 
 cious, and would probably have attacked him, had he not 
 arrived at a deserted cabin, which stood by the way side. 
 Into this he rushed for shelter, and without waiting- to 
 shut the door, climbed up and seated himself on the rafters. 
 The wolves clashed in after him, and becoming quite furi- 
 ous, howled, and leaped, and endeavored with every ex- 
 pression of rage to get to him. The moon was now shin- 
 ing brightly, and Cuff being able to see his enemies, and 
 satisfied of his own safety, began to act on the offensive. 
 Finding the cabin full of them, he crawled down to the 
 top of the door, which he shut and fastened. Then re- 
 moving some of the loose boards from the roof, scattered 
 them with a tremendous clatter upon such of his foes as 
 remained outside, who soon scampered off, while those 
 in the house began to crouch with fear. He had now a 
 large number of prisoners to stand guard over, until morn- 
 ing; and drawing forth his fiddle, he very good naturedly 
 played for them all night, very much, as he supposed, to 
 their edification and amusement, for like all genuine lovers 
 of music, he imagined that it had power to soften the
 
 4 
 
 WILD ANIMALS. 117 
 
 heart, even of a wolf. On the ensuing day, some of the 
 neighbors assembled and destroyed the captives, with 
 great rejoicings. 
 
 The story of Putnam and the wolf is familiar to every 
 schoolboy ; but it is not so well known, that such adven- 
 tures are by no means uncommon. The youthful achieve- 
 ment of the gallant revolutionary hero, has acquired dig- 
 nitv from the brilliancy of his after life, which was adorn- 
 ed with a long list of heroic and patriotic deeds, when in 
 fact this exploit is one of ordinary occurrence among our 
 resolute hunters. We select the following two instances, 
 both of which are well authenticated. 
 
 Many years ago, a Frenchman, with his son, was hunt- 
 ing in a part of Missouri, distant about forty miles from 
 St. Louis. Having wounded a large bear, the animal 
 took refuge in a cave, the aperture leading into which, 
 was so small as barely to admit its passage. The hunter, 
 leaving his son without, instantly prepared to follow, and 
 with some difficulty drew his body through the narrow 
 entrance. Having reached the interior of the cave, he 
 discharged his piece with so true an aim as to inflict a 
 mortal wound upon the bear. The latter rushed forward, 
 and passing the man, attempted to escape from the cave, 
 but on reaching the narrowest part of the passage, through 
 which it had entered with some difficulty, the strength of 
 the animal failed, and it expired. The entrance to the 
 cave was now completely closed by the carcass of the 
 animal. The boy on the outside, heard his father scream 
 for assistance, and attempted to drag out the bear, but 
 found his strength insufficient. After many unavailing 
 efforts, he became much terrified, and mounted his father's 
 horse with the determination of seeking assistance. There 
 was no road through the wilderness, but the sagacious 
 horse, taking the direction to St. Louis, carried the alarm- 
 ed youth to that place, where a party was soon raised 
 and despatched to the relief of the hunter. But they
 
 118 WILD ANIMALS. 
 
 searched in vain for the place of his captivity. From 
 some cause not now recollected, the trace of the horse was 
 obliterated, and the boy in his agitation, had so far for- 
 gotten the landmarks as to be totally unable to lead them 
 to the spot. They returned after a weary and unsuccess- 
 ful search ; the hunter was heard of no more, and no 
 doubt remained of his having perished miserably in the 
 cave. Some years afterwards, the aperture of the cavern 
 was discovered, in a spot so hidden and so difficult of ac- 
 cess as to have escaped the notice of those who had pass- 
 ed near it. Near the mouth was found the skeleton of 
 the bear, and within the cave, that of the Frenchman, 
 with his gun and equipments, all apparently in the same 
 condition as when he died. That he should have perish- 
 ed of hunger, from mere inability to effect his escape by 
 removing the body of the bear, seems improbable, because 
 supposing him to have been unable by main strength to 
 effect this object, it would have cost him but little labor 
 to have cut up and removed the animal by piecemeal. It 
 is most likely either that he was suffocated, or that he 
 had received some injury, which disabled him from exer- 
 tion. The cave bears a name which commemorates the 
 event. 
 
 The other circumstance to which we allude, occurred 
 in Monroe county, in Illinois. There are in many parts 
 of this country, singular depressions or basins, which the 
 inhabitants call sink-holes. They are sometimes very 
 deep, circular at the top, with steep sides meeting in a 
 point at the bottom, precisely in the shape of a funnel. 
 At the bottom of one of these, a party of hunters discov- 
 ered the den of a she wolf, and ascertained that it contained 
 a litter of whelps. For the purpose of destroying the latter, 
 they assembled at the place. On examining the entrance 
 to the den, it was found to be perpendicular, and so nar- 
 row as to render it impossible or very difficult for a man 
 to enter ; and as a notion prevails among the hunters, that
 
 WILD ANIMALS. 119 
 
 the female wolf only visits her young at night, it was 
 proposed to send in a hoy to destroy the whelps. A fine, 
 courageous boy, armed with a knife, was accordingly 
 thrust into the cavern, where, to his surprise, he found 
 himself in the company of the she wolf, whose glistening 
 eve-balls, white teeth, and surly voice, sufficiently an- 
 nounced her presence. The boy retreated towards the 
 entrance, and called to his friends, to inform them that 
 the old wolf was there. The men told him that he was 
 mistaken ; that the old wolf never staid with her young 
 in daylight ; and advised him to go boldly up to the bed 
 and destroy the litter. The boy thinking that the dark- 
 ness of the cave might have deceived him, returned, 
 advanced boldly, and laid his hand upon the she wolf, 
 who sprang upon him, and bit him very severely, before 
 he could effect his retreat, and would probably have killed 
 him, had he not defended himself with resolution. One 
 or two of the men now succeeded in effecting an entrance ; 
 the wolf was shot, and her offspring destroyed. 
 
 The prairie wolf, is a smaller species, which takes its 
 name from the habit of residing entirely upon the open 
 plains. Even when hunted with dogs, it will make cir- 
 cuit after circuit, round the prairie, carefully avoiding the 
 forest, or only dashing into it occasionally when hard 
 pressed, and then returning to the plain. In size and ap- 
 pearance, this animal is midway between the wolf and the 
 fox, and in color it resembles the latter, being of a very 
 light red. It preys upon poultry, rabbits, young pigs, 
 calves, &c. The most friendly relations subsist between 
 this animal and the common wolf, and they constantly 
 hunt in packs together. Nothing is more common than 
 to see the large black wolf in company with several of 
 the prairie wolves. The latter resembles the jaekall of 
 Asia, and if not the same animal, is a variety but little dis- 
 tinguished from it. The prairie wolf is timid, and seldom 
 approaches a farm house at which dogs are kept. They
 
 120 WILD ANIMALS. 
 
 are said to have a particular aversion to the yell of the 
 hound, and to disappear entirely from a neighborhood 
 where a pack is kept for hunting. 
 
 Some years ago an agricultural society established at 
 the seat of government of Illinois, offered a large premium 
 to the person who should kill the greatest number of 
 wolves in one year. The legislature at the same time 
 offered a bounty for each wolf scalp that should be taken. 
 The consequence was that the expenditure for wolf scalps 
 became so great, as to render it necessary to repeal the 
 law. These animals, although still numerous, and trouble- 
 some to the farmer, are greatly decreased in number, and 
 are no longer dangerous to man. We know of no in- 
 stances in late years, of a human being having been 
 attacked by them. 
 
 We have the fox, in some places in great numbers ; 
 though generally speaking I think the animal is scarce. 
 It will undoubtedly increase with the population. 
 
 The panther and wild-cat, are found in our forests. 
 Our open country is not, however, well suited to their 
 shy habits ; and they are not now numerous even in the 
 wooded country. 
 
 The beaver and otter, were once numerous, but are 
 now seldom seen except on our frontiers. 
 
 The gopher, is as we suppose, a nondescript. The 
 name does not occur in books of natural history, nor do 
 we find any animal of a corresponding description. The 
 only account that we have seen of it, is in " Long's 2d 
 Expedition." In a residence of many years in the coun- 
 try where it is said to have been most numerous, we have 
 never seen one near enough to examine it, and to be cer- 
 tain that it was not something else. That such an animal 
 exists is doubtless. But they are very shy and their 
 numbers small. They burrow in the earth, and are sup- 
 posed to throw up those hillocks which are seen in such 
 vast abundance over our prairies. This is to some extent a
 
 WILD ANIMALS. 121 
 
 mistake, for we know that many of these little mounds 
 are thrown up by craw-fish, and by ants. 
 
 The polecat is very destructive to our poultry. 
 
 The racoon, and opossum are numerous, and extreme- 
 ly troublesome to the tanner, as they not only at- 
 tack his poultry, but plunder his cornfields. They are 
 hunted 1>\ boys, and Large numbers of them destroyed. 
 The skins of the racoons pay well for the trouble of 
 taking them, as the fur is in demand. 
 
 Rabbits arc abundant, and in some places extremely 
 destructive to the young orchards, and to garden vegetables. 
 
 The black and grey squirrels arc very abundant. These 
 beautiful, bul destructive little animals, were very annoy- 
 ing to the first settlers, by devouring large quantities of 
 their corn in the fields, before it was sufficiently ripe to 
 be gathered. One peculiarity in the history of this ani- 
 mal is very remarkable. Sometimes, in the course of a 
 few years, they become so numerous in one section of 
 country, as to threaten destruction to the entire crops ; 
 when, as if by common consent they commence an emi- 
 gration, which is usually from west to east, in bodies so 
 numerous as to defy any attempt at computation, crossing 
 the largest rivers that lie in their course. Many perish 
 by drowning, and thousands are killed by the boys, who 
 crowd to the shores, to intercept the weary and breath- 
 less emigrants at their landing. A.t the commencement 
 of their march they are very fat; but towards its conclu- 
 sion they become poor and sickly. After such an event 
 they are scarce for several years, then multiply, emigrate, 
 and perish as before. The cause of this phenomenon has 
 never been explained. It cannot be want of food, for the 
 districts they leave are often as fruitful, as those to which 
 they direct their course, and the healthy condition in 
 which they set out, leaves no room to suppose that the 
 danger of starvation has driven them from home. Our 
 hunters shoot these small animals with rifles, bringing 
 
 L 

 
 122 BIRDS. 
 
 them down from the tops of the tallest trees, with a single 
 ball ; and when their depredations become great, large 
 parties are formed, which scour the woods, killing thou- 
 sands in a day. 
 
 In return for the animals which have left us, we have 
 gained a great number by emigration, w T hich were not 
 known to inhabit this region at its first settlement. 
 
 The honey bees are not natives of this country, but 
 they have always kept a little in advance of the white 
 man, and while they continue numerous in the settle- 
 ments are particularly so upon the frontier. On the 
 verge of civilization, bee-hunting furnishes employment 
 to many individuals during several months of the year ; 
 and the tables of all the farmers are amply supplied with 
 the rich treasures of the laborious insect. Honey and 
 beeswax are among the staples of all the new states. 
 
 Rats were not known in this country, for many years 
 after its settlement. They were first brought, by the 
 boats, to the villages on the shores of the navigable rivers, 
 and gradually spread over the interior. 
 
 Birds of song but seldom enliven the gloomy monotony 
 of the forest. Few, if any, of these, are carnivorous, and 
 it is not until the labor of the farmer has covered the soil 
 with fields of grain, that the cheerful notes of the songster 
 are heard. We have now a great variety of singing birds, 
 which have rapidly followed the population from the 
 other side of the mountains. 
 
 Of birds, that which is most peculiar to this country, 
 as well as most numerous, is the prairie fowl, or grouse. 
 It is nearly as large as the common hen. The flesh is 
 delicate and finely flavored. The female resembles the 
 quail in shape and color, and the male, who erects his 
 plumage and struts like the turkey and peacock, is chiefly 
 distinguished by a tuft of feathers on the head, and a 
 tail longer and more ornamented than that of his mate. 
 Their only note is a low, strong, melancholy sound, re-
 
 BIRDS. 123 
 
 sembling the cooing of the dove* which may be heard at 
 ■ considerable distance ; and the travel* r in passing over 
 
 the prairie at sunrise, bean this lingular noise in ev< 
 direction, and if unacquainted with its source, ii at a lo 
 
 whether to attribute it to a numerous colony of doves, of 
 owls, or of tremendous bull frogs, for it partakes ..l' the 
 tone of each of these animals. 
 
 The prairie fowl are seldom seen in the woods, but con- 
 fine themselves chiefly to the long grass of the plains, 
 scarcely ever rising on the wing, except when disturbed. 
 In the autumn they assemble round the cornfields and 
 wheat-stacks in search of food, and in the winter venture 
 into the barn yards. They do not at any time evince 
 much shyness towards man, and may often be seen 
 mingling with the domestic fowls, when the farmer's 
 dwelling happens to be situated on an unfrequented part 
 of the prairie. They are easily shot sitting or on the 
 wing; and are taken in gTeat numbers in traps. "When 
 the prairies are covered with snow they settle in large 
 flocks on the trees. The writer has seen thousands of 
 them together on such occasions. Thev eat freely, and 
 fatten, when confined in coops, and could probably be 
 domesticated with little difficulty. 
 
 Quails are numerous. These are often taken by driv- 
 ing them into a long cylindrical net, distended by hoops, 
 one end of which is open, and the other closed. The 
 net is laid at its length along the ground, with the open 
 end against a heap of brush, or in a little thicket, and the 
 skill of the drivers, who are usually mounted on horse- 
 back, is shewn in forcing the birds to enter it. 
 
 There are pheasants in some parts of this country, but 
 they are seldom seen, and are probably not numerous. 
 
 A few years ago the beautiful and majestic swan might 
 be seen floating upon all our rivers, but they are now 
 found onlv in secluded situations 
 
 Geese, ducks, cranes, and other water fowl frequent
 
 124 REPTILES. 
 
 our streams in prodigious numbers. Great quantities of 
 them are killed for the feathers, which constitute a con- 
 siderable article of traffic. 
 
 The yellow plover frequents the prairies in the spring 
 in immense flocks, and a nice little bird it is, graceful to 
 shoot at, and very delicious to swallow. 
 
 Wild turkeys are still abundant. They are shy and 
 difficult to shoot, but our hunters kill great numbers of 
 them. In the spring they are found in pairs, but during 
 the rest of the year in flocks consisting of the old pair, 
 and the last brood. Fine turkeys may be bought from 
 the hunters for twelve and a half cents a piece. 
 
 We have the mocking bird, the Baltimore bird, the 
 red bird, the blue jay, the humming bird, and indeed, 
 most of the feathered tribes which are known in the At- 
 lantic states ; M-ith the addition of the paroquet, a bird 
 of beautiful plumage, but very bad character, whose 
 thievish propensities renders him a great nuisance to or- 
 chards and cornfields. 
 
 I have never seen any of those pigco?iroosfs, which 
 have excited so much curiosity, and where these birds 
 are said to alight in such quantities as to break down the 
 limbs of the trees. 
 
 Of reptiles the most formidable is the rattlesnake. 
 This animal is most usually found in mountainous situa- 
 tions, where the dens among the rocks afford them secure 
 harbors ; of course our plains, entirely destitute of rock 
 and affording no suitable retreats for such reptiles, do not 
 abound in them. The fires which annually spread over 
 the prairies, doubtless destroy great numbers of them ; 
 the hogs which in this country are allowed to roam at 
 large in great herds, are their inveterate enemies, and 
 probably devour many. We have also the moccasin 
 snake, and copperhead, both of which are very venom- 
 ous ; but we are inclined to think that in general snakes 
 are not numerous.
 
 RKPTILES. 125 
 
 Two instances occurred some years ago, in which 
 death was occasioned by the bite of the spider, and the 
 belief became current thai a peculiarly venomous variety 
 of that reptile existed among us. I have inquired care- 
 fully into both these cases, without finding the slightest 
 evidence to support that supposition. One of the per- 
 sons bitten was a young lady. She was not attended by a 
 physician, nor are the facts of her case correctly understood. 
 No inference can therefore be drawn from it. The other 
 was a man who was ploughing in his field, on a very 
 hot day. when feeling himself bitten on the arm, he sud- 
 denly struck the place with his open hand and crushed a 
 large spider, which doubtless had inflicted the wound. 
 It swelled rapidly, and the man alarmed ran home, and 
 sent for a physician, who arrived in about four hours, and 
 shortly after, the death of the patient ensued. I did not 
 converse with the physician, but a medical friend who 
 spoke with him on the subject, suggests the following 
 facts : that the system of the patient was in a state that 
 predisposed to inflammation- — that the sting touched an 
 irritable part — that the weather was extremely hot and 
 the man heated by labor — and that his alarm and the vio- 
 lent exertion of running to his house, a considerable dis- 
 tance, added to the action of the other causes, and gave 
 virulence to the poison, which under more favorable cir- 
 cumstances would only have occasioned a slight wound. 
 The writer was once very seriously ill for several davs 
 from the sting of a bee, under similar circumstances, 
 There have been instances in which the sting of the latter 
 insect has occasioned death. Our inference is that the 
 two cases above mentioned, do not furnish any evidence 
 of the existence in this country of a variety of the spider 
 whose bite is ordinarily attended with dangerous conse- 
 quences. 
 
 L 2
 
 126 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Agricultural Products. 
 
 The following remarks must be understood as apply- 
 ing to the state of Illinois, unless where other places are 
 indicated. The writer's personal knowledge is confined 
 chiefly to that region. The intelligent agriculturalist will 
 easily apply the remarks to other sections of the country, 
 making the due allowance for difference of latitude, and 
 keeping in mind the great similarity of soil and exposure, 
 which prevails over the whole western plain. 
 
 In speaking of the products of a new country, our 
 estimate must necessarily be, to a great extent, prospec- 
 tive. The first settlers are too much occupied in provid- 
 ing the means of subsistence, to be able to make much 
 for sale ; nor do the farmers of any country raise pro- 
 duce to a large amount, until they are satisfied of being 
 able to dispose of it to advantage. Trade and agricul- 
 ture are so nearly connected, that neither can flourish 
 separately. In order to support an active, steady, and 
 lucrative trade, a variety of causes must co-operate to- 
 gether ; and these causes must be sufficiently permanent 
 to produce similar results throughout a series of years. 
 The supply of produce must be abundant and regular, so 
 as to enable the trader to make his arrange ments in ad- 
 vance, and to calculate with reasonable certainty ; and its 
 quality must be such as to bring it into fair competition 
 with a corresponding product from another country. 
 Then there must be a market, easy of access ; and a 
 mode of transportation which shall be cheap, rapid, and 
 safe, or which shall possess these advantages to a certain 
 extent. There are a variety of other circumstances 
 which are incidental, and which may or may not operate, 
 at any given time ; but all of which do invariably, at
 
 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. 127 
 
 some period or other, exert an influence upon trade and 
 agriculture. Such are chiefly the condition of the circu- 
 lating medium, the rate of exchange, the existence of 
 war and peace in our own or other countries, the preva- 
 lence of famine, disease, or other calamity in large dis- 
 tricts, and tho influence of good or evil legislation. 
 
 It must be very evident, therefore, that in a new coun- 
 try, nothing can be settled, upon these points j and that 
 our fanners will, for some years, be uncertain as to the 
 proper objects upon which to expend their labor. They 
 Mill be to some extent discouraged ; and will exert less 
 industry than they would if the channels of trade were 
 fully opened, the markets regular, and the chances of 
 success well understood. Besides, most of the products 
 of a new country must be carried to market in a raw 
 state, and of course in their most bulky and most perish- 
 able condition. It is clear that if, in any district, wheat 
 may be made, hut not flour, the choice of market and 
 chances of sale are greatly reduced to the farmer ; while 
 the risk of loss, and the expenses of transportation must 
 be greatly enhanced. In a new country, therefore, we 
 seldom find any great variety in the agricultural products ; 
 and scarcely any are raised but such as require but little 
 labor, are in general use, and may bo disposed of in their 
 crude state. These are generally raised in great profu- 
 sion, and sold low. For these reasons the products of 
 Illinois are comparatively few in number ; but it will be 
 seen that this fact is not attributable to the soil or climate, 
 but to other circumstances. 
 
 This state presents to the farmer a combination of ad- 
 vantages, in reference to its productions, which are scarce- 
 ly to be found in any other country. Situated in tho 
 same latitude with Pennsylvania, and Virginia, it yields 
 all the products which arrive at maturity in those states ; 
 while its interior position protects it from the extremes 
 and vicissitudes of climate which are felt upon the sea-
 
 128 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. 
 
 coast, where the warmth of spring is chilled by storms 
 rushing from snow-clad mountains, and the ocean breeze 
 sweeping at all seasons over the land, produces sudden 
 changes, and often reverses, for a time, the order of the 
 seasons. Although we are not exempt from the opera- 
 tion of such casualties, we believe that there is no coun- 
 try where the just expectations of the farmer, are so sel- 
 dom blighted, as in ours. We may plant early, or gather 
 late ; we carry on the business of husbandry throughout 
 the whole year, and we find but few days at any one time, 
 in which the laborer may not be usefully employed. We 
 have the advantages of various climates, without suffering 
 greatly from their inclemencies. 
 
 Wheat, rye, barley, buck-wheat, oats, hemp, flax, 
 turnips, and Irish potatoes, all of which arrive at perfec- 
 tion in more northern latitudes, succeed equally well here. 
 The two latter, particularly, attain a degree of size and 
 excellence, that we have never seen exceeded, and the 
 crops yield abundantly. The produce of the potatoe 
 crop is from twenty to twenty-four fold. No crop pays 
 in quantity and quality more than this, for careful cultiva- 
 tion. The crops raised vary from one hundred and fifty 
 to eight hundred bushels to the acre. The latter how- 
 ever is an extraordinary crop. The turnip is raised only 
 for the table, but produces well. With regard to wheat, there 
 is some diversity of opinion ; not whether this grain will 
 grow, but whether it is, or is not, produced in this coun- 
 try in its greatest perfection. We are inclined to adopt 
 the affirmative of this proposition. It is true, that our 
 crops vary greatly, both in the amount and quality of the 
 produce. But we are satisfied that this disparity arises 
 from the degree of care bestowed on the culture. Our 
 husbandry is yet in a rude state. Wheat is often sowed 
 in new land but partially cleared, often upon corn ground 
 badly prepared ; often covered carelessly with the plough, 
 without any attempt to pulverize the soil, and very gfcn-
 
 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. 129 
 
 erally in fields which have produced an abundant crop of 
 grass and weeds, during the preceding autumn. Few of 
 our farmers have barns or threshing floors ; the grain is 
 preserved in stacks, and trodden out upon the ground, 
 with considerable loss, and injury. With all these dis- 
 advantages excellent crops are raised, and the grain is re- 
 markably good. We learn from a respectable source, 
 that the wheat of Illinois and Missouri, is superior to that 
 of the other western states ; it is worth more to the baker, 
 and the bread made from it is lighter, and more nutritious. 
 This fact is attributable to the richness of the soil, and 
 the dryness of the atmosphere ; the former cause brings 
 the grain to its greatest state of perfection, while the latter 
 protects it from all those injuries which are produced by 
 moisture. 
 
 In the years 1830 and 1831, wheat was raised on the 
 prairies both of Illinois and Missouri, which weighed 
 sixty-eight pounds to the bushel. The writer would not 
 state this fact, if he had not himself seen a bushel of this 
 grain carefully weighed and measured, besides having the 
 corroborating testimony of gentlemen residing in both 
 these states, who all agreed in making the same statement. 
 Sixty pounds is the standard weight of a bushel of wheat 
 in the states east of the mountains ; this weight is very 
 rarely exceeded, and sixty-three is probably the maximum 
 of the finest grain. In Ohio it has been known to weigh 
 sixty-four, and we have heard of one instance of its weigh- 
 ing sixty-five pounds. We saw a bushel of wheat weighed 
 in Kentucky in 1831, which weighed sixty-seven; in Il- 
 linois and Missouri alone has it been found to reach to 
 sixty-eight, and that weight we suppose to be not uncom- 
 mon there. 
 
 A gentleman from the east, who traveled through Il- 
 linois in 1830, was so struck with the whiteness and 
 beauty of the flour made at Collinsville, as to be induced 
 to carry a sample to Boston, where it was pronounced
 
 130 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. 
 
 superior to the best Baltimore flour. From these facts 
 we are justified in asserting, that the soil and climate of 
 this country is particularly propitious to the growth of 
 wheat; and that the prairie region especially, produces 
 this grain in its greatest perfection. Twenty-five to thir- 
 ty bushels are raised to the acre, and the price varies 
 from fifty to seventy-five cents. Steam mills, for the 
 manufacture of flour, have been erected in various parts 
 of Illinois. 
 
 In Ohio, flour is one of the greatest staples. The 
 other staples for export, are whiskey, pork, lard, bacon, 
 beef, cattle, horses, butter, cheese, and apples. The 
 agriculture of this state has assumed a steady character. 
 Mills and distilleries afford amply the means of manufac- 
 turing grain for market ; while roads, canals, and other 
 facilities for transportation, have become so numerous as 
 to encourage the farmer to exert his best energies. 
 
 Indian corn, is the great staple of the whole west. It is 
 raised in immense quantities, with but little labor, and is 
 sold at from 8 to 50 cents per bushel; thousands of bushels 
 are annually disposed of in the interior parts of the coun- 
 try, at the former price. It constitutes the most prominent 
 article of food for man, and of provender for stock. If a 
 western farmer be asked the question, how many bushels 
 of corn are raised to the acre, the usual reply is, one 
 hundred. This quantity may be produced, on fine soil, 
 with assiduous culture ; but under ordinary circumstances, 
 with careful attention, sixty bushels is about the average 
 crop. 
 
 Cotton, tobacco, and sweet potatoes, which are indi- 
 genous to more southern latitudes, succeed well in all 
 except the most northern parts of this region. Cotton 
 has not become a staple for exportation, because its pro- 
 duction requires more labor than can be afforded to it in a 
 new country, where there are no slaves. But the farmers 
 in Illinois, Missouri, and the southern parts of Indiana
 
 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. 131 
 
 and Kentucky, raise it tor home consumption ; they make 
 all that they use, and most of their fumiliei are clad in 
 cotton fabrics, manufactured at home. 
 
 Our tobacco crops are not exceeded any where. It lias 
 not boon extensively produced, except m Kentucky and 
 part of Missouri, for the same reason that prevents the 
 raising of cotton; hut it has been tried in all the western 
 states with success. It forms a staple of Kentucky, where 
 it is produced in large quantities. From a part of Illinois, 
 lying near the Wabash, a good many hogsheads have 
 been annually exported, and the result of the experiment 
 has been altogether satisfactory. A few hogsheads sent 
 from Kaskaskia to New-Orleans some years since, was 
 pronounced by the inspector to be the best ever brought 
 to that market. We could not adduce a stronger proof 
 than this, in favor of our soil and climate. The tobacco 
 plant, although coarse in its appearance, is one of the 
 most delicate of the vegetable kingdom. It thrives only 
 in a rich, light, warm soil, requires to be planted early in 
 the spring, and gathered late in the autumn. In every 
 stage of its growth, it needs culture and attention, and is 
 at all times sensitive to cold, and easily destroyed by frost. 
 When we say therefore, that ours is one of the best to- 
 bacco countries in the world, we assert the strongest evi- 
 dence of the fertility of the soil, and the mildness of our 
 climate. 
 
 Of the grasses it is hardly necessary to speak. The 
 prairies, bottom lands, and forests, abound in excellent 
 poBtnrmge ; and there can be little doubt of the success of 
 a species of production, which is indigenous to the coun- 
 trv. Artificial grasses have been extensively introduced, 
 and have succeeded well ; but those who have seen the 
 cattle wading in prairie grass as high as their backs, can- 
 not doubt that pastures, equally luxuriant, and far more 
 nutritious, may he produced hy art, when these shall be 
 destroyed. Grass is the natural and characteristic growth
 
 132 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. 
 
 of the country. The blue grass grows spontaneously 
 wherever the soil has been trodden hard ; it skirts the 
 road-sides, and covers the commons around our towns ; 
 the sites of Indian villages and encamping grounds, though 
 long since deserted, are often discovered by the verdant 
 carpet of blue grass which clothes the soil. In Kentucky 
 it is extensively cultivated for pasture, and is highly 
 esteemed. Hay is exported to the more southern states, 
 where it finds a ready sale. 
 
 The Palma Christi, or castor bean, has been raised in 
 large quantities, and a great deal of excellent oil exported. 
 
 Rye and barley are not cultivated to any great extent, 
 because there is no market to which they can be exported, 
 to advantage, and they are but little esteemed for home 
 consumption. Both these grains however are produced 
 in sufficient quantities to supply the demands of the brew- 
 eries and distilleries. Oats are much used for horse-food, 
 but for no other purpose. 
 
 Hemp and flax grow well. The former has been cul* 
 tivated very extensively and with success, in Kentucky, 
 for many years, and the product is said to be of excellent 
 quality. The rich lands of that state, and of Ohio, Indi* 
 ana, Illinois, and Missouri, are generally well adapted to 
 the cultivation of this valuable plant. It is raised with 
 the greatest success in the counties around Lexington. 
 The quantity of nett hemp produced to the acre, is from 
 six hundred to one thousand weight, varying according 
 to the fertility and preparation of the soil, and the state 
 of the season. The price of the lint when prepared for 
 the manufacturer, has varied from three to eight dollars, 
 for the long hundred. The average price is from four to 
 five dollars. 
 
 The western states are too new to afford the cultivated 
 fruits in great abundance ; but the experiments which 
 have been tried, sufficiently attest their peculiar adaptation 
 to our soil and climate ; and if further evidence be desired, 
 
 I
 
 WILD FRUITS. 133 
 
 it is found in the quantity and excellence of our wild 
 fruits ; for it is fairly inferable, thai where the latter grow 
 spontaneously, the corresponding domestic fruits, and 
 those of a similar character, may be produced by art. 
 We have the grape, plum, crab-apple, cherry, persimmon, 
 gooseberry, mulberry, strawberry, raspberry, pawpaw, 
 and blackberry, growing wild. Of these, the grape is the 
 most important, and perhaps the most abundant. It is 
 found in all the ivestem states, and in every variety of 
 soil ; in the prairies, it is interwoven with every thicket, 
 and in the river bottom, it climbs to the tops of the tallest 
 trees. The vine is very prolific, and the fruit excellent. 
 Indeed, we do not know of any part of the United States, 
 in which the native grape flourishes so luxuriantly ; and 
 when we consider this fact, in connection with the mild- 
 ness of the climate, we may well be encouraged to hope, 
 that the vines of foreign countries will find here a conge- 
 nial soil. We know of one gentleman, in Illinois, who 
 made twenty-seven barrels of wine in a single season, 
 from the grapes gathered, with but little labor, in his im- 
 mediate neighborhood ; and we suppose that the quantity 
 might have been increased almost indefinitely, had the 
 encouragement been sufficient. The French, who first 
 settled this country, are said to have made a wine resem- 
 bling claret ; which was so good, that the merchants of 
 Bourdcaux, used exertions to prevent its exportation, and 
 procured an edict to that effect. 
 
 The vine has succeeded well at Harmony and Vevay 
 in Indiana, under the culture of the foreigners who settled 
 at those places, but their wines were not such as to grow 
 into repute. A public spirited gentleman at Cincinnati, 
 has upwards of one hundred and fifty varieties of foreign 
 grapes, under culture, some of which produce well. His 
 wine is highly approved by connoisseurs. 
 
 The earliest fruit which ripens is the wild strawberry, 
 
 M 
 m
 
 134 DOMESTIC FRUITS. 
 
 which comes to perfection about the last of May. It 
 grows on poor land where there is little timber. 
 
 The wild gooseberry is very full of thorns, and pro- 
 duces a small fruit, of an agreeable taste. It is scattered 
 throughout the west, but is most abundant on the upper 
 Mississippi. 
 
 Pawpaws are very abundant on the bottom lands and 
 rich hills. The fruit is delicious ; and those who have 
 overcome a distaste which the cloying richness, and singu- 
 lar flavor, occasions to a palate unaccustomed to this very 
 elegant production, become exceedingly fond of it. 
 Scarcely any brute will eat the Pawpaw ; even the om- 
 nivorous hog will not touch it. It is said that the Rac- 
 oon has taste enough to be fond of it ; if so he has a 
 rich banquet in almost exclusive enjoyment, for we know 
 of no other animal, but man, by whom this fruit is re- 
 lished. 
 
 The wild plum, is found in all the western states, and 
 bears immense quantities of fine fruit. The varieties are 
 numerous. Its growth is an indication of fine land. It 
 is scattered thinly through all our alluvion soils near the 
 rivers, and is found in dense groves on the prairies. 
 
 Of domestic fruits, the peach and apple are most com- 
 mon ; the pear is less generally cultivated, but succeeds 
 equally well. Our apples are remarkably fine ; the trees 
 grow rapidly, are smooth, vigorous and healthy ; they 
 bear abundantly and the fruit is large and finely flavored. 
 Orchards are numerous in Ohio, and very prolific. In 
 the more western states, the apple tree has not yet been 
 cultivated to the same extent ; but we have never seen 
 this tree flourish better, or produce finer fruits than in Il- 
 linois. No market in the United States, is supplied with 
 finer apples and pears, or with a greater abundance than 
 that of Cincinnati ; it is perhaps, in respect to those fruits, 
 unequaled. 
 
 Of our delicious peaches, we shall speak briefly*
 
 GARDENS. 135 
 
 They cannot be excelled in size or flavor. The best that 
 we have seen, were in Kentucky. The fruit however, 
 often fails. Our winters are so short, that the buds often 
 swell prematurely, and are destroyed by frost, BWB be- 
 fore the opening of spring. But when the trees bear, 
 they are loaded with immense quantities of tine fruit. 
 
 Quinces, cherries, and plums, succeed well ; and the 
 same remark will apply to the gooseberry, the currant, 
 the strawberry, and the raspberry, all of which except 
 the currant, are indigenous. We have seen all these 
 fruits growing in great perfection ; and in no in>iance 
 have we seen much art bestowed on their culture — scarce- 
 ly any beyond the act of planting. 
 
 With respect to garden vegetables, we speak from ex- 
 perience. — The writer of this article, spent most of his 
 leisure hours, for several years, in the cultivation of a 
 large garden ; and the remarks now submitted, are the 
 result of careful observation. A very voluminous west- 
 ern writer has said, that "under this powerful sun, all 
 the roots and vegetables are more tasteless than those of 
 the north. It is instantly perceived that the onion is more 
 mild, the blood beet less deeply colored ; and this thing 
 holds good, as far as my experience goes, in the whole 
 vegetable creation. Take every thing into consideration, 
 this is not so good a country for gardens." " Cabbages 
 and peas, owing to the burning heat of the sun, and the 
 dryness of the seasons, are inferior in quality and abun- 
 dance." 
 
 It is to be remarked, that horticulture is an art which 
 is seldom carried to any degree of perfection, except in 
 populous and wealthy neighborhoods. The finest gar- 
 dens are always found in the vicinity of large cities. 
 Farmers have no time to expend in furnishinsr their tables 
 with men luxuries.. Nothing requires more unremitting 
 care, or more severe labor, than a garden : they are, 
 therefore, usually found in the possession of wealthy
 
 136 GARDEN VEGETABLES. 
 
 men, who keep them, at great expense, for amusement, 
 or under the care of gardeners, who cultivate them for 
 the purpose of supplying the markets. There are other 
 persons, who combine economy with enjoyment, in de- 
 voting some time to horticulture ; but all these classes of 
 individuals exist, chiefly, in countries where luxury and 
 taste prevail, to a considerable extent, or where provi- 
 sions are so costly, as to make their production a matter 
 of importance. In these cases, gardening is pursued as 
 an elegant and useful art ; and is advanced, step by step, 
 to its greatest degree of perfection. Soil and climate, it 
 is true, are the most important agents in the rearing of 
 fine vegetables ; but these luxuries are, after all, mainly 
 produced by the wealth, the labor, and the ingenuity of 
 man. In new countries, therefore, they are not to be ex- 
 pected. Few persons here, we might almost say none, 
 have money or leisure to expend in matters of taste and 
 luxury. Farmers, especially, are apt to commit this de- 
 partment to the females of their household, whose other 
 cares allow them to devote to it but little care. We plead 
 guilty then, as a general fact, of having bad gardens. 
 But we by no means admit, that our vegetables are defi- 
 cient, either in abundance or quality, when proper care is 
 paid to their culture. We know that the contrary is true. 
 The simple fact is, that our country teems with the boun- 
 ties of nature in such rich profusion, that the people, not be- 
 ing obliged to labor to supply their tables, are apt to grow 
 careless. They put their seed in the ground, and trust 
 to providence to give the increase. Their garden grounds 
 are not only badly prepared, and as badly attended, but 
 the seeds are selected without any care. The reason, 
 therefore, why, as a general fact, the art of horticulture 
 has been brought to but little perfection at the west, is 
 evident. 
 
 But when it is said, that the vegetables of this country 
 are inferior in quality, we come to another question, to
 
 GARDEN VEGETABLES. 137 
 
 decide which, it is proper to refer to the cases in which 
 they have been subjected to a sufficient degree of culture. 
 Almost every farmer here, raises cabbages, and we are 
 sure that we have never seen larger or better. A hun- 
 dred heads are sold in Illinois for a dollar and fifty cents. 
 The parsnips and carrots of this country are remarkable 
 for their size, sweetness, and flavor ; the former, especial- 
 ly, have a richness, which we have never noticed else- 
 where. Our beets are as delicate and sweet as is possible ; 
 and we only forbear stating a fact, with regard to their size, 
 which has come to our knowledge, from the fear of startling 
 the credulity of our readers. Peas are excellent, and very 
 prolific. We have seen radishes three inches in thick- 
 ness, and perfectly solid, mild, and crisp. Our lettuce, 
 if well dressed, (there is a great deal in that) is capital. 
 The tomatus, is common all through this country. It is 
 only necessary to plant it once, after which, it comes up 
 every year spontaneously; and bears abundantly, from 
 the middle of the summer, until nipped by the frost. 
 Thousands of bushels of onions have been raised with 
 no other labor, than sowing the seed broadcast, in new 
 ground ; and as to their quality, it would do the heart of 
 a Wethersfield lady good to look at them. That goodly 
 town of Connecticut would be depopulated, if its worthy 
 inhabitants could see the onion-fields of Morgan county, 
 and the military tract, in Illinois. We might enumerate 
 other articles, but it is enough to say that, in general, the 
 vegetables suited to our climate, are produced in their 
 greatest perfection. It would, indeed, be an anomaly in 
 the economy of nature, if garden plants did not flourish 
 vigorously, in a soil of unrivaled depth, fertility, and 
 freshness. 
 
 The vegetable market at Cincinnati is one of the finest 
 in the world. At Pittsburgh, Louisville, St. Louis, and 
 other large towns where the encouragement is sufficient 
 to induce the raising of vegetables for market, they are 
 
 m 2
 
 138 FLORAL CALENDAR. 
 
 equal in size and flavor, to those of the eastern cities, 
 though the variety of kinds is not so great. At the ta- 
 bles of gentlemen in every part of Kentucky, the profu- 
 sion and excellence of the vegetables, is such as to afford 
 a subject of remark to the observant traveler. We are 
 well satisfied that a careful examination of this subject 
 would show, that the horticultural productions of the west, 
 are in general superior in size, delicacy, and flavor, to 
 those of any other part of the United States. 
 
 We subjoin a table of average dates, extracted from 
 Dr. Drake's admirable Picture of Cincinnati, which will 
 enable practical men to form a tolerably accurate idea of the 
 progress and decay of vegetation, within our season* 
 
 FLORAL CALENDAR. 
 
 March 5. Commons becoming green. 
 
 " 6. Buds of water maple beginning to open. 
 
 " 6. Buds of lilac beginning to open. 
 
 " 7. Buds of weeping willow beginning to open, 
 
 " 8. Buds of gooseberry beginning to open. 
 
 " 12. Buds of honey-suckle beginning to open. 
 
 " 26. Buds of peach tree beginning to open. 
 
 " 26. Radishes, peas, and tongue grass planted in the open 
 air. 
 April 8. Peach tree in full flower. 
 
 " 8. Buds of the privet beginning to open. 
 
 " 15. Buds of the cherry tree beginning to open. 
 
 " 15. Red currants beo-inning- to flower. 
 
 " 18. Buds of the flowering locust beginning to open. 
 
 " 18. Lilac in full flower. 
 
 " 20. Apple tree in full flower. 
 
 " 24. Dogwood in full flower. 
 May 9. Flowering locust in full bloom. 
 12. Indian corn planted. 
 12. Honey-suckles beginning to flower. 
 June 4. Cherries beginning to ripen. 
 
 " 4. Raspberries beginning to ripen. 
 
 " 6. Strawberries beginning to ripen. 
 
 " 6. Red currants beginning to ripen. 
 
 " 24. Hay Harvest. 
 July 4. Rye harvest begun. 
 
 " 10. Wheat harvest begun. 
 
 " 12. Blackberries ripe. 

 
 WOOD AND TIMBER. 139 
 
 July 15. Unripe corn in market. 
 
 " 18. Indian corn generally in flower. 
 
 " 21. Oat harvest. 
 
 Aug. 5. Peaches in market. 
 
 Sept. 20. Forest becoming variegated. 
 
 Oct. 25. Indian corn gathered, 
 
 " 30. Woods leafless. 
 
 For the purpose of comparison, we add a few memo- 
 randa made by the Avriter at Vandalia, Illinois, in the 
 spring of 1830. 
 
 April 1. Peach trees in bloom. 
 " 2. Asparagus fit for the table. 
 " 3. Peas, beans, and onions planted. 
 11 6. Heart's ease and violets in bloom. 
 " 7. Beets, carrots, parsnips, and other roots planted. 
 
 " 10. Spring had completely opened ; and the prairies were 
 
 green. Gooseberry and currant bushes in bloom. 
 
 •' 15. Cabbage plants transplanted. 
 
 " 18. Lilac in bloom — strawberry vines in bloom. 
 
 " 19. A great variety of wild flowers in full bloom. 
 
 " 20. Nearly all our garden seeds had been planted. 
 
 •* 25. Raspberries in bloom. 
 
 " 27. Lettuce, radishes, pepper-grass, &c. fit for use. 
 
 11 30. Roses and honey-suckles in full bloom. 
 
 I make no apology for adding, more at large, the fol- 
 lowing valuable remarks, in reference to the spring season 
 of 1836, furnished in a letter to me, from my friend Dr. 
 Clap of New Albany, Indiana. 
 
 "Vegetation has been later, especially in the fore part 
 of the month (April) than has ever been known by the 
 oldest inhabitants. From the 22nd to the end of the month, 
 the weather was very open and pleasant ; the thermometer 
 ranging, in the hottest part of the day, from 75 to 85. 
 
 "The latitude of New Albany, according to the land 
 surveys is 38 deg. 12 min. north, though stated different- 
 ly in some publications. The elevation of the second 
 bank, at the court house, by the actual survey of engineers 
 employed by the state, is 426 feet above the tide water 
 of Hudson river. It is on this bank the greater part of
 
 140 FLORAL CALENDAR. 
 
 the plants mentioned are found. On the west of the town 
 rises a range of hills called the knobs running nearly due 
 north, elevated about 500 feet, and beyond which the 
 country is generally elevated upwards of 300 feet above the 
 Ohio bottoms, and the vegetation some days later than on 
 the river shore. I have been thus particular, deeming it 
 essential to an accurate understanding of the progress of 
 vegetation. Many floral calendars are of little value for 
 comparison, in consequence of the want of detail in re- 
 ference to elevation and local causes, as well from gener- 
 al carelessness. 
 
 " Professor Bigelow, who is remarkable for his general 
 accuracy, in his observations on the peach tree in differ- 
 ent places, concludes that vernal flowering varies four 
 days for each degree of latitude. The peach in this vi- 
 cinity however, varies more in its time of flowering in 
 different years than any of our native forest trees, or even 
 our indigenous herbaceous plants. The difference be- 
 tween the present year and 1834 — no record having been 
 kept by me of 1835 — was 27 days for the peach, while 
 other trees and herbaceous plants varied from 15 to 21 days. 
 
 "The foliation of the beech is probably one of the 
 best standards of comparison between different places. It 
 is more diffused, and adds more to the verdure of the 
 forest, than any other tree, and the structure of its buds 
 is such, that they continue to swell and elongate without 
 the least appearance of verdure, until the moment they 
 expand, when the largest leaves are nearly an inch in 
 length, and frequently grow more than an inch per day, 
 for some time. 
 
 " From a hasty examination of calendars of vegetation, 
 at Deerneld and Plainfield, Mass., the German Flats, N. 
 York, and Philadelphia, it appears probable that Profes- 
 sor Bigelow's estimation of four days for each degree of 
 latitude, is not high enough, especially between the west- 
 ern and eastern states. Although the mean temperature
 
 FLORAL CALENDAR. 
 
 141 
 
 is said to be the same for the corresponding parallels of 
 latitude on both sides of the Alleghenies, the season is 
 probably earlier in the western states, the soil and eleva- 
 tion being the same. The subject, however, requires 
 some years of careful observation to obtain the proper 
 data for comparison. 
 
 " The earliest appearance of the flowers is the time 
 noted in the following table unless otherwise stated. The 
 plants enumerated are not all that were observed but those 
 only that had just bloomed at the time of observation. 
 
 April 1836. 
 
 2d 
 ci 
 
 4 th 
 
 ki 
 
 5th 
 « 
 
 9th 
 m 
 
 10th 
 12th 
 13th 
 
 II 
 ( 
 
 It 
 II 
 II 
 II 
 
 14th 
 ii 
 
 ii 
 
 16th 
 
 M 
 
 17th 
 
 19 th 
 
 20th 
 
 21st 
 u 
 
 2-2d 
 it 
 
 it 
 
 Elm, 
 
 Red Maple, 
 
 Rice Anemone, 
 Spring Beauty, 
 Spice bush, 
 Shepherds purse, 
 
 Ad- 
 
 Grey Willow, 
 White flowered 
 der's tongue, 
 Blue violet, 
 Yellow do. 
 Ground Ivy, 
 Mouse ear cress, 
 Wild Sweet William, 
 Calico Weed, 
 Chickweed, 
 Yellow flowered Ad 
 
 Ulmus Americana. 
 Acer Rubrum. 
 Erigcnia Bulbosa. 
 Anemone Thalictroides. 
 Claytonia Vtrgimca. 
 Laiirus Benzoin. 
 Thlaspi Bursa past oris. 
 Ranunculus abortivus. 
 Luzula Campestris. 
 Salix Grisea. 
 
 > Erythronium Albidum. 
 
 Viola Cucullata. 
 " pubescens. 
 Glechoma hederacca. 
 Arabis Thaliana. 
 Phlox divaricata. 
 Diclytra cucularia. 
 Stellaria media. 
 
 > Eryth 
 
 ronium Americanum. 
 
 der's tongue, 
 
 American water cress, Cardamine Virginica. 
 
 Greek Valerian, Polemonium reptans. 
 
 Peach trees, (beg-in- ? ,, ; ; r» 
 
 , i v fo n > Ami/gdalus rersica. 
 ning to blossom) j yts 
 
 Red Currants, Ribes Rubrum. 
 
 Dandelion, Leontodon Taraxacum. 
 
 Morello cherry, var. of Prunus cerasus. 
 
 Flowering Almond, Amy gdalus nana. 
 
 Peach trees in full bloom. 
 
 Sassafras, Laurus Sassaf7 x as. 
 
 Red bud, Cercis Canadensis. 
 
 Ragwort, Senecio Aurea. 

 
 24th 
 
 u 
 
 142 WOOD AND TIMBER. 
 
 22d Plaintain endweed, Gnaphalium plantaginum. 
 
 " Stellaria pubera. 
 
 23d Lungwort, Pulmonaria Virginica. 
 
 Apple tree, (beginning 7 D ; 
 
 rr a \ c "y ru s malus. 
 
 " Thyme leaved speedwell , Veronica serpyUifolia. 
 " Morello cherry in full bloom. 
 25th The forest becoming green, caused mostly by the leafing 
 of the beech. 
 " Crane's bill, < Geranium maculatum. 
 
 " Dogwood, Cornus Florida. 
 
 Note. The white involucrum expanded, the inner and proper petals were 
 not unfolded until 8 days later. 
 
 26th Violet wood sorrel, Oxalis Violacia. 
 
 Ranunculus runcuvatus. 
 
 " Striped Violet, Viola Striata. 
 
 27th Thornbush, Red Haw, Crataegus coccinea. 
 
 Lilac, Syringa vulgaris. 
 
 Foetid buckeye, Esculus pallida. 
 
 Quamansh, Phalangium esculentum. 
 
 " Iris cri statu. 
 
 29th Black Whortleberry, Vaccinium resinosum. 
 
 " Meadow rice, Thalictrum dioicum. 
 
 " Barr flower, Hydrophyllum Virginicum. 
 
 " Blue wort, Leontin Thalictroides. 
 
 30th May Apple, Podophyllum pcltatum. 
 
 " Mouse ear chick weed, Cerastium vulgatum. 
 
 In so vast a region, comprising a vast amount of timber, 
 there is of course, a great variety in the species and qua- 
 lity of that production. The most common kinds are oak, 
 hickory, ash, poplar, cotton wood, walnut, sugar maple, 
 beech, sycamore, buckeye, gum, cypress, cherry, locust, 
 peccan. 
 
 Cedar and pine are abundant in the northern regions 
 of some of the tributaries of the Ohio and Mississippi, 
 but are not found in quantities sufficient to be rendered 
 useful, within what may be properly termed the western 
 country. Large quantities of lumber, suitable for build- 
 ing, are prepared on the Allegheny river, and on some of 
 the higher tributaries of the Mississippi, from the cedar 
 and pine of those higher latitudes, and floated in rafts to 
 the more southern districts ; by which means all the
 
 WOOD AND TIMBER. 143 
 
 shores of the Ohio and Mississippi are well supplied with 
 the best description of scantling, plank, and shingles. 
 
 The several varieties of the oak are found in almost 
 every part of our country. The heavy timbers for house 
 and ship building, are made of this wood ; it is converted 
 into flooring, and other descriptions of heavy plank ; arid 
 is used in many manufactures of which wood is the ma- 
 terial. It is also a very general and excellent material for 
 fuel ; and is used by the farmer in fencing, for rails, posts, 
 and plank. There are few localities in which it is not 
 found, nor is there any timber so extensively useful. 
 
 The ash is also an excellent wood both for fuel and for 
 plank ; it is very abundantly distributed over the whole 
 country, and is much used for a variety of purposes. 
 
 Many varieties of the hickory are spread through the 
 whole region. This is considered our best wood for fuel 
 for domestic purposes, but has little other value. The 
 farmers use it for fence rails, but it is neither so easily 
 split, nor so durable as oak or ash. 
 
 The black walnut and cherry are hard fine grained 
 woods, used chiefly by cabinet makers, and are sufficient- 
 ly abundant for the purposes to which they are applied. 
 
 Poplar is abundant in some districts, but is not preva- 
 lent in the southern parts of the region under description. 
 
 The black locust, on account of its durability, is ex- 
 tremely valuable for posts, or for any purpose where the 
 capacity of resisting the action of moisture is required. 
 
 The sugar maple is found on our richest soils, both in 
 the upland and bottoms, and is a valuable timber inde- 
 pendently of the rich product which it yields to the sugar 
 maker. The season for making the sugar is in February 
 — when the cold frosty nights begin to be succeeded by 
 clear warm days. 
 
 The cottonwood resembles the poplar in appearance 
 and texture, and is found chiefly in low alluvion lands, 
 and on the margins of rivers, where it grows to an im-
 
 > 
 
 144 WOOD AND TIMBER. 
 
 mense size. The young groves shoot up with uncommon 
 rapidity, and are highly ornamental to the banks which 
 they cover ; but the wood is of little value. 
 
 The sycamore is seen towering to a great height on" the 
 margins of our rivers ; but is fortunately not abundant in 
 other localities, as it is entirely useless ; as are also the 
 gum, and the buckeye. 
 
 The cypress, which is found only in the immense 
 swamps of the southern part of this region, is a white soft 
 wood, which is used for making shingles, and for various 
 kinds of wooden vessels which are made by the cooper 
 or turner. 
 
 The peccan is found only at a few points on the Ohio 
 and Wabash near the junction of those rivers, and on the 
 Mississippi near its confluence with the Kaskaskia. It 
 yields a rich delicious nut, which is highly prized, and 
 of which a few hundred bushels have been annually 
 gathered and shipped to New-Orleans. The tree resem- 
 bles the hickory in appearance, and is of that family. 
 
 The oak, the hickory, the beech, and the walnut, afford 
 a prodigious quantity of nuts and acorns, which form the 
 chief part of the mast, upon which the immense droves 
 of hogs are subsisted and reared in our forests. 
 
 The large quantity of wood used by the steam boats, 
 has made this an article of active and extensive sale, and 
 will very shortly render all the lands bordering on the 
 navigable rivers extremely valuable. The consumption 
 of wood is already so great, that the supply is barely 
 sufficient to meet it, and at some points it is wholly in- 
 adequate. The boats are every year increasing rapidly in 
 number, and we know of no branch of business in which 
 the farmer could engage more profitably, than in supply- 
 ing them with fuel. There is scarcely an acre of un- 
 cleared land bounded by the river which will not yield 
 100 cords of wood — many will yield 150 cords — but ex- 
 perienced men consider the average product 100 cords to
 
 
 DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 145 
 
 the acre, including only such wood as is suitable for steam 
 boats. The price varies from 92 to $3 per cord, accor- 
 ding to the locality, season, scarcity, &c. so that taking 
 $2,50 per cord as the average, the product of an acre of 
 woodland would be as follows: 
 
 100 cords of wood at $2,50 $250 
 
 Deduct for cutting 50 cents per cord, $50 
 hauling 25 " " " 25 
 other labor 25 " " " 25 100 
 
 Clear gain, $150 
 
 The price at which such land may be purchased, can- 
 not be stated witli any precision, as it would vary accor- 
 ding to circumstances. But little of the most valuable 
 land on the large rivers remains in the hands of the gov- 
 ernment ; and the private owners have become sensible 
 of its value. Such however is the great variety of soil, 
 situation, and other particulars, that a purchaser may suit 
 himself at any price, from $1,25 per acre, to $100 per acre. 
 
 The best kinds of wood for steam boats are oak, beech, 
 and ash. Cottonwood affords a lively fire, but burns 
 away too fast. Hickory which is the best fuel for culi- 
 narv purposes, is useless for steam boats, on account of 
 the quantity of coals with which it fills the furnaces. The 
 wood for steam boats is required to be split fine, and kept 
 until perfectly dry. 
 
 Of domestic animals, the hog is decidedly the most 
 useful and numerous. The meat constitutes a chief ar- 
 ticle of food, and is used either fresh, or in the form of 
 bacon. The immense droves of hogs which are raised 
 would seem incredible to those who are not familiar with 
 the facts. They are reared most extensively in those 
 districts which are thinly settled, and where they ean 
 roam at larjre 0V6J wide tracts of forest. During the 
 spring and summer the ow T ner pays them no other atten- 
 tion than to look after them occasionally, to ascertain the 
 
 N
 
 146 DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 
 
 range that they frequent, and to mark the recent litters by 
 cutting their ears. Every fanner has a separate mark, 
 which is recorded in a book kept by the county clerk, 
 and the laws denounce severe penalties upon those who 
 cutoff the ears, or alter the marks, of the hogs of others. 
 In the autumn when the mast falls, the hogs fatten rapid- 
 ly, and grow very large. But although they become pro 
 digiously fat, upon the wild nuts, they are not then in a 
 condition to kill for market, as the meat, and especially 
 the fat, of mast fed hogs, is soft, oily, and hard to keep — 
 though not deficient in sweetness or flavor, for present 
 use. They are, therefore, taken home in the autumn, 
 and fed on corn for five or six weeks, in which time the 
 flesh becomes solid, and the lard white and firm. They 
 are then driven to some of the towns on the rivers, where 
 they are slaughtered and prepared for market. One hun 
 dred and fifty thousand hogs, are usually killed, in Cin- 
 cinnati alone, in the course of six weeks in the fall of the 
 year. These may be supposed to average two hundred 
 pounds each, and to sell for from three, to three and a 
 half dollars per hundred — making the sum paid by the 
 pork dealers to the farmers, at this single market, one 
 million of dollars annually. During the last season, how- 
 ever, pork commanded more than double its usual price, 
 and although a less quantity than ordinary was brought to 
 market, the investments at Cincinnati may be stated at a 
 million and a half. 
 
 Beef is also raised extensively, and of fine quality. 
 The beeves which are fattened on the prairies, without 
 any other care than that of marking them, and giving 
 them salt as often as they require it, become very fat, 
 though not large. They seldom weigh over six or seven 
 hundred ; but the meat is remarkably sweet, juicy, and 
 tender. 
 
 In some parts of Ohio and Kentucky, the farmers have 
 turned their attention very successfully to the improve-
 
 DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 147 
 
 ment of their breeds of cattle. Imported animals have 
 been introduced at a gTeat expense, and in sufficient num- 
 bers to have already effected a sensible improvement in 
 the stock of large districts. In several counties of each 
 of these states the cattle are decidedly fine, and unques- 
 tionably equal to those of any part of the United States. 
 
 Horses are raised throughout the west. In Kentucky 
 and Tennessee, great attention is paid to the rearing of 
 blooded horses for the turf, and the saddle, and those 
 states abound in fine and beautiful animals of those des- 
 criptions. There are many good blooded horses also in 
 Ohio, but more attention is bestowed here to the rearing 
 of horses for draught Large numbers of mules are 
 raised in Kentucky, and Missouri. 
 
 Sheep raising has been very successfully conducted, 
 wherever it has been attempted with proper care. The 
 sheep do not thrive on the natural pastures, nor without 
 suitable houses to protect them from the weather. 
 
 The following extract from a letter to the author, writ- 
 ten by Mr. George Flower, an English gentleman, whose 
 intelligence, experience, and probity entitle his state- 
 ments to entire confidence, are conclusive, upon this sub- 
 ject. 
 
 " When Ferdinand the Seventh was detained by Napo- 
 leon a prisoner in France, sir Charles Stewart, then en- 
 voy from England, purchased six thousand of the finest 
 merinos from the royal flocks of Spain. The baste with 
 which these Bheep were driven to the Spanish coast, their 
 crowded state on board ship, and the change of climate 
 and pasture, engendered so much disease and death, that 
 in one year after their purchase in Spain, not more than 
 two thousand remained alive in England. These two 
 thousand were purchased by my father, and for four years 
 were tended with great care and attention by me. 
 
 "During this period, I made several purchase* of in- 
 dividual sheep from celebrated flocks belonging to the
 
 148 DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 
 
 convents of Spain ; and particularly from the flock of the 
 monks of Paula. 
 
 "In 1817, I emigrated to Illinois, and settled in Ed- 
 wards county, ten miles from the Wabash, in a pleasant 
 and gently undulating prairie country. I brought with 
 me six rams and six ewes, selected for the fineness of 
 their wool. From these I have bred and increased, ever 
 since. I have also bred from three hundred country 
 ewes, by my merino and Saxony rams. The continued 
 use of fine rams, for seventeen years, has brought the 
 descendants from the country ewes as fine woolled as the 
 original merinos. The flock, from their first introduc- 
 tion up to the present time, have been remarkably healthy. 
 The only disease I have observed amongst them, is the 
 foot rot ; about six falling with it in the course of the year, 
 and about the same number with the rot, from pasturing 
 in wet places on the prairie, in the spring of the year. 
 
 " My flock now consists of four hundred sheep. Two 
 hundred and sixty of which are ewes ; two hundred of 
 them fine woolled, and sixty common and half-blood. 
 
 u I have for sixteen years bred my sheep alone, and 
 without any comparison with the eastern flocks, or new 
 ly imported sheep from Saxony. It will be a curious 
 fact, if it should so turn out, that the interior of America 
 contains as fine wool as can be found in Spain or Saxony. 
 
 " Having given this brief history of the origin, and 
 present number of my flock, I will mention a few facts 
 relative to the cultivation of fine wool, and the new vari- 
 eties of sheep now possessed by me. Some few years 
 ago, the merino was considered the finest woolled sheep 
 in the world. The Spanish king allowed the elector of 
 Saxony to select a given number of sheep from his flock. 
 The agents of the elector, selected the finest woolled ani- 
 mals, regardless of their form or size. From these, a 
 race of sheep has been reared, producing extremely fine 
 wool, but tender, small, and generally illshaped. These
 
 DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 149 
 
 have been bred so long together, that the Saxony sheep 
 have now very different characteristics from the merino. 
 The wool of the Saxony is 20 or 25 cents per pound 
 higher than the merino. When in possession of the 
 2000 Spanish sheep, I examined with great care, every 
 individual in the flock, and selected from them seventy 
 of extreme and uniform fineness. These were kept in a 
 little flock by themselves, and the manufacturer who pur- 
 chased the merino fleeces, at a dollar per pound, in the 
 grease, gave for the wool of the selected flock, two dol- 
 lars per pound. Are there any manufacturers of shawls, 
 or extra fine cloths, in the United States, that will give an 
 extra price for extra fine wool? I have now five breeds 
 of fine woolled sheep, in my flock, suitable for different 
 soils, and whose wool is adapted for different manufac- 
 tures. The merino and Saxony, both too well known to 
 need description. The Illinois grazier, a most useful 
 race of sheep, perhaps more generally useful as a substi- 
 tute for the common sheep of the country than any other. 
 It is a short-legged, stout sheep, with a long-stapled soft 
 wool, alike acceptable to the manufacturer and the house- 
 wife. It will live and thrive on the richest, as well as 
 the poorest land. It fattens easily : its mutton is excel- 
 lent. The second variety I call the prairie down, bear- 
 ing a strong similarity to the celebrated breed of 'south 
 downs,' in England, but clothed with the finest fleece. 
 This breed is entirely without horns, and divested of the 
 loose skin about the throat and chest, that has so much 
 disfigured the merinos. The whole appearance of this 
 sheep is neat, with a form sufficiently broad for easy fat- 
 tening. This breed should be kept exclusively upon high 
 ground and fine herbage." 
 
 In the neighborhood of Steubenville and Wheeling, 
 and at several other points sheep have been raised in large 
 numbers, and with great success ; and there remains no 
 doubt of the adaptation of our climate to this animal. 
 
 n 2
 
 150 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 The public Domain. 
 
 The public domain, as it is called, consists of the 
 lands belonging to the general government, as distinguish- 
 ed from the unimproved lands, belonging to the individu- 
 al states, or private owners. They have long occupied 
 much of the attention of Congress, and there is reason 
 to believe that the legislation of that body in respect to 
 them, is likely to assume hereafter a higher importance, 
 and a more delicate character, than it even now presents. 
 It is only necessary to notice the fact, that in all the 
 western states, which lie beyond the Ohio, the Union is 
 the proprietary of the vacant lands, in order to suggest the 
 intricate relations which are likely to grow up between 
 the general and state governments. To those who view 
 these questions in their probable effect upon state rights, 
 the subject assumes a fearful interest; but we do not pro- 
 fess to be among those, nor to entertain any doubt, that 
 the well-balanced powers of the general government, on 
 the one hand, and of the respective states, on the other, 
 will be maintained in their original integrity, as long as 
 the confederacy shall endure. Nor is it our intention, in 
 the remarks which we shall make, to advocate any local 
 interest, or to advance the dogmas of any political sect ; 
 our object being simply to state the subject, in its various 
 bearings, by presenting some of its most prominent de- 
 tails, with such information relative to the actual condi- 
 tion of the country, as may be properly connected with it. 
 
 In the western states, this subject has for many years 
 presented a topic of animated public discussion. It is 
 here a matter of vital interest, and is every year growing 
 in influence, and expanding in magnitude ; and the time 
 is fast approaching, when political aspirants, whatever
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN". 151 
 
 may he their principles in other respects, will be required 
 to he orthodox upon this all absorbing question. Yet the 
 politicians of the west arc by no means unanimous ; and 
 although the popular voice has given currency to a few 
 leading propositions, the minds of intelligent men are 
 much divided as to the course of policy to be pursued by 
 the government, in the disposition of the public domain. 
 
 It should he recollected, that a very large majority of 
 the western population, and of the emigrants to the new 
 states, are farmers, and that very few of these are willing 
 to be the tenants of other men. They nearly all are, or 
 desire to become, freeholders : and as there are few other 
 lands in market than those of government, the price and 
 conditions of sale of the public domain, are to them topics 
 of immediate importance. 
 
 By a calculation lately submitted to Congress by one 
 of its committees, and founded on evidence which seems 
 conclusive, it appears probable, that in 1860 the popula- 
 tion of the United States will be thirty-two millions, 
 of which fourteen millions will be contained in the At- 
 lantic states, and eighteen millions in the western states. 
 Thus the inhabitants of the Atlantic states, having now 
 the majority in Congress, are legislating upon the in- 
 terests of those, who, in less than thirty years will have 
 acquired the right, and the power, to exercise a control- 
 ing influence in the national legislature, and who, from a 
 dependent condition, will have arisen to complete sov 
 ereignty. Where the population of a country is thus 
 rapidly increasing — where that increase tends inevitably 
 to a transfer of power from one section of the Union to 
 another — and where the anticipated change is so near at 
 hand, that individuals of the present generation may live 
 to witness its accomplishment, every measure which 
 bears upon the subject becomes deeply interesting. Of 
 such measures, those which relate to the sale and owner- 
 ship of the public lands, seem to have the most direct
 
 152 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 operation upon the growth of the new states and territo- 
 ries, a very large majority of the emigrants to such coun- 
 tries, being agriculturalists, who would not settle upon 
 the soil in any other condition than as its proprietors. 
 
 It will be readily seen that this is precisely the kind 
 of subject which is calculated to awaken sectional feel- 
 ings, and upon which, therefore, a great diversity of 
 opinion may prevail. That discordant ideas concerning 
 it are prevalent, is becoming every day more and more 
 obvious ; and the public domain is now viewed in differ- 
 ent lights by different politicians. Some consider it as 
 a source of revenue, to be disposed of to the best ad- 
 vantage for the national treasury ; others contend that it 
 should be put to sale in the manner best calculated to pro- 
 mote emigration to that quarter ; a third class, and the 
 most numerous, are willing to make a liberal compromise 
 between the two former opinions ; M r hile a fourth, few in 
 number, deny the right of the United States to the fee 
 simple of any lands lying within the limits of a sover- 
 eign state. 
 
 The subject, therefore, naturally divides itself into two 
 branches of inquiry; — 1. As to the title of the United 
 States to the public lands ; and 2. As to the policy pur- 
 sued in its disposal. 
 1. The title of the United States to the public lands. 
 
 At the formation of the Federal Government, all the 
 lands not owned by individuals, belonged to the states 
 respectively, within whose limits they were situated; for 
 as that government consisted of a confederacy of states, 
 each of which retained its proprietary rights, and proper 
 sovereignty, the United States acquired by the Union no 
 property in the soil. The uninhabited wilds lying to the 
 west, and as yet not clearly defined by established boun- 
 daries, were claimed by the adjacent states, and portions 
 of them by foreign nations under conflicting claims, but 
 all subject to the paramount Indian title. The title there-
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 153 
 
 fore, of the United States to that country is derived : 
 1. From treaties with foreign nations ; 2. From treaties 
 with the Indian tribes ; and — 3. From cessions by indi- 
 vidual states, members of the Union. 
 
 The treaties with foreign nations, by which territory 
 has been acquired, are those of 1783 and 1704 with 
 Great Britain, of 17'Jo and 1820 with Spain, and of 1803 
 with France. It is sufficient to say of these treaties, 
 that by them we acquired Louisiana and the Floridas, 
 and extinguished all the claims of foreign nations to the 
 immense regions lying west of the several states, and 
 extending to the Pacific ocean. 
 
 The lands east of the Mississippi, and contained with- 
 in the boundaries designated by the treaty with Great 
 Britain of 1783, were claimed by individual states, and 
 the title of the United States to that territory is derived 
 from cessions made by those states. 
 
 These cessions embrace three distinct tracts of country. 
 
 1. The whole territory north of the river Ohio, and 
 west of Pennsylvania and Virginia, extending northward- 
 ly to the northern boundary of the United States, and 
 westwardly to the Mississippi, was claimed by Virginia, 
 and that state was in possession of the French settlements 
 of Vincennes and Kaskaskia, which she had occupied 
 and defended during the revolutionary war. The states 
 of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York, set up, 
 to portions of the same territory, claims, which though 
 scarcely plausible, were urgently pressed upon the con- 
 sideration of Congress. The United States, by cessions 
 from those four states, acquired an indisputable title to the 
 whole. This tract now comprises Ohio, Indiana, Illi- 
 nois, and Michigan. 
 
 2. North Carolina ceded to the United States all her 
 vacant lands lying west of the Allegheny mountains with- 
 in the breadth of her charter. This territory is com- 
 prised within the state of Tennessee.
 
 154 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 3. South Carolina and Georgia ceded their titles to 
 that tract of country which now composes the states of 
 Alabama and Mississippi. 
 
 The United States having thus become the sole pro- 
 prietary, of what have since been called the public lands, 
 the nation was rescued from evils of the most threatening 
 and embarrassing aspect. The claims of foreign nations, 
 adverse to our own, to the broadly expanded regions ly- 
 ing west of the several states, and extending to the Paci- 
 fic, were extinguished — depriving those nations of all ex- 
 cuse for tampering with the Indians upon our border, and 
 rescuing our frontier from the dangerous vicinity of for- 
 eign military posts. The boundaries of the then fron- 
 tier states were defined, and they were prevented from 
 growing to an inordinate size, and acquiring an undue 
 preponderance in the government — the interfering claims 
 of several states to the same territory were silenced — but 
 above all, the general government, in acquiring the sole 
 jurisdiction over the vacant lands, was enabled to estab- 
 lish an uniform system for their settlement, and the erec- 
 tion of new states. To the latter, admission into the 
 Union upon terms of perfect equality with the older 
 members of the confederacy, was secured ; while the 
 land was offered to the settler at a fair price, and under an 
 unexceptionable title. The disinterested policy of the 
 states which made these liberal cessions cannot be too 
 highly applauded. Virginia, in particular, displayed a 
 magnanimity which entitles her to the lasting gratitude of 
 the American people ; her territory was by far the largest, 
 and her sacrifice to the general good the noblest. It was 
 disinterested, because she reserved no remuneration to her- 
 self. 
 
 The cession by Virginia is the most important, not only 
 on account of the magnitude of the country ceded, but in 
 regard to the conditions imposed on the United States 
 respecting its future disposition. It is provided in that
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 155 
 
 compact, " that all the lands within the territory so ceded 
 to the United States, and not reserved for special purposes, 
 shall be considered as a common fund, for the special use 
 and benefit of such of the United States as have become, 
 or shall become, members of the confederation or federal 
 alliance of said states, Virginia inclusive, according to 
 their usual respective proportions in the general charge 
 and expenditure, and shall be faithfully, and bona fide 
 disposed of for that purpose, and for no other use or pur- 
 pose whatsoever." It is also provided, that, " the said 
 territory shall be divided into distinct republican states, 
 not more than five, nor less than three, as the situation 
 of that country and future circumstances may require ; 
 which states shall hereafter become members of the Fed- 
 eral union, and have the same rights of sovereignty, free- 
 dom and independence, as the original states." 
 
 The reservations made by Virginia, were, " That the 
 French and Canadian inhabitants, and other settlers of 
 Kaskaskies, St. Vincents, and the neighboring villages, 
 who have professed themselves citizens of Virginia, shall 
 have their possessions and titles confirmed to them, and 
 be protected in the enjoyment of their rights and liberties," 
 and a quantity of land, which Virginia had promised to 
 General George Rogers Clarke, and to the officers and 
 soldiers who served under him in the reduction of the 
 French posts, was reserved within the ceded territory, 
 for the purpose of fulfilling the stipulations of that agree- 
 ment. This cession was made in 1784. 
 
 As we shall comment upon the Ordinance passed by 
 congress in 1787, for the government of the northwestern 
 territory, in another place, we shall only notice here, that 
 part of it which relates to the public lands. It is com- 
 prised in the two following clauses : 
 
 " The legislatures of those districts, or new states, shall 
 never interfere with the primary disposal of the soil by 
 the United States, in congress assembled, nor with any
 
 156 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 regulations congress may find necessary, for securing the 
 title in such soil to the bonajide purchasers." 
 
 " No tax shall be imposed on lands the property of the 
 United States ; and in no case shall non-resident proprie- 
 tors be taxed higher than residents." 
 
 In the constitution of the United States, it was further 
 declared, that, " The congress shall have power to dis- 
 pose of, and make all needful rules and regulations res- 
 pecting the territory or other property of the United 
 States ;" and thus the sanction of the whole people was 
 given to the acts of the confederated government, and 
 their compacts with states, and the title of the general 
 government to the public lands, recognised. 
 
 The treaties with the Indian tribes, for the extinguish- 
 ment of their titles to different tracts of country, have 
 been numerous. Those tribes are recognised, in some 
 respects as independent nations. They are governed by 
 their own laws, and are acknowledged to have the right 
 to sell their lands, or to occupy them at their option. The 
 general government claims the right of pre-emption, and 
 forbids the sale of Indian lands to other nations, or to in- 
 dividuals. But in no instance have those lands been 
 surveyed, or offered for sale, antecedently to their pur- 
 chase from the Indians, nor has any compulsion ever been 
 used, to extort from the latter, any portion of their terri- 
 tory. In several instances, the same land has been pur- 
 chased from several different tribes, in others, it has been 
 bought more than once from the same tribe, so liberal has 
 this government been in its policy, and so careful to avoid 
 even the appearance of injustice. 
 
 No portion of the Indian lands has ever been claimed 
 by our government, under the usages of war. The treaty 
 of Greenville, made by General Wayne in 1795, at the 
 head of a victorious army, with the chiefs of the tribes 
 who had just before been vanquished by him in battle, is 
 one of the first in date, in reference to the public domain,
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 157 
 
 and affords sufficient evidence of the early adoption of a 
 pacific and just policy by our government. Nothing is 
 claimed in that treaty by right of conquest. The parties 
 
 agree to establish perpetual peace — the Indiana acknowl- 
 edge themselves to be under the protection of the United 
 Smtes, and not of any foreign power — they promise to 
 sell their land to the United States only — the latter agrees 
 to protect them, and a few regulations are adopted to go- 
 vern the intercourse which shall ensue. A boundary line 
 is established by which the Indians confirm to us large 
 tracts of land, nearly all of which had been ceded to us 
 by former treaties; and the United States agrees to pay 
 them in goods to the value of $20,000, and to make them 
 a further payment of $9,500 annually. Most of the trea- 
 ties subsequently made, have been framed on this model. 
 
 In the year 1803, President Jefferson in a letter to the 
 Governor of Indiana, makes use of the following language : 
 " Our system is to live in perpetual peace with the Indi- 
 ans, to cultivate an affectionate attachment from them, by 
 every thing just and liberal we can do for them, within 
 the bounds of reason, and by giving them effectual pro- 
 tection against wrongs from our own people." The sys- 
 tem thus early adopted, has been invariably pursued ; 
 however the views of the government may have heen 
 misunderstood, or the faith of treaties violated, by indi- 
 viduals, the action of congress and of the cabinet, in the 
 extinguishment of Indian titles, has been benevolent and 
 uniform. The legislation of some of the states, has been 
 less equitable, and should not be confounded with that of 
 the general government. 
 
 As a eonsiderable part of the country which is now held 
 by the United States, as public lands, had been subject tp 
 several foreign powers successively, portions of it were 
 claimed by inhabitants and others, either by right of oc- 
 cupancy, or by titles said to be derived from those several 
 
 governments, or from the local authorities acting under 
 
 O
 
 133 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 them. To investigate such claims, boards of commis- 
 sioners have been appointed by various acts of congress, 
 to act within the several territories, whose powers and 
 duties have been modified according to the nature of the 
 claims to be examined before them ; some having final 
 jurisdiction, while others were only authorized to inves- 
 tigate and report the facts, with their opinion. But the 
 intention of the government, seems uniformly to have 
 been to guard against imposition — to confirm all bona 
 fide claims derived from a legitimate authority, even when 
 the title had not been completed — to allow claims founded 
 on equitable principles — and to secure in their possessions 
 all actual settlers, who were found on the land when the 
 United States became the proprietary of the country in 
 which it was situated, although they had only a right by 
 occupancy. 
 
 So far then as a title by purchase could be gained, that 
 title has been acquired by the Federal Republic. She has 
 extinguished every title which could be possibly set up, 
 as adverse to her own ; namely, those of foreign nations, 
 those of the Indian tribes, and those of such states as 
 possessed or alledged them ; and she has confirmed to in- 
 dividuals, every acre to which the plausible shadow of a 
 right could be shewn, either in law or equity. 
 
 The validity of those purchases, or of the rights ac- 
 quired under them, has never been disputed ; but since 
 the acquisition of that territory, portions of it have been 
 erected into separate states, which have been admitted in- 
 to the Union, and it has been contended in Congress, and 
 elsewhere, that by the act of admitting a state into the 
 Union, the government forfeits her claim to the unsold 
 lands within the boundaries of such state. It is argued 
 that under the laws of nations, " the sovereignty of a 
 state includes the right to exercise supreme and exclu- 
 sive control over all the lands within it" — that, "the 
 freedom of a state, is the right to do whatever may be
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 159 
 
 done by any nation, and particularly includes the right to 
 dispose of all public lands within its limits, according to 
 its own will and pleasure" — and that sovereignty and 
 freedom are inseparable from the condition of an inde- 
 pendent state. It is urged, that the original states pos- 
 sess supreme and exclusive control over the lands within 
 their limits, and that the new states being by compact in- 
 vested with " the same rights of freedom, sovereignty, and 
 Independence, with the other states," the right to dispose 
 of the soil is among the attributes of sovereignty thus 
 guarantied to them. It is contended that the Federal Gov- 
 ernment cannot hold lands within the limits of a state, be- 
 cause that power has not been expressly given by the 
 Constitution, except in the case of "places purchased by 
 the consent of the legislature of the state in which the 
 same shall be, for the erection of forts," &c. ; and that 
 the power of disposing of the soil, not being given, is re- 
 served to the states respectively. That section of the 
 Constitution which declares that " Congress shall have 
 power to dispose of and make all needful rules respecting 
 the territory, or other, property belonging to the United 
 States," is said to be "clearly adapted to the territorial 
 rights of the United States, beyond the limits or bounda- 
 ries of any of the states, and to their chattel interests," 
 and therefore not applicable to this question. 
 
 The objections thus raised were ingenious, and the im- 
 mense magnitude of the rights and value of the property 
 involved, gave them for the moment a serious and impos- 
 ing aspect. But it was easily discovered on examina- 
 tion, that they were unsound and merely specious. The 
 claim thus set up for the new states found few advocates. 
 On the floor of Congress its existence was brief, its death 
 sudden, its fate unlamented. In the public prints it was 
 scarcely noticed, except to be briefly disapproved. Not- 
 withstanding its ad Captandum character, it failed to he- 
 come popular, even in the country where it originated.
 
 160 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 An objection which seems not to have occurred to its 
 authors, was too obvious to escape the common sense of 
 a people, alive to their own interests, and intelligent in 
 all that concerns their rights. The government has the 
 same title, and neither more nor less, to the unsold lands 
 in the several states, which she had at the moment after 
 the admission of those states into the Union. If her title 
 is defective now, it was equally so at that time ; and every 
 sale made in any new state since its admission, is illegal. 
 The great mass of land titles in the new states, would, 
 by the admission of this doctrine, become unsettled. Of 
 the million of inhabitants of Ohio, a vast proportion of 
 th° freeholders would become intruders on public land. 
 The people are too intelligent to submit to such an out- 
 rage, the states too just to open a door for the ingress of 
 such a flood of misery, confusion, and fraud, as would 
 sweep over the land in the event of a consummation so de- 
 voutly to be deprecated. It is a singular coincidence, and 
 one perfectly conclusive, of the little faith reposed by 
 any in this claim, that the legislatures of those states, 
 which have wholly or partially sanctioned this doctrine, 
 have invariably, at the same sessions, distinctly denied it 
 in their* acts of ordinary legislation, by the passage of 
 laws recognising " the lands of the United States " to 
 nomine, by the adoption of memorials to Congress, ask- 
 ing for grants, and by various other substantive recogni- 
 tions, both direct and incidental. 
 
 It is obvious too, that if this question can be said to have 
 now any definite existence, its importance must be hourly 
 decreasing. Every acre of land that is sold, diminishes 
 the amount in controversy, and every creation of a free- 
 holder adds to the number of its interested opponents. 
 It may not however be uninteresting to state a few of the 
 points which are very properly urged against this singu- 
 lar claim. 
 
 The cessions by Virginia and the other states, were
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 161 
 
 made antecedently to the adoption of the Federal Consti- 
 tution ; and having been ratified in the manner prescribed 
 by the articles of confederation, the title vested in the 
 United States was valid, for the purposes expressed in the 
 several deeds of cession. The Federal Constitution hav- 
 ing been subsequently adopted, the clause giving to Con- 
 gress the " power to dispose of and make all needful 
 rules and regulations respecting the territory or other pro- 
 perty belonging to the United States," must have had re- 
 ference to the territory and other property then held, and 
 of course, vested in Congress the power to dispose of the 
 lands in question, and to make all needful rules and regu- 
 lations respecting them. When, therefore, the people in- 
 habiting those territories applied for admission into the 
 Union, it was competent to Congress, having power to 
 legislate on the subject matter, to make conditions re- 
 serving her own proprietary rights. Such conditions 
 were made with all the new states, as will be seen by in- 
 specting their several constitutions. Those constitutions 
 were submitted to Congress for its ratification, and of 
 course have the binding effect of compacts, as between 
 the parties. In all of them, the proprietary character of 
 the United States, is distinctly recognised, large quantities 
 of land are transferred by the United States, to the states 
 respectively, for specific purposes, and accepted by the 
 latter, and equivalents reserved to be paid to the United 
 States in return. Subsequently to their admission into 
 the Union, all of those states have been applicants to Con- 
 gress for donations of land lying within their respective 
 limits, and all of them have received large grants of such 
 land. 
 
 It may be remarked also, that the laws of nations have 
 no binding effect as between the members of a confeder- 
 acy, or as between a confederated nation and one of its 
 members, when those laws come into contact with the in- 
 ternal policv, statutes, or compacts of such nation. Every 
 
 o 2
 
 162 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 nation has a right to regulate its own affairs, and to govern, 
 or to make compacts with, its own members, without re- 
 spect to the laws of nations, which could in such cases, 
 only be appealed to, where foreign states, not parties to 
 the laws or compacts so made, should be affected by them. 
 Whatever, then, might have been the situation of those 
 lands under the laws of nations, if no legislation had 
 taken place respecting them, a widely different case is 
 presented, when, by solemn acts, by express laws, and 
 long acquiescence, the proprietary rights of the parties 
 have been clearly settled, and distinctly recognised. 
 
 It is understood, that the United States can assume no 
 sovereignty over any of the new states, or over her lands 
 within such state, other than such as is strictly proprie- 
 tary. .Her title gives her no civil jurisdiction. She can 
 claim no taxes, exact no obedience, other than she may 
 demand from the citizens of all other states. She simply 
 holds her property, with the right to sell and convey the 
 same at her own pleasure, and with power to make need- 
 ful rules and regulations for its disposition. The free- 
 dom, sovereignty, and independence, of the New States, 
 are therefore not infringed ; and if it be admitted that the 
 right to dispose of the soil within its limits be incident to 
 the sovereignty of a state, it is replied, that such right 
 applies only to waste, unoccupied or vacant land, and 
 that our states cannot exercise such a power over lands, 
 which before their admission into the union, were held 
 in fee simple, by the United States, or by individuals. 
 It is not denied that the title of the United States, as 
 originally acquired, was a good one ; that those who have 
 purchased from her, lands within the limits of a state, 
 previously to the erection of that state, hold titles equally 
 valid ; and that those titles cannot now be modified, nar- 
 rowed, or abrogated, by any legislation. Suppose, then, 
 that previous to the admission of any one of the new 
 states into the union, the United States had sold to an
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 163 
 
 individual, all her land remaining undisposed of within 
 the limits of a state so about to be admitted, would not 
 that sale have been valid ? would not the title of the pur- 
 chaser of a thousand of tracts, have been as indefeasible 
 as that of the buyer of a single tract? would the admis- 
 sion of the state into the union, have affected the property 
 of any such purchaser ? If these propositions be answer- 
 ed in the manner in which we suppose they must be, it 
 is difficult to perceive how or why the United States, 
 having the privilege to sell or retain her own undisputed 
 property, should by electing to hold it, be thereby placed 
 in a worse situation than her grantee would have occu- 
 pied had her election been different. 
 
 It is further urged, that the territory alluded to, was 
 purchased with the treasure of the United States, that it 
 has been protected, surveyed, and brought into market at 
 the expense of the nation, and that by the express stipu- 
 lations of the cessions from the several states, that terri- 
 tory was set apart " as a common fund for the use and 
 benefit Of" all the states, " according to their usual respec- 
 tive proportions in the general charge and exp nditure." 
 There was therefore a consideration given for the lands, 
 and an use specifically reserved ; the states subsequently 
 admitted became parties to this as well as to all other 
 public treaties, compacts, and laws, of the union ; and 
 they accepted the territory allotted to them respectively 
 for the exercise of their state sovereignty, subject to its 
 encumbrances. 
 
 Other arguments have been used, in reference to this 
 subject which we think it needless to repeat. Some of 
 them are founded on considerations of expediency rather 
 than of right ; and many of them appeal to sectional pre- 
 judices and local interests, which we have studiously 
 abstained from bringing into view ; preferring to narrow 
 down our abstract into a naked statement of such promin- 
 ent facts and suggestions as may place before the reader
 
 164 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 the leading features of this inquiry. We proceed there- 
 fore to consider : 
 
 2. The policy adopted by the government in the dis' 
 posal of the public domain. 
 
 In 1787 the Ohio company purchased a large tract from 
 congress ; which body having adopted no system for the 
 sale of lands, or the settlement of the western country, 
 seemed disposed to favour the mode of parceling out her 
 wide domains in' extensive grants. The purchase of the 
 Ohio company comprehended one million and a half of 
 acres. Joel Barlow was sent by them to Europe to sell 
 these lands ; and to facilitate his operations a subordinate 
 company was formed, called the Sciota company, to whom 
 the lands were conveyed. Mr. Barlow made considera- 
 ble sales to individuals and companies in France, and 
 many emigrants came to this country, who would have 
 been ruined by the bad faith of the company, had not the 
 government generously interfered in their behalf. 
 
 In 1789, Mr. John Cleves Symmes contracted with 
 congress, for the purchase of a million of acres of land, 
 between the great and little Miami ; but in consequence 
 of a failure on his part, to make the stipulated payments, 
 did not become the proprietor of so large a tract, the pa- 
 tent which finally issued to him and his associates, includ- 
 ed only 311,682 acres, of which only 248,540 became 
 private property ; the remainder consisting of reservations 
 for a variety of public purposes, chiefly for the use of 
 schools and the support of religion. 
 
 The remark that occurs to us most forcibly, in revert 
 ing to this portion of history, is the improvidence of con 
 gress, in making so large a grant of lands to individuals 
 Happily for the country, the instances of such extensive 
 grants were few ; and it is perhaps equally matter of con- 
 gratulation, that they did not, in any instance, yield to the 
 individuals concerned in them, advantages sufficiently 
 great, to render the applications for such monopolies nu-
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 1G5 
 
 merous or influential. It is, perhaps, chiefly in conse- 
 quence of this fact, that the evil was avoided; for it does 
 not appear, that congress was at first aware of the calami- 
 tous results which must have followed the parceling out 
 of this noble region to a few wealthy proprietors, whose 
 interests would often have been hostile to those of the 
 people. This principle, however, was not at first under- 
 stood. We can easily see why the foreign sovereignties, 
 under whose sway we were originally placed, should have 
 made, as they frequently did, extensive grants of land to 
 individuals or companies; but it is a little singular, that 
 our own government should have fallen into the same 
 misguided policy. The earliest law passed by congress, 
 for the sale of the lands of the United States, provided for 
 its disposal to purchasers in tracts of four thousand acres 
 each ; and did not allow the selling of a smaller quantity, 
 except in case of the fractions created by the angles and 
 sinuosities of the rivers. The law was highly unfavora- 
 ble to actual settlers, as it prevented persons of moderate 
 property from acquiring freeholds ; and would have ena- 
 bled persons of wealth to become proprietors, and to sell 
 the land to the cultivator at exorbitant prices, or else have 
 forced the latter to be tenants under the former. With 
 the notions that many of our statesmen had derived from 
 Great Britain, and which notwithstanding the recent 
 rupture of our connection with that country, still remain- 
 ed impressed upon us, with all the force of education and 
 association, it is perhaps not surprising, that they should 
 have deemed it advantageous to create a landed aristocra- 
 cy ; but it is more probable, that the error arose from 
 accident and carelessness. It is curious, however, to 
 look back at these first awkward attempts at republican 
 legislation, and to see how gradually we shook off the 
 habits of thought in which we had been trained, and how 
 slowly the shackles of prejudice fell from around us.
 
 166 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 In a report of Mr. Hamilton, Secretary of Treasury, 
 dated July 20, 1790, he advises, the following system : — 
 
 That no land shall be sold except such in respect to 
 which the titles of the Indian tribes shall have been pre- 
 viously extinguished. 
 
 That a sufficient tract shall be reserved and set apart 
 for satisfying the subscribers to the proposed loan, in the 
 public debt, but that no location shall be for less than 
 500 acres. 
 
 That convenient tracts shall from time to time be set 
 apart for the purpose of locations by actual settlers, in 
 quantities not exceeding, to one person, 100 acres. 
 
 That other tracts shall from time to time, be set apart 
 for sales in townships of ten miles square, except where 
 they shall adjoin upon a boundary of some prior grant, 
 or of a tract so set apart, in which cases there shall be no 
 greater departure from such form of location than may be 
 absolutely necessary. 
 
 That any quantities may nevertheless be sold by special 
 contract, comprehended either within natural boundaries, 
 or lines, or both. 
 
 That the price shall be 30 cents per acre to be paid 
 either in gold or silver, or in public securities, computing 
 those which shall bear an immediate interest of 6 per 
 cent, as at par with gold and silver ; and those which 
 bear a future or less interest, if any, shall be at a propor- 
 tional value. That certificates issued for land upon the 
 proposed loan shall operate as warrants within the tract 
 or tracts which shall be specially set apart for satisfying 
 the subscribers thereto, and shall also be receivable in all 
 payments whatever for lands by way of discount acre for 
 acre. 
 
 That no credit shall be given for any quantity less than 
 a township of ten miles square, nor more than two years 
 credit for any less quantity. 
 
 That in every instance of credit, at least one quarter
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 167 
 
 part of the consideration shall be paid down, and security 
 other than the land itself, thai] be required for the residue. 
 
 And that no tide: shall he given for any trad <>r part of a 
 purchase, beyond the quantity lor which the considera- 
 tion shall be actually paid. 
 
 That all surveys of land shall be at the expense of the 
 purchasers or grantees. — 
 
 The first step towards a change in that objectionable sys- 
 tem, which contemplated sales in lartre tracts, and on 
 credit was the passage of the act of the 10th of May 1800, 
 which provided for the sale of land in sections and half 
 sections. Previous to that time no more than 121,510 
 acres had been sold, in addition to the sale to Symmes : 
 namely, 72,974 acres, at public sale in New York in 
 1787, for $87,325, in evidences of public debt; 43,446 
 acres, at public sale at Pittsburgh in 1796 for $100,427 ; 
 and 5,120 acres at Philadelphia in the same year, at two 
 dollars per acre. 
 
 The plan of selling land in sections and half sections, 
 the former of 640 acres, and the latter of 320 acres, was 
 first proposed in congress, by General William H. Har- 
 rison, when a delegate from the northwestern territory, 
 in 1799, and produced a sensation which shewed how 
 little mature thought had been bestowed on the subject in 
 that body. The law was certainly one of the most bene- 
 ficial tendency ; and its passage constitutes an epoch in 
 the history of this country, of perhaps greater magnitude 
 and interest than any other in our annals ; for no act of 
 the government has ever borne so immediately upon the 
 settling, the rapid improvement, and the permanent pros- 
 perity of the western states. The ordinance of 1787, is 
 justly regarded as an instrument of vast importance, and 
 singularly propitious consequences; but in its practical 
 operation and salutary results, it sinks in comparison with 
 the system of selling the public domain, which has placed 
 the acquisition of real estate within the reach of the labor-
 
 168 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 ing classes, and rendered the titles to land perfectly se- 
 cure. It is understood, that this act was not the exclusive 
 production of General Harrison ; the discriminating genius 
 of Mr. Gallatin, then a member of congress, was also 
 employed in its production ; and although the earnest 
 request of that distinguished citizen, and the circumstan- 
 ces of the moment, forced Mr. Harrison to submit to the 
 credit of being its sole author, the natural ingenuousness 
 of the latter, induced him, subsequently, when he could 
 do so with propriety, to explain his own part in the pro- 
 ceeding, and to give Mr. Gallatin the honor due him. 
 The bill was warmly attacked by some of the ablest men 
 in the lower house. Mr. Harrison defended it alone ; he 
 exposed the folly and iniquity of the old system ; demon- 
 strated that it could only result to the benefit of the 
 wealthy monopolist, while the hardy and useful popula- 
 tion, which has since poured into the fertile plains of 
 Ohio, and made it, in thirty years, the third state in the 
 Union, must have been excluded from her borders, or 
 have taken the land on terms dictated by the wealthy pur- 
 chasers from the government. 
 
 In 1802 a convention was held at Vincinnes, of which 
 General Harrison was president, at which a petition was 
 adopted, praying of congress, that a provision of one 36th 
 part of the public lands within the territory of Indiana, 
 be made for the support of schools within the same ; and 
 on the 2nd of March succeeding, Mr. Randolph, the 
 chairman of a committee to whom this subject was re- 
 ferred, made a favorable report. This was the commence- 
 ment of our beneficent system for the support of public 
 schools. 
 
 As early as 1803, petitions were presented to congress 
 praying for various improvements or changes in the mode 
 of selling lands, among which the most prominent sug- 
 gestions were, To sell the land in smaller tracts — to 
 charge no interest on sales — to sell for cash — to reduce
 
 m 
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 169 
 
 the price — and to make grants of small tracts to actual 
 settlers. 
 
 On the 23d January 1804, a report was made in the 
 House of Representatives, recommending the reduction 
 of the size of the tracts, and the sale of quarter sections 
 in the townships which had before been offered in half 
 sections, and the sale of half sections in those which had 
 been offered in whole sections. 
 
 The present admirable system of selling the public 
 lands, may be dated as having commenced with the act 
 of May 10, 1800, though several important improvements 
 have been made since that time. It is not necessary to 
 notice all these changes. All the lands within each dis- 
 trict, are surveyed before any part is offered for sale; 
 being actually divided into toivnships of six miles square, 
 and each of these subdivided into thirty six sections of 
 one mile square, containing six hundred and forty acres 
 each. All the dividing lines run according to the cardinal 
 points, and cross each other at right angles, except where 
 fractional sections are formed by large streams, or by an 
 Indian boundary line. These sections are again divided 
 into quarter, half quarter, and quarter quarter sections, 
 containing 160, 80, and 40 acres respectively, of which 
 the lines are not actually surveyed, but the corners, 
 boundaries, and contents, are ascertained by fixed rules 
 prescribed by law. This branch of business is conduct- 
 ed under two principal surveyors, who appoint their own 
 deputies. The sections in each township are numbered 
 from 1 to 36, the townships are placed in ranges, and 
 also numbered. The surveys are founded upon a series 
 of true meridians ; (he first principal meridian is in Ohio, 
 the second in Indiana, the third in Illinois, &c, each 
 forming the base of a series of surveys, of which the lines 
 are made to correspond, so that the whole country is at 
 last divided into squares of one mile each, and townships 
 
 P
 
 170 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 of six miles each, and these subdivisions arranged with 
 mathematical accuracy into parallel ranges. 
 
 This system is as simple, as it is on several accounts 
 peculiarly happy. Disputes in relation to boundaries can 
 seldom occur where the dividing lines can be at all times 
 corrected by the cardinal points ; where the same line be- 
 ing extended throughout a whole region, is not dependent 
 on visible marks or corners, but can readily be ascertained 
 at any moment, by calculation and measurement ; and 
 where one point, being ascertained, furnishes the basis 
 for an indefinite number of surveys around it. Such lines 
 too, are easily preserved, and not readily forgotten. 
 
 A vast deal of accurate and useful information is fur- 
 nished to the public through the medium of this system. 
 The whole surface of the country is actually surveyed 
 and measured. The courses of the rivers and smaller 
 streams are accurately ascertained and measured, through 
 all their meanders. Our maps are therefore exact, and 
 the facilities for measuring distances remarkably conveni- 
 ent. Many of the peculiarities of the country are dis- 
 covered, and its resources pointed out, in the course of 
 this minute exploration ; and a mass of well authenti- 
 cated facts are registered in the proper department, such 
 as the topographer can find in relation to no other country. 
 
 After the land has been surveyed, districts are laid off, 
 in each of which a land office is established, and on a 
 day appointed by the President, the whole of the land is 
 offered at public sale, to the highest bidder ; but not al- 
 lowed to be sold below a certain minimum price. Such 
 tracts as are not sold at that time, may at any time after- 
 wards, be purchased at the minimum price, at private 
 sale. 
 
 From all the sales, one thirty-sixth part of the land, 
 being one entire section in each township, is reserved, 
 and given in perpetuity for the support of schools in the 
 township ; section No. 16, which is nearly central in
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 171 
 
 each township, is designated by law, for that purpose 
 In each of the new states and territories one entire town- 
 ship, containing 23,040 acres, (and in some instances two 
 townships) has been reserved, and given in perpetuity to 
 the state, when formed, for the support of seminaries of 
 learning of the highest class. Five per cent, on the 
 amount of the sales of land within each state, is reserved 
 three-fifths of which is to be expended by Congress in 
 making roads leading to the state, and two-iiftlis to be ex- 
 pended by such state in the encouragement of learning. 
 All salt springs, and lead mines, are reserved, and leased 
 by the government, but many of these have since been 
 given up to the states. 
 
 The lands reserved for schools and seminaries of learn- 
 ing, have never been considered as gratuitous grants to 
 the states receiving them ; each of these states having 
 made ample remuneration to the general government. Il- 
 linois, for example, agreed that all lands sold by the Unit- 
 ed States, within that state, should remain exempt from 
 taxation for five years after such sale, and that lands 
 granted for military services, should remain exempt from 
 taxation for three years, if held so long by the patentees. 
 The taxes thus relinquished by that state, will have 
 amounted, when all the lands in its limits shall be sold, 
 to near a million of dollars. 
 
 The business of the land office, in each district, is 
 transacted by a Register, and a Receiver, by the first of 
 whom the land is sold to individual purchasers, while the 
 other receives the money. These officers are entirely 
 independent of each other, their duties distinct, and their 
 responsibilities separate. They are required to keep 
 similar books of account, and to make respectively, pe- 
 riodical reports to the General land office at Washington 
 i — the one of his sales, the other of his receipts ; so that 
 the offices operate as cheeks on each other ; and as neither 
 has any pecuniary interest in the fidelity of the other,
 
 172 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 there is no temptation to collusion. They each keep 
 plots of all the land in their district, sold or unsold, on 
 which each tract is distinctly marked and numbered, so 
 that the purchaser in making his selection may examine 
 for himself. No discretion is vested in the land officers, 
 in reference to the sale : the purchaser having selected his 
 tract, or as many tracts as he may desire, they have simply 
 to discharge the ministerial duty of receiving the money, 
 and granting the evidence of title. 
 
 Previous to the year 1820, the price demanded by 
 government for its land, was two dollars per acre, one 
 fourth of which was paid at the time of purchase, and the 
 remainder in three equal annual instalments ; a discount 
 of eight per cent, being allowed to the purchaser, if the 
 whole was paid in advance. This arrangement, however 
 liberally intended, was found to be productive of great 
 mischief. The relation of debtor and creditor, can never 
 be safely created, between a government and its citizens. 
 If the citizen is creditor, his demands are as exorbitant, 
 as his power to enforce payment is inefficient, and the 
 claim which should be made to the justice, becomes an 
 appeal to the generosity, of the debtor. If the govern- 
 ment is creditor, the moral obligation to pay, is lightly 
 felt, and the legal obligation leniently enforced. The 
 debtor expects indulgence, and makes his contract under 
 that expectation. He enters into an engagement with less 
 circumspection than he would use if dealing with an in- 
 dividual, under the belief that he will not find in the gov- 
 ernment a rigid creditor ; and under the same conviction 
 neglects to make any strenuous exertion to comply with 
 his contract. The selling of the public lands, therefore, 
 on a credit, was shewn by experience to be unwise. The 
 country was new, the soil fine, and the spirit of emigra- 
 tion active. Large purchases were made by individuals, 
 who had not the means of payment. Persons who had 
 only money enough to pay the first instalment on one or
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN". 173 
 
 more tracts, disbursed their whole capit&l in making the 
 prompt payment required at the time of entry, depending 
 on future contingencies for the power to discharge the 
 other three-fourths of their liabilities. This was done, 
 
 in most cases, without the least intention to defraud ; the 
 risk of loss being entirely on the side of the purchaser, 
 and the allurement to make the venture, such as few men 
 have the resolution to withstand. A rapid increase in 
 the value of lands was generally anticipated, and many 
 expected to meet their engagements by selling a portion 
 of the land at an enhanced price, and thus securing the 
 portion retained ; sonic were enticed by a desire to secure 
 choice tracts, and others deluded by the belief that they 
 could raise the sums required, within the appointed time, 
 by the sale of produee made on the soil. A few, by in- 
 dustry, or by good fortune, realised these anticipations, 
 but a great majority of the purchasers, at the expiration 
 of the term limited for the payment of the last instal- 
 ment, found their lands subject to forfeiture for nonpay- 
 ment. Instead of rising, the price of land had fallen, in 
 consequence of the vast quantities thrown into the mar- 
 ket ; and the increase in the amount of produce raised, 
 so far exceeded the increase of demand for consumption, 
 that the farmer was unable to realise any considerable pro- 
 fit from that source, while the expenses of clearing and 
 improving his farm required both labor and money. 
 Money was scarce, the country was new, without capi 
 talists, moneyed institutions, or manufactures, and with 
 little commerce ; and while the sale of lands, and the im- 
 portation of foreign goods, required to supply tiie wants 
 of the people, constituted an immense and an eternal drain 
 of the circulating medium, across the mountains, the in- 
 dustry of the people was not yet brought into action, nor 
 the resources of the country developed, to a sufficient ex- 
 tent to afford the means of bringing the money back. 
 Ours was a population of buyers. The demand for 
 
 r 2
 
 174 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 money induced the establishment of local banks, whose 
 notes were at first eagerly taken, but soon depreciated, 
 having the usual effect of driving better money out of cir- 
 culation, without substituting any valuable medium in its 
 place. Bank debts were added to land debts. 
 
 This state of things existed chiefly from 1814 until 
 1820. Previous to the former period, the war had created 
 an unnatural excitement, unusual expenditures were made, 
 and activity was given to some branches of business ; and 
 it was to sustain the business which had grown up during 
 the war, that local banks were created. The most of 
 these banks were authorised to commence business when 
 one-fifth of their nominal capital had been paid in ; which 
 provision, liberal as it was, was not strictly complied 
 with — the same specie being used for several banks, and 
 only remaining in the vaults of each sufficiently long to 
 enable the proper officers to certify that the requisitions 
 of the law had been observed. A period of distress oc- 
 curred which reached its lowest point of depression in 
 1819. 
 
 The whole population trembled upon the brink of ruin ; 
 and had the federal government proved a rigid creditor, 
 this extensive and beautiful country must have presented 
 a vast scene of desolation. The purchasers of land had 
 become settlers ; they had built houses and opened fields 
 upon the soil, the legal title to which remained in the 
 government. A few could have saved their homes by the 
 disposal of other property ; the many could not purchase 
 the roof that sheltered them, at any sacrifice which they 
 might have been willing, or perhaps able, to make. Yet 
 it is not to be inferred that the people were destitute, or 
 desperately poor ; far from it — they were substantial far- 
 mers, surrounded with all the means of comfort and hap- 
 piness—except money. To have driven such a people 
 to extremity, would have been ungenerous and fatally un- 
 wise ; for now that the crisis has passed, we may say
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 175 
 
 without offence or danger, that there is no calculating the 
 extent of the private misery, and the public convulsion, 
 which such a policy would inevitably have produced. 
 The enlightened statesman, (Mr. Crawford,) who at that 
 time presided over the Treasury department, saw, and 
 properly estimated the wants and feelings of that part of 
 the community, together with the relative duty of the gov- 
 ernment. A system of relief was devised, which, by ex- 
 tending the time of payment, and authorising purchasers 
 to secure a portion of their lands by relinquishing the re- 
 mainder to the government, in the course of eight years 
 extinguished a large portion of those debts, and has 
 eventually, it is believed, absorbed the whole, without 
 injury to the citizen, and with little loss to the govern- 
 ment. 
 
 This subject affords a theme of proud felicitation to 
 the American patriot, as it exhibits an evidence of the 
 permanency of our institutions. It is not easy to imagine 
 a crisis more perilous than the one to which we have al- 
 luded. It is dangerous to threaten a high spirited people 
 with expulsion from their homes ; and the law which for- 
 feited the lands of the western people upon the non-per- 
 formance of their contracts, held out this alternative. But 
 under these appalling circumstances, not a shadow of dis- 
 affection was exhibited in the west ; the people neither 
 threatened nor murmured, but looked up to their govern- 
 ment for relief, with a confidence which remained un- 
 shaken to the last. They retained their loyalty and their 
 temper, petitioned Congress in an independent tone, and 
 awaited the result with manly firmness. From the de- 
 bates on this subject in Congress, no one would have 
 guessed the magnitude of the interests at stake, or the 
 powerful and intense feelings of anxiety enlisted in the 
 discussion. The deportment of all the parties was as 
 temperate, as the decision was just and judicious. 
 
 Upon granting relief to the land purchasers, the credit
 
 176 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 system was abolished ; and lands are now sold by the 
 government at one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre, 
 payable in cash. This plan has had a more wholesome 
 operation ; and the only difference which now exists, has 
 reference to the price of land. To this two objections 
 have been made ; 1st, that the same price is demanded 
 for all lands, without respect to the endless diversity of 
 value occasioned by differences of soil and situation : and 
 2nd, that the price is in all cases too high. 
 
 That the first is a valid objection, is indisputable ; but 
 it is not easy to suggest a remedy less objectionable. To 
 divide the land into classes, varying in their actual value, 
 as well as in price, would perhaps be impracticable. Un- 
 der such a system, there must be an actual inspection of 
 each separate tract, the cost of Avhich would often exceed 
 the value of the land. The persons appointed to make 
 such valuation must be numerous, and each would have 
 a separate standard of his own, by which to estimate the 
 advantages and disadvantages of soil, climate, position, 
 &c, which the various tracts of land would present. An 
 endless scene of confusion would ensue. There would 
 be diversities of price, without any corresponding diver- 
 sities of value. An imaginary value would be given to 
 one tract, while another would be unreasonably depre- 
 ciated. The person who wished to purchase would think 
 that an exorbitant price had been attached to the spot se- 
 lected by him ; -while the man who had already bought, 
 would conceive that his own lands were reduced in value 
 by the low estimate affixed to those adjoining him ; some 
 would think that emigration into the neighborhood was 
 checked by having the lands underrated and brought into 
 discredit, while others would imagine that it was prevented 
 by high prices. Above all, to the multitude of agents in- 
 trusted with this delicate task, there would be opened a 
 field for speculation, so vast, so tempting, and so fraught 
 with injury to the government and to individuals, that no
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 177 
 
 supposed advantages to be anticipated from such a scheme 
 could compensate lor its dangers. 
 
 Another plan proposed is, to reduce periodically the 
 price of the lands that have been fulled. Thus, at the 
 opening of a district, the land should be sold at one dol- 
 lar and a quarter per acre ; after a term of three or five 
 years, the price should be reduced to one dollar ; at the 
 expiration of another term, another reduction would oc- 
 cur in the price, and so on. It is supposed that the 
 choice lands would sell during the first term ; that during 
 the second they would again be culled, and the best of 
 those remaining unsold would be taken at the reduced 
 price ; and that in each successive term a portion would 
 be sold, until the whole should be disposed of, at prices 
 somewhat proportionate to their value. The objection 
 made to this plan is, that it would impede the sales of 
 land, by holding out an inducement to persons proposing 
 to purchase, to wait from term to term for the reduction 
 of price. We do not think this objection well founded. 
 Such delay on the part of purchasers would occur to a 
 certain extent, but not to a degree to be compared with 
 the advantages anticipated by this change. The farmer 
 who had selected a choice tract of land, would not for 
 three or five years run the daily risk of losing it, to save 
 forty dollars. The probability is, that although in the 
 first term the sales might be, to a very small amount, de- 
 creased, they would in the second and third terms be great- 
 ly swelled, and that on the whole, the lands would be sold 
 more quickly, and to better advantage, than under the 
 present system. 
 
 The plan of graduating the price of land, in the man- 
 ner described, was introduced, in Congress, and has been 
 most zealously advocated, by Col. Benton, of Missouri. 
 It is recommended by its good sense, and practicability, 
 and has been more favorably received by the population 
 of the new states, than any other modification that has
 
 178 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 been suggested. The opposition to it in Congress, which 
 has prevented its adoption has probably been excited, in 
 part, by the prominent position which its able author has 
 occupied as a party leader, and which has rendered this 
 salutary measure an object of partizan warfare. It will, 
 in all probability, be eventually engrafted upon the exist- 
 ing system, and will have the effect of concentrating the 
 population, which has now a tendency to flow towards 
 the extreme frontier, by offering advantages to purchasers 
 in the older land districts, somewhat commensurate with 
 those held out in the new. 
 
 In support of the opinion that the established price of 
 the public lands is too high, some plausible reasons have 
 been urged. Admitting the fact that the Federal Repub- 
 lic has the undisputed title to the soil, it does not follow, 
 that she has the right to dispose of it upon her own terms, 
 or to retard its settlement by the imposition of unreason- 
 able restrictions. Holding it in her national character, it 
 is held to the use of the people of the United States, and 
 for the purpose of being settled, and erected into states. 
 With regard to a large portion of this country, the erec- 
 tion of states was a condition express, and with respect 
 to the remainder, the same condition is implied. Con- 
 gress, therefore, is bound to throw the land into market 
 upon reasonable terms ; and while it is her duty not to 
 entice population from other sections of the Union, it is 
 equally her duty not to retard emigration to this. The 
 national legislature should not be a mercenary vender of 
 property for gain. The public land should be sold at 
 its exact value — at the price which the people are willing 
 and able to give for it. 
 
 That the present price of land is higher than the people 
 can afford to give, has been suggested by a reference to 
 facts, which seern to support this idea. Let us take for 
 example the state of Illinois, which is situated in a tem- 
 perate latitude, has a healthy climate, is surrounded with
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 179 
 
 navigable streams, and has more arable land within its 
 boundaries, than any other stair in the union. It has no 
 manufactories, little trade, few towns, and none of those 
 of the larger class, and but few professional men. The 
 people are agriculturalists, all of whom would, if they were 
 able, own one or more tracts of land, and all of whom 
 ought, in good policy, to be encouraged in their desire to 
 possess the land they till. The whole quantity of land 
 sold in this state, up to July 1828, was little over one 
 million of acres, which divided into tracts of 160 acres, 
 will give seven thousand such tracts — we throw off the 
 fractions. The number of votes actually given at the 
 election in August in the same year, was nearly seventeen 
 thousand ; and supposing that one man in every eighteen 
 did not vote, we may set down the number of persons 
 entitled to suffrage, at eighteen thousand. Those who 
 know the habits and character of that people, will agree, 
 that leaving out the villages and the professional men, 
 nearly all the rest of the voting population are farmers 
 upon their own account, and are, or wish to be, freehold- 
 ers. Supposing then that the land sold, had been equally 
 distributed, the number of tracts ought nearly to corres- 
 pond with the number of voters. Yet the difference is 
 as 7 to 18 ; and when it is added, that many farmers own 
 more than one quarter section, that there are men in that 
 state who own a great many tracts, and that a good many 
 are held by non-residents, it will be seen that at the date 
 above mentioned less than one third of the voters were 
 freeholders. Yet there is no question of the fact, that 
 the great majority of those who were not freeholders, 
 being two thirds of this population, were farmers, residing 
 upon, and cultivating, the land of the United States, ready 
 and anxious to purchase if they were able, and with the 
 full intention of purchasing whenever they should become 
 so. These men are not squatters, as they have been ig- 
 norantly termed. This opprobrious epithet was applied
 
 180 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 in its origin, to persons who settled upon the unimproved 
 lands of individuals, in the older states, with the intention 
 of acquiring titles by occupancy, or of profiting by the 
 defects in the legal titles of the right owners. They took 
 possession of the property of other men, with the avowed 
 intention of holding it. The people who settle on the 
 public land in the west, violate no right, and intend no 
 injury. A man settles on a tract which he wishes to buy, 
 enhances its value by his improvements, and should he 
 eventually not become a purchaser, leaves it in a better 
 state than he found it, for the reception of another occu- 
 pant ; and there is no instance on record, of any attempt 
 on the part of such persons, to claim the fee simple, or 
 defraud the government. There was a law passed, many 
 years ago, to prevent the intrusion upon public land, and 
 to punish the destruction of timber ; but the government, 
 finding that this kind of occupancy was beneficial to the 
 public, never enforced the law. 
 
 Some light may be thrown upon this topic, by refer- 
 ence to a common traffic in the new states, known as the 
 sale of improvements. By a tacit and long established 
 understanding, persons who settle on the public land, ac- 
 quire a sort of popular title to occupancy ; no one inter- 
 feres with the possession of another, nor can a purchaser, 
 without incurring great odium, buy a tract, on which an 
 individual may be settled. Such persons are usually of 
 the migratory class, and often move away, leaving their 
 improvements to the next comer ; but they more frequent- 
 ly sell them, either to those who like themselves have no 
 title to the land, or to such as propose to purchase the 
 soil. They sell simply the house and fences which they 
 have put up, and the popular right to occupy the particu- 
 lar tract of public land, which they happen to have settled 
 upon. The fact that such improvements command a 
 price, and the universality of this practice, shew that the
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 181 
 
 land is not injured, but benefitted, by the occupancy of 
 sucli settlers. 
 
 If the fact be, that there are communities in which two 
 thirds, being farmers, desire to become freeholders, but 
 are unable to purchase land at the price demanded by the 
 proprietary, ought not the proprietor, being the govern- 
 ment, to reduce its price ? We have thought that it ought ; 
 but several years have passed since the above data was 
 collected, and the opinion just indicated, formed — the 
 circumstances of the country have changed — and we 
 should now jjive such a decision with some hesitation. 
 
 But other facts are worthy of attention. Fertile as the 
 soil of the west is in general, there are extensive tracts 
 which at present are unsaleable, or df no value. These 
 are, immense prairies, destitute of timber and water — 
 river bottoms, subject to inundation — and sterile tracts. 
 In the state to which we have just alluded, and some 
 others, there are vast regions in which the open prairie is 
 the predominating surface. The soil is generally fine ; 
 the water i.» found at a short distance below the surface ; 
 but timber is indispensable for fencing, for fuel, and for 
 building, and without it these lands cannot be settled. 
 
 © 7 
 
 But these prairies, as we have shown under another head, 
 are annually decreasing in extent. This result is only 
 produced, however, in the neighborhood of thick settle* 
 ments. Would it not be wise to accelerate such a pro- 
 cess by artificial means, and to offer inducements which 
 might tempt settlers to venture into the open prairies, arid 
 to propagate timber by planting? The inundated bot- 
 toms are only valuable for their timber, which is often 
 fine, but the lands are rarely purchased on account of that 
 single advantage, as they are generally distant from the 
 arable prairie lands. The soil is frequently excellent, 
 and sometimes very choice, but it will not sell until the 
 countrv shall become densely settled, and a sufficient sur- 
 plus wealth shall exist, to enable the inhabitant to em- 
 
 Q
 
 182 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 bank and reclaim it. These bottoms are not only value- 
 less in themselves, but by their unhealthiness contribute 
 to reduce the value of the adjacent lands. The climate 
 of this region, the soil, the' water, and the conformation 
 of the country are salubrious ; the causes which produced 
 febrile and bilious diseases formerly, are mostly removed 
 in all the dense settlements ; the river bottoms alone, and 
 the surrounding country, remaining a melancholy excep- 
 tion to the general and rapid improvement in this particu- 
 lar. If the government would give away such tracts, to 
 any who would reclaim them, it would gain in the enhanc- 
 ed value of the adjacent lands, and the inhabitants would 
 be incalculably benefitted in the removal of serious nuis- 
 ances. As to the other class of unsaleable lands, the 
 sterile — it is to be remarked, that a large portion of it is 
 poor only in comparison with the fine lands of this region. 
 Things which are offered for sale, are valued by compa- 
 rison with other things of the same kind, and by the 
 eagerness of one party to buy, and of the other to sell. 
 Thus valued, this land is worth nothing. No man will 
 have it, at the price demanded, when he may have better 
 land at the same money. By comparison with other pro- 
 perty of the same kind, it sinks into utter nothingness ; 
 it cannot acquire an adventitious value from the eagerness 
 to buy of a purchaser who has a boundless region before 
 him, and it will only be brought into market by the anxi- 
 ety of the owner, evinced in a reduction of price so liberal 
 as to tempt the cupidity of the buyer. 
 
 Another view of this question is not unworthy of con- 
 sideration. Referring again to the state of Illinois, it will 
 be seen that this state contains a little over thirty live 
 million acres of land, and that in 1829 thirty millions re- 
 mained unsold in the hands of the United States ; the 
 balance of five millions including the whole amount of 
 sales and grants, whether to the state or to individuals. 
 The sales since that time would vary these proportions,
 
 i 
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 183 
 
 a littlf* : but the principles are the same. The people of 
 Illinois own one seventh of the whole quantity, the United 
 States the other six sevenths ; yet the people of thai state 
 alone defray the expenses of their own government, while 
 its benefits are enjoyed by the genera] government, to an 
 
 extent, in some degree proportionate to the size of their 
 domain. Every new county thai is established, every 
 court house that is built, every road that is opened, every 
 bridge that is erected, enhances the value of real estate ; 
 and of the land thus enhanced in value, the United Stal 
 owns six acres, where one is owned by the stale, or by 
 the individuals who pay for the making of such improve- 
 ments. Thai the general government is daily receiving 
 substantial benefits, resulting from the expenditure of the 
 money and labor of the western people, is evident ; and 
 it is worthy of inquiry, whether it be not bound, in justice, 
 to discharge a debt thus created, and what should be the 
 extent and character of the remuneration. It is said that 
 congress has been harassed by appeals to its generosity, 
 on the part of the western people. Is it not probable 
 that those appeals have rather been made to the justice 
 of that body, and that there has been in met, an inter- 
 change of benefits, which has been mutually beneficial? 
 The inquiry lies within a narrow compass. In all the 
 Western Stales. (Kentucky excepted) the general govern- 
 ment owns laud; to none of those states does it pay 
 taxes. It has its ample share of all the advantages re- 
 6ultiiiL r from the local governments : the civil protection 
 afforded by the latter, and the public improvements Blade 
 by them, invite population, and by converting a wilder- 
 ness into a civilized country, render those land- saleable, 
 which otherwise would remain unproductive* Does not 
 this state of things impose an obligation on the 1 nion, to 
 aid in carrying on that process, by which, as the Largest 
 proprietary, it is the greatest gainer! If the western 
 people ask the discharge of that obligation by a reduction
 
 184 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 in the price of lands — by donations for schools, or for in- 
 ternal improvements — or in any other way, the claim is 
 entitled to a respectful consideration. 
 
 We do not infer from this reasoning that Congress is 
 bound to comply with a demand, even of a majority of 
 the western people, to reduce the price of land. She 
 acts as the trustee of all concerned. The state in which 
 the lands lie is one party, and all the other states, an- 
 other ; the government, and the purchaser, have each an 
 interest. Yet these are not conflicting, but harmonizing 
 interests ; and that policy which should advance them all, 
 without leaning 1 to either, would alone be wise. It is not 
 expected that the government should drain the population 
 from the old states, by offering inducements to emigration 
 to the new ; nor would she have the right to retard the 
 settlement of the new states by withholding the land from 
 sale, or demanding for it an extravagant price. There 
 are various reasons why the price of public land should 
 be reduced to the lowest practical point. It is good 
 policy to increase the class of freeholders, to arrest the 
 footsteps of the migratory poor, and settle them down 
 upon the soil ; to elevate the character of the citizen, by 
 holding out to him the rewards of industry ; to convert 
 hunters and labourers into farmers ; and to attach men 
 firmly to the government under which they live, by mak- 
 ing them holders of property. But these desirable re- 
 sults would be retarded, not advanced, by reducing the 
 price of land too low, and by putting it at such a price as 
 might induce capitalists to invest large sums in this spe- 
 cies of property, thereby converting extensive tracts into 
 private estates, to be withheld from sale, and from being 
 inhabited, and to remain in unproductive wilderness, for 
 long and indefinite periods. Again, these sales are to be 
 conducted with impartiality ; the interests of one state are 
 not to be promoted in preference to those of another, nor
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 185 
 
 is anv state to derive exclusive advantages from the gov 
 ernmental action over its property. 
 
 It should be recollected also, that the government, br- 
 ing the largest holder of land, in this wide region holds 
 in her hands the power of regulating to some extent the 
 price of real estate. Her interest amounts, in the newest 
 states, to nearly nine tenths of the whole — in the elder 
 of the western states, it is still great — in the aggregate it 
 is vastly greater than that of individuals. A large and 
 industrious population of farmers have become owners 
 of land here, by purchase from the government. They 
 have been the pioneers, and have endured hardships which 
 do not now beset the path of the settler. Those who 
 came first gave two dollars, others have given one dollar 
 and a quarter, for their land ; and if they, in the face of 
 the difficulties which then surrounded the emigrant, when 
 there was no market, and no money, could afford to give 
 these prices for land, their successors can still better afford 
 them now, when money is abundant, trade active, and 
 the country improved. And the questions may be fairly 
 put, whether Congress could justly depreciate the value 
 of the lands which she has sold, by now reducing the 
 price of the adjacent land — and whether she is not bound 
 to protect the interests of those to whom she has sold, as 
 much as to conciliate the favor of new customers ? It will 
 be seen also, that however plausible the argument in favor 
 of the reduction of price might have been a few years 
 ago, the considerations which are to be thrown into the 
 opposite scale have been, and are still, daily and hourly 
 increasing : the danger from Indian hostilities has been 
 removed — the hardships of settlers have been decreased — 
 the whole country has been made accessible by roads and 
 steam navigation — improvements have spread widely — 
 manufactories have been established and markets opened — 
 land is actually worth more than at any former period — 
 and the immense increase of freeholders has created a 
 
 Q2
 
 186 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 numerous and rapidly growing - class of citizens whose 
 interests are directly opposed to any measure which would 
 depreciate the value of real estate. 
 
 Petitions have often and earnestly been pressed upon 
 Congress, to grant the right of pre-emption to actual set- 
 tlers, and such laws, limited usually in their duration, 
 and sometimes confined to particular classes of claimants, 
 or sections of country, have been passed. As a general 
 rule they have been uncalled for by any principle of jus- 
 tice, and liable to great abuse. In a few instances, where 
 persons have settled in a district of country before the 
 land was brought into market, it was proper, on the open- 
 ing of the land office, to give them the pre-emption right ; 
 but in a large majority of cases, such laws have been 
 unjust towards the bona fide holders of land, and inju- 
 rious to the government, while they have been productive 
 of a vast deal of dishonest speculation. The class who 
 are ostensibly to be benefitted have seldom any claim to 
 the indulgence extended to them, and as seldom avail 
 themselves of its privileges. The idea of protecting the 
 actual settler carries an air of popularity about it, which 
 renders it wonderfully efficient in the hands of the men 
 who love the people, and who propose measures of 
 this kind merely for effect. For one farmer who avails 
 himself of a pre-emption right to secure for his own use, 
 the land which he occupies, there are ten occupants who 
 never intended to purchase, and who sell to a speculator 
 that which was improperly given to them. 
 
 On the whole, it seems doubtful whether any improve- 
 ment can be made in the present plan of selling the public 
 lands. The system is simple, and equitable ; and vast as 
 tbe concerns of this department are, they are now managed 
 with admirable fidelity and correctness. So long as the 
 United States shall continue to occupy the existing pro- 
 prietary relation towards the western country, there will 
 probably be but little change in this part of her policy.
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 187 
 
 But it has been suggested that the government ought to 
 divest herself of the character which she now sustains in 
 relation to the public domain. In a report from the treasu- 
 ry department made at the opening of the first session of 
 the twenty second congress, we find the following remarks : 
 
 " The sources from which the revenue has hitherto 
 been derived, are the imports, public lands, and bank 
 dividends. With the sale of the bank stock, the latter 
 will cease, and, as the imports, according to any scale of 
 duties which it will be expedient, and practicable to adopt, 
 will be amply sufficient to meet all the expenditure, that 
 portion of the revenue heretofore drawn from the sale of 
 the public lands may be dispensed with, should congress 
 see fit to do so. 
 
 " On this point, the undersigned deems it proper to 
 observe that the creation of numerous states throughout 
 the western country, now forming a most important part 
 of the Union ; and the relative powers claimed and exer- 
 cised by congress and the respective states over the pub- 
 lic lands, have been gradually accumulating causes of in- 
 quietude and difficulty, if not of complaint. It may well 
 deserve consideration, therefore, whether at a period de- 
 manding the amicable and permanent adjustment of the 
 various subjects which now agitate the public mind, these 
 may not be advantageously disposed of, in common with 
 the others, and upon principles just and satisfactory to all 
 parts of the Union. 
 
 11 It must be admitted that the public lands were ceded 
 by the states, or subsequently acquired by the United 
 States, for the common benefit ; and that each state has 
 an interest in their proceeds, of which it cannot be justly 
 deprived. Over this part of the public property, the 
 powers of the general government have been uniformly 
 supposed to have a peculiarly extensive scope, and have 
 been construed to authorize their application to purposes 
 of education and improvement to which other branches
 
 188 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 of revenue were not deemed applicable. It is not practi- 
 cable to keep the public lands out of the market ; and the 
 present mode of disposing of them is not the most profit- 
 able, either to the general government or to the states, 
 and must be expected, when the proceeds shall be no 
 longer required for the public debt, to give rise to new 
 and more serious objections. 
 
 " Under these circumstances, it is submitted to the wis- 
 dom of congress to decide upon the propriety of disposing 
 of all the public lands, in the aggregate, to those states 
 within whose territorial limits they lie, at a fair price, to 
 be settled in such manner as might be satisfactory to all. 
 The aggregate price of the whole may then be apportion- 
 ed among the several states of the Union, according to 
 such equitable ratio as may be consistent with the objects 
 of the original cession, and the proportion of each may 
 be paid or secured directly to the others by the respective 
 states purchasing the land. All cause of difficulty with 
 the general government on this subject would then be re- 
 moved ; and no doubt can be entertained, that by means 
 of stock issued by the buying states, bearing a moderate 
 interest, and which, in consequence of the reimbursement 
 of the public debt, would acquire a great value, thev 
 would be able at once to pay the amount upon advantage- 
 ous terms. It may not be unreasonable also to expect 
 that the obligation to pay the annual interest upon the 
 stock thus created, would diminish the motive for selling 
 the lands at prices calculated to impair the general value 
 of that kind of property. 
 
 " It is believed, moreover, that the interests of the sev 
 eral states would be better promoted by such a disposition 
 of the public domain, than by sales in the mode hitherto 
 adopted, and it would at once place at the disposal of all 
 the states of the Union, upon fair terms, a fund for pur- 
 poses of education and improvement, of inestimable bene- 
 fit to the future prosperity of the nation.
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 189 
 
 " Should congTess deem it proper to dispense with the 
 public lands as a future source of revenue, the amount to 
 be raised from imports, after the 3d of March 1833, ac- 
 cording to the foregoing estimate, will be $15,000,000; 
 but, with a reliance upon the public lands, as heretofore, 
 it may be estimated at 12,000,000 dollars, to which, as 
 the case may be, it will be necessary to adapt the pro 
 vision for the future. 
 
 " Whatever room there may be for diversity of opinion 
 with respect to the expediency of distributing among the 
 several states any surplus revenue that may casually ac- 
 crue, it is not doubted that any scheme for the encourag 
 ing a surplus for distribution, or for any purpose which 
 should make it necessary, will be regularly discounte- 
 nanced. There is too much reason to apprehend that a 
 regular, uniform dependence of the state governments 
 upon the revenue of the general government, or an uni- 
 form expectation from the same source, would create too 
 great an incentive to high and unequal duties, and not 
 merely disturb the harmony of the union, but ultimately 
 undermine and subvert the purity and independence of the 
 state sovereignties." 
 
 We shall briefly examine these suggestions. 
 
 The policy of the government in relation to the public 
 lands has a twofold object: 1st, The reimbursement to the 
 national treasury, of the funds expended in the purchase 
 of those lands, and the payment of the national debt, for 
 which they were pledged ; and 2nd, an impartial distri- 
 bution of the lands among the settlers of the region in 
 which they lie. 
 
 It is now, we believe, a conceded point, that the equit- 
 able, as well as the legal and actual title to the public do- 
 main, is in the general government. The whole of it lias 
 been acquired with the means of the nation. Her treasure, 
 her diplomacy, and her military force, have been used in 
 the purchase, and in the protection of this noble property.
 
 190 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 Any attempt to divest the Federal Union of her interest 
 in it, until the debt created by its acquisition be wholly 
 discharged, would be clearly inequitable ; and this too, 
 we assume to be a point conceded, or too obvious to ad- 
 mit of cavil. But is this all ; and are we certain that the 
 precise nature and amount of the expenditure alluded to 
 are understood ? The mere purchase money is one thing ; 
 but has any calculation been made, for the purpose of as- 
 certaining what proportion this bears to the multifarious 
 contingencies which have arisen out of the acquisition ? 
 The pay of the functionaries engaged in negotiations, and 
 of the additional troops required by this extension of ter- 
 ritory ; the cost of surveying and sale ; the annual ex- 
 pense of legislation, and of the general land office ; the 
 interest upon these expenditures ; and a variety of other 
 items, which, under the pen of a close calculator, would 
 swell to an astonishing amount, would all be legitimate 
 charges upon these lands. Nor can there be any doubt, 
 that the liberal donations for public purposes, within the 
 territory in which they lie — for roads, canals, schools, 
 &c, would also be fairly chargeable to this fund, in all 
 cases except where equivalents have been paid by the in- 
 dividual states for such grants. It should also be recol- 
 lected, in estimating the amount of the purchase money, 
 that at every treaty held with the Indians, for the extin- 
 guishment of their titles to their hunting grounds, there 
 has been given to them, besides the specified price of 
 the land, an amount greater or less, in presents ; and that 
 in many cases, the purchase money has been stipulated 
 to be paid in annuities, some of which are to be perpetual. 
 Supposing then that all the actual disbursements, hereto- 
 fore made from the public purse on this account, be ac- 
 curately ascertained, by what rule of arithmetic shall we 
 arrive at any correct estimate of the amount which will 
 be required, to pay annuities for twenty years, for thirty 
 years, for so long as a given tribe shall remain a distinct
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN*. 101 
 
 nation, and during the lives of numerous individuals who 
 are pensioners upon this fond I 
 
 But again. Is it a settled point that the interest of the 
 nation in this property, ought to be extinguished, as soon 
 
 -he is reimbursed ? We apprehend not. Admit that an 
 account which the United States may have opened against 
 these lands, and in which she has charged them with 
 every expenditure made in reference to them, direct or 
 consequential, has been balanced by the receipts from the 
 land offices, can a good reason be offered, why they 
 should not be continued to be held by the government as 
 a source of revenue ? No one would contend that an in- 
 dividual, having derived from an estate a profit equal to 
 its cost, would be bound by any rule of propriety, to con- 
 vey it back to his grantor, or throw it into the common 
 stock. With as little justice can the United States be 
 called upon by the individual states, or either of them, to 
 make a similar surrender. The very idea of property, 
 excludes such a conclusion ; for it not only includes pres- 
 ent possession and use, but all ulterior and accidental ad- 
 vantages which may, by any possibility, accrue to the 
 owner. If the United States has a clear and perfect title 
 to this land, it is a gratuitous assumption for any other 
 party than herself, to prescribe a limit to the tenure which 
 is in its own nature indefinite. 
 
 We learn from the treasury report, that there are now 
 but three sources of revenue to be relied upon for the 
 support of our government, viz : imports, public lands, 
 and bank dividends. It is proposed to sell the bank stock 
 and apply the proceeds to the payment of the public debt, 
 to dispose of the lands to the several states in which they 
 lie, and to rely solely on the duties upon imports. As to 
 the prudence of depending upon a single source of reve- 
 nue which may be deteriorated by unforeseen causes, we 
 shall not venture an opinion ; but we apprehend that this 
 policy cannot be adopted without begging a question, or
 
 192 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 mother words assuming the correctness of doctrines which 
 are hostile to the opinions of a large portion of the nation 
 At a time when a tariff is odious to the whole population 
 of some states, and to entire classes of citizens in others, 
 would it be safe, would it be consistent with that principle 
 of reciprocity, that spirit of compromise, that patriotism, 
 to say all in one word, which ought to regulate the econo- 
 my of a great nation, to abandon all other sources of reve- 
 nue, and depend upon the single one which has excited 
 more dissention than all the others put together ? If it 
 be replied that no objection is made to a tariff which is 
 resorted to as a financial resource, and that the propriety 
 (or right) of laying duties on imports, is only questioned 
 when they are attempted to be used to support manufac- 
 tures, or to encourage sectional industry, we ask, is there 
 no danger, that when duties on imports should become the 
 sole dependence of the treasury, they would have to re- 
 main as high as they now are ; that the identical duties 
 now objected to would be retained ; and the cause of com- 
 plaint remain the same, under a change of name ? There 
 may have been conclusive reasons in favor of the creation 
 of the existing system of duties, but would those reasons 
 reach forward, and justify its adoption as a permanent 
 feature in the policy of the government ? And shall we 
 put it out of our power to reduce or discard those duties, 
 when the necessity which induced their adoption shall 
 have ceased ? 
 
 Another consideration strikes us as worthy of notice. 
 Revenue should be raised in such a manner as to bear 
 equally upon all classes of society ; none should be ex- 
 empted from the burthen, nor any oppressed by its weight. 
 The perfection of a system of finances, would be found 
 in the exact operation of this principle, reaching to every 
 individual in society, and extending to each his equitable 
 portion of the public burthen ; but as perfection cannot be 
 expected to be attained in transactions so gigantic and
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 193 
 
 complicated, the nearest approach to it, becomes die most 
 rational substitute ; and this will be found in adopting the 
 principle to which we have alluded as far as practicable. 
 Now it seems very i tear, that by multiplying the sources 
 of revenue, we should increase the chances of making it 
 l>ear upon all classes of society, and on the other hand, 
 by diminishing their number, we shall multiply chances 
 that some would be oppressed. Especially does it appear 
 to us, at least probable^ that if a single source of revenue 
 be depended upon, the burthen will he unequally borne, 
 and that some classes will occasionally, and some perhaps 
 always, be exorbitantly taxed, in comparison with others. 
 These considerations are not conclusive, but are thrown 
 out as rational doubts. If it can be shewn that duties 
 on imports can he extended to so great a variety of arti- 
 cles, that all our citizens, shall by these means, be equal- 
 ly taxed, and the industry of none be vexatiously bur- 
 thened, or if these desirable results can be produced to a 
 reasonable extent, then our objection will have been an- 
 swered. 
 
 We may mention in this connexion, a proposition to 
 divide the annual nett proceeds of the public lands, among 
 the several states, in the ratio of their representation, to 
 be expended for the purposes of internal improvement and 
 education. If it be determined that these proceeds are 
 not to be appropriated to the ordinary purposes of revenue, 
 but must have a specific application, it is still not clear, 
 that such a distribution would be judicious or even just. 
 If the distinction between federal interests and state in- 
 terests is to be persisted in, and the line between state and 
 federal rights broadly and strongly marked, the question 
 arises, upon what ground this can be claimed as a state 
 fund ? It lias not been created by the action of the state 
 governments, nor earned by the prowess, the talents, or 
 the labor of citizens of states, acting as such. The claims 
 of individual states, as far as any existed, have all been 
 
 R
 
 194 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 ceded to the Union ; and the subsequent purchase, with 
 all its incidental expenses, was made with the national 
 treasure. That Congress has a clear right to divide the 
 surplus revenue of the Union among the states, is not de- 
 nied ; but the propriety of thus parceling this fund, in 
 preference to any other does not seem obvious. We 
 should place it exactly on the same footing with the reve- 
 nue from any other sources. Should there then be a sur- 
 plus of the aggregate annual receipts, and its distribution 
 be urged as a concession to the opinions of those who 
 deny the right of the general government to expend money 
 for objects of national improvement, we should not de- 
 mur, because we would yield much — almost any thing — 
 to a liberal spirit of compromise. But we should yield it 
 only as a concession. We doubt the justice of dividing 
 a fund disposable for general purposes, according to popu- 
 lation. A national fund should be expended where it is 
 most wanted, and where it would be most extensively 
 useful. The most populous state might not require the 
 largest expenditure ; and the least populous might stand 
 in the greatest need of assistance. A sum expended in 
 one state in making a road, is not necessarily chargeable 
 to that state as if for its exclusive benefit, because the ad- 
 vantage may be equally great to adjacent states. An im- 
 mense sum of money was laid out in the states of Mary- 
 land, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, in making a road from 
 Cumberland to Wheeling, which is less beneficial to the 
 two last named states, than to those lying west of them. 
 The correct principle seems to be, not that the expendi- 
 tures should be made within certain limits, but that the 
 benefits should be fairly distributed. This would be best 
 effected by the concentrated action of one government. 
 Still, on this point we should not be strenuous. We 
 should deprecate the division into twenty-four parts, of a 
 sum, which at all events will be small, in comparison to 
 the objects to be effected, and which by this process would
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 195 
 
 become comparatively inefficient. But it is better to 
 forego such advantages, than to gain them by violence to 
 the feelings of a respectable minority. 
 
 Another very important consideration is involved in 
 this question. One of the greatest advantages secured to 
 the people of the United States by the proprietary action 
 of the government over these lands, has been the equita- 
 ble mode of their alienation to individuals. This is a 
 matter which comes home to men's business and bosoms. 
 There is no power exercised by the government, which 
 is regarded with such jealousy, or should be exerted with 
 so much circumspection, as that which reaches to the fire- 
 side of the citizen — that which affects his home, and the 
 maintenance of his family. Every thing else may be en- 
 dured, if there be security, comfort, and abundance in our 
 dwellings. Whatever other privilege we may resign, we 
 will not suffer that of pursuing happiness, to be ever 
 jeoparded. 
 
 The right to emigrate, is not only a natural, but a char- 
 tered right. Our citizens are secured in the privilege of 
 removing from one state to another, as well as in the ex- 
 ercise of all rights in the state of their adoption, which 
 they enjoyed in that of their recent citizenship. It is our 
 policy to be one people ; to throw wide open all the ave- 
 nues of internal intercourse and trade ; to leave private 
 enterprise unshackled, and industry free to exert its ener- 
 gies, wherever they may be most usefully employed. 
 We are an active and a migratory people, accustomed to 
 independence, impatient of restraint, and unwilling to 
 endure any discomforts, which may be removed by exer- 
 tion, or escaped by a change of residence. We have no 
 entailed rights to bind us to the spot of our nativity, and 
 but slender hereditary attachments ; and we not only 
 hiffhly value, but will maintain at every hazard, the privi- 
 lege of seeking subsistence and happiness, wherever we 
 please to think they may be found. We do not recognise
 
 196 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 the moral right existing in any body of men, to monopo- 
 lise the soil which was given to us and our children by a 
 bountiful Providence, to stay the footsteps of industry and 
 the arts, or to shackle the advancement of letters, civili- 
 zation, and Christianity. If we can ever justify our 
 banishment of the Indian from his hunting grounds, it 
 must be upon this principle ; he was a monopolist, oc- 
 cupying more than he could use consistently with the 
 good of mankind ; he was a barbarian, hostile to the 
 social, the useful, and the elegant arts of civil life. It is a 
 legitimate exercise of governmental care, to respect such 
 feelings, and cherish such rights ; and if by design or ac- 
 cident, the government has possessed itself of the means 
 of gratifying a national propensity, and of dispensing the 
 blessings of a great national source of prosperity, it 
 should pause, and reflect maturely, before it resigns a 
 power so benign, and so extensive. 
 
 The settlement of the western lands, is a matter of na- 
 tional concernment ; one in which all the states are inter- 
 ested in a greater or less degree. To one they afford 
 homes for her industrious poor, or enterprising youth, to 
 another an outlet for her manufactures, to a third a mar- 
 ket for her commercial imports ; while all are obliged to 
 view them as the future birth place of the millions of 
 freemen, who will soon constitute the majority of the na- 
 tion. We cannot shut our eves to the truth, that in the 
 proportion in which industry, moral habits, intellectual 
 cultivation, and sound national principles, shall be planted 
 and cherished in this region, will be the predominance of 
 those virtues in the future guidance of our national coun- 
 cils. The history of other nations affords no parallel to 
 that anomalous and magnificent process which is now 
 going forward in our country. The nation is silently but 
 rapidly building up its own future seat of empire. The 
 howling wilderness, which our immediate ancestors view- 
 ed with carelessness, and partially explored, with extreme
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 1 I'? 
 
 difficulty and danger, is last becoming the centre of power, 
 the seat of wealth, the theatre upon which the nation in 
 its matured vigor will exhibit its concentrated enerL r i< -. 
 The nation, as such, has a stake in the growth of this 
 country, which she cannot value lightly. 
 
 In her proprietary character, the government has been 
 enabled to establish the boundaries of newly organised 
 territories, so as to give to each future state its just limits. 
 The country has been surveyed, divided, and prepared 
 for sale, under a wise and uniform system. The sales 
 have been conducted with order, impartiality, and publici- 
 ty. The dweller in Maine or in Georgia, may by refer- 
 ence to public documents, know the contents and price 
 of each tract of land in the west, and the time and place 
 of sale, with as much certainty as an inhabitant of the 
 vicinity. The price of land is invariable. These are 
 advantages which should have great weight in the public 
 mind. If the citizens of the Atlantic states appreciate the 
 privilege of emigration to the westward, and the advan- 
 tage of a fair competition in the market of new lands : and 
 if the people of the western states place a just value upon 
 the security of their titles to real estate, upon the harmony 
 which now prevails in its distribution, and upon the regu- 
 lar flow of that full and fertilizing tide of population, which 
 is now pouring in upon them — they would pause, each 
 of them would pause, before they would submit to Un- 
 hazardous experiment of a change of policy, which miirht 
 give us confusion in the place of order, and entail upon 
 us the reverse of all that we value, instead of what we 
 enjoy. 
 
 But we are told that the relative powers claimed and 
 exercised by congress, and the respective states, over the 
 public lands, have been gradually accumulating muses of 
 inquietude and difficulty, if not of complaint. This is in 
 part true ; but before we assent to the necessity of apply- 
 ing any of the proposed remedies, l»t us examine the 
 
 r2
 
 198 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 extent of the grievances complained of, and inquire 
 whether they be real or supposititious. Have the people 
 of the western country any just ground of complaint ? 
 Are they really dissatisfied? Fifty years ago, the United 
 States had not a single settlement west of the Ohio river, 
 if we except a handful of inhabitants at the French villa- 
 ges ; and in 1793 the army of General Wayne marched 
 through Ohio, then a wilderness. So lately as 1812, the 
 inhabitants of Illinois and Indiana were so few in number, 
 that they protected themselves with difficulty against the 
 Indians. Tecumseh with a little band, of a few hundred 
 warriors, kept the whole frontier in terror. At this time 
 the state of Ohio alone contains over 1,000,000 of inhabit- 
 ants ; and the aggregate population of Ohio, Indiana, 
 Illinois, and Missouri, is more than two millions. If to 
 these we add the states of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mis- 
 sissippi, in which the lands are similarly situated, and 
 which have been chiefly settled within the same period, 
 we have a population of three millions, without including 
 the territories of Michigan and Arkansas, which contain 
 a hundred thousand more. In fifty years a region, con- 
 taining more than half a million of square miles, has been 
 reclaimed from the dominion of the savage ; seven states 
 have grown up and been admitted into the Union, and 
 two others are ripe for admission ; a population of three 
 millions has been accumulated, consisting chiefly of the 
 agricultural class, a large portion of whom possess free- 
 holds, and all of whom are blessed with a greater degree 
 of plenty, and burthened with fewer cares, than any other 
 similar number of civilized people. Fifty years ago, the 
 canoe and the pirogue were the only bonts on all the no- 
 ble rivers of the west, with the exception of a few barges ; 
 since then, seven hundred steam boats have been built in 
 this region, with its native timber and materials, and em- 
 ployed upon its waters. In 1826 the amount of capital 
 invested in steam boats, by the citizens of Cincinnati
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 199 
 
 alone, was upwards of 500,000 dollars, the imports of that 
 city were more than 2,000,000 of dollars, and the exports 
 1,000,000. In the same region there are more than a 
 dozen reputable colleges, together with respectable medi- 
 cal, theological, and law schools. Books are published 
 to a considerable extent. In Cincinnati alone, very many 
 volumes a day, issue from the press. These, with a 
 thousand other facts which might be added, are surely not 
 the indications of an oppressed people, or of a country 
 crippled in its resources, or checked in its advance to 
 greatness. 
 
 The public improvements that have been scattered over 
 this valley, by the munificence of the government, how- 
 ever scanty they may seem to a sanguine and enterprising 
 people, ardent in their views, ambitious in their public 
 spirit, and impatient of delay in their rapid march to 
 power, have been worthy of a great nation. The Cum- 
 berland road alone, is a monument of national beneficence. 
 Designed to stretch through an extent of eight hundred 
 miles ; meandering for sixty miles among the cliffs and 
 precipices of almost inaccessible mountains ; intersecting 
 the noblest rivers of the west, and crossing her fertile and 
 extensive plains ; studded in its whole length with elegant 
 and durable bridges — such a work speaks more in favor 
 of the advantages of the connection between the western 
 people and the government, than volumes of abstract rea- 
 soning. And this is but a part of what has been done. 
 The shores of the northern lakes have been surveyed, 
 and their facilities for commerce ascertained ; immense 
 sums have been laid out in improving the harbors of the 
 lakes and the navigation of the large rivers ; extensive 
 grants of land have been made to aid in the construction 
 of roads and canals ; in short, millions of money have 
 been in various ways appropriated to advance the best 
 interests of this region. That these appropriations have 
 fallen far short of our just proportion of the public tn ■-
 
 200 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 ure, and have been inadequate when compared with the 
 sums expended on the sea coast, must be admitted ; but 
 they have greatly exceeded any expenditure which could 
 have been reasonably expected, under the action of the 
 several states, had they possessed the land. 
 
 Of what then do the western people complain ? Are 
 they taxed by the government 1 No. Are any preclud- 
 ed from voting, or ineligible to office ? None. Do any 
 starve, are any houseless, or naked, or in prison for debt? 
 These are unknown evils. Are standing armies quartered 
 among the people, or do the myrmidons of government 
 eat out their substance ? Nothing of all this. Do seed 
 time and harvest fail ? Does not the labor of the husband- 
 man yield an abundant reward ? Are his hard earnings 
 riven from him by fraud or violence ? Do the oppressors 
 grind the poor ? Are not life and property secure ? Is 
 there any to molest or make afraid, the man who sits 
 under his own vine ? We need not pause for a reply : 
 the face of nature, the condition of society, and the happy 
 estate of man in this favored region, teeming with abun- 
 dance, peace, and cheerfulness, all testify against the ex- 
 istence of any widespread individual distress, or civil 
 misrule. 
 
 But complaints have been made ; they are matters of 
 record, and their nature being distinctly known, they may 
 be easily examined. In the first place, it may be remark- 
 ed, that the western people have sometimes been misun- 
 derstood, and have been considered in the light of 
 dissatisfied remonstrants, when they only asked the cor- 
 rection of error, or the redress of an accidental grievance. 
 Such were the petitions of several of the states, for ex- 
 changes of the lands given for the support of schools, 
 when portions of them proved to be worthless. In most 
 instances, we believe in all, valuable considerations were 
 given by the states for those lands, and of course when 
 large parcels of them were ascertained to be deficient in
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 201 
 
 the value which they purported to bear at the time of the 
 transfer, there was precisely that kind of failure of con- 
 sideration, which would support an equitable, if not a 
 legal claim upon the grantor. There have also been 
 hundreds, perhaps thousands, of instances of individual 
 grievance, which demanded legislative interference ; 
 wroners for which existing laws provided no remedy, cases 
 
 o ox y 
 
 where titles to land have become forfeited by the mistakes 
 of officers, or could not be completed in consequence of 
 statutory defects, or inconsistencies. Laws intended to 
 afford general relief, and framed with due care, have 
 sometimes been so worded, as to omit whole classes of 
 sufferers, who were thus thrown again upon congress, in 
 the character of petitioners. Nor can it be denied, that 
 individuals have sometimes mistaken their remedy ; that 
 even meritorious individuals have sought that remunera- 
 tion from the generosity of congress, which was denied 
 them by stern justice ; that imaginary claims have often 
 vexed the ear of government ; that the dreams of self-love, 
 and the speculations of the visionary and the avaricious, 
 have often been intruded upon the public. When we 
 consider the vastness of the public domain, the number 
 of citizens interested as purchasers, as land holders, or as 
 persons desirous to purchase, it will be seen that the peti- 
 tions to congress, must unavoidably be numerous, and 
 that their number affords no indication of public dissatis- 
 faction, or of an importunate spirit. The captious may 
 indeed complain of importunity, and the indolent or un- 
 discerning, whose want of information disables them from 
 drawing the proper distinction, between claims of right 
 and petitions for bounty, may turn a deaf ear ; but such 
 are not the conclusions of enlightened statesmen, or liberal 
 men. Nor are these the complaints of the country ; they 
 are not grievances tending to disunion, or which ought 
 for a moment to disturb the equanimity of either of the 
 great parties to the question before us. They are claims
 
 202 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 of right, to be decided upon evidence ; or they are sup- 
 posititious demands, the rejection of which can excite no 
 public irritation. The whole of the cases to which we 
 now allude, are, in short, analogous to suits at law, and 
 we are not prepared to admit that the decision of the 
 former, would ever cause public dissatisfaction, any more 
 than the adjudication of the latter. The reader of the 
 congressional proceedings, and even the member of con- 
 gress, who does not reflect sufficiently upon the peculiar 
 connection between the western states and the general 
 government may be startled at the number of the petitions 
 presented to that body by western members, and draw 
 unfavourable inferences from that fact ; but the suggestions 
 which we have thrown out will show the injustice of such 
 deductions. 
 
 Such being the extensive, the complicated, and the 
 important interests, involved in this branch of the subject, 
 and the parties to be affected being so numerous, differen- 
 ces of opinion may well arise. But these are generally 
 collisions of interest, and not controversies as to princi- 
 ples. The fundamental rules, which ought to govern 
 these sales, are well settled, and thoroughly understood : 
 but different classes of men, and the inhabitants of differ- 
 ent sections of the country, entertain conflicting opinions 
 as to their respective interests, and naturally seek advan- 
 tages for themselves. Therefore we find a variety of 
 modes of disposing of the public land, originating from 
 various quarters, and advocated with untiring zeal, and 
 admirable ingenuity. 
 
 Some of these plans have merits, some are merely spe- 
 cious, while many are not even seriously advocated by 
 their projectors, but are mere hobbies, on which dema- 
 gogues ride into office, and which are abandoned when 
 the temporary purpose for which they were brought into 
 existence, has been accomplished. The men who love 
 the people, have been ingenious in every age of the world,
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 203 
 
 in giving a momentary importance to their own whims, 
 or artful designs, by making them assume the appearance 
 of public sentiment. 
 
 But should congress reject all these propositions, will 
 the western states have cause to complain 1 Have they 
 any reason to consider themselves oppressed, by the ad- 
 herence of government, to a system under which they 
 have enjoyed such unexampled prosperity ? Will the 
 minority be so deficient in patriotism as not to submit 
 cheerfully to the decision of the majority ? Will the gen- 
 erous west, heretofore so loyal, so patriotic in the hour 
 of danger, so proud of her rising greatness, tarnish her 
 young fame by disobedience, or by being guilty of the 
 weakness of indulging resentful feelings ? Far from it. 
 The people are not oppressed, and cannot be persuaded 
 to fancy themselves the objects of oppression. 
 
 We have already shown that the western country at 
 large is in a prosperous condition ; and when we read 
 some of those injudicious speeches in congress, in which 
 a contrary idea is held out, we are forcibly reminded of a 
 beautiful oriental fable. A prime minister who had grown 
 grey in office, was sentenced to death, on suspicion of 
 mal-administration, but in consideration of his long ser- 
 vice, his punishment was commuted, at his own request, 
 to banishment to a deserted village. But on search, a 
 depopulated village was not to be found in the whole em- 
 pire. " Can that nation be badly governed," he exclaim- 
 ed, " in which every village is prosperous ?" He was 
 reinstated. 
 
 A few facts will set this matter in its true light. Land 
 is now sold in tracts of forty acres, at $1.25 per acre. 
 For fifty dollars, an unimproved tract of forty acres may 
 be purchased. In any of the states west of the Ohio 
 river, a laborer can earn 75 cents a day, and if his living 
 be supposed to cost 25 cents, which in this plentiful 
 country is a large estimate, he can, by the labor of one
 
 204 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 hundred days, or about four months, purchase a farm. 
 But as the working days in a year, excluding bad weather, 
 might not amount to more than 200, it may be safely as- 
 serted that a laborer can purchase a tract of 40 acres, by 
 six months steady work, and that by the labor of a year 
 he may purchase 80 acres. Again, a laborer can get his 
 board, and ten dollars per month, the year round, which 
 would amount to $120, and if $20 be deducted for cloth- 
 ing, he will thus be enabled to purchase a farm, in six 
 months, or a larger one in a year. All kinds of stock 
 can be raised in this country with facility, and at little 
 cost. A good work horse is worth fifty dollars — a cow 
 from five to ten dollars, a fat steer from ten to twenty, 
 and hogs from two to five dollars per hundred pounds. 
 A man then can purchase forty acres of land by the sale 
 of a horse, or from four to six head of cattle, or ten hogs ; 
 and as individuals are not prevented from settling on the 
 public lands, but rather encouraged, the means are thus 
 afforded to farmers to acquire this property previous to 
 the purchase of the soil. Mechanic's wages are much 
 higher ; those who work in the most useful arts, such as 
 carpenters, blacksmiths, shoemakers, &c. find ready em- 
 ployment. An individual of this class may earn money 
 enough to buy eighty acres, in six months — some of them 
 can earn their acre per day. A person who teaches a 
 common English school, receives from $2 50 to $3, 
 per quarter for each pupil, and such persons are in great 
 demand. A school of thirty scholars will yield ninety 
 dollars per quarter, or $360 per year. Let it be further 
 taken into consideration, that the extensive public works 
 now in progress under the general and state governments, 
 furnish employment, and high wages, to laborers and 
 mechanics, and supply a circulating medium, and it will 
 be seen that any industrious man may buy a farm. 
 
 If then the people are not suffering material injury, but 
 are really prosperous, would it be wise to change the ex-
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 205 
 
 isting system, merely because it may jar with some poli- 
 tical hypothesis of state rights, or jostle some abstract 
 theory, relative to the balance of power in our thriving 
 family of republics? Will the people suffer themselves 
 to be deprived of the solid advantages in their possession, 
 by the promise of benefits of doubtful value? Are the 
 speculations of politicians to be for a moment weighed in 
 the balance against the rapid advance of the country, the 
 peace, the security, the thousand blessings, which are not 
 visions of the brain, hut substantial present enjoyments '? 
 Above all shall we be drawn into these delusions by im- 
 aginary distinctions, which are attempted to be drawn, 
 between the state and federal governments, both of which 
 are equally ours, and have in fact no separate interests ? 
 There is no cause for dissatisfaction. The next ques- 
 tion which we proposed to examine, is in relation to the 
 existence of that feeling. Is there, in fact, any discon- 
 tent prevailing in the new states, towards the general 
 government, in regard to the public domain ? Ours is a 
 country in which the murmurs of discontent are not sup- 
 pressed, nor the hearty shout of approbation restrained. 
 The- oppressed find every where bold and able cham- 
 pions ; the expression of public opinion is free, and the 
 organs for disseminating opinions numerous. In the west 
 especially, where the practice of stump-speaking prevails, 
 and where candidates for popular suffrage are required to 
 address the people, upon the various topics which agitate 
 the public mind, the tone of public sentiment cannot be 
 mistaken. Do we hear of tumultuous meetings, of in- 
 flammatory addresses, of threats to nullify the acts of tne 
 government, in these loyal states ? On the contrary, al- 
 though a high degree of excitability pervades the Union, 
 and the slightest spark produces an explosion of indig- 
 nant feeling, the western states are quiet. The tenants 
 of the ant-hill, or the bee-hive, are not more industrious 
 nor inoffensive. The onlv excitement is that of enter- 
 
 S
 
 206 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 prise, the only hum that of business. Tariff, masonry, 
 nullification, abolition, and Roman Catholics, vex them 
 not. While the north and the south fright the land from 
 its propriety, by the earnestness of their contentions, the 
 west is in repose. As our nation laid the foundations of 
 its greatness, while the rest of the world was at war, so 
 the new states are quietly gaining population, wealth, and 
 power, while the old are wasting their energies in idle 
 contention. It is true, that politicians, in the dearth of 
 subjects for popular discussion, declaim in good set terms 
 about the public lands, assert roundly that the country is 
 embarrassed, and declare its liberties in danger from the 
 action of the general government. But where is the free 
 country, or what the time, in which such harangues have 
 not been made ? They are " the cankers of a calm world 
 and a long peace," the outbreakings of a restless ambi- 
 tion, which finding no excitement around it, endeavors to 
 create the element in which alone it can live. But we 
 assert, from an intimate knowledge of the western people, 
 that a traveler may pass through the length and breadth 
 of the new states, without hearing the public lands men- 
 tioned, by the people, in the tone of complaint. In par- 
 ticular districts, temporary excitements are gotten up, for 
 special purposes, which subside when those purposes are 
 accomplished. But the people at large are well satisfied 
 with the present arrangement. In no portion of the 
 Union is there more of a national, and less of a sectional 
 feeling, than in the west. The western people have 
 grown up under the patronage of the government, they 
 have fought under its banners, they feel identified with 
 its fame, and their affections are entwined around it. 
 They feel, too, the pride of conscious strength. In pro- 
 moting the prosperity of the whole nation, they are build- 
 ing up that great community, whose destinies will one 
 day be swayed by themselves. They cannot be jealous 
 of the power of the government, any more than a son is
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 207 
 
 jealous of the paternal authority, which will soon de- 
 scend to himself. 
 
 We shall close this article, already longer than we in- 
 tended, by adverting to the proposition to dispose of the 
 public domain, to the several states, in which it lies. 
 We should deprecate such a measure. Most of the ar- 
 guments to be urged against it have been anticipated. If 
 the present system teems with the advantages which we 
 have enumerated, it would be inexpedient to relinquish 
 them, for a measure of doubtful policy. If the " gradu- 
 ally accumulating causes of inquietude and difficulty," 
 assigned as the chief reasons in favor of a change, are 
 shown to be overrated or imaginary, those reasons cease 
 to have weight. Let us examine the proposition a little 
 more closely. One of the greatest advantages in the pres- 
 ent system, is the uniformity which prevails in the price 
 of land, and mode of sale. The lands of the govern- 
 ment, although lving in different states, are all offered at 
 the same price, the land offices are all organized alike, the 
 manner of sale every where the same, and the regulations 
 published by government are of general operation, and 
 easily accessible. Should these lands become the pro- 
 perty of the several states in which they lie, all this 
 might be changed. One state might sell for cash, and 
 another upon credit ; one might determine to sell only to 
 the actual settler, another might adopt a different arrange- 
 ment ; one might hold her lands at a high price, and an- 
 other rate them low ; or they might all engage in a ruin- 
 ous competition, by endeavoring to undersell each other. 
 That different systems would be adopted in the different 
 states, we have ample reason to believe ; and it is equally 
 probable that those systems would be often changed. 
 Publicity would be given to these several, and ever vary- 
 ing systems, through various different channels, and the 
 emigrant would have to search the statute books and 
 newspapers of a number of states, in order to ascertain
 
 208 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 the relative advantages offered to the purchaser. Should 
 the states enter into a competition to entice population, 
 there is no knowing where the confusion would end, or 
 to what extent the fierceness of contention, or the sor- 
 didness of speculation, might be carried ; and these sister 
 states, now so united in feeling, so happy in their pros- 
 perity, so closely allied by juxta-position and interest, 
 might become the theatre of jealousies growing from year 
 to year, and ending in settled animosity. 
 
 Several of these states have had fearful experience of 
 the evil of creating the relation of debtor and creditor be- 
 tween the government and its citizens. In Kentucky, 
 the lands south of Green river, were sold by the state, to 
 her citizens, upon credit. Instead of proving a blessing, 
 thev have been a curse : instead of enriching her treasu- 
 ry, they have impoverished it. Every year brought the 
 purchasers of land before the legislature, as petitioners, 
 for extension of the time of payment ; and although thirtv 
 years have elapsed since the sales commenced, the same 
 process is annually continued. The expenses of legis- 
 lation eat up all the proceeds. Nor is this all. The 
 " Green river claim," has become a standing theme, as 
 everlasting as the famous case of Amy Darden's horse. 
 A number of counties are now interested in it, in which 
 members to the legislature can only be elected, under a 
 pledge to become its advocates, and a party is thus formed, 
 of which the members, however highminded, are obliged 
 by circumstances, to unite in supporting a measure of 
 local popularity, even at the sacrifice of high general in- 
 terests. In Tennessee, a valuable reservation of lands, 
 set apart to promote education, was sold in a similar man- 
 ner, and the proceeds released, here a little and there a 
 little, until nearly the whole has been squandered ; while 
 the moral effect upon the ordinary legislation of the state, 
 has been as pernicious as in the former case. In several 
 of the states, banks have been created, and money loaned
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 200 
 
 by the state to the people. In every instance, the effect 
 has been the same ; a relief party has been organized, 
 and prepared to appease the clamors of the people at 
 every hazard. These instances all illustrate a simple pro- 
 position. Where the representative can confer on his 
 constituent a pecuniary advantage, out of the public funds, 
 there is a direct tendency to corruption. If the candidate 
 for a seat in the legislature, can promise to sell lands to 
 the voters at fifty cents an acre, for which the existing 
 price is one dollar; or where a majority are debtors, will 
 promise to postpone the day of payment ; there will al- 
 ways be found men ready to become parties to such con- 
 tracts. Such propositions, though at first made with cau- 
 tion, become sanctioned in the eyes of the people by fre- 
 quent repetition, the doctrine grows popular, and candi- 
 dates, always quicksighted in discovering the road to of- 
 fice, espouse it with zeal. Under the present system, 
 we are free from such abuses. Of the twenty-four states 
 which compose the Union, but seven are occupied by 
 portions of the public domain, and if we suppose it pos- 
 sible for the representatives from those states to unite, in 
 advocating measures of the character alluded to, there 
 would be a controling influence in the remainder, which 
 would preserve the purity of Congress, and regulate the 
 sales of land with impartial justice. 
 
 For similar reasons we should object to the proposed 
 law to divide the proceeds of the sales of public lands 
 among the states. Not only do we consider these pro- 
 ceeds to be as properly revenue, available for all the pur- 
 poses of government, but we are sure that if any portion 
 of them are to be expended for education, or internal im- 
 provement, the appropriations can be more judiciously 
 made, and more economically expended by the United 
 States, than by the states. Let those who are interested, 
 inquire into the fate of some of the grants made to states 
 for canals, and how the state legislatures have used the 
 
 s 2
 
 210 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 funds given them for a specific purpose. Let them look 
 at the disposition of the college and school lands in at 
 least two of the states, and they will see that valuable 
 tracts which would have commanded a large advance on 
 the government price, have been given away under a 
 wretched system of favoritism and collusion, by which 
 pre-emption rights, were given to persons who had set- 
 tled on these lands, after they had been set apart for a 
 specific purpose. The abuses of this description are 
 numerous, and intimately known to those who have been 
 engaged in politics. They should warn us to beware how 
 we rashly endanger so extensive a property, and risk the 
 many advantages we enjoy, under our admirable land 
 system, by giving up any thing to the state legislatures, 
 which may be retained in the hands of representatives 
 more able, more experienced, and equally responsible to 
 the people. 
 
 The following is the estimate of the amounts of money 
 which would be paid to the several states, out of the sur- 
 plus revenue now in the treasury, should the proposed 
 distribution of the proceeds of the public lands take place : 
 
 Share for 
 each State. 
 
 15 per cent, 
 to new States. 
 
 Total to 
 new States. 
 
 Maine, .... 689,028 
 New Hampshire, - - 464,587 
 Massachusetts, - 1,052,953 
 Rhode Island, - - 167,650 
 
 
 
 Connecticut, - - - 513,472 
 
 
 
 Vermont, - - - - 484,133 
 New York, - - - 3,309,503 
 New Jersey, - - - 551,865 
 Pennsylvania, - - 2,325,424 
 Delaware, - - - - 130,120 
 Maryland,- - - - 700,079 
 
 
 
 Virginia, - - - 1,765,554 
 North Carolina, - 1,103,563 
 South Carolina, - 784,918 
 Georgia, - - - - 741,423 
 Kentucky, - - - 1,072,660 
 Tennessee, - - 1,078,578 
 
 
 •
 
 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 211 
 
 
 Share for 
 
 15 per rent. 
 
 Total to 
 
 
 each Bum. 
 
 to new States. 
 
 new States. 
 
 Ohio. - - - - 
 
 1,614,400 
 
 930344 
 
 1,845,244 
 
 Louisiana, - - 
 
 - 396,179 
 
 67,561 
 
 363,733 
 
 Indiana, - - - 
 
 - 591,738 
 
 395,485 
 
 9 17,2 13 
 
 Illinois, - - - 
 
 - 271,078 
 
 ■IK*, 760 
 
 751. B38 
 
 Missouri, - - - 
 
 - S 9 1,972 
 
 174,354 
 
 399,397 
 
 Mississippi, - - 
 
 - 190,367 
 
 788,103 
 
 97*, 770 
 
 Alabama, - - - 
 
 - 452,826 
 
 541,910 
 
 994,766 
 
 We hope that this controversy, if a controversy it is 
 destined to be, will be conducted upon broad and national 
 principles ; that sectional interests will not be permitted 
 to mingle in the discussion ; and that this noble domain, 
 the heritage of the American people, purchased with their 
 treasure, and peopled under the auspices of their govern- 
 ment, will remain, at least for a time, under the disposal 
 of the national legislature. Whenever the wisdom or the 
 liberality of Congress shall become questionable, or its 
 purity less than that of the state legislatures ; when ver 
 the public lands shall be unequally distributed, or their 
 proceeds appropriated with partiality ; whenever the 
 western states shall be oppressed, or the people believe 
 themselves the objects of oppression, we shall advocate 
 the disposal of the lands to the states in which they lie, 
 or the distribution of the proceeds — but not until then. 
 
 The following data are condensed from an able report 
 of Mr. Woodbury, the present Secretary of the Treasury : 
 
 The whole amount of lands now owned by the United 
 States Government, within the states and territories, ex- 
 ceeds 330,000,000 of acres, and that owned west of 
 the Mississippi, and of Missouri and Arkansas, exceeds 
 750,000,000. Of this last, about 80 millions have been 
 appropriated to Indian tribes, the balance remains un- 
 disposed of. The Secretary estimates the one fourth or 
 270,000,000 as waste land, or covered with water, and one 
 half of the whole too poor for cultivation for many years 
 
 Of the land owned by the government within the 
 states and territories, there has been surveyed and offered
 
 212 PUBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 for sale from the year 1789 to 1834, 122,000,000 of acres, 
 not one third of which has been sold. The whole pro- 
 ceeds of the sales during that time, have amounted to 
 about 50,000,000 of dollars, and the net proceeds after 
 deducting charges, for purchase, surveying, management, 
 &c, are about 4,000,000 of dollars. 
 
 The quantity actually sold from 1789 to 1834, a period 
 of 45 years, after deducting about 6,333,333 acres, sold 
 under the old credit system, and which afterwards re- 
 verted, was about 37,500,000 acres. The quantities be- 
 stowed in bounties, during the last war, and for schools 
 and other purposes is about 16,000,000 of acres. 
 
 The sales never amounted in one year to one million 
 of acres until 1815. In 1817 they amounted to 2,500,- 
 000 acres, and in 1819 under the credit system, and 
 high price of cotton, to 5,500,000 acres, thus exceeding 
 the sales of 1834, considerably. The price of cotton 
 fell in 1820, and left the country indebted for lands, to 
 nearly the amount of 22,000,000 of dollars. The credit 
 system was then changed to cash, and by the relinquish- 
 ment of the lands to the government, the debt was nearly 
 extinguished. The annual sales again fell below one 
 million of acres, and continued thus until 1825. In that 
 year the price of cotton began to rise, and the quantity of 
 land sold also increased, and in the year 1829, again ex- 
 ceeded one million of acres. From 1829 to 1834, there has 
 been a steady enlargement of the quantity sold. In 1834 it 
 amounted to 4,000,000 of acres, and in 1835, is estimated 
 at 9,000,000 of acres. The Secretary estimates, that from 
 the increase of our agricultural population, and other 
 causes, the sales for the next six or seven years, will ex- 
 ceed 1,000,000 of acres, and that the proceeds maybe 
 estimated at from 3 to 6,000,000 annually. The exports 
 of cotton in 1790, amounted to 500,000 pounds, in 1834 to 
 380,000,000 of pounds, whilst the home manufactures 
 consumed 90,000,000 during the same year. We now
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 213 
 
 furnish fifteen sixteenths of ;ill die cotton consumed in 
 Great Britain, and seven tenths of all that is consumed in 
 France. The value of the fabric! manufactured from the 
 raw material furnished by us, is to (J real Britain $180,- 
 800,000, and to France 180,000,000, and to our own 
 manufactures about $62,000,000. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Western Steamboats. 
 
 When we consider the unexampled rapidity with which 
 the western states have acquired population and impor- 
 tance, we are surprised, not only at that fact, but at the 
 inadequate ideas which have heretofore prevailed as to 
 the magnitude and resources of this country. We are a 
 traveling and a calculating people, and it seems strange 
 that those who visited the western wilds in early times, 
 should not have foreseen the events which have since 
 transpired. That they did make golden reports, we are 
 aware; but contrary to all experience in similar cases, 
 those reports have fallen far short of the truth, and all that 
 tias been dreamed and prophesied in relation to this re- 
 gion, by its most sanguine admirers, has been more than 
 realized. When a few hunters, encamped in the forests 
 of Kentucky, heard the rumor of the battle of Lexington, . 
 and gave that name to the spot on which they reposed,, 
 how little could they have imagined, that within the du- 
 ration of one human life, a town of excelling beauty, and 
 a population remarkable for its intelligence and refinement, 
 would spring to maturity in these shades — or that in the 
 wilderness beyond them, a population would grow up 
 within the same period, superior in number to that which
 
 214 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 was then contending for independence, against the most 
 powerful nation of Europe ! But when intelligent men, 
 with better opportunities for observation, explored this 
 region after the germs of its greatness had begun to ex- 
 pand, even they had but faint conceptions of its destiny. 
 We shall endeavor to assign a few reasons why this 
 country was thus underrated, and why it has outstripped 
 the largest calculations which were made in its favor. 
 
 Fifty years ago, it was known that the western lands 
 were fertile, and watered by fine rivers, and settlements 
 were made on the eastern sides of the Ohio and Missis- 
 sippi. But the inhabitants were exposed to the hostile 
 attacks of the Indians, who occupied the whole region to 
 the west and north, except a few spots held by the French. 
 The hostile dispositions of the Indian tribes, and their 
 superiority of numbers, rendered it dangerous to explore 
 any part of the country in Avhich they hunted, and im- 
 practicable to visit large portions of it. It was therefore 
 but partially explored, and immense districts which are 
 now considered in all respects the most desirable, were 
 then totally unknown. As the Indians retired the coun- 
 try came into notice, as a fine landscape painting is dis- 
 closed by the gradual rising of a curtain. The parts that 
 were settled were continually subject to invasion, and the 
 inhabitants dreadfully harassed. The most shocking 
 enormities were perpetrated ; and only the hardiest pio- 
 neers ventured to reside near the frontier, or to explore 
 the lands in the vicinity of such dangerous neighbors. 
 Those atrocities no longer occur ; the powerful arm of 
 our government, and the mild influence of its pacific in- 
 stitutions, are felt from the Atlantic to the Rocky moun- 
 tains, and on the remotest portion the dwelling of the 
 pioneer is sacred. The murder of a white man by an 
 Indian is now of rare occurrence ; more rare than the 
 murder of white men by each other ; and the massacre of 
 a family is no longer apprehended. This happy change
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. ^15 
 
 has taken place since the last war with Great Britain; and 
 we may attribute the rapid growth of the western country 
 within the last fifteen years, chiefly to the security with 
 which it has been explored and made known, and the 
 safety enjoyed by the people, who have thus been ena- 
 bled- to spread over the surface in every direction. 
 
 The reported unhealthiness of the western country, 
 was a great obstacle to its early settlement. The entire 
 history of our population, from the landing of our ancestors 
 on the Atlantic coast, until now, shows that new settle- 
 ments are generally subject to violent, and rapidly fatal 
 diseases ; those west of the mountains have not been 
 more greatly afflicted in this way than others of older 
 date, but the pioneers suffered sufficiently to excite the 
 alarm of the timid, and to give rise to reports which were 
 greatly exaggerated. 
 
 The country was at first difficult of access ; indeed, for 
 all the beneficial purposes of commerce it was almost in- 
 accessible. The port of New Orleans, and the country 
 bordering on the Mississippi, were held by Spain, by 
 whom our right to navigate that river was denied. Had 
 the latter privilege been conceded to us, the possession 
 by a foreign power of the only port of entry, and place 
 of deposit, which was accessible to the western people, 
 must have rendered the trade in that direction precarious, 
 by subjecting it to expensive duties, and frequent inter- 
 ruptions. Setting these difficulties aside, New Orleans 
 was not then, as it is now, a large commercial city ; it 
 was a small town, without capital or enterprise, and re- 
 puted to be so fatally unhealthy, that its future growth 
 was considered as entirely improbable. And, the navi- 
 gation from that place, to our northern ports, on the At- 
 lantic coast, was, as it still remains to a considerable 
 extent, dangerous and expensive ; while the ascent of the 
 Mississippi, against its mighty current, by means of the 
 boats then in use, was a slow and most laborious process.
 
 216 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 The communication through our own interior was quite 
 as unpromising. The Allegheny ridge formed a barriei, 
 which was then almost impassable. The width of this 
 chain is seldom less than sixty miles ; and it presents in 
 its whole extent a series of mountains, cliffs, and chasms, 
 as wild and hideous in their appearance, as they seem 
 insurmountable in their character. No practical man of 
 that day, imagined the remote probability of constructing 
 a good road through this district. To climb its precipi- 
 ces, to hew down its rocks, to throw bridges over its 
 gulphs, to pass its headlong torrents, — in short, to enable 
 the traveler to journey with ease and rapidity over this 
 alpine region, has been the recent work of genius and 
 enterprise, and the result of a spirit peculiar to our own 
 times. 
 
 The purchase of Louisiana, the free navigation of the 
 Mississippi, the increased importance of the New Orleans 
 market, the improvements in the coasting navigation, the 
 New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio canals, and the turn- 
 pikes which cross the mountains at various points, may 
 be set down as among the causes which have led to the 
 rapid growth of this country ; and it may be added, that 
 many of these events were as unforeseen as thevhave been 
 eminently great and advantageous. Some of them have 
 all the brilliancy of splendid achievement, and all of them 
 have contributed to increase the wealth, and elevate the 
 character of the nation. 
 
 The introduction of steam boats upon the western wa- 
 ters, deserves a separate mention, because it has contribut- 
 ed more than any other single cause, perhaps more than 
 all other causes which have grown out of human skill, 
 combined, to advance the prosperity of the west. The 
 striking natural features of this country are, its magnitude 
 — its fertility — its mineral wealth — the number and ex- 
 tent of its rivers. Its peculiar adaptation to commercial 
 purposes, is evident. The richness of the soil, and the
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 217 
 
 abundance of all the useful minerals, combine to render 
 agricultural labors easy, cheap, and greatly productive. 
 The amount of produce raised for consumption, and for 
 export, is great ; and the people are therefore not only 
 able, but liberally disposed, to purchase foreign products. 
 They do, in fact, live more freely, and purchase more 
 amply, than the farmers of any other country. The 
 amount, therefore, of commercial capital employed, as 
 compared with the amount of population, is great ; and 
 the vast superficial extent of country over which these 
 operations may be extended with safety and facility, and 
 whose products may be exchanged, concentrated, or dis- 
 tributed, is unexampled. There is nothing in the topo- 
 graphy of any other country, to compare with the western 
 rivers. The Mississippi, and her tributaries may be navi- 
 gated in various directions, to the distance of two thousand 
 miles from the ocean ; and every portion of this immense 
 plain is intersected by these natural canals. In these 
 respects nature has been prodigal ; it was left to human 
 skill and energy, to turn her gifts to the best advantage, 
 and never was the intellect of man more usefully employ- 
 ed than in the discovery and successful introduction of 
 steam navigation. It was all that the western country 
 needed ; and the name of Fulton should be cherished here 
 with that of Washington : if the one conducted us to lib- 
 erty, the other has given us prosperity — the one broke 
 the chains which bound us to a foreign country, the other 
 has extended the channels of intercourse, and multiplied 
 the ties which bind us to each other. 
 
 The rapidity with which new channels of trade have 
 been opened, and are now daily becoming developed, i3 
 astonishing ; but the improvements in navigation, and in 
 the facilities for transporting merchandise by land and 
 water, have been infinitely greater and more remarkable. 
 
 It is needless to do more than mention the Indian canoe, 
 the smallest and rudest of boats, but which, at a period 
 
 T
 
 218 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 but little beyond the memory of living witnesses, was the 
 only vessel that navigated our western rivers. For the 
 purpose of commerce they were entirely inadequate, and 
 were never used in any regular branch of trade. 
 
 Previous to their intercourse with the whites, the canoes 
 of the Indians must have been much more unwieldy, and 
 imperfect, than any that are now in use. They had no 
 tools except the clumsy axes made of stone, of which we 
 see specimens in our museums ; and their canoes were 
 made of solid logs by burning away the part intended to 
 be removed. Some of the most distant tribes, who have 
 little trade with our people still pursue the same laborious 
 and unsatisfactory process. When iron tools were intro- 
 duced, the canoe assumed the present shape. 
 
 The birch canoe is peculiar to the northern regions, 
 where the tree which supplies the bark is found. These 
 also were probably of the most crude and awkward con- 
 struction, previous to the visits of the French traders, 
 under whose direction they acquired the lightness, strength, 
 and beauty, which have given them their celebrity. 
 
 The earliest improvement upon the canoe, was the Pi- 
 rogue, an invention of the whites. Like the canoe, this 
 boat is hewed out of the solid log ; the difference is, that 
 the pirogue has greater width and capacity, and is com- 
 posed of several pieces of timber — as if the canoe was 
 sawed lengthwise into two equal sections, and a broad 
 flat piece of timber inserted in the middle, so as to give 
 greater breadth of beam to the vessel. This was proba- 
 bly the identical process, by which the Europeans, unable 
 to procure planks to build boats, began in the first instance 
 to enlarge canoes, to suit their purposes. They were 
 often used as ferryboats, to transport horses across our 
 rivers, and we have frequently seen them in operation, of 
 a sufficient size, to effect their object in perfect safety. 
 
 These were succeeded by the barge, the keel, and the 
 Jlat boat. Of the two first, the barge was the largest,
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 219 
 
 had the greatest breadth, and the best accommodations for 
 passengers, the keel was longer, had less depth, and was 
 better fitted to run in narrow and shallow channels. They 
 were navigated by a rude and lawless class of men, who 
 became distinguished as well for their drolleries, as for 
 their predatory and ferocious habits. In the then thinly 
 scattered state of the population, their numbers rendered 
 them formidable, as there were few villages on the rivers, 
 and still fewer settlements, which contained a sufficient 
 number of able bodied men, to cope with the crew of a 
 barge, consisting usually of thirty or forty hands ; while 
 the arrival of several of these boats together, made them 
 completely masters of the place. Their mode of life, and 
 the facilities they possessed for evading the law, were 
 such as would naturally make them reckless. Much of 
 the distance through which they traveled in their vovages, 
 was entire wilderness, where they neither witnessed the 
 courtesies of life, nor feltany of the restraints of law; and 
 where for days, perhaps weeks, together, thev associated 
 only with each other. The large rivers whose meanders 
 they pursued, formed the boundaries of states, so that liv- 
 ing continually on the lines which divided different civil 
 jurisdictions, they could pass with ease from one to the 
 other, and never be made responsible to any. 
 
 One of the earliest attempts at an intercourse with New 
 Orleans, bv the river, is so remarkable as to deserve a 
 separate mention. In 1776, Messrs. Gibson and Linn, 
 the grandfather of Dr. Linn, now a senator in Congress 
 from Missouri, descended by water from Pittsburgh to 
 New Orleans, to procure military stores for the troops 
 stationed at theTormer place. They completely succeeded 
 in their hazardous enterprise, and brought baek a cargo of 
 136 kegs of gunpowder. On reaching the Falls of Ohio 
 on their return in the spring of 1777, they were obliged 
 to unload their boats, and carry the cargo round the rapids, 
 each of their men carrying three kegs at a time on hif
 
 220 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 back. The powder was delivered at Wheeling, and af- 
 terwards transported to Fort Pitt. 
 
 The character of Mike Fink, " the last of the boat- 
 men," has been rendered familiar to most readers, by the 
 pen of one of our best writers. He was a leader of the 
 men of his own class ; and was famous for his herculean 
 strength, his contempt of danger, his frolics, and his dep- 
 redations. He was a coarse, vulgar, desperate man — yet 
 possessed a degree of humor, hilarity, and openness, that 
 made him remarkable, and conciliated for him a sort of 
 popularity, which caused him to be universally known, 
 and still preserves his name in tradition. In his calling, 
 as master of a boat, he was faithful — a quality which 
 seems to have belonged to most of his class ; for it is a 
 singular fact, that lawless and wild as these men were, 
 the valuable cargoes of merchandise committed to their 
 care, and secured by no other bond than their integrity, 
 were always carried safely to their places of destination, 
 and the traveler, however weak, or however richly 
 freighted, relied securely on their protection. 
 
 In the earlier periods of this navigation, the boats em- 
 ployed in it were liable to attacks from the Indians, who 
 employed a variety of artifices to decoy the crews into 
 their power. Sometimes a single individual, disguised 
 in the apparel of some unhappy white man, who had 
 fallen into their hands, appeared on the shore making 
 signals of distress, and counterfeiting the motions of a 
 wounded man. The crew supposing him to be one of 
 their countrymen, who had escaped from the Indians, 
 would draw near the shore for the purpose of taking him 
 on board ; nor would they discover the deception until, 
 on touching the bank, a fierce band of painted warriors, 
 would rush upon them from an artfully contrived ambus- 
 cade. Sometimes the savages crawled to the water's edg-e, 
 wrapped in the skins of bears, and thus allured the boat- 
 men, who were ever ready to exchange the oar for the
 
 WESTERN' STEAiMBOATS. 221 
 
 rifle, into their power. But the red warriors were often 
 sufficiently numerous to attempt by open violence, that 
 which they found it difficult to accompliah by artifice, 
 
 against men as wary, and as expert in border warfare, as 
 themselves ; and boldly pursued the boats in their canoes, 
 or rushed upon the boatmen, when the incidents, or the 
 perils, of their navigation, drove them to the shore. 
 
 These boats, but rarely using sails, and receiving onlv 
 an occasional impulse from their oars, descended the 
 stream with a speed but little superior at any time, to that 
 of the current ; while they met with many accidents and 
 delays to lengthen the voyage. A month was usually 
 consumed in the passage from Pittsburgh to New Orleans, 
 while the return voyage was not effected in less than four 
 months, nor without a degree of toil and exposure to 
 which nothing but the hardiest frames, and the most in- 
 domitable spirits, would have been equal. The heavily 
 laden boats were propelled against the strong current by 
 poles, or, where the stream was too deep to admit the use 
 of those, drawn by ropes. The former process required 
 the exertion of great strength and activity, but the latter 
 was even more difficult and discouraging — as the laborer, 
 obliged by the heat of the climate to throw aside his cloth- 
 ing, and exposed to the burning rays of the sun, v. 
 forced to travel on the heated Sand, to wade through mire, 
 to climb precipitous banks, to push his way through brush, 
 and often to tread along the undermined shore, which 
 giving»way under his feet precipitated him into the eddy- 
 ing torrent of the Mississippi. After a day spent in toils 
 which strained every muscle to its utmost power of ex- 
 ertion, he threw himself down to sleep, perhaps in the 
 open air, exposed to the cold damps and noxious exbala- 
 tions of the lower Mississippi, and the ferocious attack> 
 of millions of musquitoes, and reposed as unconscious of 
 danger, or inconvenience, as the native alligator which 
 bellowed in the surrounding swamps. 
 
 t 2
 
 222 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 The flat boat, was introduced a little later than the 
 others. It is a rough strong boat, with a perfectly flat 
 bottom, and perpendicular sides ; and covered throughout 
 its whole length. Being constructed to float only with 
 the current, it never returns after descending the river. 
 These boats were formerly much used by emigrating fam- 
 ilies, to transport themselves down the Ohio, and are still 
 built in great numbers on the various tributary streams, 
 and floated out in high water, with produce for New Or- 
 leans. 
 
 The French who navigated the northern lakes, the Mis- 
 sissippi, and its tributaries, adopted, in their trade, the use 
 of the Indian birch canoe. McKenney, in his " Tour to 
 the Lakes," thus describes one of those boats. " Its 
 length is thirty feet, and its breadth across the widest 
 part, about four feet. It is about two and a half feet deep 
 in the centre, but only about two feet near the bow and 
 stern. Its bottom is rounded, and has no keel." 
 
 " The materials of which jhis canoe are built, are birch 
 bark and red cedar, \he whole fastened together with 
 wattap, and gum, without a nail, or bit of iron of any 
 sort to confine the parts. The entire outside is bark — 
 the bark of the birch tree — and where the edges join at 
 the bottom, or along the sides, they are sewn with this 
 wattap, and then along the line of the seam it is gummed. 
 Next to the bark are pieces of cedar, shaven thin, not 
 thicker than the blade of a knife — these run horizontals, 
 and are pressed against the bark by means of these ribs 
 of cedar, which fit the shape of the canoe, bottom and 
 sides, and coming up to the edges, are pointed, and let 
 into a rim of cedar of about an inch and a half wide, 
 and an inch thick, that forms the gunwale of the canoe, 
 and to these by means of the wattap, the bark and ribs 
 are all sewed ; the wattap being wrapped over the gun- 
 wale, and passed through the bark and ribs. Across the 
 canoe are bars, some five or six, to keep it in shape.
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 223 
 
 These are fastened by bringing their ends against the 
 gunwale, or edge, and fastening 1 1 if 1 11 to it with wuttap. 
 The seats of the voyageura, are along side of, hut below 
 the bars, and are of plank, some four inches wide, which 
 are swung, by means of two pieces of rope, passed through 
 each end, from the gunwale." 
 
 ThesdfeoatS were so light, and so easily damaged, that 
 precautions were necessary to be taken in loading them, 
 yet the one described above, carried not less than two 
 thousand pounds. With these frail vessels the French 
 navigated the western ofl l^md crossed the largest laki -. 
 carrying on a most e?S| f} traffic. The great peculi- 
 arity of this navigation is, that these light canoes are car- 
 ried with facility from one river to another, or around the 
 rapids and cascades, over which they cannot lloat. Their 
 lading is accordingly made up into packages, each of which 
 may be carried by one man, and these are transported over 
 the portages, on the backs of the engagers, by means of 
 straps passed over the forehead* These boats are still 
 used in the fur trade. 
 
 As a curious illustration of the rapid improvement of 
 our western vessels, and the growth of our trade, I copy 
 the following advertisement from a newspaper called 
 "The Centinel of the Northwestern Territory," under 
 date of Saturday, January 11, 1794, by which it will be 
 seen that at that time four keel boats, carrying probably 
 not more than 20 tons each, were supposed to be suffi- 
 cient for the trade between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, and 
 that these were prepared to defend themselves against 
 enemies. 
 
 " OHIO PACKET BOAT." 
 
 " Two Boats for the present will start from Cincinnati 
 for Pittsburgh, and return to Cincinnati in the following 
 manner, viz: 
 
 "First boat will leave Cincinnati this morning at eight
 
 224 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 o'clock, and return to Cincinnati, so as to be ready to 
 sail again in four weeks from this date. 
 
 " Second boat will leave Cincinnati on Saturday the 30th 
 inst. and return to Cincinnati in four weeks as above. 
 
 " And so regularly, each boat performing the voyage to 
 and from Cincinnati to Pittsburgh once in every four 
 tveeks. & 
 
 " Two boats, in addition to the above will shortly be 
 completed and regulated in such a manner that one boat 
 of the four will set out weekly from Cincinnati to Pitts- 
 burgh, and return in like maj^flfe 
 
 " The proprietor of thes^| (F, having maturely con- 
 sidered the many inconveniences and dangers incident to 
 the common method hitherto adopted of navigating the 
 Ohio, and being influenced by a love of philanthropy and 
 a desire of being serviceable to the Public, has taken 
 great pains to render the accommodations on board the 
 boats as agreeable and convenient as they could possiblv 
 be made. 
 
 " No danger need be apprehended from the enemy, as 
 every person on board will be under cover made proof 
 against rifle or musket balls, and convenient port holes 
 for firing out of. Each of the boats are armed with six 
 pieces carrying a pound ball ; also a number of good mus- 
 kets, and amply supplied with plenty of ammunition : 
 strongly manned with choice hands, and the masters of 
 approved knowledge. 
 
 " A separate cabin from that designed for the men, is par- 
 titioned off in each boat for accommodating* ladies on their 
 passage. Conveniences are constructed on board each 
 boat, so as to render landing unnecessary, as it might, at 
 times, be attended with danger. 
 
 " Rules and Regulations for maintaining order on board, 
 and for the good management of the boats, and tables ac- 
 curately calculated for the rates of freightage, for pas- 
 sengers and carriage of letters to and from Cincinnati to
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 225 
 
 Pittsburgh ; also a table of the exact time of the arrival 
 and departure to and from tht- differed places on the Ohio, 
 between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh* may be seen on 
 board each boat and at the printing office in Cincinnati. 
 Passengers will be supplied with provisions and liquors 
 of all kinds of the first quality, at the most reasonable 
 rates possible. Persons desirous of working their pas- 
 sage, will be admitted on finding themselves; subject, 
 however, to the same order and directions from the mas- 
 ter of the boats as the rest of the working hands of the 
 boat's crew. ^^ 
 
 " An Office of Insnr$$k\> will be kept at Cincinnati, 
 Limestone, and Pittsburgh where persons desirous of 
 having their property insured may apply. The rates of 
 insurance will be moderate." 
 
 Such were the vessels in which the whole trade of the 
 western rivers was carried on, previous to the year 1811. 
 Nor was the transportation by land farther advanced in 
 improvement. The few roads that crossed the mountains 
 were so wretchedly bad that wagons toiled over them 
 with great difficulty, and a large portion of the merchan- 
 dise was carried on the backs of horses. Even that was 
 considered a triumphant result of enterprise, and a rapid 
 advance in improvement ; for a few years only had then 
 advanced, since Mr. Brown, a delegate from Kentucky, 
 in Congress, had been smiled at as a visionary, by the 
 members of that august body, for asking the establish- 
 ment of a mail to Pittsburgh, to be carried on horseback 
 once in two weeks. He was told that such a mail was 
 not needed, that it probably would never be required, and 
 that the obstacles of the road were insuperable. That 
 venerable patriot has lived to see the establishment of two 
 daily mails on the same route ; while the canals, the rail- 
 ways, and the turnpikes that lead to the west, have ren- 
 dered it accessible, with ease and safety, to every species 
 of vehicle. 
 
 V
 
 226 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 We proceed now to give some account of the steam- 
 boat navigation of these rivers, and shall first speak of 
 some early attempts towards the accomplishment of this 
 object. 
 
 Mr. James Rumsey, of Berkeley county, Virginia, in- 
 vented a plan for propelling boats by steam as early as 
 1782, and in 1784 obtained from the legislature of Vir 
 ginia, the exclusive right of navigating her waters with 
 such boats. In 1788, he published his project, in general 
 terms, together with numerous certificates from the most 
 respectable characters in \^^rinia, among whom was 
 General Washington, all of" Pen assert, that a steam- 
 boat was actually constructed, which moved with half her 
 burthen on board, at the rate of three or four miles an 
 hour, against the current of the Potomac, although the 
 machinery was in a very imperfect state. In 1819, his 
 brother, Dr. Rumsey, of Kentucky, built a boat after this 
 model ; and at that time it was said that the Rumsey plan 
 united simplicity, strength, economy, and lightness, in a 
 degree far superior to any other. The more complex 
 machinery of Bolton and Watt, Fulton, and Evans, have 
 however been more successful. 
 
 In 1785, John Fitch, a watchmaker in Philadelphia, 
 conceived the design of propelling a boat by steam. He 
 was both poor and illiterate, and many difficulties oc- 
 curred, to frustrate every attempt which he made, to try 
 the practicability of his invention. He applied to Con- 
 gress for assistance, but was refused ; and then offered his 
 invention to the Spanish government, to be used in the 
 navigation of the Mississippi, but without any better suc- 
 cess. At length, a company was formed, and funds sub- 
 scribed, for the building of a steamboat, and in the year 
 1788, his vessel was launched on the Delaware. Many 
 crowded to see and ridicule the novel, and as they sup- 
 posed, the chimerical experiment. 
 
 It seemed that the idea of wheels had not occurred to
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 227 
 
 Mr. Fitch ; but instead of them, oars were used, which 
 worked in frames, He was confident of success ; and 
 when the boat was ready for the trial, she started off in 
 good style for Burlington. Those who had sneered, be- 
 gan to stare, and they who had smiled in derision, looked 
 ve. Away went the boat, and the happy inventor tri- 
 umphed over the scepticism of an unbelieving public. 
 The boat performed her trip to Burlington, a distance of 
 twenty miles ; but unfortunately burst her boiler in round- 
 ing to the wharf at that place, and the next tide floated her 
 back to the city. Fitch persevered, and with great diffi- 
 culty procured another boJfcr. After some time, the boat 
 performed another trip to Burlington and Trenton, and 
 returned in the same day. She is said to have moved at 
 the rate of eight miles an hour ; but something was con- 
 tinually breaking, and the unhappy projector only con- 
 quered one difficulty to encounter another. Perhaps this 
 was not owing to any defect in his plans, but to the low 
 state of the arts at that time, and the difficulty of getting 
 such complex machinery made with proper exactness. 
 Fitch became embarrassed with debt, and was obliged to 
 abandon the invention, after having satisfied himself of its 
 practicability. 
 
 This ingenious man, who was probably the first in- 
 ventor of the steamboat, wrote three volumes, which he 
 deposited in manuscript, sealed up, in the Philadelphia 
 library, to be opened thirty years after his death. When, 
 or why, he came to the west we have not learned ; but it 
 is recorded of him, that he died and was buried near the 
 Ohio. His three volumes were opened about five years 
 ago, and were found to contain his speculations on me- 
 chanics. He details his embarrassments and disappoint- 
 ments, with a feeling which shows how ardently he de- 
 sired success, and which wins for him the sympathy of 
 those who have heart enough to mourn over the blighted 
 
 prospects of genius. He confidently predicts the future 
 
 #
 
 228 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 success of the plan, which in his hands, failed only for 
 the want of pecuniary means. He prophesies that in less 
 than a century, we shall see our western rivers swarming 
 with steamboats ; and expresses a wish to be buried on 
 the shores of the Ohio, where the song of the boatman 
 may enliven the stillness of his resting place, and the 
 music of the steam engine soothe his spirit. What an 
 idea ! Yet how natural to the mind of an ardent projec- 
 tor, whose whole life had been devoted to one darling 
 object, which it was not his destiny to accomplish ! And 
 how touching is the sentiment found in one of his jour- 
 nals : — " the day will come^hen some more powerful 
 man, will get fame and riches from my invention ; but 
 nobody will believe that poor John Fitch can do any 
 thing worthy of attention." In less than thirty years after 
 his death, his predictions were verified. He must have 
 died about the year 1799. 
 
 " The first steam boat built on the western waters," 
 says a writer in the Western Monthly Magazine, " was 
 the Orleans, built at Pittsburgh in 1811 ; there is no ac- 
 count of more than seven or eight built previously to 1817 ; 
 from that period they have been rapidly increasing in 
 number, character, model, and style of workmanship, 
 until 1825, when two or three boats built about that peri- 
 od were declared by common consent to be the finest in 
 the world. Since that time, we are informed, that some 
 of the New York and Chesapeake boats, rival and pro- 
 bably surpass us, in richness and beauty of internal 
 decoration. As late as 1816, the practicability of navigat- 
 ing the Ohio with steamboats, was esteemed doubtful ; 
 none but the most sanguine augured favorably. The 
 writer of this well remembers that in 1816, observing in 
 company with a number of gentlemen, the long struggles of 
 a stern wheel boat to ascend Horse-tail ripple (five miles be- 
 low Pittsburgh) it was the unanimous opinion, that ' such 
 a contrivance ' might conquer the difficulties of the Mis-
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 229 
 
 sissippi, as high as Nacthez, but that we of the Ohio must 
 wait for some 'more happy century of inventions.' " 
 
 We can add another anecdote to that of our friend 
 which we have quoted. About the time thai Fulton was 
 building his first boat at Pittsburgh, he traveled across 
 the mountains in a stage, in company with several young 
 gentlemen from Kentucky. His mind was teeming with 
 those projects, the successful accomplishment of which 
 has since rendered his name so illustrious — and his con- 
 versation turned chiefly upon steam, steamboats, and 
 facilities for transportation. Upon these subjects he 
 spoke frankly, and his incredulous companions, much as 
 they respected the genius of the projector, were greatly 
 amused at what they considered the extravagance of his 
 expectations. As the journey lasted several days, and 
 the party <rrew familiar with each other, they ventured to 
 jest with Mr. Fulton, by asking if he could do this, and 
 that by steam : and a hearty laugh succeeded whenever 
 the single-minded and direct inventor, asserted the power 
 of his favorite element. At length, in the course of some 
 conversation on the almost impassable nature of the moun- 
 tains, over which they were dragged with great toil, upon 
 roads scarcely practicable for wheels, Mr. Fulton remark- 
 ed, " the day will come, gentlemen — I may not live to 
 see it, but some of you who are younger, probably will — 
 when carriages will be drawn over these mountains by 
 steam engines, at a rate more rapid than that of a stage 
 upon the smoothest turnpike." The apparent absurdity 
 of this prediction, together with the gravity with which 
 it was uttered, excited the most obstreperous mirth in this 
 laughter loving company, who roared, shouted, and clap- 
 ped their hands, in the excess of their merry excitement. 
 This anecdote was repeated to us by one of that party ; 
 who two years ago, on finding himself rapidly receding 
 from Baltimore in a rail road car, recollected the predic- 
 tion of Fulton, made twenty years before. 
 
 U
 
 230 WESTERN" STEAMBOATS. 
 
 The improvement in steamboats has been so rapid, and 
 the incidents attending them so interesting, that we 
 shall, at the hazard of rendering the subject tedious, give 
 a particular history of a few of the earliest that were 
 built. 
 
 1. The Orleans, 400 tons, the first boat built at Pitts- 
 burgh, was owned and constructed by Mr. Fulton. Sailed 
 from Pittsburgh in December 1812, and arrived at New 
 Orleans about the 24th of the same month. She continu- 
 ed to run between New Orleans and Natchez, making 
 her voyages to average 17 days, and was wrecked near 
 Baton Rouge, in 1813 or 14, "by striking a snag, on an 
 upward bound passage. 
 
 2. The Co?7iet, 25 tons, owned by Samuel Smith ; 
 built at Pittsburgh by D. French ; stern wheel, and vi- 
 brating cylinder, on French's patent, granted in 1809. 
 Made a voyage to Louisville in the summer of 1813, des- 
 cended to New Orleans in the spring of 1814, made two 
 voyages thence to Natchez, and was sold, — and the engine 
 put up in a cotton gin. 
 
 3. The Vesuvius, 340 tons, built at Pittsburgh, by Mr. 
 Fulton, and owned by a company at New York and New 
 Orleans. Sailed for New Orleans in the spring of 1814, 
 commanded by Captain Frank Ogden. She sailed from 
 New Orleans for Louisville, about the 1st of June following; 
 grounded on a sand bar 700 miles up the Mississippi, where 
 she lay until the 3d of December following, when the river 
 rose, and floated her off. She returned to New Orleans, 
 where she run aground a second time on the Batture, 
 where she remained until March 1st, when a rise of water 
 set her afloat. She was then employed, some months, 
 between New Orleans and Natchez, under the command 
 of Captain Clemment, who was succeeded by Captain 
 John De Hart ; shortly after, she took fire near the city 
 of New Orleans and burned to the water's edge, having 
 a valuable cargo on board. Her hull was afterwards
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 231 
 
 raised and built upon, at New Orleans. She was since 
 in the Louisville trade, was sold to a company at Nateln-z, 
 and condemned in 1819. 
 
 4. The Kntcrpri.se, 45 tons, built at Brownsville, Pa. 
 on the Monongahela, by Daniel French, under his patent, 
 and owned by a company at that place. She made two 
 voyages to Louisville in the summer of 1814, under the 
 command of Captain J. Gregg. On the 1st December, 
 she took in a cargo of ordnance stores at Pittsburgh, and 
 sailed for New Orleans, commanded by Captain Henry 
 M. Shreve, and arrived at New Orleans on the 14th of 
 the same month. She was then despatched up the river 
 in search of two keel boats, laden with small arms, for 
 General Jackson's army, which had been delayed on the 
 way ; and returned with the cargoes of these alter an ab- 
 sence of six days and a half, in which time she ran 624 
 miles. For some time after, she was actively engaged 
 in transporting troops. She made one voyage to the 
 gulf of Mexico as a cartel, one voyage to the rapids of 
 Red river with troops, and nine voyages to Natchez. She 
 set out for Pittsburgh on the 6th of May 1817, and arrived 
 at Shippingsport, (Louisville) on the 30th, 25 days out, 
 being the first steamboat that ever arrived at that port 
 from New Orleans. The citizens of Louisville gave a 
 public dinner to Captain Shreve for having accomplished 
 in twenty five days, a trip, which previous to that time 
 had never been accomplished, by the barges and keel 
 boats, in less than three months. The Enterprise pro- 
 ceeded to Pittsburgh, the command was then given to 
 Captain D. Worley, who lost her in Rock Harbour, 
 Shippinsrsport. 
 
 5. The JFAna, 340 tons, built at Pittsburgh, and owned 
 by the same company as the Vesuvius. Sailed from 
 Pittsburgh for New Orleans in March 1815, under the 
 command of Captain A. Gale, made the voyage, and then 
 went into the Natchez trade — was commanded by I 'aptain
 
 232 WESTERN* STEAMBOATS. 
 
 R. De Hart who made six voyages in her, and then again 
 by Captain Gale. 
 
 6. The Despatch, 25 tons, built at Brownsville in 1817, 
 on French's patent, and owned by the same company as 
 the Enterprise. She made several voyages from Pitts- 
 burgh to Louisville, and one from New Orleans to Ship- 
 pingsport, where she became a wreck in 1820, and her 
 engine was taken out. 
 
 7. The Buffaloe, 300 tons, was built at Pittsburgh by 
 Mr. Latrobe. 
 
 8. The James Monroe, 120 tons, was built at Pitts- 
 burgh by Mr. Latrobe. 
 
 9. The Washington, 400 tons, built at Wheeling; 
 contracted and part owned by Captain H. M. Shreve ; 
 her engine was made at Brownsville under the immediate 
 direction of Captain Shreve. Her boilers were on the 
 upper deck, and she was the first boat on that plan, since 
 so generally in use. The Washington crossed the Falls, 
 September 1816, under Captain Shreve, went to New 
 Orleans, and returned to Louisville in the winter. In 
 March 1817 she -went from Louisville to New Orleans 
 and returned in 45 days. This was the trip that first 
 convinced the despairing public that steamboat naviga- 
 tion would succeed on the western waters. 
 
 10. The Franklin, 125 tons, built at Pittsburgh by 
 Messrs. Shiras and Cromwell ; engine made by George 
 Evans. She sailed from Pittsburgh in December 1816, 
 was sold at New Orleans, went into the Louisville and 
 St. Louis trade, and was sunk near St. Genevieve in 1819. 
 
 11. The Oliver Evans, 75 tons, was built at Pitts- 
 burgh by George Evans ; engine, his patent. Left Pitts- 
 burgh, December 1816, for New Orleans. Burst one of 
 her boilers in April 1817, at Point Coupee, by which 
 eleven men, chiefly passengers, were killed. Never did 
 much business afterwards. 
 
 12. The Harriet, 40 tons, built at Pittsburgh, owned
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 233 
 
 and constructed by Mr. Armstrong of Williamsport Pa. 
 She sailed from Pittsburgh, October 1810, for New Or- 
 leans, crossed the Falls in .March 1817, made OBOYOyage 
 to New Orleans, and has since been running betwei n 
 that place and the Muscle shoals. 
 
 We shall not proceed any further with this list, as it 
 would occupy more room than could be usefully devoted 
 to such a purpose. Our object in giving the particulars 
 of the history of a few of the first boats, in their regular 
 order, is to show the progress that was made in the first 
 years of the introduction of steamboats, and the difficul- 
 ties which frowned upon the enterprise. The first ad- 
 vance was slow, and the prospects very discouraging. 
 The fourth boat that descended the river, was the first to 
 reascend as far as Louisville, and even then it was con- 
 sidered doubtful whether steamboats could be rendered 
 useful as a mode of navigation for the ascending trade. 
 It was not until 1810, when the boat which was about 
 the ninth in the order of building, having been conducted 
 from Louisville to New Orleans and back in 45 days, by 
 Captain Henry M. Shreve, the question of practicability 
 was considered as settled. 
 
 Many of the obstacles which impeded the rapid advance 
 of steamboat navigation were such as were incident to 
 an infant and imperfect state of the art of constructing 
 both boats and engines ; while others were inseparable 
 from the condition of the country. In accounting for the 
 length of the earliest voyages, something must be allowed 
 to both these classes of causes, and among the latter may 
 be mentioned the important facts, that the shores of the 
 Ohio and Mississippi were then comparatively unsettled, 
 fuel was not an article of traffic, but was procured from 
 the growing forest by the crews of the boats, and used in 
 its green state ; while accidental injuries were repaired 
 with equal inconvenience and delay. 
 
 The General Pike built at Cincinnati in 1818, and in* 
 
 v2
 
 234 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 tended to ply as a packet between Maysville, Cincinnati, 
 and Louisville, is said to have been the first steamboat 
 constructed on the western waters for the exclusive con- 
 venience of passengers. Her accommodations were 
 ample, her apartments spacious and superbly furnished, 
 and her machinery of superior mechanism. She measur- 
 ed 100 feet keel, 25 feet beam, and drew only 3 feet 3 
 inches water. The length of her cabin was 40 feet, the 
 breadth 25 feet, in addition to which were fourteen state 
 rooms. The boats previously built had been intended 
 solely for the transportation of merchandise ; these ob- 
 jects have subsequently been successfully united. 
 
 The Calhoun, 80 tons, built at Frankfort in 1818, the 
 Expedition, 120 tons, and the Independence, 50 tons, — 
 the two last built at Pittsburgh — were constructed for the 
 exploration of the Missouri river, in what was popularly 
 termed the Yellow Stone Expedition, projected by Mr. 
 Calhoun, while secretary of war. The Independence 
 was the first steamboat that ascended the powerful cur- 
 rent of the Missouri. 
 
 The Post Boy, 200 tons, built at New Albany, by 
 Captain Shreve, and others, in 1819, was intended for 
 the conveyance of the mail between Louisville and New 
 Orleans, under an act of congress passed in March 1819. 
 This was the first attempt on the western waters to carry 
 the mail in steamboats. 
 
 The Western Engineer, was built near Pittsburgh in 
 1818 under the direction of Major S. H. Long, of the 
 United States Topographical Engineers, for the expedi- 
 tion of discovery to the sources of the Missouri, and the 
 Rocky mountains, which was afterwards so honorably 
 accomplished by himself and his companions. This boat 
 ascended as high as the Council Bluffs, about 650 miles 
 above St. Louis, and was the first steamboat, that reached 
 that point. 
 
 For further particulars with regard to individual boats,
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 235 
 
 we refer to copious alphabetical tables, which will accom- 
 pany these notes. We proceed to present some calcula- 
 tions which we have collected from different, but authentic 
 sources. 
 
 The following remarks are from the pen of Morgan 
 Neville, Esq. and were written in 1829. 
 
 " The average cost of a steamboat is estimated at one 
 hundred dollars per ton ; the repairs made during the ex- 
 istence of a boat, amount to one half the first cost. The 
 average duration of a boat has hitherto been about four 
 years ; of those built of locust, lately, the period will 
 probably be two years longer. The amount of expendi- 
 ture in this branch of business on the western waters, 
 then, for the last ten years, will in some measure be 
 shown by the following calculation : 
 
 56,000 tons, costing 100 dollars per ton, amount to $5,600,000 
 Repairs on the same, ----- 2,800,000 
 
 Expending in building and repairing in ten years, $8,400,000 
 11 The annual expenditure of steamboats is very diffi- 
 cult to be arrived at : the importance of this expenditure 
 however, to the towns on our rivers, and to the whole 
 extent of country running along their shores, may be 
 estimated from the following calculation of the item of 
 fuel alone, for one year — take the present year, 1829. 
 We have now in operation above 200 boats, the tonnage 
 of which may be stated at 35,000 tons. 
 
 " It is calculated that the business of each year lasts 
 eight months ; deduct one fourth for the time lost in port, 
 and we have six months, or 180 days, of running time. 
 Each boat is presumed to consume one cord of wood, for 
 every 12 tons, every 24 hours. 
 
 The 35,000 tons then consume per day, - 2,917 cords. 
 
 Or, during the six months, - - 525,060 cords. 
 
 "The price of wood varies from one dollar and a half, 
 
 to five dollars per cord ; a fair average would place it at 
 
 $2.25 per cord. This makes the expenditure for fuel
 
 236 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 alone, on the banks of our rivers, $1,181,385, for this 
 year. The other expenditures, while running, are calcu- 
 lated by the most experienced and intelligent owners, to 
 be equal to $1,300,000, which gives the total expenditure 
 for 1829 at $2,481,385. 
 
 " This calculation and estimate, then, which are both 
 made lower than the facts justify, present these results : 
 
 The amount of first cost of steamboats, since 1817, $5,600,000 
 Repairs on the same, 2,800,000 
 
 Total amount of expenditure, produced by the "^ 
 
 introduction of steamboats, for building and C $8,400,000 
 repairs, J 
 
 " We cannot better illustrate the magnitude of the 
 change in every thing connected with western commerce 
 and navigation, than by contrasting the foregoing state- 
 ment, with the situation of things at the time of the adop- 
 tion of steam transportation, say in 1817. About twenty 
 barges, averaging 100 tons each, comprised the whole of 
 the commercial facilities for transporting merchandise 
 from New Orleans to the " Upper country ;" each of 
 these performed one trip down and up again to Louisville 
 and Cincinnati within the year. The number of keel 
 boats employed in the upper Ohio, cannot be ascertained, 
 but it is presumed that 150 is a sufficiently large calcula- 
 tion to embrace the whole number. These averaged 30 
 tons each, and employed one month to make the voyage 
 from Louisville to Pittsburgh, while the more dignified 
 barge of the Mississippi made her trip in the space of 100 
 days, if no extraordinary accident happened, to check her 
 progress. Not a dollar was expended for wood, in a 
 distance of 2,000 miles, and the dweller on the banks of 
 the Ohio thought himself lucky if the reckless boatmen 
 would give the smallest trifle for the eggs and chickens 
 which formed almost the only saleable articles on a soil 
 whose only fault is its too great fertility. Such was the 
 case twelve years since. The Mississippi boats now
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 237 
 
 make five or six trips within the year, and are enabled, 
 if necessary, within that period to afford to that trade 
 135,000 tons. Eight or nine days are sufficient on the 
 upper Ohio, to perform the trip from Louisville to Pitts- 
 burgh and back. In short, if steam has not realized the 
 hyperbole of the poet in ' annihilating time and space,' it 
 has produced results scarcely surpassed by the introduc- 
 tion of the art of printing." 
 
 From another valuable article of the same gentleman 
 we copy the following very interesting remarks : 
 
 " On the first day of January, 1834, an official list of 
 steamboats from an authentic source, gives the whole 
 number of two hundred and thirty, then in existence, 
 whose aggregate amount of tonnage is equal to about 
 thirty-nine thousand tons. Allowing the cost of building 
 at a rate much lower than the rule adopted three years 
 since, the capital now invested in this stock will exceed 
 three millions of dollars. The expense of running may 
 be put down nearly as contained in the following scale : 
 
 60 boats over 200 tons, 180 running days at 
 
 $140 per day, $1,512,000 00 
 
 70 boats from 120 tons to 200, 240 running 
 
 days, $90 dollars per day, - - - 1,512,000 00 
 100 boats under 120 tons, 270 running days, 
 
 $60 per day, 1,620,000 00 
 
 Total yearly expenses, $4,644,000 00 
 " This sum may be reduced to the different items pro- 
 ducing it in the following proportions, viz : 
 
 For wasres, 36 per cent., equal to - - $1,671,840 00 
 
 " wood, 30 per cent., equal to - 1,393,200 00 
 
 " provisions, 18 percent., equal to - - 835,920 00 
 
 " contingencies, 16 per cent., equal to - 743,040 00 
 
 " This result is truly striking to those who were ac- 
 customed to the state of things on our rivers within twen- 
 ty years. The difference in the amount of wages paid, 
 is in itself very considerable ; but the item of fuel is one 
 created exclusively by steamboats ; and when it is con-
 
 238 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 sidered that nearly one million and a half is expended 
 every year, at a few points on the Mississippi valley, it 
 presents a vast field for speculation. The immense forests 
 of beech and other timber unfit for agricultural purposes, 
 were, before, not only useless, but an obstacle to the rug- 
 ged farmer, who had to remove them before he could 
 sow and reap. The steamboat, with something like magi- 
 cal influence, has converted them into objects of rapidly 
 increasing value. He no longer looks with despondence 
 on the denseness of trees, and only regrets that so many 
 have already been given to the flames, or cast on the 
 bosom of the stream before him. 
 
 " At the present period, the steamboats may be consider- 
 ed as plying as follows, viz : 
 
 25 over 200 tons, between Louisville, New Orleans, 
 and Cincinnati, measurino- 
 7 between Nashville and New Orleans, measuring 
 4 between Florence and New Orleans, 
 4 in the St. Louis trade, - 
 
 7 in the cotton trade, - 
 
 57 boats not in established trades, from 120 to 200 
 tons, ---__.- 
 
 The balance under 120 tons in various trades, 
 
 39,000 
 
 " In the New Orleans and Louisville trade, the boats 
 over two hundred tons make about one hundred and fifty 
 trips in prosperous seasons ; those of smaller size, make 
 from fifty to sixty trips. But to go into an estimate of 
 the number of voyages made by the boats in the different 
 trades is impossible, because no regular data are furnished, 
 and the result depends upon a variety of contingencies." 
 
 " Previous to 1817, about 20 barges, afforded the only 
 facilities for transporting merchandise from New Orleans 
 to Louisville and Cincinnati. These, making but one trip 
 in the year, gave the means of bringing up only two thou- 
 sand tons. The present tonnage in this trade exclusively, 
 having been stated to be 8484 tons, gives the amount em- 
 
 8484 
 
 tons. 
 
 y 2585 
 
 it 
 
 1617 
 
 u 
 
 1002 
 
 u 
 
 ■ 2016 
 
 A 
 
 (f 
 
 U 
 
 8641 
 
 (1 
 
 14655 
 
 u
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 239 
 
 ployed, calculating one hundred and fifty trips in the 
 season, to be 50,904 tons ; a cause capable of producing 
 a revolution in sixteen years hardly equalled in the an- 
 nals of history. The effects upon western commerce have 
 been immense. The moral changes alone which are felt 
 throughout the west on prices is almost incalculable : the 
 imported article has fallen in a ratio equal to the increased 
 price of western products. In looking back at the old 
 means of transportation, we cannot conceive how the pres- 
 ent demand and consumption could have been supplied by 
 them." 
 
 " To those who have been acquainted with the early 
 mercantile history of our country, when it was no uncom- 
 mon thing for a party of merchants to be detained in Pitts- 
 burgh from six weeks to two months, by low water, or 
 ice, the existing state of things is truly gratifying. The 
 old price of carriage of goods from the Atlantic seaboard 
 to Pittsburgh, was long estimated at from five to eight 
 dollars per hundred pounds. We have instances in the 
 last five years, of merchandise being delivered at the 
 wharf of Cincinnati for one dollar per hundred pounds, 
 from Philadelphia, by way of New Orleans." 
 
 " It may not be useless or uninteresting to give an idea 
 of the mortality among steamboats in a given time. It is 
 not pretended that any decided inference can be drawn 
 from this statement, or that the facts go to establish any 
 fixed rule. But under the present situation of steamboat 
 discipline and regulation a tolerably fair conclusion can be 
 drawn from it. Taking the period then of two years, 
 from the fall of 1831 till that of 1833, we have a list of 
 boats gone out of service, of sixty six: of these fifteen 
 were abandoned, as unfit for service ; seven were lost by 
 ice ; fifteen were burnt ; twenty four magged, and five 
 destroyed by being struck by other boats. Deducting the 
 fifteen boats abandoned as unsea worthy, we have fifty 
 one lost by accidents peculiar to the trade. In number
 
 240 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 this proportion is over twelve per cent, per annum ; in ton- 
 nage the loss is upwards of ten per cent. Amount snag- 
 ged, 3721 tons; amount burned 2330 tons. 
 
 A curious fact was ascertained by a committee of gentle- 
 men, who were appointed a few years ago, by a number 
 of steamboat owners, to investigate the whole subject. 
 They satisfied themselves, that although the benefits con- 
 ferred on our country, by steam navigation, were incalcu- 
 lable, the stock invested in boats, was, as a general rule, 
 a losing investment. In a few cases owing to fortuitous 
 events, or to the exercise of more than usual prudence, 
 money has been made : but the instances are so few as 
 not to affect the rule. One gentleman, who has been en- 
 gaged for years in the ownership of steamboats, and has 
 been peculiarly fortunate, in not meeting with any loss by 
 accident, assured the writer, that his aggregate gain during 
 the whole series of years, was only about six per cent, 
 per year, on the capital invested. These facts go far to- 
 wards accounting for the enormous proportion of accidents 
 and losses which occur upon our rivers. A few instances, 
 in which large profits were realised, induced a great num- 
 ber of individuals to embark in this business, and the ton- 
 nage has always been greater than the trade demanded. 
 The accidents, which are almost wholly the result of bad 
 management, were set down as among the unavoidable 
 chances of the navigation, and instead of adopting measures 
 to prevent them, they were deliberately subtracted from 
 the supposed profits, as matters of course. As the boat 
 was not expected to last more than four or five years, at 
 best, and would probably be burnt, blown up, or sunk 
 within that period, it was considered good economy to 
 reduce the expenditures, and to make money by any 
 means, during the brief existence of the vessel. Boats 
 were hastily and slightly built, furnished with cheap en- 
 gines, and placed under the charge of wholly incompe- 
 tent persons ; the most inexcusable devices were resorted
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 241 
 
 to, to get freight and passengers, and the most criminal 
 indifference to the safety of the boat and those on board, 
 observable during the trip. 
 
 The writer was once hurried from Louisville to Ship- 
 pingsport, two miles below, without his breakfast, and in 
 the rain, to get on board a boat which was advertised to 
 start at eight o'clock on that morning. During the whole 
 day, passengers continued to come on board, puffing and 
 blowing, — in the most eager haste to secure a passage — 
 each hairing been assured by the captain or agent, that the 
 boat would start in less than an liour. The next day 
 presented the same scene : the rain continued to fall ; we 
 were two miles from the city, lying against a miry bank 
 which prevented any one from leaving the boat, — the tires 
 were burning, the steam hissing, and the boat only wail- 
 ing for the captain, who would be on board in a few 
 minutes. Bye and bye the captain came — but then we 
 must wait a few minutes for the clerk, and when the 
 clerk came, the captain found that he must go up to town. 
 In the mean while passengers continued to accumulate, 
 each decoyed alike by the assurance that the boat was 
 about to depart. Thus we were detained until the third 
 day, when the cabin and deck being crowded with a col- 
 lection nearly as miscellaneous as the crew of Noah's 
 ark, the captain thought proper to proceed on his voyage. 
 It was afterwards understood that when the captain be- 
 gan to collect passengers, a part of his engine was on 
 shore, undergoing repairs which could not be completed 
 in less than two days, yet during the whole of those two 
 days, were the fires kept up, and gentlemen and ladies in- 
 veigled on board, in the manner related. 
 
 We mention this to shew the kind of deceptions which 
 have been practiced. This, it is true, was an extreme 
 case, but although the detention is not usually so great, 
 nor the deceit so gross, it is not uncommon for steamboat 
 
 V
 
 242 WESTERN STEAMEOATS. 
 
 captains and agents, to deceive passengers by the most 
 egregious misrepresentations. 
 
 The fact is important, not merely as shewing the incon- 
 veniences to which travelers are exposed, but as explain- 
 ing one of the causes of the numerous accidents on the 
 western waters — which is, bad faith. The man who 
 will do one dishonest act, will do another. The agent or 
 officer, who will deliberately kidnap men, by the assur- 
 ance that he will start to-day, when he knows that he 
 will not start until to morrow, and the owner who will 
 permit such conduct, will not shrink at any act by which 
 he may think his interest likely to be promoted — and 
 having insured the boat, will risk the lives of the passen- 
 gers, by running at improper seasons, and other hazards, 
 by which time may be saved, and the expenses of the 
 trip diminished. 
 
 The danger of injury to boats from snags, has now 
 become greatly diminished in the Mississippi, and has 
 almost entirely ceased in the Ohio, in consequence of the 
 measures adopted for the removal of those obstacles. 
 
 The burning of boats must be the result of carelessness ; 
 and the dreadful consequences arising from collision, are 
 produced by negligence and by design. There is scarce- 
 ly a conceivable case in which boats may not avoid run- 
 ning against each other in the night ; and there are many 
 instances in which the officers of steamboats have been 
 induced by a ferocious spirit of rivalry, or some other 
 unworthy motive, to run against weaker boats in such a 
 manner as to sink them instantly. 
 
 It is proper however to state, that the accidents occur- 
 lng on steamboats, have been greatly magnified by 
 premature and inaccurate newspaper reports, and that 
 they have been much fewer and less fatal than has gen- 
 erally been supposed. 
 
 It is also true, that much of the evil alluded to is attrib- 
 utable to the precipitancy and culpable negligence with
 
 WESTERN* STEAMBOATS. 243 
 
 regard to their o\Vn safety and comfort of the passengers. 
 The accidents are almost wholly confined to insufficient 
 or badly managed boats, and the traveler who would be 
 cautious in embarking only id those of the more respect- 
 able class Mould almost uniformly ensure himself against 
 danger. A choice of boats, embracing every variety, 
 from the best, to those which are wholly unseaworthy, 
 is presented at all our principal places of embarkation. 
 Yet such is the feverish impatience of delay, evinced by 
 most travelers in our country, that the great majority 
 hasten on board the first boat which offers, regardless of 
 her character, and only anxious to be moving forward, 
 under any discomfort, and at every hazard. The bad 
 boats receive undue patronage, the best do not meet the 
 preference to which they are entitled, and are not com- 
 pensated for the extra expenditure bestowed upon their 
 outfit and management ; and the inducements to accom- 
 modate the public well being weakened, neither the own- 
 ers nor officers of steamboats feel the same solicitude for 
 the reputation of their boats, nor the same degree of re- 
 sponsibility, which would occur if the public patronage 
 was more judiciously bestowed. 
 
 The following remarks occur in a letter to the secretary 
 of the treasury, from Mr. William C. Redfield, agent of 
 the steam navigation company at New York, and are 
 considered as embracing the steam navigation of the whole 
 union: 
 
 " The contests for speed, or practice of racing, between 
 rival steamboats, has been the cause, and perhaps justly, 
 of considerable alarm in the community. It is remarka- 
 ble, however, that as far as the information of the writer 
 extends, there has no accident occurred to any boiler 
 which can be charged to a contest of this sort. The close 
 end uniform attention which is necessarily given to the 
 action and state of the boilers and engines, in such eon- 
 U its, may have had a tendency to prevent disaster. Hut
 
 244 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 this hazard, as well as the general danger of generating 
 an excess of steam, is greatly lessened by the known fact, 
 that in most steamboats the furnaces and boilers are not 
 competent to furnish a greater supply of steam than can 
 be used with safety, with an ordinary degree of attention 
 on the part of the engineers. 
 
 M The magnitude and extent of the danger to which pas- 
 sengers in steamboats are exposed, though sufficiently 
 appalling, is comparatively much less than in other modes 
 of transit with which the public have been long familiar ; 
 the accidents of which, if not so astounding, are almost 
 of every day occurrence. It will be understood that I 
 allude to the dangers of ordinary navigation, and land 
 conveyance by animal power on wheel carriages. In 
 the former case, the whole or greater part of both passen- 
 gers and crew are frequently lost, and sometimes by the 
 culpable ignorance or folly of the officers in charge, while 
 no one thinks of urging a legislative remedy for this too 
 common catastrophe. In the latter class of cases, should 
 inquiry be made for the number of casualties occurring 
 in various districts in a given number of years, and the 
 results fairly applied to our whole population and travel, 
 the comparatively small number injured or destroyed in 
 steamboats would be matter of great surprise to those 
 not accustomed to make such estimates upon passing 
 events. It is also worthy of notice, that if the average 
 annual loss of life by the electric stroke were ascertained 
 in the manner above proposed, the results would probably 
 show a loss of life by this rare casualty far exceeding 
 that which is occasioned by accidents in steamboats." 
 
 We extract from an interesting report of a committee 
 of the House of Representatives, in congress, made in 
 1832, by Mr. Wickliffe of Kentucky, the following tabu- 
 lar statement of the steamboat accidents in the United 
 States previous to that date.
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 215 
 
 LIST of Steamboat Expio 
 States, [with rt ma 
 
 sions icJtich fiave OCCUTTtd in the United 
 rkt thereon,) by W. C. KeJfuU. 
 
 
 Hi 
 
 i'A pressure. 
 
 
 
 When 
 explo. 
 
 Names. 
 
 Place of Es plosion. 
 
 Killed, &C. 
 
 Wouli. 
 
 1817, 
 
 Constitution, 
 
 Mississippi, 
 
 13 killed. 
 
 
 i t 
 
 General Robinson, 
 
 do. 
 
 9 
 
 
 t i 
 
 Yankee, 
 
 do. 
 
 4 
 
 
 * 4 
 
 Heriot, 
 
 do. 
 
 1 
 
 
 1824, 
 
 Etna, 
 
 New York bay, - 
 
 13 
 
 
 1838 
 
 Grampus, 
 
 Mississippi, 
 
 Lone Island Sound, 
 
 unknown 
 
 
 4 4 
 
 Barnet, - 
 
 l killed 
 
 
 1630, 
 
 Helen McGregor, 
 
 Mississippi, 
 
 XI 
 
 14 wounded 
 
 4 4 
 
 Caledonia. 
 
 do. 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 4 4 
 
 Car of Commerce, 
 
 Ohio river, 
 
 28 
 
 si 
 
 4 1 
 
 Huntress, 
 
 Miwimippi, 
 
 unknown 
 
 
 t 4 
 
 Fuir Star, 
 
 Alabama, 
 
 Skilled 
 
 
 « 4 
 
 Porpoise, 
 
 Mississippi, 
 
 unknown 
 
 
 
 115 
 
 [54 
 
 Low Pressure. 
 
 Pre. to 
 
 
 
 
 
 1825, 
 
 Enterprise, cop. boiler 
 
 Charleston, S. C. 
 
 9 killed 
 
 4 wounded 
 
 > > 
 
 Paraxon, do. 
 
 Hudson river, 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 1 
 
 Alabama, 
 
 Mississippi, 
 
 4 
 
 
 • ' 
 
 Feliciana, 
 
 do. 
 
 2 
 
 
 < • 
 
 Arkansas, 
 
 Red river, 
 
 4 
 
 
 • • 
 
 Fidelity, cop. boiler 
 
 New York harbor 
 
 
 
 9 
 
 
 1 1 
 
 Patent, do. 
 
 do. 
 
 5 
 
 2 
 
 < ' 
 
 Atlanta. do. 
 
 do. 
 
 2 
 
 
 < 1 
 
 Bellona, do. 
 
 do. 
 
 
 
 
 1 • 
 
 Maid of Orleans, do. 
 
 Savannah river. 
 
 6 
 
 
 • 1 
 
 Rariian, unknown 
 
 Raman, 
 
 1 
 
 
 « 1 
 
 Eagle, do. 
 
 Chesapeake, 
 
 2 
 
 several 
 
 1 ■ 
 
 Bristol, - 
 
 Delaware river. 
 
 - 
 
 1 
 
 • < 
 
 Powhatan, cop. boiler 
 
 Norfolk, - 
 
 a 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 1824, 
 
 J' rsey, do. 
 
 J. -rsey eity. 
 
 2 
 
 
 1825, 
 
 Tesch, - 
 
 Mississippi, 
 
 several 
 
 
 4 i 
 
 Constitution, 
 
 Hudson river. 
 
 3 
 
 
 4 4 
 
 Legislator, 
 
 New York harbor, 
 
 5 
 
 2 
 
 l-2ti. 
 
 Hudson, 
 
 East river, 
 
 - 
 
 1 
 
 4 t 
 
 Franklin, 
 
 Hudson river, 
 
 1 
 
 
 C 4 
 
 Ramapo, in Jan. 
 
 New Orleans, 
 
 5 
 
 2 
 
 1 ( 
 
 Do. in M:ir. 
 
 do. 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1827, 
 
 Oliver Ellsworth, 
 
 Lone Island Sound, 
 
 3 
 
 
 1830, 
 
 Carolina, 
 
 New York liarl>or, 
 
 1 
 
 
 4 4 
 
 Ch. J. Marshall, cop. boiler 
 
 Hudson river, 
 
 11 
 
 2 
 
 4 4 
 
 United States, - 
 
 East river, 
 
 9 
 
 
 i-:;i, 
 
 General Jackson, 
 
 Hudson river, 
 
 12 supposed 13 
 
 
 
 
 95 29 
 
 1816, 
 
 1826, 
 1827, 
 1826, 
 
 1827, 
 
 1831, 
 
 Cotton Plant, 
 Washington, (high p.) 
 Macon, - 
 
 Hornet, (low) 
 
 Sus(|iii-hannah, - 
 
 Union, (high) 
 
 Win. Peacock, stovepipe 
 iTallv-ho, (high) 
 
 Kennawa, (low 
 
 Atlas, 
 I Andrew Jackson, 
 
 Tri-color, (low) 
 
 Mobile, - 
 Ohio river, 
 
 South Carolina, 
 I Alabama, 
 
 BneqaebanneJi, 
 ( >hio river, 
 Buffalo, - 
 Cumberland river, 
 
 ( lino river, 
 
 Mississippi, 
 
 Savannah river, • 
 Ohio river, 
 
 v 2 
 
 unknown 
 
 7 
 
 4 
 
 o 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 15 
 
 8 
 1 
 2 
 8 
 
 unknown 
 9 \< ounded 
 
 46
 
 246 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 REC APITULATION. 
 
 Killed. Wounded. 
 
 13 High pressure accidents, - - - 115 54 
 
 27 Low pressure do. 95 29 
 
 12 Character of engines unknown, supposed ") A( . 01 
 to be chiefly high pressure, - - 3 
 
 52 Total, 256 104 
 
 " In some of the principal accidents comprised in the 
 foregoing list, the number of killed includes all who 
 did not recover from their wounds. In other cases, the 
 numbers killed are as given in the newspapers of the day, 
 and some of the wounded should perhaps be added. In 
 some few instances no list has been obtained, and possi- 
 bly in some no loss of life has occurred. The accounts 
 of some of the minor accidents may have been lost sight 
 of or overlooked in my files. In making an approxi- 
 mate estimate of the whole number of lives which have 
 been lost in the United States by these accidents, I should 
 fix it three hundred. 
 
 " Although this is a melancholy detail of casualties, yet 
 it seems less formidable when placed in comparison with 
 the ordinary causes of mortality, and especially when 
 contrasted with the insatiate demands of intemperance 
 and ambition. It is believed that it will appear small 
 when compared with the whole amount of injury and loss 
 which has been sustained by traveling in stages and other 
 kinds of carriages. More lives have probably been lost 
 from sloops and packets on the waters of this state since 
 the introduction of steamboats, than by all the accidents 
 in the latter, though the number of passengers exposed 
 has been much smaller. In one case that occurred within 
 a few years, thirty-six persons were drowned on board a 
 sloop in the Hudson river, and many instances, involving 
 the loss of a smaller number of lives ; and one case 
 occurred not long since, on Long Island sound, which 
 resulted in the loss of twelve or fourteen individuals. 
 " It will be seen by reference to the foregoing list, that,
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 247 
 
 of twenty-five lives that have been lost on board of New 
 York steamboats previous to the case of the Chief Justice 
 Marshall, and excluding the case of the Etna, only one 
 passenger is included in the number. Even in the more 
 fatal cases which are here excluded, and in all accidents 
 of this nature, the chief loss is sustained by the crew and 
 officers attached to the boats, who, by the nature of their 
 employments, are compelled to encounter by far the 
 greatest portion of the hazard. 
 
 In the year 1832 it was estimated, that besides the 
 steamboats, there were 4,000 flat boats annually descend- 
 ing" the Mississippi, whose aggregate measure would he 
 160,000 tons. As these do not return, the loss on them 
 would amount to $420,000, and the expense of loading, 
 navigating and unloading them $960,000 — making the 
 whole annual expenditure upon this class of boats 
 $1,380,000. 
 
 In the same year the aggregate cost of steamboats, the 
 expenses of running them, interest, wear and tear, wood, 
 wages, and subsistence of crews and passengers was es- 
 timated at $5,906,000. 
 
 The total expenditure on steam and flat boats was, 
 according to this calculation $7,286,000. 
 
 The value of the produce exported in these boats, 
 together with the labor expended in and about them was 
 estimated at $26,000,000. 
 
 The different descriptions of boats navigated on the 
 western rivers, in that year, were supposed to give em- 
 ployment to 16,900 men, namely: 
 
 To mechanics and laborers employed in building 20 7 $} ~qq 
 steamboats, and repairing others, - - $ y 
 
 Wood cutters, 4,400 
 
 Crews of steamboats, ------ 4,800 
 
 Buildinor flat boats, ----- 2,000 
 
 Navigating flat boats to New Orleans, - - - 4,000 
 
 $16,900 
 But adding to those who are directly engaged, the much
 
 248 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 larger number who are indirectly employed in making 
 engines, and in furnishing, supplying, loading and dis- 
 charging boats, the whole number of persons deriving 
 subsistence from this navigation in 1832, was supposed 
 to be 90,000. That number has since been greatly in- 
 creased. During the last season there was built at Pitts- 
 burgh and the neighboring towns about 25 steamboats, at 
 Cincinnati and its neighborhood about 25. 
 
 From 1822 to 1827 the loss of property on the Ohio 
 and Mississippi, by snags, including steam and flat boats, 
 and their cargoes, amounted to $1 ,362,500. Loss in the same 
 items from the same cause, from 1827 to 1832, $381,000. 
 
 We close this part of our subject, with the following ex- 
 tracts from two very interesting articles published in the 
 Wheeling Gazette, since our table of steam boats was 
 compiled. 
 
 " We are informed on good authority that the number 
 of boats built the present year between Louisville and 
 Pittsburgh, including those places, will not fall short of 
 50. About 35 of these are for distant parts of the coun- 
 try — for the southern and westernmost States : the remain- 
 ing 15 will be added to our river trade, increasing the 
 number of boats thus employed to about 60. Supposing 
 the amount of freight conveyed in each boat to be 40 tons 
 down and 20 up, some opinion may be formed of the 
 amount of merchandise transported yearly upon the Ohio. 
 The river may be estimated to be navigable from six to 
 eight months in the year, and each boat to perform twelve 
 trips from Wheeling to Louisville and back. Each boat, 
 then, transports 12 times 40 tons down, and half this 
 quantity up, equal to 720 tons. This multiplied by 60, 
 the number of boats, gives 43,200 tons as the gross amount 
 of merchandise transported yearly in steamboats upon the 
 Ohio. 
 
 To fix the value of this merchandise is not so easy. 
 Yet something like accuracy may be obtained. It is said
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 249 
 
 that a wagon load of dry goods, weighing 2 tons, will 
 cost about 4,000 dollars, and that western merchants who 
 purchase 8,000 dollars' worth receive them generally in 
 two wagon loads. This would make a ton of dry goods 
 worth 2,000 dollars. As grosser and heavier articles, 
 however, are sent down the river in large quantities, the 
 value per ton may be rated at 500 dollars. Forty times 
 500 give 20,000 dollars as the value of each cargo ; this, 
 multiplied by 12, gives 240,000 as the amount conveyed 
 by each boat during the season ; and this multiplied by 60, 
 the number of boats, gives the sum of 14,800,000 dollars 
 as the value of the down freight in a single year. This 
 is independently of the merchandise conveyed in keel and 
 flat boats, and the immense amount of lumber which 
 almost covers the face of the river in the spring season. The 
 value of the merchandise transported up the river may be 
 estimated at about 1,500,000 dollars. Making the total 
 value of merchandise transported in steamboats yearly on 
 the Ohio, upwards of sixteen millions of dollars. 
 
 The following table shows the distances from each 
 other of the places named, and from Wheeling, with the 
 prices of passage. It is proper to observe that these are 
 established rates, but that some boats charge less, the 
 prices depending, in some degree, upon the number of 
 boats in port, and the abundance or scarcity of passen- 
 gers. 
 
 rp THE IUVER. MM § c 
 
 Wheeling to Wellsburgh, Ohio, - - - - 16 75 
 
 Steubenville, Ohio, 7 23 1 00 
 
 Wellsvillc, do 20 43 1 50 
 
 Beaver, Pennsylvania, - - - ... - 26 69 2 50 
 
 Pittsburgh, do 27 96 3 00 
 
 DOWN THE niVEH. 
 
 Marietta, Ohio, 82 2 50 
 
 Parkersburgh. Va. 10 92 2 50 
 
 Point Pleasant, do 78 170 5 00 
 
 (iiilliapolis. Ohio, 3 173 5 00 
 
 Ouvandotte, Virginia, 37 210 6 00 
 
 Portsmouth, Ohio, 60 260 7 00
 
 250 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 DOWX THE RIVEB. M M $ C 
 
 Mavsville, Kentucky, 42 307 8 00 
 
 Ripley. Ohio, 12 319 9 00 
 
 Cincinnati, 46 355 10 00 
 
 Port William, mouth of Kentucky, - - - 79 434 1100 
 
 Madison, Indiana, 13 447 11 00 
 
 Westport, Kentucky, 20 467 12 00 
 
 Louisville, 20 487 12 00 
 
 Rome, Indiana, 100 587 15 00 
 
 Trov> . 35 622 15 00 
 
 Yelfo'w Banks, Kentucky, 25 647 15 00 
 
 Evansville, Indiana, 40 687 18 00 
 
 Henderson, Kentucky, 12 699 18 00 
 
 Shawnetown, Illinois, 53 752 18 00 
 
 Smithland, mouth of Cumberland, - - - - 63 815 18 00 
 
 Mouth of Ohio, 66 881 20 00 
 
 New Madrid, Mo. 75 956 22 00 
 
 Memphis, Tenn. 150 1106 25 00 
 
 Helena, Arkansas Ter. 85 1191 26 00 
 
 Yicksburgh, Miss., 307 1498 30 00 
 
 ]X atc l iez 110 1608 30 00 
 
 New Orleans, La. 300 1908 35 00 
 
 The above prices of passage, include boarding. The 
 prices of deck passage, are about one-fourth of these, the 
 passengers finding themselves. Thus to Louisville the 
 deck passage is 3 dollars, cabin 12 ; to N. Orleans, deck, 
 8, cabin 35. The deck is covered and contains berths, 
 but it is a very undesirable way of travelling. The pas- 
 sage to Louisville is generally performed in 2£ days, and 
 to New Orleans from 8 to 10 ; returning nearly double 
 this time. The ordinary speed of the boats is 12 miles 
 an hour down the river, and 6 up. 
 
 Where large parties apply together for passage or where 
 emigrating families apply, a considerable reduction is of- 
 ten made. We will mention the case of a family from 
 Maryland, who took passage on the 27th inst, as one 
 in point, and as furnishing emigrants with some informa- 
 tion they may like to hear. The family consisted of 15 
 persons, (9 adults and 6 children,) 5 of whom were 
 slaves. There were also three horses, a wagon, and a 
 wagon load of baggage. They wished a passage to St.
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 251 
 
 Louis, and on making application to the master of the 
 only boat in port on tluir arrival here, were told that the 
 fare would bo $20 for each adult in the cabin, (5 for deck 
 passage, 15 for each horse, (the owner finding them,) 
 and the usual rates of freight for the baggage ; or, to lump 
 the whole, $250. Rather than pay this, the head of the 
 family preferred waiting awhile ; he did so, and in three 
 days effected a bargain for $160 for the family, embracing 
 6 cabin passengers, (with servant,) and 8 deck do., to- 
 gether with three horses, wagon and baggage ; the deck 
 passengers and horses to be found by the emigrant. 
 
 It may not be irrelevant to ?tdd that the family spoken 
 of had come from a county in Maryland about 300 miles 
 from Wheeling. They travelled about 20 miles a day 
 with a four horse wagon. Their expenses thus far was 
 £75 dollars ; price of oats on the road 45 to 50 cents. — 
 Had they continued on by land to St. Louis, 600 miles 
 from here, it would have cost them 100 dollars more. — 
 They would have got oats in Ohio for 20 and 25 cents, 
 and Indiana and Illinois for 16 and 18. It would have 
 taken them 30 days, however ; while by water they will 
 reach there in 7.
 
 252 
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 ALPHABETICAL LIST of Steamboats built and running on the 
 western waters, with the date of building, tonnage, and expiration 
 of service. The high and low pressure engines are distinguished 
 by the letters h or 1 in thefrst column. 
 
 ^Etna, 
 
 Alabama, 
 
 Alexandria, 
 
 Arkansas, 
 
 Allegheny, 
 
 Ariel, 
 
 America, 
 
 American, 
 
 Andrew Jackson, 
 Aurora, h 
 
 Atalanta, A 
 
 Amazon, I 
 
 Attackapas, A 
 Atlas, h 
 
 Atlantic, h 
 
 Amulet, I 
 
 Allegheny, h 
 
 Abeona, h 
 
 Argus, A 
 
 Arab, I 
 
 Assinaboine, A 
 Albion, A 
 
 Antelope, h 
 
 Arkansaw, A 
 
 Argo, h 
 
 Andrew Jackson, 
 Alert, h 
 
 Alice Maria, h 
 Alpha, h 
 
 Algonquin, 
 Arabian, 
 Artist, 
 Adriatic, 
 Adventure, 
 Anna Calhoun, 
 Augusta, 
 Beaver, 
 Balise, 
 Buffaloe, 
 Belle Creole I 
 Bolivar, h 
 
 Belvidere, I 
 
 Blakely, 
 
 Ben. Franklin, I 
 Beaver, I 
 
 Baltimore, h 
 
 Beverly Chew, 
 Belfast, 
 Brandywine, 
 Banner, 
 Balise Packet, 
 Boston, 
 Bolivar, 
 Baltic, 
 Bonita, 
 Black Hawk, 
 Bravo, 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Fort Stephens, 
 New Orleans, 
 
 do. 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 do. 
 Cincinnati, 
 Steubenville, 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 do. 
 Louisville, 
 New Albany, 
 Marietta, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Pittsburgh 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 do. 
 Brownsville, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Jeffersonville, 
 Steubenville, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1814M301 
 
 r: 
 
 sing bun, 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 do. 
 Brownsville, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Wheeling, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Louisville, 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Portsmouth, 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 do. 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 A Cincinnati, 
 h do. 
 A Ripley, 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 A do. 
 
 k Grave Creek, 
 A Pittsburgh, 
 A Cincinnati, 
 A New Albany, 
 h\ Wheeling, 
 
 1818 
 
 isia 
 
 182« 
 1318 
 
 1826 
 1826 
 1824 
 1823 
 1825 
 1824 
 182| 
 
 182 
 
 1829 
 1830 
 1830 
 1831 
 1831 
 1832 
 1833 
 1831 
 1832 
 1833 
 1833 
 1835 
 1835 
 1835 
 1835 
 1835 
 1834 
 1835 
 1835 
 1835 
 1835 
 1829 
 
 1816 
 1823 
 1825 
 1825 
 
 1826 
 1826 
 
 1828 
 
 219 
 
 60 
 
 51 
 
 50 
 
 80 
 
 240 
 
 50 
 
 299 
 
 150 
 
 148 
 
 300 
 
 124 
 
 ICO 
 
 400 
 
 150 
 
 40 
 150 
 100 
 150 
 150 
 
 40 
 
 90 
 115 
 
 80 
 120 
 105 
 
 95 
 
 58 
 222 
 101 
 108 
 432 
 
 50 
 138 
 312 
 139 
 300 
 250 
 122 
 130 
 160 
 250 
 165 
 148 
 
 73 
 
 1822 
 1824 
 1823 
 
 1826 
 
 1827 
 
 How destroyed. 
 
 1834 
 1831 
 1831 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Struck St. B. Natchez. 
 
 Struck a drift log. 
 
 Snagged. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 Burnt at New Orleans. 
 
 1834 
 
 1831 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Sunk by ice. 
 
 1829 
 1828 
 1830 
 1819 
 1831 
 1831 
 1831 
 1832 
 1832 
 1832 
 
 435 
 
 500 
 
 90 
 
 50 
 
 157 
 
 46 
 
 407 
 
 140 
 
 160 
 
 85 
 
 1826 
 1819 
 1829 
 
 1831 
 
 1833 
 1827 
 
 1832 
 
 Worn out. 
 Burnt. 
 Worn out. 
 Snagged. 
 Worn oat. 
 Worn out. 
 
 Abandoned. 
 
 Name changed to Pilot. 
 
 Burnt— Above Memphis. 
 Changed to Calavar 
 
 Changed to Heroine,
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 253 
 
 Names. 
 
 Where built. 
 
 if 
 
 Fi 
 
 o 
 
 D 
 
 Date 
 of loss. 
 
 How destroyed. 
 
 Barraturia, 
 
 h 'Cincinnati, 
 
 JKtt 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 Bonnets of Blue, 
 
 h 
 
 Cumberland ) 
 river, ) 
 
 1832 
 
 18G 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Black Hawk, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1832 
 
 160 
 
 
 
 Bayou Sara, 
 
 h 
 
 do. 
 
 1833 
 
 275 
 
 
 
 Beaver, 
 
 A 
 
 Beaver, 
 
 1833 
 
 00 
 
 
 
 Boone's Lick, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 \nXi 
 
 295 
 
 
 
 Black Hawk, 
 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1832 
 
 150 
 
 
 
 Bunker Hill, 
 
 
 N. Albany, 
 
 l.-vU 
 
 301 
 
 
 
 Boone, 
 
 
 do. 
 
 1834 
 
 110 
 
 
 
 Missouri Belle, 
 
 
 Elizabeth town 
 
 1834 
 
 104 
 
 1834 
 
 Sunk— By St. Boone's Lick. 
 
 Ben. Franklin, 
 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 i-:m 
 
 120 
 
 
 
 Big Black, 
 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1835 
 
 81 
 
 
 
 Comet, 
 
 k 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1817 
 
 154 
 
 1823 
 
 Snagged. 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1818 
 
 157 
 
 
 Snagged. 
 
 Car of Com- ) 
 merce, ) 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1810 
 
 B2I 
 
 1822 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Columbus, 
 
 I 
 
 New Orleans, 
 
 1819 
 
 450 
 
 1824 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Calhoun, 
 
 h 
 
 Kentucky river 
 
 1819 
 
 130 
 
 1824 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Cumberland, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1819 
 
 240 
 
 1825 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Columbia, 
 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1826 
 
 220 
 
 
 Burnt. 
 
 Cherokee, 
 
 h 
 
 
 
 U5 
 
 
 Burnt. 
 
 Congress, 
 
 
 Wheeling, 
 
 1822 
 
 100 
 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Courier, 
 
 I 
 
 Louisville, 
 
 1820 
 
 119 
 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Cotton Plant, 
 
 
 
 
 125 
 
 
 Lost at Mobile 
 
 Columbus, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1826 
 
 220 
 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 Caledonia, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 L-24 
 
 371 
 
 
 
 Cavalier, 
 
 I 
 
 do. 
 
 1825 
 
 180 
 
 1831 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Clinton, 
 
 I 
 
 do. 
 
 1825 
 
 132 
 
 1831 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Caravan, 
 
 h 
 
 do. 
 
 1825 
 
 220 
 
 1830 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Columbia, 
 
 I 
 
 do. 
 
 1825 
 
 200 
 
 1833 
 
 Snagged. 
 
 Cotton Plant, 
 
 
 
 1826 
 
 
 
 
 Courtland, 
 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1826. 
 
 212 
 
 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 k 
 
 do. 
 
 1826 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 Coosa, 
 
 h 
 
 Marietta, 
 
 1826 
 
 173 
 
 1831 
 
 Sunk by S. B. Huntress. 
 
 Commerce, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1826 
 
 180 
 
 1830 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Crusader, 
 
 I 
 
 Fred'ksburgh, 
 
 1826 
 
 170 
 
 1830 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 Catawba, 
 
 A 
 
 Silver creek, 
 
 1826 
 
 170 
 
 
 
 Chesapeake, 
 
 
 Big Bone, 
 
 1827 
 
 
 
 Never commenced running. 
 
 Cleopatra, 
 
 h 
 
 New Albany, 
 
 1826 
 
 150 
 
 
 
 Criterion, 
 
 h 
 
 do. 
 
 1828 
 
 200 
 
 
 
 Cumberland, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1828 
 
 100 
 
 1831 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 Car of Com- ) 
 merce, ) 
 Citizen, 
 
 h 
 
 West Port, 
 
 1827 
 
 150 
 
 1832 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 182!) 
 
 120 
 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 Constitution, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1829 
 
 300 
 
 
 
 Cedar Branch, 
 
 h 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Cora, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1829 
 
 140 
 
 
 
 Corsair, 
 
 h 
 
 do. 
 
 182» 
 
 121 
 
 
 
 Courier, 
 
 h 
 
 •Cincinnati, 
 
 1830 
 
 100 
 
 1835 
 
 Worn out, 
 
 Chieftain, 
 
 h 
 
 New Albany, 
 
 1830 
 
 120 
 
 
 
 Cotton Plant, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1830 
 
 262 
 
 1832 
 
 Burnt at New Orleans. 
 
 Convoy, 
 
 h 
 
 do. 
 
 1830 
 
 315 
 
 
 
 Cincinnatian, 
 
 I 
 
 do. 
 
 1830 
 
 230 
 
 1834 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Colbert, 
 
 A 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Carrolton, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1831 
 
 180 
 
 
 
 Columbus, 
 
 h 
 
 do. 
 
 
 50 
 
 
 
 Charleston, 
 
 h 
 
 Big Sandy, 
 
 1830 
 
 80 
 
 
 
 Conveyance, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1831 
 
 90 
 
 
 
 Companion, 
 
 h 
 
 Ripley, 
 
 1831 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 Courier, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1831 
 
 160 
 
 1834 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Choctaw, 
 
 h 
 
 do. 
 
 1831 
 
 130 
 
 
 
 Chesapeake, 
 
 h 
 
 Marietta, 
 
 1831 
 
 154 
 
 
 
 w
 
 254 
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 Names. 
 
 — — r 
 
 Where built. 
 
 
 3 
 
 1 1 
 
 How destroyed. 
 
 Chief Justice ) 
 Marshall, J 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1832 
 
 179 
 
 
 
 Chattahoochee, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1832 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 Caroline, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1828 
 
 90 
 
 1834 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 Creole, 
 
 h 
 
 Cumberl'd river 
 
 1829 
 
 171 
 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Chippewa, 
 
 h 
 
 Steubenville, 
 
 1832 
 
 140 
 
 
 
 Caroline, 
 
 h 
 
 New Albany, 
 
 1H32 
 
 180 
 
 
 
 Caspian, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1832 
 
 200 
 
 
 
 Champlain, 
 
 h 
 
 Augusta, 
 
 1832 
 
 100 
 
 1834 
 
 Sunk, below St. Louis. 
 
 Chester, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1832 
 
 
 
 
 Charleston, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1831 
 
 
 
 
 Carolton, 
 
 h 
 
 Beaver, 
 
 1830 
 
 
 
 
 Cavalier, 
 
 h 
 
 Ripley, 
 
 1832 
 
 
 
 
 Chickasaw, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1832 
 
 
 
 
 Cayuga, 
 
 h 
 
 do. 
 
 1833 
 
 
 
 
 Clinton, 
 
 h 
 
 Wheeling, 
 
 182* 
 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Chancellor, 
 
 h 
 
 Shausetown, 
 
 1832 
 
 
 
 
 Compromise, 
 
 h 
 
 Louisville, 
 
 1832 
 
 
 
 
 Champion, 
 
 h 
 
 Bridgeport, 
 
 1833 
 
 
 
 
 Carol, 
 
 h 
 
 Portsmouth, 
 
 1832 
 
 
 
 
 Ceres, 
 
 h 
 
 Brownsville, 
 
 1833 
 
 
 
 
 Citizen, 
 
 h 
 
 Richmond, 
 
 1833 
 
 
 1834 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 Caledonia, 
 
 h 
 
 Ripley, 
 
 1833 
 
 
 
 
 Choctaw, 
 
 . 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1833 
 
 120 
 
 
 
 Consort, 
 
 h j Brownsville, 
 
 1832 
 
 130 
 
 1832 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 Courtland, 
 
 h i Cincinnati, 
 
 1826 
 
 200 
 
 1833 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 Cumberland, 
 
 A Pittsburgh, 
 
 182T 
 
 120 
 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Commerce, 
 
 h\ do. 
 
 1^34 
 
 170 
 
 
 
 Cygnet, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1834 
 
 77 
 
 
 
 Chickasaw, 
 
 h 
 
 do. 
 
 1834 
 
 152 
 
 
 
 Claiborne, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1834 
 
 327 
 
 
 
 Despatch, 
 
 . 
 
 Brownsville, 
 
 1817 
 
 75 
 
 1820 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Dolphin, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1819 
 
 146 
 
 ]-:« 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 De Witt Clinton, h 
 
 do. 
 
 1826 
 
 200 
 
 1830 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Decatur, 
 
 h 
 
 Brownsville, 
 
 1826 
 
 113 
 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 Diana, 
 
 h 
 
 Brush Creek. 
 
 182^ 
 
 100 
 
 1833 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 Delaware, 
 
 h, Pittsburgh, 
 
 1828 
 
 100 
 
 18:32 
 
 Sunk — raised — abandoned. 
 
 Dolphin, 
 
 A! Aurora, 
 
 1826 
 
 90 
 
 
 Destroyed. 
 
 Don Juan, 
 
 I 
 
 Louisville, 
 
 183] 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 Dolphin, 
 
 h 
 
 Portsmouth, 
 
 1830 
 
 112 
 
 1832 i Burnt, below Wheeling. 
 
 Dove, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1831 
 
 100 
 
 I 
 
 Dan'l Webster, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 182't 
 
 80 
 
 1834 i Worn out. 
 
 Delphine, 
 
 h 
 
 do. 
 
 1832 
 
 137 
 
 1833 
 
 Burnt. 
 
 Dover, 
 
 h 
 
 Cumberland R. 
 
 1832 
 
 200 
 
 
 
 Dan'l CrConneU 
 
 ,h 
 
 New Albany, 
 
 1833 
 
 200 
 
 
 
 Daniel Boone, 
 
 
 do. 
 
 1826 
 
 264 
 
 1832 
 
 Sunk— Canadian Reach, Miss. 
 
 Don Pedro, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Changed to Leonidas 
 
 Denmark, 
 
 
 Wheeling, 
 
 1834 
 
 r 5 
 
 338 
 
 
 
 Despatch, 
 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1832 
 
 
 
 Detroit, 
 
 
 do. 
 
 1835 
 
 137 
 
 
 
 Dover, 
 
 
 do. 
 
 1835 
 
 80 
 
 
 
 Daniel Webster, 
 
 Jeffersonville, 
 
 1835 
 
 389 
 
 
 
 Dayton, 
 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1835 
 
 118 
 
 
 
 Enterprise, 
 
 
 Brownsville, 
 
 1814 
 
 75 
 
 1817 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Exchange, 
 
 
 Louisville, 
 
 1818 
 
 214 
 
 1824 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Elizabeth, 
 
 
 do. 
 
 1817 
 
 243 
 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Expedition, 
 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1818 
 
 120 
 
 
 
 Expedition, 
 
 
 Wheeling, 
 
 1819 
 
 235 
 
 1824 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Eaele, 
 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 18!8 
 
 118 
 
 
 Snagged, above New Orleana 
 
 Eclipse, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1823 
 
 120 
 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 Eliza, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1821 
 
 65 
 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Emerald, 
 
 h 
 
 Cumberland R. 
 
 1824 
 
 150 
 
 1830 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Echo, 
 
 k 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1826 
 
 150 
 
 
 Worn out.
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 255 
 
 t 
 
 h 
 h 
 h 
 h 
 h 
 ft 
 h 
 h 
 ft 
 h 
 I 
 ft 
 ft 
 
 Names. 
 
 Erie," 
 Essex, 
 Emigrant, 
 Experiment, 
 
 Enterprise, 
 
 Eagle, 
 
 Express, 
 
 Exchange, 
 
 Enterprise, 
 
 Envoy, 
 
 Elk, " 
 
 Emigrant, 
 
 Erin, 
 
 Erie, 
 
 Eclipse, 
 
 Ellen Douglass, 
 
 Exchange, 
 
 Franklin, 
 
 Frankfort, 
 
 Fayette, 
 
 Fidelity, 
 
 Florence, 
 
 Fire Fly, 
 
 Florida, 
 
 Fort Adams, 
 
 Florida, 
 
 Feliciana, 
 
 Favorite, 
 
 Florence, 
 
 Fanny, 
 
 Friendship, 
 
 Fame, 
 
 Facility, 
 
 Fairy, 
 
 Forrester, 
 
 Farmer, 
 Freedom, 
 Favorite, 
 Friend, 
 Falcon, 
 Fairy Queen, 
 Friendship, 
 Free Trader, 
 Fame, 
 Farmer, 
 Flora, 
 
 Geo. Madison, 
 Gen. Jackson, 
 Gen. Pike, 
 Gen. Clarke, 
 Gov. Shelby, 
 Gen. Harrison, 
 Gen. Greene, 
 Gen. Robinson, 
 Grecian, 
 Gen. Pike, 
 Geo. Wash- ) 
 ington, ) 
 Gen. Brown, 
 Gen. Scott. 
 Gen. Wayne, 
 Gen. Carroll, 
 Gen. Hamilton, 
 
 Where built. 
 
 h Pittsburgh, 
 
 h do. 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 Brownsville, 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 do. 
 Cincinnati, 
 Louisville, 
 Shousetown, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Brownsville, 
 Cincinnati, 
 ( 'oviogton, 
 Brownsville, 
 Marietta, 
 New Alb my, 
 Cookstown, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Kentucky R. 
 Louisville, 
 New York, 
 Clarkesville, 
 Louisville, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 I 
 
 / 
 1 
 h 
 ft 
 
 1 
 ft 
 ft 
 1 
 I 
 ft 
 I 
 h 
 ft 
 h 
 ft 
 ft 
 ft 
 ft 
 ft 
 ft 
 ft 
 ft 
 I 
 ft 
 h 
 I 
 
 I 
 h 
 ft 
 ft 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 Philadelphia, 
 
 Pittsburgh 
 Silver Creek, 
 New York, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 do. 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 do. 
 Brownsville, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Wheeling, 
 Nashville, 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 do. 
 Brush Creek, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 Cincinnati, 
 Louisville, 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 Cincinnati, 
 Newport. 
 Louisville, 
 Big Bone. 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Beaver, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 do. 
 
 =TS 
 
 182 i 
 
 I —J 7 
 
 1-J.i 
 
 1830 
 
 1830 
 
 1830 
 
 1831 
 
 1830 
 
 1830 
 
 L831 
 
 1829 
 
 L832 
 
 L833 
 
 1827 
 
 1 832 
 
 1833 
 
 1 835 
 
 1-17 
 
 1818 
 
 1819 
 
 18-21 
 
 1822 
 
 1826 
 
 o 
 
 s s 
 
 1826 
 
 1820 
 
 1822 
 
 182 
 
 1823 
 
 1825 
 
 1826 
 
 1827 
 
 1 327 
 
 1827 
 
 1831 
 
 1 83 1 
 
 1831 
 
 1831 
 
 1 332 
 
 1832 
 
 1833 
 
 L832 
 1 332 
 1833 
 L835 
 181? 
 18W 
 1818 
 1818 
 1819 
 1819 
 1820 
 1-1 I 
 1824 
 1-24 
 
 1825 
 
 L825 
 
 1 325 
 1 325 
 1826 
 
 lc2ti 
 
 125 
 135 
 
 7<i 
 
 ro 
 150 
 
 40 
 105 
 
 32 
 111 
 
 05 
 
 60 
 
 oo 
 
 100 
 
 .32 
 
 lid 
 
 266 
 
 68 
 
 150 
 
 250 
 
 :m 
 
 150 
 60 
 19 
 278 
 125 
 250 
 408 
 200 
 60 
 120 
 200 
 170 
 11 
 80 
 KM) 
 
 How destroyed. 
 
 1829 
 ld32 
 
 1832 
 
 1833 
 L832 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Broke in two, on Gr. Chain. 
 
 Sunk by ice. 
 
 Abandoned. 
 Snagged. 
 
 IB22 
 1822 
 
 Abandoned. 
 Lost by ice. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Snagged, near St. Genevieve. 
 Worn out. 
 Worn out. 
 D stroyed. 
 
 It art roved. 
 Destroyed. 
 Destroyed. 
 Burnt.' 
 
 Burnt, on Mobile river. 
 Si ill running. 
 Worn out. 
 Worn out. 
 1827 Went back to N. York. 
 Worn out. 
 
 1830 Worn out. 
 Worn out. 
 
 1831 Sunk. 
 
 1833 Burnt, on Cumberland. 
 
 135 
 
 I 55 
 118 
 91 
 60 
 100 
 100 
 132 
 277 
 119 
 150 
 150 
 l-o 
 200 
 100 
 
 1832 
 1833 
 
 Sunk, robbed, and burnt. 
 Sunk by S. B. Senator. 
 
 306 
 238 
 160 
 
 150 
 
 3(30 
 
 180 
 220 
 
 350 
 272 
 158 
 
 182-2 
 
 1 -22 
 
 1-2:! 
 1822 
 1822 
 1 323 
 1823 
 1823 
 1826 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Snagged, on Cumberland. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Dest roved. 
 
 Snagged, on Cumberland. 
 
 Snagged, near New Madrid. 
 
 Bui nt at New Orleans. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Burnt at Mobile. 
 
 1820 Worn out. 
 
 1829 Sunk by S. B. Diana. 
 
 1829 Worn out.
 
 256 
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 Names. 
 
 Where built. 
 
 Gen. Marion, h 
 
 Gen. Coffee, h 
 
 Galena & St. ) r 
 
 Louis Packet, \ 
 
 Grampus, h 
 
 Galena, h 
 
 Globe, 
 
 Gen. Neville, 
 
 Gondola, 
 
 Gleaner, 
 
 Guyandot, 
 
 Gondolier, 
 
 Gallipolis, 
 
 Gaz-lle, 
 
 Grenadier, 
 
 Galenian, 
 
 Gladiator, 
 
 General Pike, 
 
 General Sumpter, 
 
 Gov. Clarke, 
 
 George Collier, 
 
 Hecla, 
 
 Henderson, 
 
 Hero, 
 
 Henry Clay, I 
 
 Hornet, 
 
 Hope, 
 
 Hercules, h 
 
 Highl'd Laddie, h 
 
 Herald, h 
 
 HelenM'Gregor,A 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 New Albany, 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 do. 
 St. Louis, 
 
 A Pittsburgh, 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 Cincinnati, 
 Nashville, 
 Gallipolis, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Bridgeport, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 Louisville, 
 
 Hercules, 
 
 Hibernia, 
 
 Huntress, 
 
 Huntsville, 
 
 Huron, 
 
 Home, 
 
 Huntsman, 
 
 Highlander, 
 
 Herald. 
 
 Hope, 
 
 Hudson, 
 
 Jla' '-hie, 
 
 Herald, 
 
 Harry Hill, 
 
 Homer, 
 
 Halcyon, 
 
 Helen Mar, 
 
 Henry Clay, 
 
 Hawk Eye, 
 
 Heroine, 
 
 Heroine, 
 
 Huntsville, 
 
 Huntress, 
 
 Hunter, 
 
 Independence, 
 
 Independence, 
 
 Indiana, 
 
 Illinois, 
 
 Integrity, 
 
 1^ ibella, 
 
 Industry, 
 
 Illinois, 
 
 £.=■ 8 5 P 
 
 1826 
 
 1826 
 
 1826 
 
 1827 
 1829 
 182i) 
 1822 
 1830 
 1830 
 1831 
 1831 
 1832 
 1832 
 1832 
 1834 
 1834 
 1835 
 1835 
 1835 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 do. 
 Steubenville, 
 Licking river, 
 Brandenburg, 
 Louisville, 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 do. 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 New Albanv, 
 
 do. 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 Brownsville, 
 Marietta, 
 Zanesville, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 Cumberl'd rive 
 New Albany, 
 A! Brownsville, 
 AlCincinnai i, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 ( 'im-innuti, 
 
 Bridgeport, 
 
 New Albany, 
 
 Shausetown, 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 Salt river, 
 New Albany, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Marietta, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Jeffersonville, 
 
 88 
 200 
 
 150 
 
 290 
 
 no 
 
 150 
 150 
 120 
 
 100 
 
 ( J1 
 
 110 
 100 
 130 
 
 150 
 130 
 
 120 
 151 
 188 
 149 
 
 1818 
 
 1-- 
 
 1819 
 
 1819 
 
 1820 
 
 1821 
 
 1-2;: 
 
 1824 
 
 1824 
 
 1 25 
 
 1826 
 
 182G 
 
 1826 
 
 182 I 
 
 1829 
 
 1829 
 
 1829 
 
 1829 
 
 1829 
 
 1828 
 
 1-2" 
 
 1839 
 
 1831 
 
 L832 
 
 1839 
 
 L832 
 
 1832 
 
 1831 
 
 182 
 
 1832 
 
 ] B33 
 
 1829 
 
 1834 
 
 ikw 
 1818 
 L818 
 1822 
 1826 
 1827 
 1^27 
 1829 
 1831 
 
 How destroyed. 
 
 1832 
 
 120 
 124 
 120 
 150 
 118 
 
 75 
 275 
 
 86 
 150 
 340 
 1155 
 200 
 300 
 350 
 230 
 120 
 156 
 120 
 120 
 
 60 
 346 
 100 
 200 
 161 
 500 
 121 
 
 80 
 425 
 120 
 
 96 
 160 
 330 
 
 97 
 
 no 
 
 50 
 100 
 180 
 130 
 100 
 250 
 
 80 
 110 
 
 1823 
 
 1823 
 1822 
 1826 
 
 i 325 
 L828 
 
 1831 
 
 831 
 
 1S34 
 
 1831 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Changed to Hawk Eye. 
 Abandoned, up the Mississippi. 
 Worn out. 
 
 Sunk by unloading. 
 
 Changed to Rambler. 
 
 Mail boat. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn out. [sunk. 
 
 Struck a rock near Golconda — 
 
 Destroyed, on Mobile river. 
 
 Lost at Mobile. 
 | Sunk, near Bayou Sara. 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 Destroyed. 
 
 Destroyed. 
 
 Destroyed at Mobile. 
 : Worn out. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Snagged, above Natchez, 
 Burnt, at Beaver. 
 
 1835 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 1821 
 1829 
 1828 
 
 Formerly the Galena. 
 
 Worn out. 
 Worn out. 
 Snagged. 
 
 Name changed to Elk
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 851 
 
 Names. 
 
 Where built. 
 
 Ivanhix', 
 
 Indian, 
 
 Indiana, 
 
 Iowa, 
 
 llp-ria, 
 
 James Monroe, 
 
 Johnston. 
 
 Jam---- B 
 
 Jubilee, 
 
 jOMphine, 
 
 Jimm ' > Mara, 
 
 July 4th, 
 
 Juniata, 
 
 Junius, 
 
 J'.'tV- 
 
 J -..II, 
 
 Java, 
 
 James .Monroe, 
 
 John Nelson, 
 
 Jack Downing, 
 
 Josephine, 
 
 John Hancock, 
 
 hit ucky, 
 
 Kanawha, 
 
 Kentuckiau, 
 
 Knoxviile, 
 
 Kitty Clover, 
 
 Kentuckian, 
 
 ird, 
 Louisiana, 
 La Fayette, 
 Liberator, 
 Louisville, 
 Lanrence, 
 L. \ington, 
 Liberator. 
 Lady Wash 
 
 ini'ton, 
 Ladv of the i 
 
 Lake 
 Lady Wash 
 iiiiitori. 
 
 Livings ton, 
 
 I.. 1 
 
 Lady La Fayette, 
 
 Lady Franklin, h 
 
 La Poorche, 
 
 Lark, 
 
 Louisiana, 
 
 Laurel. 
 
 Ladv Byron, 
 
 Louisville, 
 
 L mess, 
 
 Little Rock, 
 
 Ladv Mi 0I1-. hi. 
 
 L'id\ Jackson, 
 
 Li'ly Wash- / 
 ington, ) 
 
 La 1 
 
 La Fayette, 
 
 1.. onicias, 
 
 Logan, 
 
 Le Flore, 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 ( Cincinnati, 
 
 do. 
 
 Elisabeth town 
 ( Cincinnati, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Wheeling, 
 Pittsbargh, 
 
 do, 
 » Cincinnati, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 N.\\ Albany, 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Elisabeth town, 
 Wheeling, 
 Nashville, 
 Marietta, 
 
 < Cincinnati, 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Gallipolis, 
 
 Mari.tta, 
 
 Brush ( Creek, 
 
 Kentucky river 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 ' Cincinnati, 
 
 Wheeling, 
 
 Pittsburgh 
 
 Louisville, 
 New ( >rl>ans, 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 do. 
 Louisville, 
 » Cincinnati, 
 Frankfort, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 do. 
 New Albany, 
 
 Silver Creek; 
 
 Bmithland, 
 
 Wheeling, 
 
 Portsmouth, 
 New Albany, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 < Cincinnati, 
 
 Steubenville, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 New Albany, 
 
 J.tl'. rsonville, 
 Bridgeport, 
 
 Nashville, 
 
 Marietta, 
 
 Pittsb'gh, 
 
 (Cincinnati, 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 l-l- 270 
 
 1826 205 
 
 ]--'<> 50 
 200 
 
 i-:;i KMi 
 
 i -:u i i - 
 
 1832 129 
 
 1832 156 
 
 1832 100 
 
 1830 103 
 
 1831 170 
 
 1833 156 
 
 1833 123 
 
 1834 90 
 
 1835 95 
 1818 112 
 I -j- no 
 1829 255 
 1831 120 
 1829 60 
 1829 331 
 1820 60 
 1818 103 
 
 1825 150 
 
 1826 -jim i 
 
 1823 mo 
 
 1824 122 
 
 1825 250 
 LS9G 200 
 
 1896 117 
 
 1826 
 
 1826 
 
 ITU 
 
 3G0 
 
 1896 200 
 
 1898 135 
 
 65 
 
 1829 208 
 
 1-.'. J, Ml 
 
 1 100 
 
 i.<K) :t(i: 
 
 1830 
 i-:n 
 1832 
 1832 
 1832 
 1832 
 
 100 
 :«: 
 
 175 
 100 
 130 
 190 
 
 1831 
 
 How destroyed. 
 
 Sunk, below Bed Biter. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Stove by ice, at St. Loui§ 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Sunk, above Wheeling. 
 
 lr-34 Sunk. 
 
 i-:u 
 1621 
 
 1838 100 
 
 1838 135 
 1833 H4 
 
 1833 125 
 
 1834 B5 
 1834 115 
 
 w Z 
 
 I .-25 
 1897 
 
 |.o | 
 
 1834 
 
 1839 
 1832 
 1839 
 
 |839 
 1 335 
 
 1832 
 1833 
 
 Sunk, below St. Louia 
 
 Worn out. 
 Sunk. 
 
 Abandoned. 
 
 Snagged, near Point Chacot 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn out. 
 Worn out. 
 
 Sunk by ice. 
 
 Snagged, at Wolf Island. 
 
 Lost by ice. 
 
 Worn out. 
 Abandoned. 
 
 Sunk by collision. 
 
 Name changed to L'neas. 
 
 Lost, striking a stump. 
 
 Lost, by an explosion of powder 
 
 1833 
 
 Burnt, mouth of Ohio-
 
 258 
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 
 
 
 a-3 
 
 H 
 
 o 
 
 
 Names. 
 
 
 Where built. 
 
 s ~ 
 
 o 
 
 3 
 
 at a 
 
 How destroyed. 
 
 Lady Boone, 
 
 
 Wheeling, 
 
 lt<34 
 
 40 
 
 
 
 Lady Scott, 
 
 
 Maysville, 
 
 1634 
 
 70 
 
 
 
 Lady Marshall, 
 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1834 
 
 120 
 
 
 
 Lewis Cass, 
 
 
 do. 
 
 1835 
 
 1*2 
 
 
 
 Levant, 
 
 
 do. 
 
 1835 
 
 288 
 
 
 
 Maid of Orlean 
 
 9 I 
 
 Philadelphia, 
 
 1818 
 
 193 
 
 
 Destroyed. 
 
 Maysville, 
 
 h 
 
 Maysville, 
 
 1618 
 
 209 
 
 1824 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Manhattan, 
 
 I 
 
 New York, 
 
 1819 
 
 427 
 
 1825 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Mississippi, 
 
 I 
 
 Mobile. 
 
 1819 
 
 360 
 
 1825 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Mandan, 
 
 
 Louisville, 
 
 1819 
 
 150 
 
 1825 
 
 Snagged, above New Orleans 
 
 Missouri, 
 
 h 
 
 Newport, 
 
 1819 
 
 177 
 
 1^26 
 
 Snagged. 
 
 Mars, 
 
 h 
 
 Wheeling, 
 
 1819 
 
 55 
 
 1822 
 
 Snagged, above New Orleans. 
 
 Missouri Packet, 
 
 Louisville, 
 
 1819 
 
 60 
 
 1620 
 
 Snagged, on the Missouri. 
 
 Mobile, 
 
 
 New Orleans, 
 
 1820 
 
 145 
 
 
 
 Magnet, 
 
 I 
 
 Louisville, 
 
 1822 
 
 140 
 
 1827 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Miami, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1822 
 
 100 
 
 1828 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 Mechanic, 
 
 h 
 
 Marietta, 
 
 1823 
 
 120 
 
 1827 
 
 Stove, near St. Louis. 
 
 Mexico, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1823 
 
 120 
 
 1627 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Muskingum, 
 
 h 
 
 Marietta, 
 
 1825 
 
 150 
 
 1829 
 
 Snagged, on Red River. 
 
 Montezuma, 
 
 I 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1827 
 
 200 
 
 1829 
 
 Snagged, near Helena. 
 
 Marietta, 
 
 h 
 
 Marietta, 
 
 1825 
 
 150 
 
 
 
 Messenger, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1826 
 
 160 
 
 1830 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Maryland, 
 
 h 
 
 do. 
 
 1827 
 
 160 
 
 
 
 Monongahela, 
 
 k 
 
 Brownsville, 
 
 1827 
 
 100 
 
 
 Name changed to Forester 
 
 Missouri, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 162^ 
 
 150 
 
 
 
 Mountaineer, 
 
 h 
 
 Brownsville, 
 
 1625 
 
 175 
 
 1832 
 
 Abandoned. 
 
 Montgomery, 
 
 I 
 
 Cumberl'd river 
 
 162? 
 
 140 
 
 1829 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 Mohican, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1829 
 
 350 
 
 
 
 Monticello, 
 
 h 
 
 do. 
 
 1829 
 
 140 
 
 1833 
 
 Sunk, in Bayou Plaquemine. 
 
 Magnolia, 
 
 I 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1630 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 Minerva, 
 
 h 
 
 
 1830 
 
 
 
 
 Mobile, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1830 
 
 150 
 
 1831 
 
 Burnt. 
 
 Mercury, 
 
 h 
 
 Steubenville, 
 
 16li| 
 
 15 
 
 
 Struck by S. B. Pittsburgh 
 
 Messenger, 
 
 h 
 
 Ripley, 
 
 1831 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 Memphis, 
 
 h 
 
 Nashville, 
 
 1831 
 
 380 
 
 
 
 Michigan, 
 
 h 
 
 Beaver, 
 
 1831 
 
 338 
 
 
 
 Mohawk, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1831 
 
 555 
 
 
 
 Mount Vernon, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1832 
 
 90 
 
 
 
 Metamora, 
 
 A 
 
 Louisville, 
 
 1832 
 
 
 
 
 Mediterranean, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1832 
 
 600 
 
 
 Largest boat. 
 
 Missourian, 
 
 h 
 
 do. 
 
 1832 
 
 215 
 
 1832 
 
 Cabin burnt off. 
 
 Mobile Farmer, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1832 
 
 214 
 
 
 
 Mountaineer, 
 
 h 
 
 Bridgeport, 
 
 1832 
 
 188 
 
 
 
 Miner, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1833 
 
 70 
 
 
 
 Madison, 
 
 h 
 
 Wheeling, 
 
 1-J- 
 
 50 
 
 
 
 Majestic, 
 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1834 
 
 323 
 
 
 
 Missouri Belle, 
 
 
 Elizabethtown, 
 
 1834 
 
 164 
 
 
 
 Mogul, 
 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1834 
 
 414 
 
 
 
 Minerva, 
 
 
 do. 
 
 1834 
 
 87 
 
 
 
 Marion, 
 
 
 Fredonia, 
 
 1835 
 
 140 
 
 
 
 Mazeppa, 
 
 
 Louisville, 
 
 1834 
 
 135 
 
 
 
 Monroe, 
 
 
 Wheeling, 
 
 1835 
 
 90 
 
 
 
 Mount Pleasant 
 
 t 
 
 do. 
 
 1835 
 
 94 
 
 
 
 Madison, 
 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1835 
 
 322 
 
 
 
 Marion, 
 
 
 do. 
 
 1635 
 
 109 
 
 
 
 Natchez, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 New Orleans, 
 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1815 
 
 350 
 
 1818 
 
 Sunk near Baton Rouge. 
 
 Napoleon, 
 
 
 Louisville, 
 
 1817 
 
 3H3 
 
 1822 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Nashville, 
 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1822 
 
 200 
 
 1826 
 
 Snagged, above New Orleans. 
 
 Nashville Packet, 
 
 do. 
 
 1827 
 
 125 
 
 1831 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Natchitoches, 
 
 
 do. 
 
 1826 
 
 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Neptune, 
 
 
 New Orleans, 
 
 1621 
 
 50 
 
 
 Worn out.
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 259 
 
 Names. 
 
 Where built. 
 
 Natchez, 
 
 New-York, 
 
 Native, 
 
 Neptune, 
 
 North America, A 
 
 Nashville, A 
 
 Niagara, 
 
 Nile, 
 
 New-Jersey, 
 
 New-Pennsyl 
 
 vauia, 
 Napoleon, 
 North Alabama, A 
 New Brunswick, A 
 
 Nimrcd, // 
 
 Navarino, h 
 
 Neptune, // 
 
 New Emigrant, A 
 Native. 
 
 New Companion, 
 Navigator, 
 New- York, 
 Neosho, 
 Orleans, 
 
 Ohio, A 
 
 Olive Branch, A 
 Osage, 
 
 Ohio, h 
 
 Opelousas, /' 
 
 Ontario, h 
 
 Oregon. h 
 Oliver H. Perry, 
 
 Ohio, A 
 
 Olive, A 
 
 Odd Fellow, A 
 
 Orleans, A 
 
 Otto, h 
 
 Osage, A 
 
 Orion, A 
 
 Ophelia, A 
 
 0"Connell, A 
 
 Olive Brancn, // 
 
 Ouachita, h 
 
 Ohioan, k 
 Otsego, 
 
 Providence, I 
 
 Post Boy, h 
 Perseverance, 
 
 Paragon, / 
 
 President, A 
 
 Phc?nix, A 
 
 Pitts'h. & St. i . 
 
 Louis Packet, j A 
 
 Pittsburgh, A 
 
 Pennsylvania, A 
 
 Pilot, I 
 
 Paul Pry, A 
 
 Plough Boy, A 
 
 Patriot, A 
 
 Pioneer, A 
 
 Phoebus, h 
 
 Planter, / 
 
 Paul June9, A 
 
 New York, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 do. 
 Cincinnati, 
 Steubenville, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 Cincinnati, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 Gallipolis, 
 Jeffereooville, 
 
 < 'iiii-innati, 
 Bridgeport, 
 
 Brownsville, 
 
 Bridgeport, 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 do. 
 Pittsburgh, 
 New Albany, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Portsmouth, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Silver Creek, 
 Marietta, 
 ( 'iiu innati, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 do. 
 Elizabethtown, 
 New Albany, 
 Jeffersonville, 
 Morgantown. 
 Marietta, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Klizubothtown, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Evansville, 
 K< nt ucky R. 
 Louisville, 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 do. 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 do. 
 Big Bone, 
 
 Frankfort, 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 Beaver, 
 
 °"3 
 £.? 
 
 ~ "3 
 ■ 3 ' 
 
 1822 
 1896 
 1887 
 1828 
 1838 
 1838 
 1829 
 
 1830 
 
 1827 
 
 1833 
 
 1831 
 1 832 
 1832 
 1832 
 1632 
 1832 
 1834 
 1834 
 I KM 
 1835 
 1834 
 1811 
 1817 
 1819 
 1820 
 1824 
 1820 
 
 1827 
 1829 
 l8:tl 
 1830 
 
 lr30 
 1831 
 183J 
 1832 
 1832 
 1832 
 1833 
 1,-33 
 l,-:;:! 
 1833 
 1835 
 1818 
 1818 
 1818 
 1819 
 1834 
 1823 
 
 1823 
 
 1833 
 1833 
 
 1825 
 
 1884 
 
 1825 
 
 1825 
 1835 
 
 D-V* 
 1825 
 
 ? 
 
 e 1 
 
 C V 
 
 K C 
 
 240 
 310 
 
 UK) 
 •-MM) 
 
 ;«)0 
 
 3!>8 
 130 
 130 
 150 
 
 140 
 
 1G0 
 
 :hj5 
 
 200 
 
 147 
 
 140 
 «0 
 SB 
 
 134 
 85 
 
 134 
 
 400 
 304 
 313 
 14!) 
 
 1-D 
 
 133 
 
 100 
 225 
 
 101) 
 
 288 
 
 100 
 
 32i 
 103 
 00 
 
 110 
 10 
 
 70 
 102 
 104 
 
 95 
 450 
 231 
 
 50 
 355 
 :wo 
 
 200 
 
 131 
 
 133 
 107 
 150 
 
 60 
 120 
 258 
 200 
 
 HO 
 130 
 300 
 
 1829 
 
 lti3"J 
 
 How destroyed. 
 
 1832 
 
 1833 
 
 1813 
 1819 
 
 1823 
 
 1828 
 
 1832 
 
 Snugged, below Natchez. 
 
 Snagged, near Plumb Point. 
 
 Snagged. 
 
 Snagged, mouth of the Ohio. 
 
 Abandoned. 
 
 Sunk by ice. 
 
 Burnt, above Vicksburg. 
 
 l a 24 
 1824 
 1830 
 [838 
 
 1828 
 1827 
 
 1827 
 
 1831 
 1830 
 
 1831 
 
 Snagged, near Baton Rouge. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 Destroyed. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Sunk, at Plumb Point. 
 
 Name changed to Dan. Webster. 
 
 Changed to Western Virginian 
 Changed to Traveler. 
 
 Snagged, above New Orleana. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Burnt, near Madi6on. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Run ashore, below Louisville. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Burnt. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Snagged, below St. Louis 
 
 Sunk, on Red River. 
 
 Worn out. 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn out.
 
 60 
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 Names. 
 
 Post Boy, 
 
 Pocahontas, 
 
 Philadelphia, 
 
 Pocahontas, 
 
 Pilot, 
 
 Potomac, 
 
 Porpoise, 
 
 Phoenix, 
 
 Powhattan, 
 
 Plaquemine, 
 
 Pennsylvania, 
 
 Plaquemine, 
 
 Planet, 
 
 Packet, 
 
 Pacific, 
 
 Paragon, 
 
 Pearl, 
 
 Peruvian, 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 Polander, 
 
 Planter, 
 
 Portsmouth, 
 
 President, 
 
 Paul Clifford, 
 
 Peoria, 
 
 Planter, 
 
 Post Boy, 
 
 Privateer, 
 
 Plough Boy, 
 
 Protector, 
 
 Paul Jones, 
 
 Princeton, 
 
 Polosi, 
 
 Plough Boy 
 
 Ponchartrain, 
 
 Patrick Henry, 
 
 Pawnee, 
 
 Philadelphia, 
 
 Pioneer, 
 
 Rifleman, 
 
 Rapide, 
 
 Robert Fulton, 
 
 Rocket, 
 
 Rufus Putnam, 
 
 Robert Burns, 
 
 Rob Roy, 
 
 Rambler, 
 
 Red River, 
 
 Robert Emmet, 
 
 Red River Pack 
 
 Reindeer, 
 
 Republican, 
 
 Rover, 
 
 Rising Sun, 
 
 Robert Fulton, 
 
 Red Rover, 
 
 Red Rover, 
 
 Ruhama, 
 
 Reaper, 
 
 Reindeer, 
 
 Rambler, 
 
 Return, 
 
 Rapide, 
 
 New York, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 New York, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 Cincinnati, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 do. 
 Brownsville, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Cumberland R. 
 Cincinnati, 
 Elizabethtown, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Steubenville, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Louisville, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Rockville, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 do. 
 New Albany, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Marietta, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Louisville, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 New York, 
 Louisville, 
 Marietta, 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 do. 
 Pittsburgh, 
 Marietta, 
 Louisville, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Brownsville, 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 do. 
 Rising Sun, 
 Cincinnati, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 Cincinnati, 
 Brownsville, 
 Cincinnati, 
 near Pittsh gh, 
 New Albany, 
 
 le25 
 
 1825 
 1826 
 1826 
 
 1827 
 182a 
 1828 
 1826 
 1828 
 1828 
 1827 
 1829 
 1629 
 1829 
 1829 
 1829 
 
 1830 
 1831 
 
 1831 
 
 1832 
 
 183] 
 
 1831 
 
 1832 
 
 1833 
 
 1833 
 
 1833 
 
 1833 
 
 1834 
 
 1834 
 
 1834 
 
 1634 
 
 1834 
 
 1834 
 
 1835 
 
 1835 
 
 1835 
 
 1835 
 
 1818 
 
 1819 
 
 1820 
 
 1820 
 
 1822 
 
 1825 
 
 1823 
 
 1823 
 
 1824 
 
 1825 
 
 1826 
 
 1826 
 
 1826 
 
 1827 
 
 1828 
 1828 
 1829 
 1829 
 1831 
 1830 
 1831 
 1832 
 1830 
 
 250 
 260 
 445 
 260 
 240 
 
 80 
 326 
 250 
 221 
 
 65 
 150 
 100 
 100 
 
 90 
 387 
 
 90 
 
 69 
 400 
 100 
 
 116 
 
 95 
 360 
 100 
 
 78 
 
 107 
 
 44 
 
 149 
 
 80 
 156 
 170 
 133 
 121 
 142 
 145 
 115 
 198 
 115 
 112 
 231 
 189 
 500 
 
 75 
 
 60 
 125 
 240 
 120 
 180 
 
 40 
 120 
 
 60 
 
 50 
 100 
 100 
 128 
 
 50 
 500 
 
 70 
 130 
 100 
 
 93 
 127 
 160 
 
 1834 
 
 1833 
 1832 
 
 1833 
 
 How destroyed. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Abandoned. 
 
 Burnt, near Bayou LaFourche. 
 
 Abandoned. 
 
 1833 Snagged, below Natchez. 
 1832 Lost by ice. 
 
 1833 
 
 1834 
 
 1824 
 1822 
 
 1821 
 1826 
 1828 
 1829 
 
 Sunk in Wabash. 
 
 Struck by S. B. Missourian 
 
 Burnt. 
 
 1830 
 1834 
 
 1832 
 1833 
 1833 
 1833 
 
 Burnt at Mobile. 
 
 Burnt. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Snagged, near Port Chicot. 
 
 Burnt. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn oat. 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn out. 
 Worn out. 
 Worn out. 
 
 Sunk, below Natchez. 
 Burnt, at New Albany. 
 Burnt, at Louisville. 
 Sunk by ice.
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 201 
 
 Names. 
 
 Rising Sun, 
 Richmond, 
 Ramhh r, 
 Randolph, 
 Reliance, 
 
 I :Ue, 
 
 B indeer, 3d. 
 
 K-.l, I 
 
 Rufus 1'utnam, A 
 
 R <>a i A 
 
 ]; rt] 
 
 Robert Morris, 
 Rover. 
 
 Saint Louis, A 
 
 II, A 
 St. Lou i* Packet,* 
 
 Shamn ' k 
 A 
 
 St. .Mar v, A 
 
 St. John, A 
 
 Star, A 
 
 Souvenir, A 
 
 oty Six, A 
 
 St. Lou A 
 
 Sylph, A 
 
 Saratoga, / 
 
 Btranger, A 
 
 Shark, Tow B. A 
 
 Su[> rior, A 
 
 B ta, A 
 
 low, 
 Sun Patch, 
 
 Shoal water, 
 
 Scout, A 
 
 Sam- A 
 
 / 
 
 1 
 
 Statesman, A 
 
 ind, A 
 
 Sentinel) A 
 
 Sangamon, A 
 
 Splendid, A 
 
 Star of the W 
 
 »py. 
 
 St. Martin, 
 
 Superior, 
 
 E Boll, A 
 
 Shamrock, A 
 
 St. Landry, A 
 
 Sun. 
 
 St. I^eon, 
 
 Science, 
 
 Southron, 
 
 Siam, 
 
 Swiss B'>v, 
 
 S.lma, 
 
 South Alabama, 
 
 Southerner. 
 
 Tamerlane, 
 
 -.n, A 
 T he, / 
 
 Telegraph, 
 Telegraph, 
 
 Lawreocebarg, 
 
 Hi' limonil 
 
 Nashville, 
 Wen Albany, 
 Btowum die, 
 Louisville, 
 Brownsi ille, 
 Jefferson vilte, 
 Marietta, 
 
 ">g. 
 do. 
 Pittsburgh, 
 do. 
 
 - 'Ur^'h, 
 Big U 
 
 .:iy, 
 Pittsburg 
 i . iny, 
 
 Nashi ille, 
 ( Cincinnati, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 inj, 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 do. 
 do. 
 
 <lo. 
 
 Pittabdrgh, 
 
 t nninnal i, 
 
 Steubenville, 
 
 GalJij 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 ii. 
 do. 
 - :1011th, 
 
 ■ ile, 
 Albany, 
 Brownsville, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 innati, 
 do. 
 
 wn. 
 New Albany, 
 
 innati, 
 Warren, 
 Portland, 
 do. 
 
 Jefferson viBe, 
 Frederieklowa, 
 
 •••nville, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 mnuti, 
 Pil uburgh, 
 
 Klizabeihtown, 
 ( 'inriniiati, 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 do. 
 
 \< w Orleans, 
 Louisville, 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 332 
 833 
 
 83 1 
 
 -. = 
 
 -40 
 
 1INI 
 
 1833 
 
 -:<:t !».» 
 
 -:t:t 130 
 
 -M un 
 
 834 l;c' 
 
 835 98 
 335 1"hi 
 KG 104 
 
 
 128 
 
 8 18 250 
 
 -II 
 
 150 
 125 
 
 140 
 
 100 
 
 no 
 
 1411 
 
 L45 
 
 329 70 
 
 329 14U 
 
 828 liH) 
 
 . 
 
 -- " 
 
 -.'•j 170 
 
 
 -. 
 
 -:n 
 
 331 
 
 - 
 831 
 331 
 
 -:d 
 331 
 
 - . 
 
 332 
 
 211 
 
 150 
 183 
 136 
 185 
 
 14.i 
 
 400 
 
 150 
 53 
 
 332 mi 
 
 -:<:< 40 
 
 831 SM) 
 332 150 
 
 334 
 
 335 
 335 
 
 335 
 
 -I- 
 -I- 
 
 318 
 
 -Ir. 
 
 819 
 
 -, 
 70 
 14' 
 128 
 156 
 355 
 165 
 :<-.ii 
 :«i: 
 
 m 
 
 100 
 
 How destroyed. 
 
 Sunk, Tennessee River. 
 
 1828 
 
 1832 
 
 . 
 
 1-j.- 
 
 1831 
 1833 
 
 1835 
 1833 
 
 1835 
 1833 
 
 l-:u 
 
 1832 
 
 1834 
 
 1 322 
 
 1825 
 
 1819 
 1830 
 
 Burnt, near New Madrid. 
 !'• !ou Wheeling. 
 
 Worn out. 
 Worn out. 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 changed to Stranger. 
 
 Sunk, striking a stump. 
 gg in Grand Gulf. 
 
 Burnt, at New Orleans, 
 Worn out. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Sunk. 
 Abandoned. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Burnt, at Louisville. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Snagged, in Arkansas. 
 
 Burnt, near Donaldsonville. 
 
 Sunk, by S. B. Baltic. 
 
 Won out. 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Burnt, below Natchf J.. 
 
 _■••(]. l.-lmid 21, Mississippi. 
 Bur.it, near Faint Oncol.
 
 262 
 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 Names. 
 
 Where built. 
 
 13 
 
 1819 
 
 4lb 
 
 o 
 
 C P 
 
 p $ 
 
 1823 
 
 How destroyed. 
 
 Tennessee, 
 
 / 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 Snagged, above Natchez. 
 
 Telegraph, 
 
 
 
 1821 
 
 100 
 
 
 Snagged, Cumberland River. 
 
 Tecumseh, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 182b 
 
 2 1 - 
 
 1830 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Tuscumbia, 
 
 h 
 
 do. 
 
 le20 
 
 210 
 
 
 
 Triton, 
 
 h 
 
 do. 
 
 1826 
 
 50 
 
 
 
 Talisman, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1828 
 
 150 
 
 1832 
 
 Burnt, at St. Louis. 
 
 Traveller, 
 
 h 
 
 Wheeling, 
 
 1828 
 
 50 
 
 1832 
 
 Sunk, at St. Louis. 
 
 Talma, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1829 
 
 140 
 
 1833 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Tennessean, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1829 
 
 250 
 
 
 
 Trenton, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1829 
 
 150 
 
 1833 
 
 Snagged. 
 
 Tigress, 
 
 I 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1828 
 
 200 
 
 1830 
 
 Burnt, at Rockport. 
 
 Tour, 
 
 h 
 
 do. 
 
 1829 
 
 180 
 
 
 
 Tallyho, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1829 
 
 150 
 
 
 
 Tippecanoe, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1830 
 
 150 
 
 
 
 Telegraph, 
 
 I 
 
 do. 
 
 1829 
 
 189 
 
 1833 
 
 Sunk, by S. B. New Orleans 
 
 Tariff, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1829 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 Tricolor, 
 
 h 
 
 Portsmouth, 
 
 1831 
 
 130 
 
 
 Burnt, below Wheeling. 
 
 Thos. Yeatman 
 
 ,h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1830 
 
 115 
 
 
 
 Tobacco Plant, 
 
 h 
 
 Nashville, 
 
 1831 
 
 300 
 
 
 
 Tange peho, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1832 
 
 c^0 
 
 
 
 Transport, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1832 
 
 125 
 
 
 
 Tuscarora, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1833 
 
 286 
 
 
 
 Two Friends, 
 
 h 
 
 Jeffersonville, 
 
 1833 
 
 130 
 
 
 
 Tom Bowline, 
 
 h 
 
 Portland, 
 
 1833 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 Tiskilwa, 
 
 h 
 
 Kenawa, 
 
 le34 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 Tuscahoma, 
 
 h 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Tuscumbia, 
 
 h 
 
 Marietta, 
 
 1835 
 
 82 
 
 
 
 Tempest, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1835 
 
 112 
 
 
 
 Teclie, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1835 
 
 152 
 
 
 
 Tuskina, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1835 
 
 208 
 
 
 
 United States, 
 
 I 
 
 Jeffersonville, 
 
 181^ 
 
 044 
 
 1824 
 
 
 Uncle Sam, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1829 
 
 500 
 
 1835 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Uncas, 
 
 h 
 
 
 1830 
 
 90 
 
 
 Name changed to Columbus 
 
 Union, 
 
 h 
 
 Williamsport, 
 
 1831 
 
 134 
 
 
 
 Utility, 
 
 h 
 
 Louisville, 
 
 J 831 
 
 59 
 
 
 [built. 
 
 Vesuvius, 
 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1814 
 
 390 
 
 1821 
 
 Worn out. Burnt, 1816, and re- 
 
 Vesta, 
 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 181*? 
 
 100 
 
 1821 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Volcano, 
 
 h 
 
 New Albany, 
 
 1818 
 
 217 
 
 1822 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Virginia, 
 
 h 
 
 Wheeling, 
 
 1819 
 
 150 
 
 1822 
 
 Snagged, near Ste. Genevieve 
 
 Vulcan, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1819 
 
 258 
 
 1824 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Velocipede, 
 
 I 
 
 Louisville, 
 
 1819 
 
 100 
 
 1824 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Velocipede, 
 
 I 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1824 
 
 109 
 
 
 
 Virginia, 
 
 I 
 
 do. 
 
 1826 
 
 122 
 
 
 
 Victory, 
 Virginian, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1829 
 
 100 
 
 1832 
 
 Sunk 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1829 
 
 90 
 
 
 
 Venture, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Volunteer, 
 
 
 Steubenville, 
 
 
 
 
 Sunk. 
 
 Volant, 
 
 k 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1830 
 
 80 
 
 1833 
 
 Burnt. 
 
 Vermilion, 
 
 h 
 
 do. 
 
 1830 
 
 130 
 
 
 
 Versailles, 
 
 h 
 
 do. 
 
 1831 
 
 80 
 
 
 
 Vincennes, 
 
 h 
 
 Vincennes, 
 
 1832 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 Veteran, 
 
 h 
 
 Mason co. Ky. 
 
 1833 
 
 8fi 
 
 
 
 Van Buren, 
 
 h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1833 
 
 90 
 
 
 
 Velocipede, 
 
 h 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1832 
 
 120 
 
 
 
 Washington, 
 
 A 
 
 Wheeling, 
 
 1815 
 
 212 
 
 1822 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 West. Enwineei 
 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1^19 
 
 30 
 
 1822 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Wheeling Pack* 
 
 •t, 
 
 Wheeling, 
 
 1819 
 
 100 
 
 1823 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 William Perm, 
 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1825 
 
 150 
 
 1828 
 
 Snagged. 
 
 William Tell, 
 
 // 
 
 New Richmond 
 
 1826 
 
 «.I0 
 
 1829 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Warrior, 
 
 h 
 
 Marietta, 
 
 1826 
 
 150 
 
 
 
 Walk in the water 
 
 New York, 
 
 1826 
 
 425 
 
 
 
 Wm. D. Duncan 
 
 ,h 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1827 
 
 100 
 
 
 Worn out. 
 
 Waverlev, 
 
 I 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1828 
 
 100 
 

 
 WESTERN STEAMBOATS. 
 
 263 
 
 Names. 
 
 Where built. 
 
 r. tr 
 
 — -. 
 
 "3 
 
 c 
 a 
 a 
 
 JIKI 
 
 Data l 
 
 How destroyed. 
 
 Walter Scott, 
 
 A 
 
 ( iiacinuati, 
 
 
 
 Win-. 
 
 1 
 
 do. 
 
 1830 
 
 fO 
 
 1831 
 
 Sunk by ice. 
 
 
 W. M.Virginian, A 
 
 Wheeling, 
 
 I -J 1 
 
 ;i(t 
 
 1831 
 
 Sunk by ico. 
 
 
 W itehman, 
 
 A 
 
 Brownsi nle, 
 
 1830 
 
 129 
 
 
 
 Wanderer, 
 
 A 
 
 New Albany, 
 
 1830 
 
 I8fl 
 
 
 
 
 Wm. Wallace, 
 
 A 
 
 Portland, 
 
 1831 
 
 90 
 
 
 
 
 Winnebago, 
 
 A 
 
 j Beaver, 
 
 1830 
 
 85 
 
 
 
 
 Woodsman, 
 
 A 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 1831 
 
 
 
 
 
 Whale, Tow B 
 
 A 
 
 Marietta, 
 
 1832 
 
 312 
 
 
 
 
 Wm. T. Barry. 
 
 A 
 
 < 'mriiiiiati, 
 
 1832 
 
 155 
 
 
 Destroyed on Lake Ponehart 
 
 t, 
 
 Warrior, 
 
 A 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 I83S 
 
 no 
 
 
 
 
 Water Wit oli, 
 
 A 
 
 Nashville, 
 
 1833 
 
 120 
 
 1833 
 
 Sunk near Plaquemine, 
 
 
 Wm. Parsons, 
 
 A 
 
 Ripley, 
 
 1831 
 
 lit. 
 
 
 
 Wyoming, 
 
 A 
 
 Augusta, 
 
 IK<-_> 
 
 105 
 
 
 
 
 Warsaw, 
 
 A 
 
 Wheeling, 
 
 1832 
 
 I4t. 
 
 
 
 
 Wabash, 
 
 A 
 
 New Albany, 
 Jeffersonville, 
 
 1821 
 
 130 
 
 
 
 
 Waterloo, 
 
 A 
 
 1833 
 
 KM) 
 
 
 
 
 William Pcnn, 
 
 A 
 
 Beaver, 
 
 1833 
 
 88 
 
 
 
 
 Warren, 
 
 A 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1833 
 
 300 
 
 
 
 
 Workey, 
 
 A 
 
 do. 
 
 l — : * J 
 
 llf 
 
 
 Changed to Friend. 
 
 
 Washington, 
 
 
 Bridgeport, 
 
 1834 
 
 145 
 
 
 
 
 Wacousta, 
 
 
 Steubenville, 
 
 1KW 
 
 107 
 
 
 
 
 Woodsman, 
 
 
 Pittsburgh, 
 
 i«:« 98 
 
 
 
 
 Wave, 
 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 18351 Ml 
 
 
 
 Comparative view of the number of Steam Boats built at 
 
 different places. 
 
 Pittsburgh, - 
 Cincinnati, - 
 Louisville, 
 New Albany, 
 Brownsville, 
 Wheeling, 
 Marietta, 
 Steubenville, - 
 JetV'Tsonville, 
 Nashville, 
 Portsmouth, • 
 Cumberland River 
 Beaver, • 
 Ripley, - 
 Elizabethtown, 
 Bridgeport, - 
 New Orleans, 
 Silver Creek, 
 Shousetown, - 
 Portland, 
 Fredericksburg, 
 Big Bone, 
 Kentucky River, 
 Gallipot is, 
 Brush Creek, 
 
 173 Newport, 
 
 104 Frankfort, - 
 
 33 New Richmond, 
 
 32 St. Louis, 
 
 22 Grave Creek, 
 
 10 Big Sandy, - 
 
 18 Augusta, 
 
 12 Richmond, 
 
 10 Aurora, 
 
 8 Clarksville, - 
 
 7 Licking River, 
 
 7 Zanesville, • 
 
 7 Salt River, - 
 
 6 Southland, 
 
 6 Maysville, 
 
 6 Morgantown, 
 
 5 Rockville, 
 
 5 Lawrenceburgh, 
 
 4 Rifling Sun, - 
 
 4 Warren, 
 
 3 Economy, 
 
 3 Kenawa, 
 
 3 Williamsport, 
 3 
 2 
 
 2 
 2 
 2 
 
 T7ie proportions oftAe above to the several States in wAieA Steamboats are built 
 fortAe H'estcrn waters, are nearly as follows : 
 
 Ohio, - 
 
 Pennsylvania, 
 Kentucky, • 
 Indiana, 
 
 226 
 
 210 
 
 50 
 
 47 
 
 Virginia, 
 Tennessee, 
 Other places, 
 
 22 
 14 
 
 7 
 
 568
 
 264 TRADE AND COMMERCE. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Trade and Commerce. 
 
 After the view that we have given of the vast extent of 
 the western plain, the great magnitude and variety of its 
 resources, and the remarkable facilities for commercial 
 intercourse afforded by its numerous rivers, it may be al- 
 most superfluous to remark that its business operations are 
 valuable and widely ramified. Yet it is impossible to at- 
 tempt any thing beyond general observations on this inte- 
 resting subject, as the details would be too numerous to be 
 crowded into a single volume. From the number of steam 
 boats which we have shewn to be in the employ of the 
 mercantile community, some inference may be drawn, in 
 relation to the magnitude of the capital invested ; but any 
 calculation made from these data alone, would fall far short 
 of the truth, and would afford an inadequate idea of the 
 various resources of a country whose superficial limits are 
 estimated by thousands of miles, whose population is 
 counted by millions, and whose inhabitants are unsurpassed 
 in industry, enterprise, and intelligence. The changes 
 are so rapid as to mock any attempt to catch the features 
 of the landscape, or to follow up the gigantic strides of 
 moral and physical improvement. While this work has 
 been passing through the press fifty steam boats have 
 been launched into our waters, and already our list is de- 
 fective to that amount. 
 
 Eight years ago the ground on which Chicago stands 
 could have been purchased, for a sum which is now de- 
 manded for a front of six feet on one of the streets of that 
 town. 
 
 About the same time the author was offered a lot in 
 Alton, {ox Jive dollars, which is now probably worth two 
 thousand dollars.
 
 TRADE AND COMMERCE. 265 
 
 In 1830 a consignment of goods for " Beardstown. Illi- 
 nois," was Landed by mistake at Shauneetown, in the same 
 state, where they remained for some time, because it was 
 not known where Beardstown was. They had heard of 
 Beard's ferry, on the Illinois river, and knew itsexactpo- 
 sition, and were not a little surprised to hear that a town 
 had suddenly started into existence, between which and 
 St. Louis several steam boats were regularly plying, be 
 fore even its name was known to the people residing on 
 the shores of the Ohio. 
 
 The important cities of the west are Pittsburgh, Cirt 
 cinnati, Louisville, Nashville, Detroit, and St. Louis — yet 
 there are fifty other towns, in a prosperous condition, 
 which are considered as rivals of those we have named, 
 by their inhabitants, who would doubtless feel indignant, 
 at the exclusion of their names from the above list. But 
 it is not our object to draw comparisons ; and as we are 
 not writing a gazetteer, we cannot enumerate the various 
 commercial points of this region, nor speak of the advan- 
 tages of each. 
 
 The cities above mentioned are those of the first class, 
 but a large number of towns are rising rapidly into impor- 
 tance, and already enjoying a liberal share of the trade of 
 the west. We shall not enumerate these, as we could not 
 do justice to all, and would be unwilling to give offence 
 by omitting any which might be deserving of notice 
 
 Pittsburgh and Cincinnati are the most important man- 
 ufacturing towns. At these places chiefly, steam-boats 
 are built, and engines made for a variety of purposes. 
 Some idea of the vast amount of machinery manufactured 
 at those points, may be formed from the facts, that steam 
 mills for grinding wheat are now becoming scattered over 
 the whole west — that steam machinery is used very 
 generally in the preparation of cotton and sugar — and that 
 it is rapidly taking the place of water and horse power, 
 in various branches of manufacture. At these places are 
 
 X
 
 266 TRADE AND COMMERCE. 
 
 also made, almost all of the heavy articles, which are fa 
 bricated from iron. From their work shops the vast regions 
 which include a dozen states, are supplied with wagons, 
 carts , ploughs, harness, and all farming implements — with 
 chairs and cabinet work of every description — with tin 
 ware — with printing presses and types — with saddlery, 
 shoes, and hats — with a large amount of books — and with 
 a variety of other articles. 
 
 In the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri, 
 but little is manufactured, because the slaves, who are 
 the only laborers, do not possess the kind of ingenuity, 
 necessary to make them valuable mechanics. In Kentucky 
 there are manufactories of hempen bagging, tobacco, and 
 whiskey, and in Tennessee are valuable iron works. 
 Further south the industry of the several states is almost 
 entirely devoted to the production of Cotton and Sugar ; 
 and the vast supplies of manufactured articles needed for 
 a wealthy, energetic, and highly refined community, are 
 drawn from more northern latitudes. They import all their 
 machinery, their tools, their furniture, and a large portion 
 of all that they wear, or eat. Of these immense supplies 
 Pittsburgh and Cincinnati furnish the greater portion — but 
 not the whole. The country lying around the head of the 
 Ohio, of which Pittsburgh may be considered as the cen- 
 tre, and the commercial metropolis, possesses an incalcu- 
 lable amount of the facilities for manufacturing, such as 
 timber, coal, water power, and raw materials, while it oc- 
 cupies a commanding position at the head of navigation. 
 Brownsville, Williamsport, Elizabethtown, Economy, 
 Beaver, Steubenville, and a number of other towns, are 
 actively engaged in manufactures, and contribute to the 
 wealth of Pittsburgh. 
 
 As we descend the Ohio, the country becomes more 
 fertile, and its agricultural products abundant. Wheeling 
 like Pittsburgh, derives its business, partly from manufac- 
 tures, partly from transportation of merchandise from
 
 TRADK AND COMMERCE. 2(»7 
 
 east to west, and partly from commerce; but between 
 that plaee and Cincinnati, the towns, such as Marietta, 
 Portsmouth and Maysville, are more engaged in die ship- 
 ment of produce than in mechanical employments. 
 
 Louisville, Nashville, and St. Louis, have no manufac- 
 tures WOTthy of being mentioned in comparison with tic 
 of Pittsburgh and Cincinnati ; but this remark, is not 
 made invidiously, or as affording any ground for the infer- 
 ence, which casual observers have often drawn, that the 
 former cities possess less wealth or enterprise. It shews 
 simply that their industry is directed in different channels. 
 They are altogether commercial, and their wealth is em- 
 ployed in the interchange of the various commodity b 
 which enter into the traffic of this vast region — chiefly in 
 the importation of merchandise from New Orleans, and 
 the eastern cities, and the shipment of western produce 
 to the southern and Atlantic markets. 
 
 It is a question often discussed, and which we shall not 
 attempt to settle, which of these cities is preeminent in 
 wealth and business. The dispute is unprofitable, and it 
 is to be hoped that it may remain undecided ; for there is 
 no sober or practical view of the question, in which they 
 can be considered as rivals. Neither of them can by its 
 growth overshadow another, or drain its resources. Sep- 
 arated by wide tracts of country, and each the centre of 
 a vast circle, daily augmenting in population, we can 
 ecarcely imagine any series of events which can change 
 the relations of these cities to the whole country or to 
 each other. Rapidly as they are advancing, their growth 
 bears no proportion to that which must take place in the 
 regions around them, of which they are respectively the 
 marts ; and smaller places of business are becoming es- 
 tablished, to supply the wants of the country. — but still 
 tributary to the larger cities, which form the arterial 
 channels of our commerce, and whose prosperity is equal- 
 ly essential to the whole country, and to each other.
 
 268 TRADE AND COMMERCE. 
 
 In selecting a few facts in relation to the business of Cin - 
 cinnati, for the purpose of illustrating the general subject 
 before us, it is not intended to give prominence to this ci- 
 ty in preference to the others. We collect our facts here 
 because this is the place of our residence, and the data 
 are more readily obtained, than similar details respecting 
 distant places ; nor can we discharge this part of our task 
 better than by extracting the following remarks from an 
 interesting article written by Benjamin Drake Esquire of 
 this city, and published in the Western Monthly Magazine. 
 " Cincinnati is built upon an elevated and beautiful 
 plane, on the north bank of the Ohio river, in latitude 39° 
 6' 30". From the junction of the Alleghany and Mononga- 
 hela rivers, following the meanders of the Ohio, it is dis- 
 tant 455 miles, and from the union of the Ohio and Mis- 
 sissippi, 504 miles. Over land it is distant from 
 Columbus, the capital of the state, 110 miles: from 
 Sandusky City, 200 miles ; from Indianapolis, 120 miles ; 
 from Fran 1 , fort, 85 miles; from Nashville, 270 miles ; from 
 Natchez, 680 miles ; from New-Orleans, 860 miles ; from 
 St. Louis, 350 miles ; from Louisville, 105 miles ; from 
 Baltimore, 518 miles ; from Philadelphia, 617 miles ; from 
 Washington City, 500 miles; from New-York, by theway 
 of Lake Erie, 900 miles ; and from Charleston, 600 miles. 
 The valley in which Cincinnati, Newport and Covington 
 are built, is about 12 miles in circumference. The Ohio 
 river enters this valley on the east, and passes out on the 
 west side. The southern half of it is bisected by Lick- 
 ing river, which disembogues itself into the Ohio oppo- 
 site Cincinnati, separating the towns of Newport and 
 Covington. The upper plane on which Cincinnati is 
 built, is 540 feet above tide water at Albany, and 25 feet 
 below the level of Lake Erie. Low water mark in the Ohio, 
 at this point, is 432 feet above tide water at Albany, and 133 
 feet below Lake Erie. The shores of the Ohio at this point, 
 :.irord good landing for boats at all seasons of the year,
 
 TRADE AND COMMERCE. 20'.' 
 
 u In 1826 the manufacturing industry of Cincinnati, 
 alone, amounted, according to an accurate atatistical ex- 
 amination, to 1,800,000 dollars, in I population of 16,230 
 persons. At that time there were not more than fifteen 
 6team engines employed in manufactures in the city. 
 There are now upwards of 50 in successful operation, 
 besides four or five in Newport and Covington. More 
 than 100 steam engines, about 240 cotton gins, upwards 
 of 20 sugar mills, and 22 steam-boats — many of them of 
 the largest size — have been built or manufactured in Cin- 
 cinnati, during the year 1835. If then, in the year 1826, 
 with a population of but 16,230, the manufacturing in- 
 dustry of Cincinnati was 1,800,000 dollars, it is perfectly 
 safe, with the facts before us, to place the productive in- 
 dustry for the year 1835, of Cincinnati, Newport, and 
 Covington, with their population of 35,000 souls at 
 5,000,000 of dollars. The truth is that Cincinnati and 
 her sister towns, are mainly indebted to their manufactures 
 for the steady and onward prosperity which marks their 
 career. Fortunately they have but few, if any, overgrown 
 manufacturing establishments, but a large number of small 
 ones, confided to individual enterprise and personal super- 
 intendence. These are distributed among all classes of 
 the population, and produce a great variety of articl. - 
 which minister to the wants, the comforts and luxuries, of 
 the people in almost every part of the Mississippi valley. 
 In truth, with the exception of Pittsburgh, there is no 
 city in the West or South, that, in its manufactures and 
 manufacturing capabilities, bears any approach to Cincin- 
 nati and her associate towns. 
 
 " The region inseparably connected with, and depen- 
 dent upon Cincinnati, Newport and Covington, as their 
 great commercial and manufacturing mart, embraces the 
 country bordering on the two Miami rivers, the eastern 
 portion of Indiana, and the adjoining parts of Kentucky, 
 including the valley of Licking river. It may be estima- 
 
 x 2
 
 270 TRADE AND COMMERCE. 
 
 ted to contain 10,000,000 acres of land, having within 
 itself the capabilities of sustaining 4,000,000 of inhabi- 
 tants. This rich and salubrious region is traversed by 
 the Ohio, Licking, and Great and Little Miami rivers, all 
 of them navigable to some extent, and the two last emi- 
 nently adapted to manufacturing purposes. It is a region 
 which produces abundantly wheat, corn, barley, hops, oats, 
 hemp, tobacco, horses, mules, sheep, cattle and hogs, to 
 say nothing of the various mineral products, which lie 
 beneath the soil, and the fine timber which rests upon it. 
 
 "The progressive increase of population in Cincinnati 
 will appear from the following table. In 1810, there 
 were 2,320 inhabitants — in 1813, there were 4,000 — in 
 1819, there were 10,000 — in 1824, there were 12.016, 
 — in 1826, there were 16,230 — at the present time, it may 
 be safely placed at 31,000. If to this be added the pop- 
 ulation of Newport and Covington, the aggregate popula- 
 tion will equal 35,000. 
 
 " For the want of the proper commercial regulations, 
 the exports and imports from this point, annually, cannot 
 be given with entire accuracy. At the close of the year 
 1826, the writer of this article, by a laborious examina- 
 tion, ascertained that the exports of that year were 
 about 1,000,000 of dollars in value. A similar enquiry 
 induced him to place the exports of 1832 at 4,000,000. 
 For the year 1835, he feels no hesitation in placing them 
 at 6,000,000, or upwards. This estimate is based upon 
 the following facts and considerations. 
 
 " The general growth and prosperity of the city and 
 surrounding country for the last few years ; the increasing 
 amount of tolls on the Miami canal ; the enlarged num- 
 ber and variety of manufacturing establishments in Cin- 
 cinnati, Newport and Covington, within the last four 
 years; the arrival in Cincinnati during the greater part of 
 the year 1835 of fifty stages and sixty mails per week ; 
 the steam-boat arrivals at our quay, for the last year, be-
 
 TRADE AM) COM M i.IU.E. 271 
 
 ing 2,237 ; the receipt during the same period in this ci- 
 ty of 90,000 barrel! of Hour, and 55,000 barrels of 
 Whiskey ; and finally from the fact that, in the winter of 
 1832-3, there were 85,000 hogfl slaughtered in Cincin- 
 nati — in 1833-4, something rising 123,000 — while in 
 1834-5, (the whole of which, with those brought to this 
 place in wagons and by the canal, went into the export* 
 of the past year,) the number was 102,000. If from 
 these we turn to the manufactures for the same period, 
 embracing- 22 steam-boats, 100 steam engines, 20 sugar 
 mills, 240 cotton gins, besides the varied products of our 
 countless factories in iron, wood, cotton, leather, hemp, 
 oil, lumber, furs, &c. &c, it is perfectly obvious that the 
 exports from Cincinnati, Newport and Covington, for the 
 year 1835 have been above, rather than below, 0,000,000 
 of dollars. 
 
 " It is to be borne in mind, that Cincinnati, Newport 
 and Covington have attained their present population, 
 commerce and manufactures, without the aid of any work 
 of internal improvement, but that of the Miami canal, and 
 two Macadam turnpikes, one running sixteen miles to- 
 wards Columbus, and the other twelve miles towards 
 Lebanon. Let us now see what improvements of this 
 kind are projected or actually in progress, the completion 
 of which will directly and powerfully aid in their growth. 
 1. The extension of the Miami canal from Dayton to the 
 Maumee Bay, a part of which will be completed early in 
 the ensuing summer. 2. A Macadam turnpike from 
 Chillicothe to Cincinnati, a part of which is under con- 
 tract. 3. The continuation of the Cincinnati, Columbus, 
 andWooster, and the Cincinnati, Lebanon and Springfield 
 turnpikes, portions of which have alreadv been construc- 
 ted. 4. The Cincinnati ami Harrison turnpike, leading 
 to the boundary line between Ohio and Indiana, a distance 
 of twenty miles, which will be completed early in the 
 present year, and hereafter continued to Brook ville, Indiana.
 
 272 TRADE AND COMMERCE. 
 
 5. A Macadam turnpike from Covington to Georgetown 
 and Lexington, which is now constructing. 6. A canal, 
 the construction of which is already authorized, from the 
 sources of White Water, to Lawrenceburg, crossing the 
 line between Ohio and Indiana into the county of Ham- 
 ilton, and thence branching to this city. 7. The rail- 
 road now making from Lawrenceburg, twenty miles west 
 of Cincinnati, to Indianapolis, and the rail-road already 
 authorised, to connect Lawrenceburg with this city. 8. 
 The extension of the Cumberland road through Ohio and 
 Indiana, crossing the Miami canal, and the routes of sev- 
 eral of the turnpikes already enumerated, as they diverge 
 to the north, from this city. 9. The rail-road running 
 from this place up the valley of the Little Miami, and 
 branching at Todd's fork, one track passing on to Xenia, 
 and connecting with the Mad-river and Sandusky rail-road, 
 (now constructing) at Springfield, and the other stretching 
 north-eastwardly to Columbus, and thence to Lake Erie, 
 at Cleveland. And finally, the great rail-road between 
 this city and Charleston, the most magnificent and im- 
 portant public work that has yet been projected in our 
 country. This road stretching through the states of 
 Kentucky, Tennessee, and South Carolina, with branch- 
 es passing off into Georgia and North Carolina in the 
 south, and in the north sending a branch to Louisville, and 
 another to Maysville, with the main track connecting at 
 this point with the rail-roads running from Cincinnati to 
 Indianapolis, and from Cincinnati to Sandusky and Cleve- 
 land on the lake, and also with the Miami canal, must of 
 itself exert a degree of influence upon the future destiny of 
 Cincinnati, Newport and Covington, that it is difficult to 
 appreciate. 
 
 " These are works of internal improvement that are al- 
 ready begun or projected. They are all practicable — 
 they will all be executed in less than six years from this 
 time. The most difficult, expensive, and at first view
 
 I 
 TRADE ANDCOMMIIKE. 273 
 
 unlikely to be accomplished, is thai from the valley of 
 the Ohio to the southern seaboard, yet we find that in less 
 than five months from the time when public attention was 
 first called to it. in this city, the states of South and North 
 Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio, are 
 alive to its speedy execution. And who can doubt that 
 the people of these powerful* enlightened and prosperous 
 states, v ill accomplish within a few years s work, which 
 will bestow upon them in all coming time, so rich a har- 
 vest of social, political, and pecuniary blessings ? 
 
 "Fully to comprelu nd the influence which these vari- 
 ous works will exert upon Cincinnati, Newport, and 
 Covington, it should be borne in mind that these places 
 are near the centre of the largest and most fertile grain- 
 growing region in the world; that these woiks of inter- 
 nal improvement, will traverse this district in a manner 
 calculated to concentrate at this point, an immense amount 
 of business; that in connection with this grain-growing 
 region are exhaustless beds of iron, salt, coal, and other 
 valuable minerals ; that the climate is salubrious, and the 
 temperament of the people active, ingenious and enter- 
 prising. The careful examination of these things cannot 
 fail to convince the most skeptical that Cincinnati, New- 
 port, and Covington, will enjoy continued and rapid ad- 
 vancement in wealth and population. 
 
 "Thus far the physical causes that are supposed to be 
 operative in building up this city, have been principally 
 considered. There are others that should not be over- 
 looked. By recurring to the habits, taste, and moral and 
 intellectual culture of the population of Cincinnati — the 
 number of their literary, scientific, and benevolent insti- 
 tutions — their industry and enterprise — their quiet and 
 orderly observance of the laws and municipal regulations, 
 it will be found that these important elements in the pro- 
 gress and permanent prosperity of a city, are strong, 
 varied, and in active operation.
 
 274 TRADE AND COMMERCE. 
 
 "We cannot close this article without commending the 
 taste and architectural skill, that have been put in requisi- 
 tion, in the construction of both our public and private 
 buildings, within the last few years. Among the one 
 hundred and fifty houses erected in Cincinnati, during the 
 year 1835, there are many which would, in these partic- 
 ulars, do credit to any city in the Union. This is more 
 particularly true of a number of warehouses — of St. Paul's 
 church — of the two banking houses on Third street — 
 and the ten or twelve edifices for the use of the common 
 schools, all of which are large, commodious and elegant, 
 and contribute in a high degree to the adornment of our 
 beautiful city. 
 
 " Finally, it may be said, that Cincinnati yields to no 
 city in the Union in the inducements which she presents 
 to a residence within the noble amphitheatre of hills that 
 Burrounds her. This is true in regard to the intelligence, 
 and refinement of society, the necessaries, comforts, and 
 luxuries of life ; the moral and religious character of her 
 population : it is true in regard to the field which she 
 presents for industry and enterprise in commerce and 
 manufactures ; it is true in regard to the opportunities she 
 presents to the capitalist, for safe and profitable invest- 
 ments in real estate. On these points investigation is 
 challenged, especially the latter ; for it is confidently as- 
 serted that real estate, at the present time, is lower in 
 value, in Cincinnati, Newport, and Covington, than any 
 •city of the Union, whose population, business, and per- 
 manent local advantages, are of corresponding magnitude. 
 This single fact proves, incontestibly, that in the present 
 prosperity of these places, there is nothing factitious, but 
 that it is the natural result of those numerous indestructi- 
 ble moral and physical causes, which, before the year 1850, 
 will give to Cincinnati and her associate towns, 100,000 
 active, educated and enterprising citizens." 
 
 We shall now place before the reader some very inter-
 
 TRADE AND COMMERCE. J 7fi 
 
 I sting tabular statements, which here been carefully com- 
 piled, and may be relied upon r\s accurate, ;md which shew, 
 not only the amount and rariety of articles shipped from 
 
 the western states to New Orleans, but the gradual in- 
 crease from year to year. 
 
 These tables afford a most remarkable exhibition of 
 the industry of this region, and when we recollect that 
 we are contemplating the commerce of a country the 
 whole of which was a wilderness forty years ago, and 
 the greater part of which has not been settled by white 
 inhabitants half that period, the mind is lost in wonder. 
 ^ el they shew but a portion of our wealth. Vast quan- 
 tities of the produce of our soil arc carried from the 
 shores of the northern lakes to New York — another por- 
 tion finds its way to Philadelphia by the Pennsylvania 
 canal — while immense numbers of horses and cattle are 
 driven across the mountains by the various roads, leading 
 to Philadelphia, Baltimore, Richmond, and other Atlan- 
 tic cities. We have before us the statement of a gen- 
 tleman, residing in Kentucky on the road leading towards 
 South Carolina — a route comparatively unknown to the 
 great mass of the American people — and never enumer- 
 ated among the channels of trade — shewing the quantity 
 of live stock that passed his door, for the southern market 
 in the year 1835. In that year there passed from Ken- 
 tucky, by this one road, by the house of Mr. James 
 Renfro, the following number of animals : 
 
 Horses - - - - 4,716? , , . , a„„„ «„~ 
 
 Mules - j 951 jprob. val. in market $533,360 
 
 Stalled beef- - - 2,485 do do do 104,370 
 
 Shoats - - - - 2,887 do do do 1-.000 
 
 Sheep - - - - 1,3-20 do do do 5,280 
 
 Hogs 69,187 do do do 1,037,802 
 
 $1,698,812
 
 276 
 
 TRADE AND COMMERCE. 
 
 
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 280 
 
 TRADE AND COMMERCE. 
 
 EXPORTS OF COTTON 
 
 From the New Orleans market, for the last nine years, commencing 
 1st of October, and ending 30th September. 
 
 
 
 BALES OF COTTON 
 
 •■ 
 
 
 
 • 
 CO 
 
 CO 
 
 • 
 1-H 
 
 • 
 
 O 
 
 OS 
 
 GO* 
 
 • 
 
 CD 
 
 ift 
 
 WHITHER 
 
 CO 
 
 CO 
 
 CO 
 
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 CO 
 
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 CO 
 
 CO 
 
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 1 
 
 co 
 
 
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 oa 
 
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 i> 
 
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 EXPORTED. 
 
 CO 
 QO 
 
 CO 
 QO 
 
 CO 
 QO 
 
 co 
 
 GO 
 
 CO 
 
 QO 
 
 CO 
 
 00 
 
 1 
 182 
 
 QO 
 
 CO 
 
 00 
 
 Liverpool, 
 
 216559 
 
 193367 
 
 204132 
 
 179536 
 
 119036 
 
 134070 
 
 179526 
 
 1078J6 
 
 92301 
 
 London, . . 
 
 336 
 
 
 66 
 
 
 1550 
 
 70 
 
 
 
 25 
 
 Glasgow, &c. 
 
 8096 
 
 622~ 
 
 14821 
 
 16413 
 
 8485 
 
 4920 
 
 12743 
 
 3162 
 
 6814 
 
 Cowes, &c. . 
 
 676 
 
 3771 
 
 802 
 
 60 
 
 
 1083 
 
 1270 
 
 1929 
 
 
 Cork, . . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3137 
 
 1492 
 
 Belfast, . . . 
 
 
 
 3553 
 
 883 
 
 1443 
 
 1637 
 
 
 874 
 
 1272 
 
 Havre, . . . 
 
 73030 
 
 63462 
 
 474-16 
 
 76022 
 
 61968 
 
 5*919 
 
 52174 
 
 58561 
 
 30609 
 
 Bordeaux, 
 
 1541 
 
 1826 
 
 J 045 
 
 2978 
 
 1992 
 
 1994 
 
 2680 
 
 1734 
 
 1599 
 
 Marseilles, 
 
 5119 
 
 10030 
 
 7895 
 
 - 9896 
 
 11661 
 
 4833 
 
 3131 
 
 1998 
 
 242 
 
 Nantz, . . . 
 
 2612 
 
 2820 
 
 *4104 
 
 2668 
 
 1809 
 
 1679 
 
 1742 
 
 1467 
 
 384 
 
 St.Valery. . 
 
 
 
 53 
 
 707 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Oette &. Rouen, 
 
 
 
 370 
 
 1175 
 
 940 
 
 
 374 
 
 
 
 Amsterdam, . 
 
 50 
 
 392 
 
 226 
 
 899 
 
 1563 
 
 661 
 
 898 
 
 977 
 
 
 Rotterdam, &c. 
 
 
 70 
 
 
 34 
 
 38 
 
 729 
 
 
 516 
 
 
 Flushing, . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 1039 
 
 
 
 
 
 Bremen, . . 
 
 926 
 
 1026 
 
 401 
 
 323 
 
 831 
 
 1525 
 
 1900 
 
 773 
 
 
 Antwerp, &c. 
 
 
 370 
 
 
 2358 
 
 5101 
 
 1379 
 
 4683 
 
 1865 
 
 
 Hamburg, . . 
 
 1176 
 
 1870 
 
 2049 
 
 499 
 
 4180 
 
 3806 
 
 1651 
 
 335 
 
 723 
 
 Gottenberg, . 
 
 1186 
 
 695 
 
 235 
 
 100 
 
 201 
 
 1J5 
 
 147 
 
 34 
 
 50 
 
 Gibraltar. &.c. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 131 
 
 
 Spain, . . . 
 
 1615 
 
 4562 
 
 602 
 
 85 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 West Indies, . 
 
 to 
 
 
 4 
 
 Q 
 
 70 
 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 
 Genoa, &.c. 
 
 
 1190 
 
 1794 
 
 1136 
 
 5095 
 
 1379 
 
 
 
 
 Other ports, . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 New York, . 
 
 31497 
 
 24955 
 
 55737 
 
 30915 
 
 50009 
 
 38486 
 
 37207 
 
 36839 
 
 51810 
 
 Boston, . . 
 
 28868 
 
 25078 
 
 36327 
 
 13686 
 
 12333 
 
 200C6 
 
 9815 
 
 11903 
 
 7439 
 
 Providence, . 
 
 13651 
 
 46 1 
 
 20709 
 
 45' 
 
 3570 
 
 13709 
 
 69.2 
 
 8832 
 
 4804 
 
 Philadelphia, . 
 
 72. 9 
 
 4007 
 
 1061)7 
 
 4277 
 
 3449 
 
 9921 
 
 9265 
 
 5172 
 
 3260 
 
 Baltimore, 
 
 4743 
 
 16 14 
 
 5750 
 
 15ti0 
 
 1164 
 
 2744 
 
 3155 
 
 3053 
 
 1733 
 
 Portsmouth, . 
 
 4760 
 
 334 
 
 5593 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Coastwise, 
 
 3465 
 
 520 
 356406 
 
 363 
 
 1128 
 
 492 
 
 1381 
 
 389 
 
 310 
 
 
 TOT AT, - 
 
 107220 
 
 42-1681 
 
 351890 
 
 26' 949 
 
 30R'8 
 
 329682 
 
 25 ' 92 J 
 
 204557 
 
 RECAPITULATION. 
 
 G. Britain, . 
 
 225667 I 
 
 203365 
 
 223374 
 
 196892 
 
 130514 
 
 142546 
 
 19 5 9 
 
 116918 
 
 101904 
 
 France, . . 
 
 82302 
 
 78138 
 
 60913 
 
 93446 
 
 78370 
 
 6S-.2i 
 
 60 0' 
 
 63760 
 
 £2834 
 
 N. of Europe. 
 
 3338 
 
 4423 
 
 2911 
 
 42 1 3 
 
 1295 
 
 8215 
 
 9279 
 
 4500 
 
 773 
 
 S. of Edrope, 
 
 1690 
 
 5752 
 
 2 00 
 
 122 
 
 5»95 
 
 i: 79 
 
 
 137 
 
 
 Coastwise, . 
 
 94223 
 
 6472^ 
 
 135086 
 
 56116 
 
 4101" 
 
 86283 
 
 6676' 
 
 66609 
 
 69046 
 
 TOT \T,- 
 
 W7226 
 
 35640') 
 
 42-1684 
 
 35189.. 
 
 26*9 9 
 
 •■048- 8 
 
 329682 
 
 25192-i 
 
 204557
 
 TRADE AND COMMERCE. 
 
 281 
 
 EXPORTS OF TOBACCO 
 
 From New Orleans, for the last nine years, commencing 1st of 
 October, and ending 30th September. 
 
 
 
 H H D S 
 
 . OF TOBACCO 
 
 • 
 
 
 
 • 
 00 
 
 co 
 
 • 
 
 • 
 
 O 
 
 Oi 
 
 00 
 
 J> 
 
 eo 
 
 VT5 
 
 WHITHER 
 
 CO 
 
 CO 
 
 CO 
 
 CO 
 
 CO 
 
 CO 
 
 CO 
 
 CO 
 
 CO 
 
 
 CO 
 
 _ 
 
 o 
 
 OS 
 
 QO 
 
 i> 
 
 «o 
 
 m 
 
 Tf 
 
 EXPORTED. 
 
 1 
 
 183 
 
 CO 
 00 
 
 CO 
 00 
 
 CO 
 
 00 
 
 CO 
 00 
 
 CO 
 
 00 
 
 CO 
 00 
 
 CO 
 QO 
 
 CO 
 QO 
 
 Liverpool, 
 
 1189 
 
 1490 
 
 2C31 
 
 819 
 
 801 
 
 1322 
 
 11G0 
 
 1589 
 
 1567 
 
 London, . . 
 
 1422 
 
 346 
 
 637 
 
 
 1082 
 
 1222 
 
 
 
 411 
 
 Glasgow, &c. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Cowes, &c. . 
 
 2264 
 
 6612 
 
 2863 
 
 973 
 
 2684 
 
 2856 
 
 1666 
 
 300 
 
 652 
 
 Cork, . . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 342 
 
 Belfast, . . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 36 
 
 Havre, . . . 
 
 20 
 
 506 
 
 58 
 
 325 
 
 130 
 
 ir6 
 
 549 
 
 
 
 Bordeaux, 
 
 10 
 
 70 
 
 200 
 
 119 
 
 100 
 
 2i6 
 
 203 
 
 
 16 
 
 Marseilles, 
 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 
 60 
 
 Nantz, . . . 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 St.Valery. . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Cette & Rouen, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Amsterdam, . 
 
 187 
 
 889 
 
 699 
 
 1029 
 
 1720 
 
 1276 
 
 1225 
 
 901 
 
 
 Rotterdam, &c. 
 
 
 426 
 
 289 
 
 681 
 
 324 
 
 
 
 
 
 Flushing, . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Bremen, . . 
 
 2129 
 
 3265 
 
 2364 
 
 3024 
 
 1186 
 
 3458 
 
 2271 
 
 1421 
 
 137 
 
 Antwerp, &c. 
 
 492 
 
 389 
 
 
 6 
 
 
 256 
 
 
 
 
 Hamburg, . . 
 
 6:6 
 
 1431 
 
 1238 
 
 95 
 
 95 
 
 978 
 
 353 
 
 80 
 
 487 
 
 Gottenberg, . 
 
 876 
 
 757 
 
 225 
 
 326 
 
 407 
 
 558 
 
 334 
 
 259 
 
 478 
 
 Gibraltar, &c. 
 
 134 
 
 
 
 300 
 
 145 
 
 3498 
 
 2327 
 
 1963 
 
 2166 
 
 Spain, . . . 
 
 189 
 
 920 
 
 1834 
 
 5297 
 
 791.2 
 
 
 
 
 201 
 
 West Indies, . 
 
 82 
 
 375 
 
 417 
 
 1047 
 
 98 
 
 746 
 
 436 
 
 636 
 
 193 
 
 Genoa, &.c. 
 
 19 
 
 101 
 
 
 
 143 
 
 50 
 
 
 
 
 Other ports, . 
 
 
 5 
 
 273 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 New York, . 
 
 6816 
 
 7863 
 
 1P099 
 
 7185 
 
 5197 
 
 9045 
 
 9?22 
 
 5043 
 
 6620 
 
 Boston, . . 
 
 3037 
 
 2602 
 
 3970 
 
 3219 
 
 713 
 
 6211 
 
 2742 
 
 3175 
 
 1366 
 
 Providence, . 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 35 
 
 251 
 
 71 
 
 384 
 
 Philadelphia, . 
 
 1518 
 
 2968 
 
 2193 
 
 2764 
 
 1433 
 
 2135 
 
 2370 
 
 1921 
 
 1287 
 
 Baltimore, 
 
 217 
 
 418 
 
 862 
 
 520 
 
 475 
 
 749 
 
 857 
 
 700 
 
 185 
 
 Portsmouth, . 
 
 
 
 42 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Coastwise, 
 
 2459 
 
 1540 
 ' 32974 
 
 1054 
 
 292 
 
 856 
 
 334 
 
 480 
 
 421 
 
 231 
 
 TOTAL— 
 
 23701 
 
 34968 
 
 2t028 
 
 25491 
 
 35111 
 
 26570 
 
 18480 
 
 16849 
 
 RECAPITULATION. 
 
 G. Britain, . 
 
 4875 
 
 8448 
 
 6131 
 
 1792 
 
 4567 
 
 5400 
 
 28r2 
 
 1889 
 
 3008 
 
 France, . . 
 
 35 
 
 5"6 
 
 258 
 
 451 
 
 2.0 
 
 :82 
 
 770 
 
 
 76 
 
 N. OK Ecropk, 
 
 4320 
 
 7157 
 
 4815 
 
 5161 
 
 3732 
 
 6526 
 
 4181' 
 
 2661 
 
 1102 
 
 S. OF EUROPE, 
 
 424 
 
 1401 
 
 3524 
 
 Ciii4 1 
 
 8288 
 
 4294 
 
 276: 
 
 2599 
 
 2590 
 
 Coastwise, . 
 
 14047 
 
 1592 
 
 212^0 
 
 i:98u 
 
 867 4 
 
 18509 
 
 6022 
 
 11331 
 
 10073 
 
 TOTAL— 
 
 23701 
 
 32974 
 
 34968 
 
 28028 
 
 2549 1 
 
 35111 
 
 265" 
 
 18480 
 
 16849 
 
 Y 2
 
 282 
 
 TRAPE AND COMMERCE. 
 
 
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 284 
 
 TRADE AND COMMERCE. 
 
 Arrivals, Exports and Stocks of Cotton and Tobacco, in the Port 
 of New Orleans, for the last nine years — -from 1st of October, 
 to 30th September. 
 
 
 COTTON. 
 
 
 TOBACCO. 
 
 
 Years. 
 
 Arrivals. 
 
 Exports. 
 
 Stocks. 
 
 Arrivals. 
 
 Exports. 
 
 Stocks. 
 
 
 Bales. 
 
 Bales. 
 
 Bales. 
 
 Hhds. 
 
 Hhds. 
 
 Hhds. 
 
 1832-33 
 
 410 04 
 
 407220 
 
 9457 
 
 22074 
 
 23701 
 
 1430 
 
 1831-32 
 
 3497.'7 
 
 356406 
 
 7088 
 
 30015 
 
 32974 
 
 3257 
 
 1830-31 
 
 428876 
 
 424684 
 
 13697 
 
 32708 
 
 34968 
 
 6416 
 
 1823-30 
 
 363641 
 
 35! 890 
 
 9505 
 
 33781 
 
 2^028 
 
 9492 
 
 1828-29 
 
 269571 
 
 267949 
 
 5557 
 
 21432 
 
 25491 
 
 4239 
 
 1827-28 
 
 298042 
 
 304848 
 
 4365 
 
 30224 
 
 35111 
 
 648 
 
 1826-27 
 
 337934 
 
 329682 
 
 11171 
 
 31704 
 
 26570 
 
 6442 
 
 1825-26 
 
 251983 
 
 251924 
 
 3030 
 
 19385 
 
 18480 
 
 1862 
 
 1824-25 
 
 206793 
 
 204557 
 
 3737 
 
 18409 
 
 16849 
 
 1332 
 
 Monthly arrivals of Flour, in the Port of New Orleans, from 1st 
 October to 30th September, 1832—33, taken from the Books of 
 the Inspectors. 
 
 October, bbls. 7656 
 
 November " 32266 
 
 December, " 213T0 
 
 January, " 37954 
 
 February, " 23260 
 
 March " 24047 
 
 April, bbls. 26059 
 
 May, 
 June, . . 
 July, . . 
 August, 
 September, 
 
 23404 
 30928 
 9164 
 23893 
 12718
 
 LIST OF BANKS. 
 
 •>$* 
 
 LIST OF BANKS IN OHIO. 
 
 Names of Banks. 
 
 J I 'here 
 situated. 
 
 Capital i Capital 
 
 author* paid in 
 
 ized. Dec. 1837 
 
 Niamea of 
 
 Cashiers. 
 
 Lancaster Ohio 
 
 Bank, 
 Bk. of Marietta, 
 Western Re- 
 serve Bunk, 
 Belmont Bank of 
 St Clairsville, 
 Rk.of Masstllon, 
 Bank of Circle- 
 
 ville, 
 Bank of Muskin- 
 gum, 
 Commercial Bk. 
 
 of Scioto, 
 Clinton Bank of 
 
 Columbus, 
 Farmer's Bunk 
 
 of Canton, 
 Dayton Bank, 
 Bank of Geauga, 
 Franklin Bank 
 of Cincinnati, 
 Bank of Zanes- 
 
 ville, 
 Franklin Bank 
 of Columbus, 
 Ohio Life In- 
 surance and 
 Trust Co. 
 Bk. of Norwalk, 
 Columbiana Bk. 
 
 New Lisbon, 
 Granville Alex- 
 andrian Socie 
 tv Bank, 
 Bank of Cleve 
 
 land, 
 Bank of Xcnia, 
 Commercial Bk. 
 of Cincinnati, 
 
 I .ancaster, 
 Marietta, 
 
 Warren, 
 
 St. Clairsville 
 Massillon, 
 
 Circleville, 
 
 Putnam, 
 
 Portsmouth, 
 
 Columbus, 
 
 Canton, 
 Da) ton, 
 Painesville, 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 Zanesville, 
 
 Columbus, 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 N' or walk, 
 
 N'cw Lisbon, 
 
 Granville, 
 
 Cleveland, 
 Xenia, 
 
 Cincinn tti, 
 
 $500,000 
 500,000 
 
 500,000 
 
 321,363 M. Garaghty. 
 
 132,507 A. T. Nye. 
 
 198,662 Ralph Hickox. 
 
 500,000 240,370 
 200,000, 200,000 
 
 VVm. McNeely. 
 Barker Handy. 
 
 200,000 200,000|Hall Lawrence, 
 500,000; 150,000 A. G. Allen. 
 
 500,000i 275,195 
 
 300,000 
 100,000 
 
 1,000,000 
 500,000 
 500,000 
 
 2,000, )oe 
 
 300,000 
 500,000 
 
 300,000 
 
 100,000 
 172,882 
 152,061 
 
 1,000,000 
 
 266,673 
 
 481,560 
 
 II. Buchanan. 
 
 J. E. Jeffords. 
 
 Wtn. Fog-le, 
 Alex. Grimes, 
 George Mygatt. 
 
 \\ . Hooper. 
 
 C. C. Gilbert. 
 
 J. If. Espy. 
 
 2,000,000 
 165,719 
 
 60,000 
 
 630,000 156,728 
 
 J. N. Perkins. 
 John R. Finn. 
 
 B.W.Snodgrass. 
 
 A. J. Smith. 
 
 3J),000 230,575 11. Handy 
 100,000 
 
 1,030,000 1,000,000 
 
 E. P. Drake. 
 James Hull
 
 286 
 
 LIST OF BANKS. 
 
 
 
 Capital 
 
 Capital 
 
 
 Names of Banks. 
 
 Where 
 
 author- 
 
 paid in 
 
 Names of 
 
 
 situated 
 
 ized. 
 
 Dec.1837. 
 
 Cashiers. 
 
 Commercial Bk. 
 
 
 
 
 
 of Lake Erie, 
 
 Cleveland, 
 
 500,000 
 
 500,000 
 
 T. P. Handy. 
 
 Miami Export- 
 
 
 
 
 
 ing Company, 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 
 296,225 
 
 A. Moore. 
 
 Branch at Co- 
 
 
 
 
 
 neaut, 
 
 Coneaut, 
 
 
 
 Wm. More. 
 
 Bank of Mount 
 
 
 
 
 
 Pleasant, 
 
 M't Pleasant, 
 
 200,000 
 
 195,095 
 
 Enoch Harris. 
 
 Bk. of Sandusky, 
 
 Sandusky, 
 
 
 100,000 
 
 R. Whitney. 
 
 Farmers' & Me- 
 
 
 
 
 
 chanics' Bk. of 
 
 
 
 
 
 Steubenville, 
 
 Steubenville, 
 
 500,000 
 
 526,437 
 
 David Moody. 
 
 Bank of Chilli- 
 
 
 
 
 
 cothe, 
 
 Chillicoihe, 
 
 500,000 
 
 500,000 
 
 J. Woodbridge. 
 
 Urbana Banking- 
 
 
 
 
 
 Company, 
 
 Urbana, 
 
 200,000 
 
 180,302 
 
 W. Rianhard. 
 
 Bk. of Wooster, 
 
 Wooster, 
 
 
 198,761 
 
 J. S. Lake. 
 
 Bk. of Hamilton, 
 
 Hamilton, 
 
 300,000 
 
 100,000 
 
 C. K. Smith. 
 
 Lafayette Bank 
 
 
 
 
 
 of Cincinnati, 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 1,000,000 
 
 1,000,000 
 
 W.G.W.Gano 
 
 Bank of "West 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 Union, 
 
 AVest Union, 
 
 
 30,500 
 
 Alfred Barnes. 
 
 LIST OF BANKS IN KENTUCKY. 
 
 Names. 
 
 Bk. of Ker.'y. 
 Branch do. at 
 
 Ditto, 
 
 Ditto, 
 
 Ditto, 
 
 Ditto, 
 
 Ditto, 
 
 Ditto, 
 Northern Bk. 
 
 of Kt n'\ . 
 liranch do. at 
 
 Ditto, 
 
 Ditto, 
 
 Ditto, 
 Bk. ofLouis- 
 
 ville, 
 Louisville Sa 
 
 vings lnsti 
 
 Where 
 situated. 
 
 Louisville, 
 
 Frankfort, 
 
 Lexington, 
 
 Mavsville, 
 
 Danville, 
 
 Bowling-- Green,! 
 
 Greensburg, 
 
 Hopkinsville, 
 
 Lexington, 
 
 Louisville, 
 
 Covington, 
 
 Richmond, 
 
 Paris, 
 
 Louisville, 
 
 Do. 
 
 Capital. 
 5,000,000 
 
 3,000,000 
 
 1,150,000 
 
 Capital 
 paid in . 
 
 4,588,770 
 
 2,647,400 
 
 1,150,000 
 104.138 
 
 Names of 
 Cashiers. 
 
 G.C.Gwathmev. 
 E. H. Tavlor. ' 
 W. S. Waller. 
 Robert Tavlor, 
 Thos. Mitchell, 
 Richard Curd. 
 Wm. D.Barrett. 
 R. Rowland. 
 
 M. T. Scott. 
 W. Richardson. 
 P. S. Bush. 
 
 W.McClanahan. 
 Thomas Kelly. 
 
 A. Thruston.
 
 LIST OF BANKS. 
 
 237 
 
 STATE BANK OF INDIANA. 
 
 Chartered 1834— Expires 1859. 
 
 This hank is composed of a number of branches, whose united 
 capital forma that oi the bank. One half of the stock is owned 
 by the Btate. Bach branch haa its own stockholders, and is inde- 
 pendent of the Othen in die division of profits; but the State 
 Bank, and each branch thereof, are mutuatlj responsible for the 
 debts of each other. $160,000 ia assigned to each branch as its 
 capital, but if that amount canot be advantageously used at any 
 
 branch, a portion of the State stock may be transferred to another 
 brunch. 
 
 A president and four directors arc appointed by tin- State, and 
 one by each branch, and this board meets periodically at the 
 of government. There ia B cashier, who keeps an office at the 
 same place; but the State Bank, as such, has no ollice of dis- 
 count and deposite. 
 
 Each blanch has a separate directory; the central board being 
 composed of a representative from all the branches, and having 
 a supervisory power over the whole, it is not practicable for any 
 branch to extend its business beyond safe limits, without the. 
 knowledge of the others, which being interested in the risk, but 
 
 not in the profits of each other, have no inducement to assent to 
 
 such mismanagement. 
 
 LIST OF BANKS IX INDIANA. 
 
 Namt of Bank. 
 
 State Bk.of 
 
 Branch of d 
 
 Ditto, 
 Ditto, 
 Ditto, 
 Ditto, 
 Ditto, 
 
 Ditto, 
 
 Ditto, 
 D.tto, 
 Ditto, 
 
 I) tto, 
 
 Indiana, 
 itto, ut 
 
 Win re situated. 
 
 Indianapolis, 
 
 Do. 
 
 r.awrenceburgh, 
 Madison, 
 New Albany, 
 Bvansviile, 
 B I ford, 
 Vincennes, 
 La Fayette, 
 
 Tcirc Haute, 
 Fort W a\ lie, 
 
 r chmoni l. 
 
 ( 'ti])ilal Xu mr* of rash iers. 
 paid in. 
 
 ,000 
 
 2 15,000 
 
 ,000 
 
 . . 
 
 160,000 
 .000 
 
 1 . 
 
 ,1)00 
 
 158,812 
 
 16 ',000 
 
 Jam - If. I. 
 
 B. P. atoms. 
 B. D. John. 
 
 John String. 
 J. R, Shields. 
 
 John Douglass. 
 D. I{. Dumhue. 
 
 John H 
 James White. 
 
 A. B. Fontaine. 
 n IfcCullooh. 
 Elijah Coffin. 
 
 State Bank, $ 1,903,
 
 288 
 
 LIST OF BANKS. 
 
 STATE BANK OF ILLINOIS. 
 Capital $1,500,000. 
 
 Chartered February 12, 1835 — to continue to January 1, 1860. 
 May charge 6 per cent, discount on loans for 60 days and under, 
 and 8 per cent on loans for over 6 months and under 12 months. 
 May have a circulation of twice and a half the capital paid in. 
 Charter forfeited for not paying- specie within 10 days after de- 
 mand. 
 
 May borrow $1,000,000 additional, and loan the same on real 
 estate at one half its value, for a term not exceeding five years, 
 and at no higher rate of interest than 10 per cent, per annum. 
 
 
 
 
 Names of 
 
 Name of Bank. 
 
 Where situated. 
 
 Capital. 
 
 Cashiers. 
 
 State Bk. of Illinois, 
 
 Springfield, 
 
 1,500,000 
 
 N. H. Ridgeley. 
 
 Branch of ditto, at 
 
 Vandalia, 
 
 
 J. T. B. Stapp. 
 
 Ditto, 
 
 Jacksonville, 
 
 
 T. O. Duncan. 
 
 Ditto, 
 
 Mount Carmel, 
 
 
 W. T. Page. 
 
 Ditto, 
 
 Chicago, 
 
 
 Wm. H. Brown. 
 
 Ditto, 
 
 Galena, 
 
 
 — Bostwick. 
 
 Ditto, 
 
 Alton, 
 
 
 T. H. Lea. 
 
 Ditto, 
 
 Quincy, 
 
 
 J. G. Lamb. 
 
 Name of Bank. 
 
 Where situated. 
 
 Capital. 
 
 Names of 
 Cashiers. 
 
 Bank of Illinois, 
 Branch ditto, at 
 Ditto, 
 
 Shawneetown, 
 
 Alton, 
 Jacksonville, 
 
 1,700,000 
 
 John Siddall. 
 D. T. Wheeler. 
 
 MIAMI CANAL. 
 
 Mr. Latham, resident engineer en the Miami Canal, has kindly 
 furnished us with the following statement of facts. He has been 
 at some pains to make them accurate, and they contain valuable 
 information. 
 
 Statement of the amount of tolls collected on the Miami Canal, be- 
 tween Cincinnati and Dayton, from the commencement of naviga- 
 tion, on the 18/ h of March, 1828, to the 3\st of December, 1837— 
 a period of about ten years.- 
 
 1828, $ 8,507 69 
 
 1829, 20,947 22 
 
 1830, 30,125 77 
 
 1831, 34,016 71 
 
 1832, 40,974 73 
 
 1833, $52,014 03 
 
 1834, 50,963 11 
 
 1835, 46,561 75 
 
 1836, 52,048 15 
 
 1837, 66,154 72— Total, $402,214 58.
 
 MIAMI I WAT.. 
 
 Of this sum, there was collected at the different offices on the 
 canal, as Follows: 
 
 Cincinnati, 
 
 II mi lion, ... . ISi 07 
 
 M ddletown, 
 
 Dayton, ... 1 -,s 
 
 During- the above ten years the canal was closed by ice, as fol- 
 lows .- 
 
 1828, 13 days. 1833, 39 da] 
 
 IS . days. l :. ; .ins. 
 
 1830, 53 days. 1835, 12 days. 
 
 1831, 87 days. 18 
 
 1832, 10 d:. : 1837, 22 days. 
 
 Making an average in 10 years of 33 days for each year. 
 
 The shortest time the canal was closed in any one year, was 1' 
 days, the longest time, 87 days. 
 
 The total cost of the Miami Canal, exclusive of 
 the locks in Cincinnati, is $ 727,864 84 
 
 The total amount expended in repairs, for the 
 completion of the canal to the 1st Dec. 1837, is 162,499 60 
 
 The total expenditure for construction and re- 
 pairs, up to the- i-,t Dec. 1837, is, therefore, $890,364 44 
 
 And the amount received in tolls, up to the same 
 period, is - - - - - ; 0,214 58 
 
 From this statement we make the following inferences: 
 
 1st. The sum total of the receipts has paid about 5 per cent, 
 on the sum total of the cost, repairs, and expenses. This is th 
 rate of int. rest actually paid by the State; and hence, the canal 
 has now cost the state nothing by taxation. 
 
 2d. But next, the income last year was more thin 7 per cent., 
 and has been progressively on the increase during the whole 
 period in which it was navigable. II < nee, in future, it must pay 
 both interest and part of the capital. Consequently, in a very few 
 Mais (probably not more than ten) it will have paid for itself, 
 both interest and principal, and will be a large source of revenue 
 to the Slate. 
 
 Aa
 
 290 
 
 LIST OF STEAMBOATS. 
 
 A LIST OF STEAMBOATS 
 
 Navigating the Louisville and Portland Canal in 1837 — Showing 
 their respective Tonnage and Canal Toll. 
 
 Those boats marked thus (*) are principally new boats of 1836, 
 or boats that never passed through the canal previously; and those 
 marked (-}•) are boats of 1837. 
 
 S— Sunk. D— Defunct. B— Burnt. 
 
 JOHN HULME, Collector. 
 
 NAMES. 
 
 MEASUREMENT. 
 
 CANAL TOLL. 
 
 
 Tons. 
 
 95ths. 
 
 Dolls. 
 
 Cts. 
 
 Adriatic, 
 
 381 
 
 75 
 
 228 
 
 95 
 
 Abeona, S 
 
 151 
 
 
 90 
 
 60 
 
 Algonquin, 
 
 221 
 
 45 
 
 132 
 
 87 
 
 Andrew Jackson, S 
 
 98 
 
 45 
 
 59 
 
 07 
 
 Argus, D - 
 
 121 
 
 89 
 
 73 
 
 13 
 
 Arabian, 
 
 97 
 
 37 
 
 58 
 
 36 
 
 Artiste, 
 
 94 
 
 
 56 
 
 40 
 
 Alert, 
 
 103 
 
 43 
 
 62 
 
 05 
 
 Aid, D 
 
 83 
 
 57 
 
 50 
 
 14 
 
 Adventure, 
 
 49 
 
 05 
 
 29 
 
 43 
 
 Argo, 
 
 84 
 
 89 
 
 50 
 
 93 
 
 Arkansaw, S 
 
 115 
 
 
 69 
 
 
 Alice Maria, 
 
 72 
 
 48 
 
 43 
 
 48 
 
 American, 
 
 128 
 
 40 
 
 77 
 
 04 
 
 Anna Calhoun, 
 
 loo 
 
 57 
 
 80 
 
 14 
 
 Alpha, 
 
 51 
 
 25 
 
 30 
 
 75 
 
 Augusta,* 
 
 290 
 
 60 
 
 174 
 
 36 
 
 Atalanta,* 
 
 180 
 
 
 108 
 
 
 Ajax,* 
 
 120 
 
 27 
 
 72 
 
 16 
 
 Amity,* 
 
 25 
 
 79 
 
 15 
 
 47 
 
 Alabamian,* 
 
 165 
 
 
 99 
 
 
 Arthur M. Philiph,f 
 
 175 
 
 
 105 
 
 
 Avalanche, -j- 
 
 143 
 
 22 
 
 85 
 
 93 
 
 Albany,f 
 
 158 
 
 20 
 
 94 
 
 92 
 
 Astoria,f 
 
 148 
 
 20 
 
 88 
 
 92 
 
 Arab, 
 
 150 
 
 
 90 
 
 
 Amboy,-f- 
 
 120 
 
 
 72 
 
 
 Arkansas,-j- 
 
 185 
 
 89 
 
 111 
 
 50 
 
 Asia,-f- 
 
 326 
 
 30 
 
 195 
 
 75 
 
 Baltic, 
 
 407 
 
 83 
 
 244 
 
 69 
 
 Belfast, B 
 
 435 
 
 89 
 
 261 
 
 53 
 
 Boonslick, S - 
 
 295 
 
 51 
 
 177 . 
 
 30 
 
 Bunker-Hill, 
 
 301 
 
 11 
 
 180 
 
 66 
 
 Bonnets o' Blue, S 
 
 177 
 
 78 
 
 106 
 
 66 
 
 Boston, U - 
 
 148 
 
 14 
 
 88 
 
 88 
 
 Banner, D 
 
 84 
 
 20 
 
 50 
 
 52
 
 T 1- ! I \MII(| \ I 5. 
 
 
 n v N i:s. 
 
 Ml lAHl H 
 
 
 i \ • 
 
 rOLL. 
 
 
 / 
 
 i 'fix. 
 
 Dull*. 
 
 a 
 
 Bonita. 
 
 
 91 
 
 
 
 Bolivar, 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ben Franklin, 
 
 
 83 
 
 59 
 
 29 
 
 Big Black, 
 
 si 
 
 11- 
 
 48 
 
 68 
 
 B a SherrooV B 
 
 93 
 
 
 5 
 
 94 
 
 Boonvilli 
 
 111 
 
 60 
 
 68 
 
 76 
 
 Bee,* 
 
 
 55 
 
 
 33 
 
 B.l t, ,an,*S - 
 
 85 
 
 
 51 
 
 
 Brighton,? 
 
 
 58 
 
 56 
 
 14 
 
 Baltimore, 4 
 
 111 
 
 75 
 
 67 
 
 05 
 
 i Franklin,* 
 
 194 
 
 45 
 
 116 
 
 67 
 
 Brian Boroihme, 
 
 187 
 
 
 112 
 
 45 
 
 Buffalo,f 
 
 115 
 
 30 
 
 
 18 
 
 Bel] 
 
 
 45 
 
 120 
 
 87 
 
 Bridg"ewater,+ 
 
 160 
 
 
 96 
 
 
 Bonaparte,'!' 
 
 185 
 
 
 111 
 
 
 Burlington, "j" 
 
 )0 
 
 35 
 
 IQ 
 
 18 
 
 Black-Hawk, 
 
 
 55 
 
 95 
 
 73 
 
 I?viHiant,f 
 
 !35 
 
 
 141 
 
 
 Buckej 
 
 i: 
 
 
 
 
 Chancellor, 
 
 
 33 
 
 25 1 
 
 
 Ml inn, 
 
 
 
 157 
 
 30 
 
 Chief Justice Marshall, D 
 
 
 55 
 
 117 
 
 93 
 
 Champion, 1) 
 
 195 
 
 58 
 
 115 
 
 34 
 
 Caledonia,D 
 
 
 90 
 
 73 
 
 74 
 
 Companion, D 
 
 89 
 
 45 
 
 53 
 
 67 
 
 Cygnet, 
 
 66 
 
 90 
 
 
 14 
 
 ivar,D 
 
 84 
 
 20 
 
 50 
 
 52 
 
 Cumanche, 
 
 169 
 
 80 
 
 101 
 
 88 
 
 Citizen,D 
 
 97 
 
 25 
 
 58 
 
 35 
 
 Chian, 
 
 1 
 
 36 
 
 60 
 
 21 
 
 Coquette, 
 
 ) 
 
 36 
 
 54 
 
 21 
 
 Chickasaw, 
 
 11 
 
 05 
 
 89 
 
 43 
 
 - 
 
 
 34 
 
 35 
 
 
 < roline, 
 
 
 48 
 
 112 
 
 48 
 
 Canton, 
 
 
 SI 
 
 
 28 
 
 Chesapeake, D 
 
 
 77 
 
 
 86 
 
 Catahooch 
 
 99 
 
 12 
 
 
 47 
 
 Cumberland, B 
 
 
 38 
 
 89 
 
 62 
 
 Cloutierville,* 
 
 l - 
 
 46 
 
 96 
 
 
 Chariton,* 
 
 
 48 
 
 67 
 
 48 
 
 Cohimhus,* 
 
 10 
 
 
 204 
 
 
 Clinton,* 
 
 102 
 
 
 61 
 
 20 
 
 Concord,* 
 
 
 48 
 
 35 
 
 08 
 
 Cuba,* 
 
 
 
 49 
 
 20 
 
 Champion,* (N. Y.) 
 
 
 88 
 
 1 15 
 
 12 
 
 Clyde-/ 
 
 193 
 
 80 
 
 116 
 
 28 
 
 Claibourne,* 
 
 295 
 
 78 1 
 
 177 
 
 46
 
 2 >2 
 
 LIST OF STEAMBOATS. 
 
 IT AXES. 
 
 M V. \sf R KM KKT. 
 
 CAN AL 1 
 
 roLL. 
 
 
 Tolls. 
 
 95///.S. 
 
 Dolls. 
 
 Cts. 
 
 Crusader,* 
 
 97 
 
 85 
 
 58 
 
 71 
 
 Comet,* 
 
 128 
 
 65 
 
 77 
 
 19 
 
 Commerce,* 
 
 165 
 
 
 99 
 
 
 Cavalier, 
 
 110 
 
 
 66 
 
 
 Cahawba,* 
 
 99 
 
 45 
 
 59 
 
 67 
 
 Chamoise,* 
 
 125 
 
 40 
 
 75 
 
 24 
 
 Chas. L. Bass,* - 
 
 103 
 
 75 
 
 62 
 
 25 
 
 Camden,y 
 
 103 
 
 35 
 
 62 
 
 13 
 
 Convoy, 
 
 315 
 
 
 189 
 
 
 Casket,f 
 
 90 
 
 39 
 
 54 
 
 25 
 
 Ceylon, f B 
 
 257 
 
 71 
 
 154 
 
 62 
 
 Corinthian/)* 
 
 296 
 
 55 
 
 177 
 
 93 
 
 Columbus,* [Mobile,] 
 
 194 
 
 50 
 
 116 
 
 70 
 
 Cinderella,y 
 
 125 
 
 25 
 
 75 
 
 12 
 
 Columbian,* 
 
 114 
 
 50 
 
 68 
 
 70 
 
 Chilicothe,y 
 
 299 
 
 80 
 
 179 
 
 88 
 
 Commodore,y, 
 
 225 
 
 
 135 
 
 
 Conqueror, y 
 
 C5 n /-* 
 OOO 
 
 80 
 
 202 
 
 08 
 
 Diana, S - 
 
 103 
 
 25 
 
 61 
 
 95 
 
 Dove, D 
 
 97 
 
 72 
 
 58 
 
 63 
 
 Despatch, 
 
 105 
 
 15 
 
 63 
 
 09 
 
 Detroit, 
 
 136 
 
 70 
 
 82 
 
 00 
 
 Dover, 
 
 79 
 
 64 
 
 47 
 
 78 
 
 Dubuqe, 
 
 74 
 
 63 
 
 44 
 
 77 
 
 Denmark, 
 
 54 
 
 90 
 
 32 
 
 94 
 
 Dayton,* 
 
 111 
 
 34 
 
 66 
 
 80 
 
 De Kalb,* 
 
 125 
 
 60 
 
 75 
 
 36 
 
 D. Crockett,f 
 
 99 
 
 80 
 
 59 
 
 88 
 
 Dolphin, y 
 
 156 
 
 38 
 
 93 
 
 81 
 
 Ellen Douglass, - 
 
 270 - 
 
 
 162 
 
 00 
 
 Express, No. 1, D 
 
 105 
 
 81 
 
 63 
 
 48 
 
 Envoy, D - 
 
 91 
 
 81 
 
 55 
 
 08 
 
 Emigrant, 
 
 88 
 
 40 
 
 53 
 
 04 
 
 Echo,* 
 
 158 
 
 
 94 
 
 80 
 
 Exchange. ' 
 
 67 
 
 83 
 
 40 
 
 69 
 
 Emblei: . 
 
 120 
 
 70 
 
 72 
 
 42 
 
 Emerald,* 
 
 123 
 
 56 
 
 
 13 
 
 Erin, 
 
 88 
 
 9J 
 
 53 
 
 34 
 
 Elk,y 
 
 99 
 
 80 
 
 59 
 
 87 
 
 Express, No. 2,y 
 
 59 
 
 63 
 
 35 
 
 75 
 
 Embassy, y 
 
 144 
 
 92 
 
 86 
 
 95 
 
 Empress,f 
 
 199 
 
 40 
 
 119 
 
 64 
 
 Farmer, [Cin.] 
 
 277 
 
 rv.-i 
 O.) 
 
 166 
 
 39 
 
 Farmer, [Mobile,] 
 
 232 
 
 03 
 
 139 
 
 21 
 
 Freedom, D 
 
 142 
 
 82 
 
 85 
 
 69 
 
 Flora, 
 
 118 
 
 75 
 
 71 
 
 25 
 
 Fame, D - 
 
 132 
 
 29 
 
 79 
 
 37 
 
 FYee Trader, 
 
 109 
 
 J 85 
 
 65 
 
 91
 
 r or >n 01 !•.' \ 1-. 
 
 
 1 •,. 
 
 I :\ Queen, n 
 
 - 
 1 \ 
 Floridian,* 
 1 
 
 1 ,f B 
 
 1 mtier,f 
 I ■ -v, 
 
 • •' 
 Florence,-!" 
 
 1 
 
 1 s,j- 
 
 r rite,f 
 (, lie, 
 ( . 
 
 I liator, 
 Galapolis, 
 
 ( Senl. Sumter, 
 
 Geo. \\ 'ashui ton,* 
 
 Galenian,* 
 
 G I. Gain 
 
 Gip 
 
 Genl. Brown,* 
 
 < . \ . ('I:uk, 
 
 Girard,* 
 
 t . L Gulf,* 
 
 G i:i,f 
 
 (. iv. Shelby, -f- 
 ( . >r. 1. PickenSjj- 
 .: . \\ ,-,* 
 
 - 
 Hon 
 Huntsville, 
 
 II ne, No. 1, 
 
 II : I) 
 
 Hunter, 
 
 Hurt 
 
 li 
 
 Hawk-eye, 
 
 Helen Mar, I) 
 
 Herald, 1) 
 
 Hyperion, 
 
 Hail Columbia, 
 
 1 1 
 
 11. 
 
 Hudson,* 
 
 Harry Hill,* 1) - 
 
 1 NT. 
 
 i IWAI 
 
 1 nil. 
 
 Us. 
 
 iM*. 
 
 to. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 
 
 
 35 
 
 
 59 
 
 49 
 
 
 85 
 
 
 91 
 
 10 
 
 
 1 
 
 00 
 
 
 
 
 80 
 
 
 75 
 
 
 25 
 
 
 
 67 
 
 
 86 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 11 I 
 
 
 67 
 
 63 
 
 
 
 95 
 
 02 
 
 
 88 
 
 
 
 
 
 57 
 
 
 
 
 59 
 
 67 
 
 
 
 44 
 
 95 
 
 
 
 96 
 
 15 
 
 317 
 
 91 
 
 190 
 
 74 
 
 194 
 
 
 116 
 
 95 
 
 
 
 47 
 
 67 
 
 
 49 
 
 117 
 
 25 
 
 
 56 
 
 
 
 
 
 93 
 
 36 
 
 
 60 
 
 83 
 
 75 
 
 
 
 47 
 
 83 
 
 
 65 
 
 81 
 
 39 
 
 
 55 
 
 li 
 
 
 
 
 1 1 
 
 00 
 
 
 
 
 92 
 
 I 
 
 
 25 
 
 92 
 
 L0 
 
 08 
 
 16 
 
 00 
 
 
 83 
 
 
 89 
 
 
 
 87 
 
 60 
 
 
 73 
 
 58 
 
 03 
 
 
 65 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 58' 
 
 
 
 
 53 
 
 81 
 
 116 
 
 68 
 
 70 
 
 00 
 
 
 
 53 
 
 35 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 51 
 
 78 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 167 
 
 63 
 
 
 
 
 32 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 19 
 
 
 
 
 00 
 
 1 
 
 35 
 
 96 
 
 r$ 
 
 
 

 
 294 
 
 LIST OF STEAMBOATS. 
 
 N A M K S . 
 
 KZ kSl'REMKNT, 
 
 CANAL TO LL. 
 
 
 Toll*. 
 
 95M.S. 
 
 Dolls. 
 
 Cts. 
 
 Hinds,* 
 
 130 
 
 
 78 
 
 00 
 
 Harkaway,* 
 
 91 
 
 47 
 
 54 
 
 87 
 
 Home,* 
 
 75 
 
 
 45 
 
 00 
 
 H. L. Kinney, p 
 
 135 
 
 S5 
 
 81 
 
 50 
 
 Harp,f 
 
 114 
 
 
 68 
 
 40 
 
 Indian, 
 
 73 
 
 42 
 
 44 
 
 05 
 
 loway, 
 
 143 
 
 85 
 
 86 
 
 31 
 
 Iberia, 
 
 136 
 
 58 
 
 81 
 
 94 
 
 Illinois, D - 
 
 98 
 
 73 
 
 59 
 
 23 
 
 John Nelson, 
 
 156 
 
 03 
 
 93 
 
 61 
 
 John Hancock, 
 
 100 
 
 
 60 
 
 00 
 
 Junius, D 
 
 130 
 
 
 78 
 
 00 
 
 Juniata, D 
 
 110 
 
 66 
 
 66 
 
 39 
 
 Java, 
 
 103 
 
 32 
 
 61 
 
 99 
 
 Irwinton, 
 
 105 
 
 
 63 
 
 00 
 
 Independence,* 
 
 275 
 
 65 
 
 165 
 
 37 
 
 John Jay,* 
 
 140 
 
 
 84 
 
 00 
 
 Invincible, p 
 
 210 
 
 
 126 
 
 00 
 
 Jefiferson,j 
 
 350 
 
 
 210 
 
 00 
 
 John Mills,p 
 
 223 
 
 45 
 
 134 
 
 07 
 
 Isabella,f 
 
 152 
 
 50 
 
 91 
 
 50 
 
 Irene,-j- 
 
 165 
 
 72 
 
 99 
 
 43 
 
 Itasca,j 
 
 
 
 
 
 Kentuckian, 
 
 331 
 
 37 
 
 198 
 
 82 
 
 Kentucky,* 
 
 90 
 
 22 
 
 54 
 
 13 
 
 Kansas, p 
 
 111 
 
 
 66 
 
 60 
 
 Louisiana, D - 
 
 306 
 
 
 183 
 
 60 
 
 Leonidas, 
 
 97 
 
 66 
 
 58 
 
 59 
 
 Lady Byron, D - 
 
 90 
 
 02 
 
 54 
 
 00 
 
 Lamp Lighter, 
 
 180 
 
 
 108 
 
 
 Lad}- Franklin, D 
 
 177 
 
 05 
 
 106 
 
 25 
 
 Lady Marshall, 
 
 99 
 
 09 
 
 59 
 
 43 
 
 Lady Scott, 
 
 58 
 
 92 
 
 35 
 
 35 
 
 Lady Madison, 
 
 113 
 
 13 
 
 67 
 
 87 
 
 Lancaster, 
 
 130 
 
 39 
 
 78 
 
 23 
 
 Logan, 
 
 70 
 
 83 
 
 42 
 
 49 
 
 La Fourche, 
 
 186 
 
 49 
 
 111 
 
 89 
 
 Laura, 
 
 52 
 
 50 
 
 31 
 
 50 
 
 Lewis Cass, 
 
 138 
 
 ' 
 
 83 
 
 23 
 
 Le Flore, 
 
 106 
 
 63 
 
 63 
 
 97 
 
 Levant,* 
 
 270 
 
 
 162 
 
 
 Lily,* 
 
 82 
 
 48 
 
 49 
 
 48 
 
 Loval Anna,* 
 
 76 
 
 76 
 
 46 
 
 05 
 
 LeRoy,* 
 
 83 
 
 19 
 
 49 
 
 91 
 
 Lexington,* 
 
 230 
 
 64 
 
 138 
 
 37 
 
 Livingston,* 
 
 175 
 
 49 
 
 105 
 
 25 
 
 London,f 
 
 125 
 
 05 
 
 75 
 
 
 Louisville.f 
 
 308 
 
 
 184 
 
 80
 
 LIST OF BTE IMBO \ 1 "8. 
 
 '.'«•-, 
 
 N \ M KS. 
 
 Liberty,! 
 Little Red,+ 
 Laurel,! (U. S.) 
 
 Little Koek.f 
 
 Liverpool, -j 
 
 Logansport,-j- 
 
 Mogul, 
 
 Michigan, D 
 
 Majestic, 
 
 Missourian, 
 
 Mississippi, 
 
 Madison, 
 
 Mountaineer, 
 
 Mt. Vernon, 
 
 Marion, 
 
 Metamora, 
 
 Minerva, 
 
 Miner, 
 
 Mazeppa, 
 
 Mt. Pleasant, 
 
 Medora, 
 
 Monroe, 
 
 Missouri Fulton, - 
 
 Mississippian,* 
 
 Mediator,* 
 
 Mobile,* 
 
 Monmouth,* S 
 Motto,* 
 
 Mariner,* 
 Moravian,* 
 
 Masillon,j 
 
 Monarch,! 
 
 Marmora,! B 
 ~.Marmion,j 
 
 Manchester, + 
 
 Maryland,| 
 
 Merrimack,! 
 
 North America,* 
 
 North Alabama, 
 
 Nashville, 
 
 Navar.no, D 
 
 New York, 
 
 Neosho, 
 
 Navigator, 
 
 Nimrod, 
 
 . So. 1, 
 
 Nick Biddle,* 
 
 Newark,* 
 
 M \MII KM IN I . 
 
 mis. 
 
 51 
 1 J7 
 414 
 
 58 
 
 323 
 245 
 
 32 J 
 
 162 
 
 86 
 
 139 
 
 89 
 
 87 
 
 57 
 
 114 
 
 90 
 
 210 
 
 88 
 
 120 
 
 198 
 
 225 
 
 230 
 
 135 
 
 82 
 
 98 
 
 324 
 
 96 
 
 317 
 
 261 
 
 105 
 121 
 
 244 
 445 
 
 3 1 1 
 1 - 
 117 
 105 
 88 
 69 
 
 58 
 
 1 I 
 
 88 
 
 95th*. 
 
 53 
 
 63 
 
 46 
 47 
 
 70 
 
 58 
 
 .-* ~ 
 jj 
 
 54 
 
 75 
 04 
 58 
 25 
 40 
 37 
 54 
 75 
 
 53 
 
 80 
 
 52 
 
 82 
 
 11 
 70 
 
 45 
 35 
 
 70 
 05 
 
 87 
 
 75 
 
 35 
 
 45 
 56 
 55 
 
 < >Mi. I OLL. 
 
 W/.v. 
 
 
 
 11 
 
 109 
 
 80 
 
 60 
 
 
 94 
 
 
 
 60 
 
 
 20 
 
 248 
 
 67 
 
 203 
 
 08 
 
 193 
 
 98 
 
 
 42 
 
 22 1 
 
 14 
 
 . 
 
 41 
 
 97 
 
 52 
 
 51 
 
 60 
 
 83 
 
 85 
 
 53 
 
 42 
 
 52 
 
 54 
 
 34 
 
 35 
 
 68 
 
 64 
 
 54 
 
 22 
 
 126 
 
 32 
 
 53 
 
 25 
 
 72 
 
 
 119 
 
 11 
 
 135 
 
 
 138 
 
 48 
 
 81 
 
 
 49 
 
 50 
 
 59 
 
 29 
 
 194 
 
 60 
 
 57 
 
 62 
 
 190 
 
 62 
 
 
 60 
 
 
 62 
 
 
 21 
 
 
 75 
 
 
 82 
 
 267 
 
 
 204 
 
 74 
 
 
 32 
 
 88 
 
 65 
 
 
 21 
 
 52 
 
 80 
 
 41 
 
 67 
 
 18 
 
 
 35 
 
 13 
 
 83 
 
 65 
 
 S3 
 
 13
 
 296 
 
 LIST OF STEAMBOATS. 
 
 NAM KS. 
 
 MEASUREMENT. 
 
 Neptune,* 
 Niagara,* 
 
 Naples,! 
 Native, No. 2,f 
 North Star,f 
 New Albany,f 
 Orleans, 
 Ohio, D 
 O'Connell, 
 Olive Branch, 
 Osage, D 
 Ohioan, S 
 Orion, 
 Ophelia, 
 Oswego, 
 Otsego, 
 Oceana,* 
 Ontario.* 
 
 Othello,' f 
 
 Ozark,! 
 
 Oronoko,-f-D 
 
 Philadelphia, 
 
 Powh:itan, D 
 
 Paul Jones, 
 
 Pontchar train, 
 
 Princeton, 
 
 Potosi, S 
 
 Planter, D 
 
 Privateer, S 
 
 Portsmouth, D 
 
 Plough Boy, 
 
 Persian,* 
 
 Prairie,* 
 
 Pittsburg;, 
 
 Pavillion,* 
 
 Patrick Hen] 
 
 Post Boy,! 
 
 Paris,| 
 
 Peru,{ 
 
 Passenger,! 
 
 Pulaski,! 
 
 Pioneer,! 
 
 Pirate,! 
 
 Pearl,! ( u - s 
 
 Palmyra,! 
 
 Penns) Iranian,! 
 
 Quincj 
 
 Rob Roy, B 
 
 Tolls. 
 
 In n 
 OO 
 
 125 
 
 160 
 
 157 
 
 148 
 
 525 
 
 273 
 
 107 
 
 76 
 
 89 
 
 88 
 
 65 
 
 113 
 
 117 
 
 95 
 
 285 
 
 loo 
 
 130 
 367 
 101 
 269 
 149 
 132 
 125 
 121 
 107 
 146 
 97 
 81 
 430 
 296 
 144 
 83 
 93 
 140 
 131 
 291 
 157 
 44 
 112 
 128 
 94 
 101 
 134 
 117 
 192 
 
 Silts. 
 
 27 
 
 20 
 
 45 
 85 
 82 
 47 
 46 
 59 
 38 
 56 
 69 
 40 
 32 
 45 
 73 
 75 
 
 67 
 
 06 
 73 
 40 
 05 
 51 
 68 
 15 
 19 
 45 
 
 72 
 87 
 45 
 
 25 
 67 
 61 
 10 
 23 
 27 
 
 CANAL TOLL. 
 
 30 
 
 20 
 
 Dolls. 
 79 
 75 
 96 
 
 94 
 
 89 
 
 196 
 
 164 
 
 64 
 
 45 
 
 53 
 
 53 
 
 39 
 
 68 
 
 70 
 
 57 
 
 171 
 
 80 
 
 78 
 220 
 60 
 161 
 89 
 79 
 75 
 72 
 64 
 87 
 58 
 48 
 258 
 173 
 86 
 50 
 55 
 84 
 78 
 175 
 94 
 26 
 67 
 76 
 56 
 60 
 80 
 70 
 115 
 
 Cm. 
 
 96 
 12 
 
 47 
 31 
 09 
 08 
 47 
 95 
 62 
 13 
 41 
 04 
 39 
 27 
 43 
 25 
 
 60 
 60 
 43 
 83 
 44 
 03 
 90 
 60 
 69 
 31 
 87 
 12 
 79 
 92 
 
 80 
 
 75 
 00 
 56 
 50 
 31 
 96 
 40 
 75 
 40 
 32 
 20
 
 LIS r or - n \m no \ i -. 
 
 207 
 
 \ \ S\\ S. 
 
 Robt. Morris, 
 Rufua Putnam, 
 Revenue, 
 Rapide, 
 
 Reindeer, 
 Richmond, 
 Robt. Emmet, - 
 
 Rienzi,* 
 Rodolph,* 
 Rover,f 
 Reporter, -|- 
 Rochester,-|- 
 Rolla,f 
 Renown,')' 
 ooke,+ 
 Reserve,')' 
 Rodney,'! 
 Splendid, 
 Shakspeare, 
 Samson, 1) 
 Scotland, D 
 Signal, 
 Science, 
 Statesman, 
 
 Shoal Water, D 
 
 Si am, 
 
 Star of the West, 
 
 Swiss Hoy, 
 
 St. Lawrence, 
 
 South Alabama, 
 
 Souvenir, 
 
 Selma,* 
 
 St. Charles,* 
 
 Southerner,* 
 
 Salem,* 
 
 Savannah,* 
 
 St. Peters,* 
 
 Swan,* 
 
 Sun Flower, ' 
 
 Superior, 
 
 Susquehanna, -J- 
 
 Smeltei-,-}- 
 
 Sandusky,-|- 
 
 Tuscarora, 
 
 Tuacahoma, 
 
 TSskilwa, 
 
 Tuscumbia, 
 
 Tcuula, 
 
 M 1 \SI H I \| I.NT. 
 
 OAITi i. TO ii ■ 
 
 Tolls. 
 
 95 lh. v. 
 
 Doils. 
 
 ( ft. 
 
 \:\ 
 
 40 
 
 71 
 
 04 
 
 
 
 58 
 
 80 
 
 1 • 
 
 05 
 
 73 
 
 
 127 
 
 09 
 
 76 
 
 
 104 
 
 39 
 
 62 
 
 63 
 
 32 
 
 88 
 
 19 
 
 72 
 
 103 
 
 
 
 22 
 
 17.5 
 
 
 103 
 
 81 
 
 150 
 
 27 
 
 9 1 
 
 17 
 
 55 
 
 85 
 
 33 
 
 50 
 
 
 86 
 
 80 
 
 92 
 
 92 
 
 75 
 
 55 
 
 65 
 
 
 
 8.5 
 
 40 
 
 163 
 
 
 97 
 
 80 
 
 115 
 
 
 69 
 
 00 
 
 99 
 
 
 59 
 
 54 
 
 354 
 
 66 
 
 212 
 
 79 
 
 227 
 
 
 136 
 
 41 
 
 198 
 
 18 
 
 118 
 
 90 
 
 158 
 
 
 94 
 
 93 
 
 140 
 
 87 
 
 84 
 
 50 
 
 50 
 
 75 
 
 30 
 
 45 
 
 136 
 
 76 
 
 82 
 
 05 
 
 99 
 
 03 
 
 59 
 
 41 
 
 
 54 
 
 76 
 
 52 
 
 
 
 75 
 
 00 
 
 121 
 
 60 
 
 
 96 
 
 111 
 
 36 
 
 66 
 
 81 
 
 165 
 
 90 
 
 99 
 
 54 
 
 88 
 
 
 53 
 
 29 
 
 355 
 
 
 213 
 
 18 
 
 1 7 
 
 82 
 
 7<i 
 
 69 
 
 298 
 
 12 
 
 178 
 
 87 
 
 
 53 
 
 
 91 
 
 i : 
 
 54 
 
 
 52 
 
 119 
 
 
 71 
 
 61 
 
 112 
 
 55 
 
 67 
 
 53 
 
 7 - 
 
 85 
 
 42 
 
 50 
 
 201 
 
 
 120 
 
 60 
 
 
 56 
 
 83 
 
 13 
 
 
 
 108 
 
 00 
 
 111 
 
 60 
 
 
 96 
 
 S6 
 
 86 
 
 I" ' 
 
 11 
 
 
 70 
 
 96 
 
 
 88 
 
 25 
 
 52 
 
 95 
 
 82 
 
 25 
 
 49 
 
 35 
 
 79 
 
 75 
 
 47 
 
 85
 
 298 
 
 LIST OF STEAMBOATS. 
 
 K A "MKS. 
 
 Tempest, 
 
 Teche, 
 
 Tuskina, 
 
 Tecumseh,* 
 
 Troubadour,* 
 
 Tremont,* 
 
 Troy,* 
 
 Tuckahoe,* 
 
 Tobacco Plant, D 
 
 Tennessee, | 
 
 Terre Haute,! 111-16 
 
 Triumph,f 
 
 Tarquin,f 
 
 Tanchipaho,-}- 
 
 Uncle Sam, I) - 
 
 Velocipede, 
 
 Vermont,* 
 
 Vicksburg,-* 
 
 Visiter,f 
 
 Victor,f 
 
 Virginia,! 
 
 Victoi'ia,| 
 
 Win. Penn, D 
 
 Waterloo, 
 
 Wyoming, D - 
 
 Wisconsin, 
 
 Washington, 
 
 Wheeling-, 
 
 Wm. Wallace, D 
 
 Warren, No. 1, - 
 
 Warren, No. 2,* - 
 
 Walter Scott, 
 
 Warrior, 
 
 Wabash,* 
 
 Wave, * 
 
 Wm. Glasgow,! 
 
 Wilmington,! 
 
 Warsaw, 
 
 Win. Wirt,f 
 
 Winchester,! 
 
 Wm. Wallace,! - 
 
 Walk-in -the- Water,f 
 
 Yellow Stone, 
 
 Yalobusha, 
 
 Yazoo, 
 
 MKASUB KMKNT. 
 
 CAN \ L ' 
 
 rou. 
 
 Toll*. 
 
 95th*. 
 
 Dolls. 
 
 67*. 
 
 105 
 
 
 63 
 
 00 
 
 142 
 
 40 
 
 85 
 
 44 
 
 256 
 
 66 
 
 153 
 
 99 
 
 96 
 
 80 
 
 58 
 
 08 
 
 113 
 
 47 
 
 68 
 
 08 
 
 112 
 
 80 
 
 67 
 
 68 
 
 120 
 
 30 
 
 72 
 
 18 
 
 80 
 
 
 48 
 
 00 
 
 86 
 
 58 
 
 51 
 
 94 
 
 
 
 52 
 
 80 
 
 68 
 
 20 
 
 40 
 
 92 
 
 165 
 
 
 99 
 
 00 
 
 65 
 
 40 
 
 39 
 
 25 
 
 447 
 
 26 
 
 268 
 
 35 
 
 123 
 
 05 
 
 73 
 
 83 
 
 158 
 
 76 
 
 95 
 
 25 
 
 230 
 
 
 138 
 
 00 
 
 100 
 
 19 
 
 60 
 
 12 
 
 90 
 
 
 54 
 
 00 
 
 116 
 
 30 
 
 69 
 
 75 
 
 85 
 
 56 
 
 51 
 
 oci 
 JO 
 
 84 
 
 06 
 
 50 
 
 43 
 
 90 
 
 10 
 
 54 
 
 06 
 
 98 
 
 88 
 
 59 
 
 32 
 
 87 
 
 56 
 
 52 
 
 53 
 
 139 
 
 78 
 
 83 
 
 86 
 
 93 
 
 37 
 
 56 
 
 00 
 
 60 
 
 
 36 
 
 00 
 
 290 
 
 50 
 
 174 
 
 30 
 
 73 
 
 77 
 
 44 
 
 25 
 
 193 
 
 45 
 
 116 
 
 07 
 
 100 
 
 1 23 
 
 60 
 
 13 
 
 43 
 
 91 
 
 26 
 
 34 
 
 75 
 
 
 48 
 
 00 
 
 249 
 
 34 
 
 149 
 
 60 
 
 206 
 
 
 123 
 
 60 
 
 146 
 
 45 
 
 87 
 
 87 
 
 110 
 
 
 66 
 
 00 
 
 190 
 
 
 114 
 
 00 
 
 160 
 
 
 96 
 
 00 
 
 199 
 
 45 
 
 119 
 
 67 
 
 144 
 
 08 
 
 86 
 
 44 
 
 80 
 
 53 
 
 48 
 
 31 
 
 150 
 
 
 90 
 
 00
 
 "TKVMBOAT KXTLOSIONS. 
 
 
 Abstract of the II ats that have passed and Tolls re- 
 ceived 07i the Louisville and Portland ('mud. 
 
 rmABA. 
 
 SI rami) 
 
 /•'/// o J Keel Bunt*. 
 
 71 
 
 .lutl r< I ,' erf. 
 
 i 11, 
 
 18 • . 
 1833, 
 1834, 
 1635, 
 
 1 '6, 
 1837, 
 
 406 
 453 
 875 
 938 
 1, 
 
 1,182 
 1,501 
 
 421 
 
 179 
 
 710 
 
 23 
 
 355 
 
 260 
 165 
 
 76, 
 
 ro,] 
 
 169, 
 162,000 
 
 200,413 
 
 is:, 220 
 21 . 
 
 { 12,75 1 77 
 
 61, HIS 17 
 
 - 
 
 
 6,611 
 
 i 2,713 
 
 1 1,103,32 I 
 
 - 14 
 
 — • »►*© © 6< " **' 
 
 EXPLOSION OF THE STEAM BOAT MOSELLE. 
 
 The recent explosion of the steam boat Moselle, at Cincinnati, 
 affords a mos< awful illustration of the danger of Btearo i i 
 tion, when conducted l>\ ignorant or careleas men; and full] su 
 tains the remark made in the preceding pages, that "the 
 dents are almost wholly confined to insufficient or badly managed 
 boats." 
 
 The Moselle was a new boat, intended to ply regularly between 
 Cincinnati and St. Louis. She had made but two or three trips, 
 but had already established a high reputation for and as 
 
 usual in such >y whom she was owned and command- 
 
 ed, became ambitious to have her rated as a " crack 1 .ml 
 
 spared no pains to ,\ iH her character; The new noticed 
 
 the quick trips of Mom lie, and passengers chose I >ark in 
 
 this boat in preference to others. Her captain was an enterpi 
 ing young man, without much experience, bent upoi ng for 
 
 Id's boat, 'at all hazards, the distinction of being the fastest upon 
 the river, and not fully aware, perhaps, of the inevitable danger 
 which attended his rash experiment 
 
 On Wednesday, the 25th of April, between -1 and 5 o'clock in 
 the afternoon, this shock tig catastrophe occurred. The boat \ 
 crowded with passengers; and as is usually tin case on our « 
 era rivers, in regard to i passing westwardly, the larg 
 
 proportion were emigrants. They wen- mostly deck-passengers, 
 many of whom were poor Germans, ignorant of any language 
 but their own, and the I irger portion consisted ot families, com- 
 prising persons of all ages. Although not a large boat, there
 
 300 STEAMBOAT EXPLOSIONS. 
 
 were eighty-five passengers in the cabin, which was a much 
 larger number than could be comfortably accommodated; the 
 number of deck passengers is not exactly known, but as is esti- 
 mated, at between one hundred and twenty and one hundred and 
 fifty, and the officers and crew amounted to thirty — making in 
 all about two hundred and sixty souls. 
 
 It was a pleasant afternoon, and the boat, with steam raised, 
 delayed at the wharf, to increase the number — already too great 
 — of her passengers, who continued to crowd in, singly, or in 
 companies, all anxious to hurry onwards in the first boat, or 
 eager to take passage in the fast-rimning Moselle. They were 
 of all conditions — the military officer hastening to Florida to 
 take command of his regiment — the merchant bound to St. Louis 
 — the youth seeking out a field on which to commence the ca- 
 reer of life — and the indigent emigrant with his wife and chil- 
 dren, already exhausted in purse and spirits, but still pushing on- 
 ward to the distant frontier. 
 
 On leaving the wharf, the boat ran up the river about a mile, 
 to take in some families and freight, and having touched at the 
 shore for that purpose, for a few minutes, was about to lay her 
 course down the river. The spot at which she thus landed, was 
 at a suburb of the city, called Fulton, and a number of persons 
 had stopped to witness her departure, several of whom remark- 
 ed from the pecul.ar sound of the steam, that it had been raised 
 to an unusual height. The crowd thus attracted — the high repute 
 of the Moselle — and certain vague rumours which began to cir- 
 culate, that the captain had determined, at every risk, to beat 
 another boat which had just departed — all these circumstances 
 gave an unusual eclat to the departure of this ill-fated vessel. 
 
 The lading completed, the bow of the boat was shoved from 
 the shore, when an explosion took place, by which the whole of 
 the fore part of the vessel was literally blown up. The passen- 
 gers were unhappily in the most exposed positions — on the deck, 
 and particularly on the forward part, sharing the excitement of 
 the spectators on shore, and anticipating the pleasure of darting 
 rapidly past the city in the swift Moselle. The power of the ex- 
 plosion was unprecedented in the history of steam: its effect was 
 like that of a mine of gunpowder. All the boilers, four in num- 
 ber, were simultaneously burst, the deck was blown into the air, 
 and the human beings who crowded it hurried into instant de- 
 struction. Fragments of the boilers, and of human bodies, were 
 thrown both to the Kentucky and the Ohio shore, and as the boat 
 lay near the latter, some of these helpless victims must have been 
 thrown a quarter of a mile. The body of Captain Perrin, the 
 master, was found dreadfully mangled, on the nearest shore. A 
 man was hurled with such force, that his head with half his body, 
 penetrated the roof of a house, distant more than a hundred yards 
 from the boat. Of the number who had crowded this beautiful 
 boat, a few minutes before, nearly all were hurled into the air, 
 or plunged into the water. A few, in the after part of the ves-
 
 STEAMBOAT EXPLOSIONS. is 1 
 
 •el, who were uninjured by the explosion, jumped overboard. 
 An eye witness says, that he saw sixty or seventy in the water at 
 one time, of whom not a dozen reached the shore. 
 
 The news of this awful catastrophe spread rapidly through the 
 city, thousands rushed to the spot, and the most benevolent aid 
 VU promptly extended to the sufferers — to such, we should rath- 
 er say, as were within the reach of human assistance — for the 
 majority had per' shed. 
 
 The writer was among those who hastened to the neighbour- 
 hood of the wreck, and witnessed a scene so sad, that no Ian* 
 guage can depict it with fidelity. On the shore lay twenty or 
 thirty mangled, and still bleeding corpses, while others were in 
 the act of being dragged from the wreck or the water. There 
 were men carrying away the wounded, and others gathering the 
 trunks, and articles of wealing apparel that strewed the beach. 
 
 The survivors of this awful tragedy, presented the most touch 
 ing objects of distress. Death had torn asunder the most tendei 
 ties; but the rupture had been so sudden and violent, as yet none 
 knew certainly who had been taken, nor who had been spared. 
 Fathers were inquiring for children, children for parents, hus- 
 bands and wives, for each other. One man had saved a son, but 
 lost a wife and five children. A father, partially deranged, lay with 
 a wounded child on one side, a dead daughter on the other, and 
 his wife, wounded, at his feet. One gentleman sought his wife 
 and children, who were as eagerly seeking him in the same 
 crowd — they met, and were re-united. 
 
 A female'deck passenger, that had been saved, seemed incon- 
 solable for the loss of her relations. To every question put to 
 her, she would exclaim, "Oh my father! my mother! my sis- 
 ters!" A little boy, about four or five years of age, whose head 
 was much bruised, appeared to be regardless of his wounds, but 
 cried continually for a lost father, while another lad, a little older, 
 was weeping for his whole family. 
 
 One venerable looking man wept a wife and five children; ano- 
 ther was bereft of nine members of his family. A touching dis- 
 play of maternal affection was evinced by a lady who on beinfc 
 brought to the shore, clasped her hands and exclaimed, M Thank 
 God, I am safe!" but instantly recollected herself, ejaculated in a 
 voice of piercing agony, "where is my child!" The infant, which 
 had been saved, was brought to her, and she fainted at the sight 
 of it. 
 
 A public meeting was called in Cincinnati, at which the Mayor 
 presided, when the facts of this melancholy occurrence were did 
 cussed, and among other resolutions passed, was one deprecating 
 '* the great and increasing carelessness in the navigation of steam 
 vessels," and urging this subject upon the consideration of Con- 
 gress. No one denied that this sad event, which had idled our 
 city with consternation, sympathy and sorrow, was the result of a 
 reckless and criminal inattention to their duty, on the part of 
 those having the care of the Moselle, nor did any one attempt I 
 
 Bb
 
 302 STEAMBOAT EXPLOSIONS. 
 
 palliate their conduct. Committees were appointed to seek out 
 the sufferers, and perform the various duties which humanity dic- 
 tated. Through the exertions of the gentlemen appointed on 
 this occasion, lists were obtained and published, showing the 
 names of the passengers as far as could be obtained, and giving 
 the following result : — 
 
 Killed, .... - 81 
 
 Badly wounded, . - - - 13 
 
 Miss ng, ----- 5<5 
 
 Saved, 117 
 
 266 
 
 As many strangers entered the boat but a few minutes before 
 its departure, whose names were not registered, it is probable 
 that the whole number of souls on board was not less than two 
 hundred and eighty. Of the missing, many dead bodies have since 
 been found, but very few have been added to the list of saved. 
 The actual number of lives lost, therefore, does not vary much 
 from one hundred and fifty. 
 
 Scarcely had our community time to realize the horrors of this 
 explosion, when we received the intelligence of another, of 
 which we subjoin the newspaper account. 
 
 EXPLOSION OF THE STEAMBOAT ORONOKO. 
 
 On Saturday morning, the " Oronoko," of Pittsburgh, on her 
 way from New Orleans, collapsed a Hue opposite Princeton, about 
 one hundred miles above this place, blowing all between the 
 boiler and the stern of the boat literally into the river. The deck 
 was crowded with passengers, estimated at one hundred, and but 
 few are left surviving. She was towed to this place on Saturday 
 night, with about thirty-five of the wretched sufferers, some dead, 
 some lingering in the torments of death, and a few who will re- 
 cover. 
 
 As soon as she arrived, most of the medical gentlemen of the 
 city, with numbers of our active and benevolent citizens, repaired 
 to "the boat and extended every relief that science and humanity 
 could afford to the sufferers. 
 
 The cabin-floor presented the most heart-rending scene we 
 ever witnessed. Some were literally parboiled and writhing in 
 the agonies of death, the skin had dropped from the flesh of 
 others, and life was ebbing in some from inhaling steam, though 
 exhibiting but slight evidence of external injury. The groans of 
 some, the s;lent agony of others, the fortitude and firmness with 
 which many approached the brink of eternity, presented a scene 
 of horror and distress, most shocking to behold. 
 
 Of those who were brought here, eighteen or nineteen were 
 buried yesterday. They were decently interred, and followed to
 
 STKOIBOAT KXl'l.oMn.NS. MM 
 
 the grave by u. large concourse of our citizens. Thirteen were 
 alive hist night; but several of these cannot possibl) mrvi 
 
 We hare been unable to obtain the names of those who were 
 blown overboard, as well as most of those who were buried here 
 yesterday. They were all steerage passengers, and many of tlieiu 
 went on board at this place, BO that the clerk could not give lit 
 their names. The engineer of the boat, John Port" :. 1 Iward 
 Stowrs, an Englishman, Mrs. Planiganand her two children, who 
 
 rted from this place in the Oronoko, were among the buried 
 yesterday. Mr. Klanigan will recover from his injury. 
 
 We have understood that sevefi or eight of those left at Prince- 
 ton have since d eil. 
 
 Col. Oliver lost seven or eight of his servants, ami remained at 
 Princeton taking care of two or three pf his boys that are badly 
 scalded, and who are not expected to survive. His celebrated 
 race horse, Joe Kearney, was scalded and dud; one other severe- 
 ly injured. 
 
 Tne cabin was as crowded as the steerage, and had the explo- 
 sion taken place ut breakfast nearly all must have perished. 
 
 Mr. Myers, who was steward last year at the Pinckard House, 
 and his child, are thought to be the only cabin passengers se- 
 riouslv injured. He also would have escaped injury, but when 
 the explosion took place he rushed from his state-room into the 
 cabin with his child in his arms, and both were scalded; his wife 
 remained in her room and escaped. They remain at Princeton. 
 
 The " Oronoko" is a new boat, and one of the largest on the 
 river. It is a most fortunate circumstance that the accident oc- 
 curred about daylight, and that the boat's berths are all state 
 rooms. Nearly all were in bed, and none but those who opened 
 their doors and rushed out, suffered any injury. 
 
 Such was the tremendous force of the explosion, that the box 
 of the fly wheel, with a portion of the cabin's floor were bursted 
 open, filling the gentlemen's cabin with steam. 
 
 '1 his awful catastrophe will teach one salutary lesson on steam- 
 boat travelling — the security afforded by well constructed state 
 rooms. Those of the "Oronoko" were properly ventilated above, 
 and before the steam had entirely consumed the atmosphere, 
 there was sufficient time for the boat to move out into fresh nr. 
 A gentleman and his family in the ladies' cabin, resisted all at- 
 tempts to burst open his door, until the steam had disappeared. 
 He with great presence of mind and judgment, applied his hand 
 repeatedly to the aperture for ventilating his room, but find ng 
 the hot steam rushing in*, he declined opening Ins door. Tne 
 upper layers of atmosphere were soon consumed, and they had to 
 recline on the floor in order to obtain air lit for respirat on. 
 
 There is, we believe, ho blame attached to Captain Crawford, 
 the commander of the boat. He was on the hurricane-deck in 
 the discbarge of his duty, sending out the yawl for passengers, 
 and the boat had been lying-! o about five minutes. When she 
 was getting under way, at the third stroke of the engine, the ex-
 
 304 STEAMBOAT EXPLOSIONS. 
 
 plosion took place. Porter, the engineer, survived a short time, 
 perhaps an hour, and declared that he had considered the condi- 
 tion of the boat perfectly safe — both as regards the water and 
 steam. The boilers were some six or seven years old, having 
 been taken out of the old Michigan, and Porter must have been 
 deceived in the amount of steam or the strength of the boilers — 
 the latter however, we understand, afforded no evidence of the 
 deficiency. 
 
 There is a discrepancy between the statements of some of the 
 officers and a gentleman who was on the bank of the river at the 
 time. The latter says that he thinks no steam escaped during 
 the time the boat lay-to, while some of the officers are of a dif- 
 ferent opinion. 
 
 A great many were blown overboard and lost. The number of 
 lives lost is between fifty and one hundred. — Vicksburg Sentinel.