TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, FROM MODERN WRITERS. [Illustration: _Frontispiece. _ _Plate 1. _ WASHINGTON. PYRAMID OF CHOLULA. NEW YORK. ] _Pub^d. By Harvey & Darton, _ _Jan^y. 1, 1823. _ TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, FROM Modern Writers. WITH REMARKS AND OBSERVATIONS; EXHIBITING A CONNECTED VIEW OF THE GEOGRAPHY AND PRESENT STATE OF THAT QUARTER OF THE GLOBE. BY THE REV. WILLIAM BINGLEY, M. A. F. L. S. _Late of Peter-house, Cambridge, and Author of Animal Biography, &c. _ [Illustration] DESIGNED FOR THE USE OF YOUNG PERSONS. LONDON: PRINTED FOR HARVEY AND DARTON, GRACECHURCH-STREET. 1821. ADVERTISEMENT. In the preparation of this, and of the preceding volumes, of Travels inthe South of Europe, in South America, and in Africa; as well as in theBiographical Conversations on Celebrated Voyagers and Travellers, it hasbeen the design of the author, by a detail of anecdotes of extraordinaryadventures, connected by illustrative remarks and observations, toallure young persons to a study of geography, and to the attainment of aknowledge of the character, habits, customs, and productions of foreignnations. The whole is supposed to be related in a series of dailyinstructions, from a parent to his children. The "Biographical Conversations on Celebrated Travellers, " contain afurther account of the United States and of Canada, in Professor'sKalm's Travels through those countries; and of the northern regions ofAmerica, in the Narratives of Hearne's Journeys from Hudson's Bay, tothe Northern Ocean. The vignette represents the natural arch, called Rockbridge, describedin page 102. _Charlotte Street, Bloomsbury, London, 22d July, 1821. _ INDEX OF THE COUNTRIES, AND PRINCIPAL PLACES AND OBJECTS DESCRIBED. Page NORTH AMERICA in General, 1 UNITED STATES in General, 3 _Account of New York and its vicinity. _ Inhabitants of New York, 12--Situation, Streets, Population, Hotels, 13--Stores, Public Buildings, Columbia College, 14--Town Hall, Trades and Professions, 15--House-rent, Provisions, Religion, Courts of Law, 16--Long Island, New Jersey, River Hudson, Newark, Fishkill, Steam-boats, 17--Emigrants, 18. _Narrative of Fearon's Journey from New York to Boston. _ New Haven, 18--New London, Norwich, New Providence, 19-- Pawtucket, Boston, 20--Bunker's Hill, Cambridge, Harvard College, 21. _Weld's Voyage up the River Hudson, from New York to Lake Champlain. _ River Hudson, 22--West Point, Albany, 23--River Mohawk, Cohoz Waterfall, Saratoga, 25--Skenesborough, Lake Champlain, 26--Ticonderoga, Crown Point, 27. _Hall's Journey from Canada to the Cataract of Niagara. _ Prescott, 28--River St. Lawrence, Lake Ontario, Kingston, 29--Sackett's Harbour, Watertown, Utica, 30--Skaneactas, Waterloo, Geneva, Canandaigua, Burning Spring, 32--Rochester, 33--Lewistown, Queenston, 34--York, Ancaster, Mohawk Indians, 35--Mohawk Village, 36--Falls of Niagara, 37. _Hall's Journey from Niagara to Philadelphia. _ Fort Erie, Buffalo, Batavia, Caledonia, 41--Genesee River, Bath, Painted Post, 42--Susquehanna River, Wilksbarre, 43--Wyoming, Blue Ridge, Bethlehem, Nazareth, 44--Moravians, 45--Lehigh Mountain, German Town, 46. _Description of Philadelphia. _ Streets, Houses, 46--Shops, Wharfs, Water-Street, Public Buildings, 47--State-house, University, Prison, 48--Markets, Inhabitants, 49--Funerals, Climate, 50--Carriages, 51-- Taverns, 52--Delaware River, Schuylkil River, 53. Trenton, College, 53--Residence of Joseph Buonaparte, 54. _Fearon's Journey from Philadelphia to Pittsburg. _ Great Valley, Mines, 54--Lancaster, Harrisburgh, Carlisle, Chambersburgh, 55--London, Waggons, North Mountain, 56--Bloody Run, Bedford, Dry Ridge, Alleghany Mountains, Inhabitants, Log-houses, 57--Laurel Hill, Little Chesnut Ridge, Greensburg, Turtle Creek Hill, Inhabitants, 58-- Pittsburg, 59--Manufactures, 60--Climate, American Population, 61--Farms, Emigration, 62. _Birkbeck's Expedition from Pittsburg into the Illinois Territory. _ Travelling, 63--Cannonsburg, Washington in Pennsylvania, State of Ohio, Wheeling, 64--St. Clairsville, 65--Farms, Zanesville, Rushville, Lancaster, 66--Chillicothe, Pike Town, 67--Hurricane tract, 68--Lebanon, Cincinnati, Schools, 69-- State of Indiana, 70--Camp Tavern, 71--Vincennes, Indians, 72--Princeton, 74--Harmony, Mount Vernon, Big Prairie, 75-- Woods, and Farms, 76--Hunters, Little Wabash, Skillet Fork, 77--Shawnee Town, 78--Harmony, 79--Animals, 80--English Prairie, 81. _Weld's Excursion from Philadelphia to Washington. _ Schuylkil River, Chester, Brandywine River, Wilmington, 82--Elkton, Susquehannah River, Havre de Grace, Baltimore, 83. _Description of Washington. _ Origin, situation, form, Streets, Inhabitants, Capitol, 85--President's House, Post-Office, River Potomac, Tiber, 86--Markets, Shops, Inhabitants, Congress, Senate, 87--Representative Chamber, George Town, 88--Alexandria, Mount Vernon, 89. _Weld's Journey from Washington to Richmond in Virginia. _ Country, 89--Hoe's Ferry, Rappahannoc River, Plantations in Virginia, 90--Tappahannoc or Hob's Hole, Urbanna, 91--Fires in the Woods, 92--Gloucester, York, Williamsburgh, College, 93--Hampton, Chesapeak, Norfolk, 94--Dismal Swamp, James River, 95--Taverns, Petersburgh, Richmond, 96--Falls of the James River, Inhabitants of Virginia, 97. _Weld's Return from Richmond to Philadelphia. _ South-west or Green Mountains, Country and Animals, 98-- Fire-flies, 99--Seat of Mr. Jefferson, Lynchburgh, 100--Peaks of Otter, Fincastle, Soil and Climate, 101--Sweet Springs, Jackson's Mountains, Rockbridge, 102--Maddison's Cave, Emigrants, 103--Lexington, Staunton, Winchester, Potomac River, Stupendous Scene, 104--Frederic, Philadelphia, 105. _Michaux's Journey from Pittsburgh to Lexington. _ Wheeling, River Ohio, 106--Marietta, Point Pleasant, 107--Gallipoli, Alexandria, 108--Limestone, Kentucky, 109--Inhabitants, 110--Mays Lick, Lexington, 111-- Louisville, 112--Caverns in Kentucky, 114. _Michaux's Journey from Lexington to Charleston. _ Vineyards, 114--Kentucky River, Harrodsburgh, Mulder Hill, Barrens or Kentucky Meadows, 115--Nasheville, 117--Cairo, Fort Blount, 118--West Point, Cherokee Indians, 119-- Kingstown, 120--Knoxville, Holstein River, Tavern, Macby, 121--Woods, Log-houses, Greenville, Jonesborough, 122-- Alleghany Mountains, Linneville Mountains, Morganton, 123--Lincolnton, 124--Chester, Winesborough, Columbia, 125--Charleston, 126. _Description of Charleston. _ Situation, Quays, 126--Streets, Houses, 127--Public Buildings, Trees in the Streets, Inhabitants, 128--Vauxhall, Hotels, Market, Provisions, 129--Marshes, 130. Adjacent country, 130--Raleigh, Newbern, Savannah, in Georgia, 131. _Bartram's Excursion from Charleston into Georgia and West Florida. _ Augusta, 133--Country, fossil shells, Fort James, Dartmouth, 134--Indian monuments, 135--Cherokee Settlements, Sinica, 135 --Keowe, Tugilo river, 136--Sticoe, Cowe, 137--Cherokee Indians, 138--Fort James, 140--Country near the Oakmulge and Flint rivers, Uche, 141--Apalachula, Coweta, Talasse, Coloome, 142--Alabama river, Mobile, Pensacola, 144--Mobile, Pearl river, Manchac, Mississippi river, 145--Mobile, Taensa, 146--Tallapoose river, Alabama, Mucclasse, Apalachula river, Chehau, Usseta, 147--Oakmulge, Ocone river, Ogeche, Augusta, Savannah, 148. _Mr. Bartram's Journey from Savannah into East Florida. _ Sunbury, 148--Fort Barrington, St. Ille's, 149--Savannahs near river St. Mary, River St. Juan, or St. John, Cowford, 150--Plantation, 151--Indian Village, 152 Charlotia or Rolle's Town, Mount Royal, 153--Lake George, Spalding's Upper Store, 154--Adventure with Alligators, 155--Alligators' nests, 157--Lake, Forests, Plantation, Hot Fountain, Upper Store, Cuscowilla, 159--Sand-hills, Half-way Pond, Turtles, Lake of Cuscowilla, 160--Alachuas and Creek or Siminole Indians, 161--Talahasochte, Little St. John's River, 162. _The River Mississippi. _ Source, Length, Banks, 165--Tides, New Orleans, 166--Adjacent Country, Natchez, 167--Navigation of the Mississippi, 168-- New Madrid, the Ohio, Illinois Territory, Kaskaski, 169--St. Louis, 170. _Pike's Voyage from St. Louis to the Source of the Mississippi. _ St. Louis, 170--Illinois River, Buffalo River, Sac Indians, Salt River, 171--Rapids des Moines, Jowa River, Jowa Indians, Rock River, 172--Turkey River, Reynard Indians, Ouisconsin River, Pecant or Winebagoe Indians, 173--Sioux Indians, Prairie des Chiens, 174--Sauteaux or Chippeway River, Scenery of the Mississippi, Sioux village, Canoe. River, St. Croix River, 176--Cannon River, Indian Burying-place, Falls of St. Anthony, 177--Rum River, Red Cedar Lake, Beaver Islands, Corbeau or Raven River, 178--Pine Creek, Lake Clear, Clear River, Winter Quarters, Indians, 179--Falls of the Painted Rock, Pine River, Chippeway Indians, 180--Leech Lake, Pine Creek, 181--Indians, Falls of St. Anthony, Prairie des Chiens, 182--Sioux and Puant Indians, Salt River, 183. WESTERN TERRITORY OF AMERICA 184 _The River Missouri. _ _Lewis and Clarke's Voyage from St. Louis to the Source of the Missouri. _ St. Louis, Osage River, Osage Indians, Big Manitou Creek, 185--Kanzes River, Platte River, 186--Pawnee Indians, Ottoe and Missouri Indians, 187--Indian Villages 188--Water of the Missouri, Fruit, Yankton Indians, 189--Teton Indians, 191-- Ricara Indians, Chayenne River, 194--Le Boulet or Cannon-ball River, Mandan Indians, 196--Winter Quarters, 197--Fort Mandan, Ahanaway and Minnetaree Indians, 198--Knife River, 199--Little Missouri, Indian Burying-place, 201--Yellow Stone River, 202 --Porcupine River, Muscle-shell River, 203--Great Falls of the Missouri, 205--Maria's River, 207--Three Forks of the Missouri, 209--Source of the Missouri, 210. _Lewis and Clarke's Travels from the Source of the Missouri to the Pacific Ocean. _ Rocky Mountains, 210--Mountainous Country, Indians, 211-- Travellers' Rest Creek, Koos-koos-kee River, Chopunnish Indians, 213--Shoshonees and Snake Indians, 214--Pierced-nose Indians, 217--Indian Fisheries, 218--Solkuk Indians, 218-- Columbia or Oregan River, Echeloot Indians, 219--The Pacific Ocean, Indians in the Vicinity of the Coast, 221. _Lewis and Clarke's Return from the Pacific Ocean to St. Louis. _ Rocky Mountains, 225--Travellers' Rest Creek, Clarke's River, Maria's River, Missouri River, 226--Yellow-stone River, Jefferson's River, 227--La Charette, St. Louis, 228. _Pike's Journey from St. Louis, through Louisiana to Santa Fé, New Spain. _ Missouri River, St. Charles, Osage River, Gravel River, 229 --Yungar River, Grand Fork, Osage Indians, 230--Kanzes River, Pawnee Indians, 231--Arkansaw River, 232--Indians, 233--Grand Pawnees, Rio Colorado, 234--Rio del Norte, 236--Santa Fé, 237. MEXICO or NEW SPAIN in general 239 _Pike's Journey from Santa Fé to Montelovez. _ St. Domingo, Albuquerque, Sibilleta, 247--Passo del Norte, Carracal, Chihuahua, 248--Florida River, Mauperne, Hacienda of Polloss, 249--Montelovez, Durango, 250. _Description of the City of Mexico. _ Situation, 250--Ancient City, 251--Quarters, Teocallis or Temples, 252--School of Mines, Valley of Mexico, 253--Streets, Aqueducts, Dikes or Embankments, Public Edifices, 254--Public Walk, Markets, Chinampas, 255--Hill of Chapoltepec, Lakes of Tezcuco and Chalco, 256. _Description of some of the most important Places in Mexico. _ Tlascala, 256--Puebla, Cholula, Vera Cruz, 257--Xalapa, Volcano of Orizaba, Coffre de Perote, Volcano of Tuxtla, Papantla, Indian Pyramid, 259--Acapulco, 260--Guaxaca or Oaxaca, Intendancy of Yucatan, Bay of Campeachy, 261-- Merida, Campeachy, Honduras, Balize, 262--Nicaragua, Yare River, 263--Leon de Nicaragua, 264. BRITISH AMERICAN DOMINIONS 264 _Nova Scotia_ in general ib. Halifax 265 _Canada_ in general 265 _Description of Quebec. _ Situation, Cape Diamond, 267--Lower Town, Houses, Streets, Mountain Street, 268--Shops or Stores, Taverns, Public Buildings, Upper Town, 269--Charitable Institutions, Wolf's Cove, Heights of Abram, Markets, 270--Maple Sugar, Fruit, Climate, 271. _Mr. Hall's Journey from Quebec to Montreal. _ Jacques Cartier Bridge, Cataract, Country Houses, 272-- Post-houses, Trois Rivieres, River St. Maurice, Falls of Shawinne Gamme, Beloeil Mountain, 273--Beloeil, Montreal Mountain, 274. _Description of Montreal. _ Situation, Buildings, Streets, Square, Upper and Lower Towns, Suburbs, Religious and Charitable Institutions, 275--Public Edifices, Parade, 276--Markets, Climate, 277. _Route from Montreal to Fort Chepewyan. _ La Chine, 277--St. Ann's, Lake of the two Mountains, Utawas River, Portage de Chaudiere, 278--Lake Nepisingui, Nepisinguis Indians, Riviere de François, Lake Huron, Lake Superior, Algonquin Indians, 279--Grande Portage, River Au Tourt, 280-- Lake Winipic, Cedar Lake, Mud Lake, Sturgeon Lake, Saskatchiwine River, Beaver Lake, Lake of the Hills, Fort Chepewyan, 281. _Account of the Knisteneaux and Chepewyan Indians. _ Knisteneaux, 282--Chepewyans, 285. _Mackenzie's Voyage from Fort Chepewyan, along the Rivers to the Frozen Ocean. _ Fort Chepewyan, 288--Lake of the Hills, Slave River, Great Slave Lake, 289--Red-knife Indians, 290--Slave and Dog-rib Indians, 291--Quarreller Indians, 294--North Frozen Ocean, Whale Island, 295. _Mackenzie's Return from the Frozen Ocean to Fort Chepewyan. _ Indians, 296--Account of the country, 297--Woods and Mountains, 298--Fort Chepewyan. _Description of the Western Coast of America, from California to Behring's Strait. _ California, Gulf of California, Missionary Establishment, Indians of California, 299--Monterey, New Albion, Nootka Sound, 300--Indians of Nootka Sound, 301--Port St. François, Indians, Prince William's Sound, 302--Cook's River, Alyaska, Cape Newenham, 303--Behring's Strait, Cape Prince of Wales, 304. DAVIS'S STRAIT and BAFFIN'S BAY 304 _Ross's Voyage of Discovery, for the purpose of exploring Baffin's Bay, and enquiring into the Probability of a North-west Passage. _ Cape Farewell, Icebergs, Disco Island, 305, --Kron Prin's Island, Danish Settlement, Wayat's or Hare Island, Four Island Point, Danish Factory, 306, --Esquimaux of Greenland, Danger from the Ice, Whales, 307--Arctic Highlanders, 308--Arctic Highlands, Prince Regent's Bay, 315--Sea Fowls, Crimson Snow, Cape Dudley Digges, 317--Wolstenholme and Whale Sounds, Sir Thomas Smith's Sound, Alderman Jones's Sound, Lancaster Sound, Croker Mountains, 318, 319. _Parry's Voyage for the Discovery of a North-west Passage. _ Lancaster's Sound, Possession Bay, 319--Croker's Bay, Wellington Channel, Barrow's Straits, 320--Bounty Cape, Bay of the Hecla and Griper, Melville Island, 321--Cape Providence, North Georgian Islands, 322--Winter Quarters at Melville Island, 323--Cape Providence, Lancaster's Sound, Baffin's Bay, the Clyde, Esquimaux Indians, 333. LABRADOR in general 336 GREENLAND in general 339 _Explanation of the Plates in this Volume. _ Plate Page _Vignette_, Rock Bridge 102 1. Washington (_Frontispiece_) 85 Pyramid of Cholula, near Mexico 257 New York 13 2. Philadelphia, Second Street 46 Philadelphia, United States Bank 48 Philadelphia, High Street 46 3. Quebec 268 Cataract of Niagara 37 Montreal 276 The Binder is requested to place the Frontispiece opposite to the Title, and the above Explanation, with the other Plates, together, after theTable of Contents. [Illustration: _Plate 2. _ PHILADELPHIA, SECOND STREET. UNITED STATES BANK. PHILADELPHIA, HIGH STREET. ] [Illustration: _Plate 3. _ QUEBEC. CATARACT OF NIAGARA. MONTREAL. ] TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, FROM MODERN WRITERS. First Day's Instruction. NORTH AMERICA. This division of the great western continent is more than five thousandmiles in length; and, in some latitudes, is four thousand miles wide. Itwas originally discovered by Europeans, about the conclusion of thefifteenth century; and, a few years afterwards, a party of Spanishadventurers obtained possession of some of the southern districts. Theinhabitants of these they treated like wild animals, who had no propertyin the woods through which they roamed. They expelled them from theirhabitations, established settlements; and, taking possession of thecountry in the name of their sovereign, they appropriated to themselvesthe choicest and most valuable provinces. Numerous other settlementshave since been established in different parts of the country; and thenative tribes have nearly been exterminated, while the Europeanpopulation and the descendants of Europeans, have so much increasedthat, in the United States only, there are now more than ten millions ofwhite inhabitants. The _surface_ of the country is extremely varied. A double range ofmountains extends through the United States, in a direction, fromsouth-west to north-east; and another range traverses nearly the wholewestern regions, from north to south. No part of the world is so wellwatered with rivulets, rivers, and lakes, as this. Some of the _lakes_resemble inland seas. Lake Superior is nearly 300 miles long, and ismore than 150 miles wide; and lakes Huron, Michigan, Erie, Ontario, andChamplain, are all of great size. The principal navigable _rivers_ ofAmerica are the Mississippi, the Ohio, the Missouri, and the Illinois. Of these the _Mississippi_ flows from the north, and falls into the Gulfof Mexico. The _Ohio_ flows into the Mississippi: it extends in anorth-easterly direction, and receives fifteen large streams, all ofwhich are navigable. The _Missouri_ and the _Illinois_ also flow intothe Mississippi: and, by means of these several rivers, a commercialintercourse is effected, from the ocean to vast distances into theinterior of the country. Other important rivers are the _Delaware_ andthe _Hudson_, in the United States, and the _St. Lawrence_, in Canada. The _bays_ and harbours of North America are numerous, and many of themare well adapted for the reception and protection of ships. _Hudson'sBay_ is of greater extent than the whole Baltic sea. _Delaware Bay_ is60 miles long; and, in some parts, is so wide, that a vessel in themiddle of it cannot be seen from either bank. _Chesapeak Bay_ extends270 miles inland. The _Bay of Honduras_ is on the south-eastern side ofNew Spain, and is noted for the trade in logwood and mahogany, which iscarried on upon its banks. The _natural productions_ of North America are, in many respects, important. The forests abound in valuable timber-trees; among which areenumerated no fewer than forty-two different species of oaks. Fruit-trees of various kinds are abundant; and, in many places, grapesgrow wild: the other vegetable productions are numerous and important. Among the quadrupeds are enumerated some small species of tigers, deer, elks of immense size, bisons, bears, wolves, foxes, beavers, porcupines, and opossums. The American forests abound in birds; and in those ofdistricts that are distant from the settlements of men, wild turkeys, and several species of grouse are very numerous. In some of the forestsof Canada, passenger-pigeons breed in myriads; and, during theirperiodical flight, from one part of the country to another, theirnumbers darken the air. The coasts, bays, and rivers, abound in fish;and various species of reptiles and serpents are known to inhabit theinterior of the southern districts. Among the mountains most of theimportant metals are found: iron, lead, and copper, are all abundant;and coals are not uncommon. THE UNITED STATES. That part of North America which is under the government of the UnitedStates, now constitutes one of the most powerful and most enlightenednations in the world. The inhabitants enjoy the advantage of a vastextent of territory, over which the daily increasing population is able, with facility, to expand itself; and much of this territory, thoughcovered with forests, is capable of being cleared, and many parts of itare every day cleared, for the purposes of cultivation. The origin of the United States may be dated from the time of theformation of an English colony in Virginia, about the year 1606. OtherEnglish colonies were subsequently formed; and, during one hundred andfifty years, these gradually increased in strength and prosperity, till, at length, the inhabitants threw off their dependance upon England, andestablished an independent republican government. This, after a long andexpensive war, was acknowledged by Great Britain, in a treaty signed atParis on the 30th of November, 1782. The _boundaries_ of the States were determined by this treaty; but, someimportant acquisitions of territory have since been made. In April, 1803, _Louisiana_ was ceded to them by France; and this district, inits most limited extent, includes a surface of country, which, with theexception of Russia, is equal to the whole of Europe. _Florida_, by itslocal position, is connected with the United States: it belonged toSpain, but, in the year 1820, it was annexed to the territories of therepublic. Geographical writers have divided the United States into three regions:the _lowlands_ or flat country; the highlands, and the mountains. Ofthese, the first extend from the Atlantic ocean to the falls of thegreat rivers. The _highlands_ reach from the falls to the foot of themountains; and the _mountains_ stretch nearly through the whole country, in a direction from south-west to north-east. Their length is about 900miles, and their breadth from 60 to 200. They may be considered asseparated into two distinct chains; of which the eastern chain has thename of _Blue Mountains_, and the western is known, at its southernextremity, by the name of _Cumberland_ and _Gauley Mountains_, andafterwards by that of the _Alleghany Mountains_. The Alleghanies areabout 250 miles distant from the shore of the Atlantic. Towards thenorth there are other eminences, called the _Green Mountains_ and the_White Mountains_. The loftiest summits of the whole are said to beabout 7000 feet in perpendicular height above the level of the sea. Few countries can boast a greater general fertility of _soil_ than NorthAmerica. The soil of the higher lands consists, for the most part, of abrown loamy earth, and a yellowish sandy clay. Marine shells, and othersubstances, in a fossil state, are found at the depth of eighteen ortwenty feet below the surface of the ground. Some of these are of veryextraordinary description. In the year 1712, several bones and teeth ofa vast nondescript quadruped, were dug up at Albany in the state of NewYork. By the ignorant inhabitants these were considered to be theremains of gigantic human bodies. In 1799 the bones of other individualsof this animal, which has since been denominated the _Mastodon_ or_American Mammoth_, were discovered beneath the surface of the ground, in the vicinity of Newburgh, on the river Hudson. Induced by the hope ofbeing able to obtain a perfect skeleton, a Mr. Peale, of Philadelphia, purchased these bones, with the right of digging for others. He wasindefatigable in his exertions, but was unable, for some time, toprocure any more. He made an attempt in a morass about twelve milesdistant from Newburgh, where an entire set of ribs was found, butunaccompanied by any other remains. In another morass, in Ulster county, he found several bones; among the rest a complete under jaw, and upperpart of the head. From the whole of the fragments that he obtained, hewas enabled to form two skeletons. One of these, under the name ofmammoth, was exhibited in London, about a year afterwards. Its height atthe shoulder was eleven feet; its whole length was fifteen feet; and itsweight about one thousand pounds. This skeleton was furnished with largeand curved ivory tusks, different in shape from those of an elephant, but similar in quality. In 1817 another skeleton was dug up, from thedepth of only four feet, in the town of _Goshen_, near Chester. Thetusks of this were more than nine feet in length. In a region so extensive as the United States, there must necessarily bea great variety of _climate_. In general, the heat of summer and thecold of winter are more intense, and the transitions, from the one tothe other, are more sudden than in the old continent. The predominantwinds are from the west; and the severest cold is felt from thenorth-west. Between the forty-second and forty-fifth degrees oflatitude, the same parallel as the south of France, the winters are verysevere. During winter, the ice of the rivers is sufficiently strong tobear the passage of horses and waggons; and snow is so abundant, as toadmit the use of sledges. In Georgia the winters are mild. SouthCarolina is subject to immoderate heat, to tremendous hurricanes, andto terrific storms of thunder and lightning. The United States are usually classed in three divisions: the northern, the middle, and the southern. The _northern states_ have the generalappellation of _New England_: they are Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. The _middle states_ are NewYork, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. The_southern states_ are Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tenessee, and Louisiana. Besides these, the United States claim the government of the_territories_ of the Illinois, Alabama, and Mississippi. By a publicordinance, passed in the year 1787, a territory cannot be admitted intothe American Union, until its population amounts to 60, 000 freeinhabitants. In the mean time, however, it is subject to a regularprovisional form of government. The administration of this is entrustedto a governor, who is appointed by the president and congress of theUnited States; and who is invested with extensive powers, for protectionof the interests of the States, and the observance of a strict faithtowards the Indians, in the exchange of commodities, and the purchase oflands. The _government_ of the United States is denominated a "FederalRepublic. " Each state has a constitution for the management of its owninternal affairs; and, by the federal constitution, they are all formedinto one united body. The legislative power is vested in a _congress_ ofdelegates from the several states; this congress is divided into twodistinct bodies, the _senate_ and the _house of representatives_. Themembers of the latter are elected every two years, by the people; andthe senators are elected every six years, by the state legislatures. Asenator must be thirty years of age, an inhabitant of the state in whichhe is elected, and must have been nine years a citizen of the UnitedStates: the present number of senators is thirty-eight. The executivepower is vested in a _president_, who is chosen every four years. Inthe election both of members of congress, and of the president of theUnited States, it is asserted, that there is much manoeuvering, andmuch corrupt influence exerted. In the electioneering addresses of thedefeated parties, these are, perhaps, as often made a subject ofcomplaint and reproach, as they are in those of defeated candidates forthe representation of counties or boroughs in the British House ofCommons. Washington is the seat of government; and the president, when there, lives in a house destined for his use, and furnished at the expense ofthe nation. His annual salary is 25, 000 dollars, about £. 5600 sterling. The president, in virtue of his office, is commander-in-chief of thearmy and navy of the United States, and also of the militia, whenever itis called into actual service. He is empowered to make treaties, toappoint ambassadors, ministers, consuls, judges of the supreme court, and all military and other officers whose appointments are not otherwiseprovided for by the law. The _national council_ is composed of the President and Vice President;and the heads of the treasury, war, navy, and post-office establishment. The _inhabitants_ of the United States (says Mr. Warden[1]) have notthat uniform character which belongs to ancient nations, upon whom, timeand the stability of institutions, have imprinted a particular andindividual character. The general physiognomy is as varied as its originis different. English, Irish, Germans, Scotch, French, and Swiss, allretain some characteristic of their ancient country. The account given by Mr. Birkbeck is somewhat different from this. Heasserts that, as far as he had an opportunity of judging, the nativeinhabitants of the towns are much alike; nine out of ten (he says) aretall and long limbed, approaching or even exceeding six feet. They areseen in pantaloons and Wellington boots; either marching up and down, with their hands in their pockets, or seated in chairs poised on thehind feet, and the backs rested against the walls. If a hundredAmericans, of any class, were to seat themselves, ninety-nine (observesthis gentleman) would shuffle their chairs to the true distance, andthen throw themselves back against the nearest prop. The women exhibit agreat similarity of tall, relaxed forms, with consistent dress anddemeanour; and are not remarkable for sprightliness of manners. Intellectual culture has not yet made much progress among the generalityof either sex; but the men, from their habit of travelling, and theirconsequent intercourse with strangers, have greatly the advantage, inthe means of acquiring information. Mr. Birkbeck says that, in everyvillage and town, as he passed along, he observed groups of youngable-bodied men, who seemed to be as perfectly at leisure as theloungers of Europe. This love of indolence, where labour is soprofitable, is a strange affection. If these people be asked why they somuch indulge in it, they answer, that "they live in freedom; and neednot work, like the English. " In the interior of the United States, and in the back settlements, _land_ may be purchased, both of individuals and of the government, atvery low rates. The price of uncleared land, or of land covered withtrees, and not yet in a state fit for cultivation, is, in manyinstances, as low as two dollars an acre. The public lands are dividedinto townships of six miles square; each of which is subdivided intothirty-six sections, of one mile square, or 640 acres; and these areusually offered for sale, in quarter sections, of 160 acres. Thepurchase money may be paid by four equal instalments; the first withinforty days, and the others within two, three, and four years after thecompletion of the purchase. Mr. Birkbeck thus describes the mode in which _towns_ _are formed_ inAmerica. On any spot, (says he, ) where a few settlers cluster together, attracted by ancient neighbourhood, or by the goodness of the soil, orvicinity to a mill, or by whatever other cause, some enterprisingproprietor perhaps finds, in his section, what he deems a good site fora town: he has it surveyed, and laid out in lots, which he sells, oroffers to sale by auction. When these are disposed of, the new townassumes the name of its founder: a store-keeper builds a little framedstore, and sends for a few cases of goods; and then a tavern starts up, which becomes the residence of a doctor and a lawyer, and the boardinghouse of the store-keeper, as well as the resort of the traveller. Soonfollow a blacksmith, and other handicraftsmen, in useful succession. Aschool-master, who is also the minister of religion, becomes animportant acquisition to this rising community. Thus the town proceeds, if it proceed at all, with accumulating force, until it becomes themetropolis of the neighbourhood. Hundreds of these speculations may havefailed, but hundreds prosper; and thus trade begins and thrives, aspopulation increases around favourite spots. The town being established, a cluster of inhabitants, however small it may be, acts as a stimulus onthe cultivation of the neighbourhood: redundancy of supply is theconsequence, and this demands a vent. Water-mills rise on the nearestnavigable streams, and thus an effectual and constant market is securedfor the increasing surplus of produce. Such are the elements of thataccumulating mass of commerce which may, hereafter, render this one ofthe most important and most powerful countries in the world. Though the Americans boast of the freedom which they personally enjoy, they, most inconsistently, allow the importation and employment of_slaves_; and, with such unjust detestation are these unhappy beingstreated, that a negro is not permitted to eat at the same table, noreven to frequent the same place of worship, as a white person. The white_servants_, on the contrary, esteem themselves on an equality withtheir masters. They style themselves "helps, " and will not sufferthemselves to be called "servants. " When they speak to their masters ormistresses, they either call them by their names; or they substitute theterm "boss, " for that of master. All this, however, is a differencemerely of words; for the Americans exhibit no greater degree of feeling, nor are they at all more considerate in their conduct towards this classof society, than the inhabitants of other nations. Indeed the contraryis very often the case. Most persons, in America, engage their servantsby the week, and no enquiry is ever made relative to character, as iscustomary with us. The _constitution_ of the United States guarantees freedom of speech andliberty of the press. By law all the inhabitants are esteemed equal. Thechief military strength of the country is in the militia; and, wheneverthis is embodied, every male inhabitant beyond a certain age, iscompellable either to bear arms, or to pay an equivalent to be excusedfrom this service. Trial by jury is to be preserved inviolate. Arepublican form of government is guaranteed to all the states, andhereditary titles and distinctions are prohibited by the law. Withregard to religion, it is stipulated that no law shall ever be passed toestablish any particular form of religion, or to prevent the freeexercise of it; and, in the United States, no religious test is requiredas a qualification to any office of public trust. In _commerce_ and _navigation_ the progress of the States has been rapidbeyond example. Besides the natural advantages of excellent harbours, extensive inland bays, and navigable rivers, the Americans assert thattheir trade is not fettered by monopolies, nor by exclusive privilegesof any description. Goods or merchandise circulate through the wholecountry free of duty; and a full drawback, or restitution of the dutiesof importation, is granted upon articles exported to a foreign port, inthe course of the year in which they have been imported. Commerce ishere considered a highly honourable employment; and, in the sea-porttowns, all the wealthiest members of the community are merchants. Nearlyall the materials for manufactures are produced in this country. Fuel isinexhaustible; and the high wages of the manufacturers, and the want ofan extensive capital, alone prevent the Americans from rivalling theEnglish in trade. The produce of cultivation in America is of almostevery variety that can be named: wheat, maize, rye, oats, barley, rice, and other grain; apples, pears, cherries, peaches, grapes, currants, gooseberries, plums, and other fruit, and a vast variety of vegetables. Lemons, oranges, and tropical fruits are raised in the southern States. Hops, flax, and hemp are abundant. Tobacco is an article of extensivecultivation in Virginia, Maryland, and some other districts. Cotton andsugar are staple commodities in several of the states. The northern andeastern states are well adapted for grazing, and furnish a great numberof valuable horses, and of cattle and sheep; and an abundance of butterand cheese. * * * * * It will be possible to describe nearly all the most important placeswithin the limits of the United States, by reciting, in succession, thenarratives of different travellers through this interesting country. Inso doing, however, it may perhaps be found requisite, in a fewinstances, to separate the parts of their narrations, for the purpose ofmore methodical illustration; but this alteration of arrangement willnot often occur. FOOTNOTES: [1] Statistical, political, and historical account of the UnitedStates. Second Day's Instruction. UNITED STATES CONTINUED. _An account of New York and its vicinity. From Sketches of America by_HENRY BRADSHAW FEARON. Mr. Fearon was deputed by several friends in England, to visit theUnited States, for the purpose of obtaining information, by which theyshould regulate their conduct, in emigrating from their native country, to settle in America. He arrived in the bay of New York, about thebeginning of August, 1817. Here every object was interesting to him. The pilot brought on board theship the newspapers of the morning. In these, many of the advertisementshad, to Mr. Fearon, the character of singularity. One of them, announcing a play, terminated thus: "gentlemen are informed that nosmoking is allowed in the theatre. " Several sailing boats passed, withrespectable persons in them, many of whom wore enormously large strawhats, turned up behind. At one o'clock, the vessel was anchored close tothe city; and a great number of persons were collected on the wharf towitness her arrival. Many of these belonged to the labouring class;others were of the mercantile and genteeler orders. Large straw hatsprevailed, and trowsers were universal. The general costume of thesepersons was inferior to that of men in the same rank of life in England:their whole appearance was loose, slovenly, careless, and not remarkablefor cleanliness. The wholesale stores, which front the river, had notthe most attractive appearance imaginable. The carts were long andnarrow, and each was drawn by one horse. The hackney-coaches were openat the sides, an arrangement well suited to this warm climate; and thecharge was about one fourth higher than in London. This city, when approached from the sea, presents an appearance that istruly beautiful. It stands at the extreme point of Manhattan, or Yorkisland, which is thirteen miles long, and from one to two miles wide;and the houses are built from shore to shore. Vessels of any burden cancome close up to the town, and lie there in perfect safety, in a naturalharbour formed by the _East_ and _Hudson's rivers_. New York contains120, 000 inhabitants, and is, indisputably, the most important commercialcity in America. The _streets_ through which Mr. Fearon passed, to a boarding-house inState-street, were narrow and dirty. The _Battery_, however, is adelightful walk, at the edge of the bay; and several of the houses inState-street are as large as those in Bridge-street, Blackfriars, London. At the house in which Mr. Fearon resided, the hours of eatingwere, breakfast, eight o'clock; dinner half-past three, tea seven, andsupper ten; and the whole expence of living amounted to about eighteendollars per week. The _street population_ of New York has an aspect very different fromthat of London, or the large towns in England. One striking feature ofit is formed by the number of blacks, many of whom are finely dressed:the females are ludicrously so, generally in white muslin, withartificial flowers and pink shoes. Mr. Fearon saw very few well-dressedwhite ladies; but this was a time of the year when most of them wereabsent at the springs of Balston and Saratoga, places of fashionableresort, about 200 miles from New York. All the native inhabitants of this city have sallow complexions. To havecolour in the cheeks is here considered a criterion by which a person isknown to be an Englishman. The young men are tall, thin, and solemn:they all wear trowsers, and most of them walk about in loose greatcoats. There are, in New York, many _hotels_; some of which are on an extensivescale. The City Hotel is as large as the London Tavern. The dining-roomand some of the private apartments seem to have been fitted upregardless of expense. The _shops_, or stores, as they are here called, have nothing in their exterior to recommend them to notice: there is noteven an attempt at tasteful display. In this city the linen andwoollen-drapers expose great quantities of their goods, loose on boxes, in the street, without any precaution against theft. This practice, aproof of their carelessness, is at the same time an evidence as to thepolitical state of society which is worthy of attention. Great masses ofthe population cannot be unemployed, or robbery would be inevitable. There are, in New York, many excellent private dwellings, built of redpainted brick, which gives them a peculiarly neat and clean appearance. In Broadway and Wall-street, trees are planted along the side of thepavement. The City Hall is a large and elegant building, in which thecourts of law are held. Most of the _streets_ are dirty: in many of themsawyers prepare their wood for sale, and all are infested with pigs. On the whole, a walk through New York will disappoint an Englishman:there is an apparent carelessness, a laziness, an unsocial indifference, which freezes the blood and disgusts the judgment. An evening strollalong Broadway, when the lamps are lighted, will please more than one atnoonday. The shops will look rather better, but the manners of theproprietors will not greatly please an Englishman: their coldindifference may be mistaken, by themselves, for independence, but noperson of thought and observation will ever concede to them that theyhave selected a wise mode of exhibiting that dignified feeling. [There is, in New York, a seminary for education, called _ColumbiaCollege_. This institution was originally named "King's College, " andwas founded in the year 1754. Its annual revenue is about 4000 dollars. A botanic garden, situated about four miles from the city, was, not longago, purchased by the state, of Dr. Hosach, for 73, 000 dollars, andgiven to the college. The faculty of medicine, belonging to thisinstitution, has been incorporated under the title of "The College ofPhysicians and Surgeons of the University of New York. "] The _Town Hall_ of this city is a noble building, of white marble; andthe space around it is planted and railed off. The interior appears tobe well arranged. In the rooms of the mayor and corporation, areportraits of several governors of this state, and of some distinguishedofficers. The state rooms and courts of justice are on the first floor. In the immediate vicinity of the hall is an extensive building, appropriated to the "New York Institution, " the "Academy of fine Arts, "and the "American Museum. " There are also a state prison, an hospital, and many splendid churches. When a traveller surveys this city, and recollects that, but twocenturies since, the spot on which it stands was a wilderness, he cannotbut be surprised at its present comparative extent and opulence. With regard to _trades_ in New York, Mr. Fearon remarks that buildingappeared to be carried on to a considerable extent, and was generallyperformed by contract. There were many timber, or lumber-yards, (as theyare here called, ) but not on the same large and compact scale as inEngland. Cabinet-work was neatly executed, and at a reasonable price. Chair-making was an extensive business. Professional men, he says, literally swarm in the United States; and lawyers are as common in NewYork as paupers are in England. A gentleman, walking in the Broadway, seeing a friend pass, called out to him, "Doctor!" and immediatelysixteen persons turned round, to answer the call. It is estimated thatthere are, in New York, no fewer than 1500 spirit shops, yet theAmericans have not the character of being drunkards. There are severallarge carvers' and gilders' shops; and glass-mirrors and picture-framesare executed with taste and elegance. Plate-glass is imported fromFrance, Holland, and England. Booksellers' shops are extensive; butEnglish novels and poetry are the primary articles of a bookseller'sbusiness. Many of the popular English books are here reprinted, but in asmaller size, and on worse paper than the original. There are, in thiscity, a few boarding-schools for ladies; but, in general, males andfemales, of all ages, are educated at the same establishment. No speciesof correction is allowed. Children, even at home, are perfectlyindependent; subordination being foreign to the comprehension of allpersons in the United States. The _rents of houses_ are here extremely high. Very small houses, insituations not convenient for business, and containing, in the whole, only six rooms, are worth from £. 75 to £. 80 per annum; and for similarhouses, in first-rate situations, the rents as high as from £. 160 to£. 200 are paid. Houses like those in Oxford-street and the best part ofHolborn, are let for £. 500 or £. 600 pounds per annum. _Provisions_ are somewhat cheaper than in London; but most of thearticles of clothing are dear, being chiefly of British manufacture. With regard to _religion_ in the United States, there is legally themost unlimited liberty. There is no established religion; but theprofessors of the presbyterian and the episcopalian, or church ofEngland tenets, take the precedence, both in numbers and respectability. Their ministers receive each from two to eight thousand dollars perannum. All the churches are said to be well filled. The episcopalians, though they do not form any part of the state, have their bishops andother orders, as in England. Mr. Fearon remarks, generally, respecting the United States, that everyindustrious man may obtain a living; but that America is not thepolitical elysium which it has been so floridly described, and which theimaginations of many have fondly anticipated. In the _courts of law_ there appears to be a perfect equality betweenthe judge, the counsel, the jury, the tipstaff, and the auditors; andMr. Fearon was informed that great corruption exists in the minorcourts. New York is called a "free state;" and it may perhaps be so termedtheoretically, or in comparison with its southern neighbours; but, evenhere, there are multitudes of negroes in a state of slavery, and who arebought and sold as cattle would be in England. And so degrading do thewhite inhabitants consider it, to associate with blacks, that the latterare absolutely excluded from all places of public worship, which thewhites attend. Even the most degraded white person will neither eat norwalk with a negro. _Long Island_ is a part of the state of New York, one hundred and twentymiles in length, and twelve in breadth. It is chiefly occupied byfarmers; and is divided into two counties. * * * * * Mr. Fearon made several excursions into the state of _New Jersey_, situated opposite to that of New York, and on the southern side of theriver _Hudson_. The valleys abound in black oaks, ash, palms, and poplartrees. Oak and hickory-nut trees grow in situations which areoverflowed. The soil is not considered prolific. _Newark_ is amanufacturing town, in this province, of considerable importance, anddelightfully situated. It contains many excellent houses, and apopulation of about eight thousand persons, including slaves. Carriagesand chairs are here made in great numbers, chiefly for sale in thesouthern markets. For the purpose of visiting the property of a gentleman who resided inthe vicinity of _Fishkill_, a creek somewhat more than sixty miles fromNew York, Mr. Fearon took his passage in a steam-boat. He paid for hisfare three dollars and a half, and the voyage occupied somewhat morethan eight hours. The vessel was of the most splendid description. Itcontained one hundred and sixty beds; and the ladies had a distinctcabin. On the deck were numerous conveniences, such as baggage-rooms, smoking-rooms, &c. The general occupation, during the voyage, wascard-playing. In the houses of two gentlemen whom Mr. Fearon visitednear Fishkill, he was much gratified by the style of living, thesubstantial elegance of the furniture, and the mental talents of thecompany. Here he found both comfort and cleanliness, requisites whichare scarcely known in America. In a general summary of his opinion respecting persons desirous ofemigrating from England to America, Mr. Fearon says, that the capitalistmay obtain, for his money, seven per cent. With good security. Thelawyer and the doctor will not succeed. An orthodox minister would doso. The proficient in the fine arts will find little encouragement. Theliterary man must starve. The tutor's posts are all occupied. Theshopkeeper may do as well, but not better than in London, unless he be aman of superior talent, and have a large capital: for such requisitesthere is a fine opening. The farmer must labour hard, and be butscantily remunerated. The clerk and shopman will get but little morethan their board and lodging. Mechanics, whose trades are of the _firstnecessity_, will do well: but men who are not mechanics, and whounderstand only the cotton, linen, woollen, glass, earthenware, silk, orstocking manufactories, cannot obtain employment. The labouring man willdo well; particularly if he have a wife and children who are capable ofcontributing, not merely to the consuming, but also to the earning ofthe common stock. _Narrative of_ MR. FEARON'S _Journey from New York to Boston. _ ON the 8th of September this gentleman left New York for Boston. After apassage of twelve hours, the vessel in which he sailed arrived at _NewHaven_, a city in Connecticut, distant from New York, by water, aboutninety miles. This place has a population of about five thousandpersons, and has the reputation of ranking among the most beautifultowns in the United States. [It is situated at the head of a bay, between two rivers, and contains about five hundred houses, which arechiefly built of wood, but on a regular plan: it has also several publicedifices, and about four thousand inhabitants. The harbour is spacious, well protected, and has good anchorage. There is at New Haven a college, superintended by a president, a professor in divinity, and threetutors. ] From this place Mr. Fearon proceeded to _New London_, a small town onthe west side of the river Thames. Here he took a place in the coach forProvidence. American stages are a species of vehicles with which none inEngland can be compared. They carry twelve passengers: none outside. Thecoachman, or driver, sits inside with the company. In length they arenearly equal to two English stages. Few of them go on springs. The sidesare open; the roof being supported by six small posts. The luggage iscarried behind, and in the inside. The seats are pieces of plain board;and there are leathers which can be let down from the top, and which, though useful as a protection against wet, are of little service in coldweather. The passengers breakfasted at _Norwich_, a manufacturing and tradingtown, about fourteen miles from New London; and, at six o'clock in theevening, they arrived at _New Providence_, the capital of Rhode Island, having occupied thirteen hours in travelling only fifty miles. In thegeneral appearance of the country, Mr. Fearon had been somewhatdisappointed. All the houses within sight from the road werefarm-houses. He remarks that, in Connecticut and Rhode Island, the landwas stony, and the price of produce was not commensurate to that oflabour. On entering Providence, Mr. Fearon was much pleased with the beauty ofthe place. In appearance, it combined the attractions of Southampton andDoncaster, in England. There are, in this town, an excellentmarket-house, a workhouse, four or five public schools, an universitywith a tolerable library, and an hospital. Several of the churches arehandsome, but they, as well as many private houses, are built of woodpainted white, and have green Venetian shutters. Mr. Fearon had not seena town either in America or Europe which bore the appearance of generalprosperity, equal to Providence. Ship and house-builders were fullyoccupied, as indeed were all classes of mechanics. The residents of thisplace are chiefly native Americans; for foreign emigrants seem never tothink of New England. Rent and provisions are here much lower than inNew York. At _Pawtucket_, four miles from Providence, are thirteen cottonmanufactories; six of which are on a large scale. Mr. Fearon visitedthree of them. They had excellent machinery; but not more than one halfof this was in operation, and the persons employed in all themanufactories combined, were not equal in number to those at one ofmoderate size in Lancashire. The road from Providence to Boston is much better than that which Mr. Fearon had already passed from New London. The aspect of the countryalso was improved; but there was nothing in either, as to mereappearance, which would be inviting to an inhabitant of England. From its irregularity, and from other circumstances, _Boston_ is muchmore like an English town than New York. The names are English, and theinhabitants are by no means so uniformly sallow, as they are in manyother parts of America. This town is considered the head quarters ofFederalism in politics, and of Unitarianism in religion. It containsmany rich families. The Bostonians are also the most enlightened, andthe most hospitable people whom Mr. Fearon had yet seen in America:they, however, in common with all New Englanders, have the character ofbeing greater sharpers, and more generally dishonourable, than thenatives of other sections of the Union. The _Athæneum public library_, under the management of Mr. Shaw, is avaluable establishment. It contained, at this time, 18, 000 volumes, fourthousand of which were the property of the secretary of state. The society in Boston is considered better than that in New York. Manyof the richer families live in great splendour, and in houses littleinferior to those of Russell-square, London. Distinctions here exist toan extent rather ludicrous under a free and popular government: thereare the first class, second class, third class, and the "old families. "Titles, too, are diffusely distributed. Boston is not a thriving, that is, not an increasing town. It wants afertile back country; and it is too far removed from the western statesto have much trade. On an eminence, in the Mall, (a fine public walk, ) is built the _StateHouse_, in which the legislature holds its meetings. The view from thetop of this building is peculiarly fine. The islands, the shipping, thetown, the hill and dale scenery, for a distance of thirty miles, presentan assemblage of objects which are beautifully picturesque. Boston wasthe birth-place of Dr. Franklin, and in this town the first dawnings ofthe American revolution broke forth. The heights of Dorchester andBunker's Hill are in its immediate vicinity. On the 20th of September Mr. Fearon walked to _Bunker's Hill_. It is ofmoderate height. The monument, placed here in commemoration of thevictory obtained by the English over the Americans, on the 17th of June, 1776, is of brick and wood, and without inscription. [At _Cambridge_, four miles from Boston, is a college, called _HarvardCollege_, in honour of the Rev. John Harvard of Charleston, who left toit his library, and a considerable sum of money. This college is upon ascale so large and liberal, as to consist of seven spacious buildings, and to contain two hundred and fifty apartments for officers andstudents. It has an excellent library of about 17, 000 volumes, aphilosophical apparatus, and a museum of natural history. The averagenumber of students is about two hundred and sixty. Admission into thiscollege requires a previous knowledge of mathematics, Latin, and Greek. All the students have equal rights; and each class has peculiarinstructors. Degrees are here conferred, as in the English universities;and the period of study requisite for the degree of bachelor of arts isfour years. The professorships are numerous. Harvard College furnishesinstructors and teachers to the most distant parts of the union; and, ingeneral, for the extent of its funds, the richness of its library, thenumber and character of its establishments, and the means it affords ofacquiring, not only an academical, but a professional education, it isconsidered to be without an equal in the country. It is, however, remarked, that this college is somewhat heretical in matters ofreligion; as most of the theological students leave it disaffectedtowards the doctrine of the Trinity. ] * * * * * From this place we must return to New York, for the purpose ofaccompanying Mr. Weld on a voyage up the river Hudson to Lake Champlain. Third Day's Instruction. UNITED STATES, AND PART OF CANADA. _Narrative of a Voyage up the River Hudson, from New York to LakeChamplain. By_ ISAAC WELD, Esq. Mr. Weld, having taken his passage in one of the sloops which trade onthe North or Hudson's river, betwixt New York and Albany, embarked onthe second of July. Scarcely a breath of air was stirring, and the tidecarried the vessel along at the rate of about two miles and a half anhour. The prospects that were presented to his view, in passing up thismagnificent stream, were peculiarly grand and beautiful. In some placesthe river expands to the breadth of five or six miles, in others itnarrows to that of a few hundred yards; and, in various parts, it isinterspersed with islands. From several points of view its course can betraced to a great distance up the Hudson, whilst in others it issuddenly lost to the sight, as it winds between its lofty banks. Heremountains, covered with rocks and trees, rise almost perpendicularly outof the water; there a fine champaign country presents itself, cultivatedto the very margin of the river, whilst neat farm-houses and distanttowns embellish the charming landscapes. After sunset a brisk wind sprang up, which carried the vessel at therate of six or seven miles an hour for a considerable part of the night;but for some hours it was requisite for her to lie at anchor, in a placewhere the navigation of the river was intricate. Early the next morning the voyagers found themselves opposite to _WestPoint_, a place rendered remarkable in the history of the American war, by the desertion of General Arnold, and the consequent death of theunfortunate Major André. The fort stands about one hundred and fiftyfeet above the level of the water, and on the side of a barren hill. Ithad, at this time, a most melancholy aspect. Near West Point theHighlands, as they are called, commence, and extend along the river, oneach side, for several miles. About four o'clock in the morning of the 4th of July, the vessel reached_Albany_, the place of its destination, one hundred and sixty milesdistant from New York. Albany is a city which, at this time, containedabout eleven hundred houses; and the number was fast increasing. In theold part of the town, the streets were very narrow, and the houses bad. The latter were all in the old Dutch taste, with the gable ends towardsthe street, and ornamented at the top with large iron weather-cocks; butin that part of the town which had been lately erected, the streetswere commodious, and many of the houses were handsome. Great pains hadbeen taken to have the streets well paved and lighted. In summer timeAlbany is a disagreeable place; for it stands in a low situation on themargin of the river, which here runs very slowly, and which, towards theevening, often exhales clouds of vapour. [In 1817, Albany is described, by Mr. Hall, to have had a gay andthriving appearance, and nothing Dutch about it, except the names ofsome of its inhabitants. Being the seat of government for New York, ithas a parliament-house, dignified with the name of Capitol. This standsupon an eminence, and has a lofty columnar porch; but, as the buildingis small, it seems to be all porch. There is a miserable little museumhere, which contains a group of waxen figures brought from France, representing the execution of Louis the Sixteenth. Albany is now a placeof considerable trade; and, if a canal be completed betwixt this townand Lake Erie, it will become a town of great importance. ] The 4th of July, the day of Mr. Weld's arrival at Albany, was theanniversary of the declaration of American independence. About noon adrum and trumpet gave notice that the rejoicings would immediatelycommence; and, on walking to a hill, about a quarter of a mile from thetown, Mr. Weld saw sixty men drawn up, partly militia, partlyvolunteers, partly infantry, partly cavalry. The last were clothed inscarlet, and were mounted on horses of various descriptions. About threehundred spectators attended. A few rounds from a three-pounder werefired, and some volleys of small-arms. When the firing ceased, thetroops returned to the town, a party of militia officers, in uniform, marching in the rear, under the shade of umbrellas, as the day wasexcessively hot. Having reached the town, the whole body dispersed. Thevolunteers and militia officers afterwards dined together, and thusended the rejoicings of the day. Mr. Weld remained in Albany for a few days, and then set off forSkenesborough, upon Lake Champlain, in a carriage hired for the purpose. In about two hours he arrived at the small village of _Cohoz_, close towhich is a remarkable cataract in the _Mohawk River_. This river takesits rise to the north-east of Lake Oneida, and, after a course of onehundred and forty miles, joins the Hudson about ten miles above Albany. The _Cohoz fall_ is about three miles from the mouth of this river, andat a place where its width is about three hundred yards: a ledge ofrocks extends quite across the stream, and from the top of these thewater falls about fifty feet perpendicular: the line of the fall, fromone side of the river to the other, is nearly straight. The appearanceof this cataract varies much, according to the quantity of water: whenthe river is full, the water descends in an unbroken sheet from one bankto the other; but, at other times, the greater part of the rocks is leftuncovered. From this place Mr. Weld proceeded along the banks of the _HudsonRiver_, and, late in the evening, reached _Saratoga_, thirty-five milesfrom Albany. This place contained about forty houses; but they were soscattered, that it had not the least appearance of a town. Near Saratoga, on the borders of a marsh, are several remarkable mineralsprings: one of these, in the crater of a rock, of pyramidical form, andabout five feet in height, is particularly curious. This rock seems tohave been formed by the petrifaction of the water; and all the othersprings are surrounded by similar petrifactions. Of the works thrown up at Saratoga, during the war, by the British andAmerican armies, there were now scarcely any remains. The country aroundwas well cultivated, and most of the trenches had been levelled by theplough. Mr. Weld here crossed the Hudson River, and proceeded, for somedistance, along its eastern shore. After this the road was mostwretched, particularly over a long causeway, which had been formedoriginally for the transporting of cannon. This causeway consisted oflarge, trees laid side by side. Some of them being decayed, greatintervals were left, in which the wheels of the carriage were sometimeslocked so fast, that the horses alone could not possibly extricate them. The woods on each side of the road had a much more majestic appearancethan any that Mr. Weld had seen since he had left Philadelphia. This, however, was owing more to the great height than to the thickness of thetrees, for he could not see one that appeared more than thirty inches indiameter. The trees here were chiefly oaks, hiccory, hemlock, and beech;intermixed with which appeared great numbers of smooth-barked, orWeymouth pines. A profusion of wild raspberries were growing in thewoods. After having experienced almost inconceivable difficulty, in consequenceof the badness of the road; and having occupied five hours in travellingonly twelve miles, Mr. Weld arrived at _Skenesborough_. This is a littletown, which stands near the southern extremity of Lake Champlain. Itconsisted, at this time, of only twelve houses, and was dreadfullyinfested with musquitoes, a large kind of gnats, which abound in theswampy parts of all hot countries. Such myriads of these insectsattacked Mr. Weld, the first night of his sleeping there, that, when herose in the morning, his face and hands were covered with largepustules, like those of a person in the small-pox. The situation ofSkenesborough, on the margin of a piece of water which is almoststagnant, and which is shaded by thick woods, is peculiarly favourableto the increase of these insects. Shortly after their arrival in Skenesborough, Mr. Weld, and twogentlemen by whom he was accompanied, hired a boat of about ten tonsburden, for the purpose of crossing _Lake Champlain_. The vessel sailedat one o'clock in the day; but, as the channel was narrow, and the windadverse, they were only able to proceed about six miles before sunset. Having brought the vessel to an anchor, the party landed and walked tosome adjacent farm-houses, in the hope of obtaining provisions; but theywere not able to procure any thing except milk and cheese. The next daythey reached _Ticonderoga_. Here the only dwelling was a tavern, a largehouse built of stone. On entering it, the party was shown into aspacious apartment, crowded with boatmen and other persons, who had justarrived from St. John's in Canada. The man of the house was a judge; asullen, demure old gentleman, who sate by the fire, with tatteredclothes and dishevelled locks, reading a book, and was totallyregardless of every person in the house. The old fort and barracks of Ticonderoga, are on the top of a risingground, just behind the tavern: they were at this time in ruins, and itis not likely that they ever will be rebuilt; for the situation is avery insecure one, being commanded by a lofty hill, called MountDefiance. During the great American war, the British troops obtainedpossession of this place, by dragging cannon and mortars up the hill, and firing down upon the fort. Mr. Weld and his friends, on leaving Ticonderoga, pursued their voyageto _Crown Point_: Here they landed to inspect the old fort. Nothing, however, was to be seen but a heap of ruins; for, shortly before it wassurrendered by the British troops, the powder-magazine blew up, and agreat part of the works was destroyed; and, since the final evacuationof the place, the people of the neighbourhood have been continuallydigging in different parts, in the hope of procuring lead and iron shot. At the south side only the ditches remain perfect: they are wide anddeep, and are cut through immense rocks of limestone; and, from beingovergrown, towards the top, with different kinds of shrubs, they have agrand and picturesque appearance. While the party were here, they were agreeably surprised with the sightof a large birch-canoe, upon the lake, navigated by two or threeIndians, in the dresses of their nation. These made for the shore, andsoon landed; and, shortly afterwards, another party arrived, that hadcome by land. _Lake Champlain_ is about one hundred and twenty miles in length, and isof various breadths: for the first thirty miles it is, in no place, morethan two miles wide; beyond this, for the distance of twelve miles, itis five or six miles across; but it afterwards narrows, and again, atthe end of a few miles, expands. That part called the _Broad Lake_, because broader than any other, is eighteen miles across. Here the lakeis interspersed with a great number of islands. The soundings of LakeChamplain are, in general, very deep; in many places they are sixty andseventy, and in some even one hundred fathoms in depth. The scenery, along the shores of the lake, is extremely grand andpicturesque; particularly beyond Crown Point. Here they are beautifullyornamented with hanging woods and rocks; and the mountains, on thewestern side, rise in ranges one behind another, in the most magnificentmanner possible. * * * * * Crossing from the head of Lake Champlain, westward to the river St. Lawrence, we shall describe the places adjacent to that river, and someof the north-western parts of the state of New York, in _A Narrative of_ LIEUTENANT HALL'S _Journey from Canada to theCataract of Niagara. _ Mr. Hall had travelled from Montreal, in Canada, to Prescott, in astage-waggon, which carried the mail; and he says that he can answer forits being one of the roughest conveyances on either side of theAtlantic. The face of the country is invariably flat; and settlements have not, hitherto, spread far from the banks of the _St. Lawrence_. _Prescott_ is remarkable for nothing but a square redoubt, or fort, called Fort Wellington. The accommodations at this place were so badthat Mr. Hall, at midnight, seated himself in a light waggon, in whichtwo gentlemen were proceeding to Brockville. These gentlemen afterwardsoffered him a passage to Kingston, in a boat belonging to the Britishnavy, which was waiting for them at _Brockville_. The banks of the river St. Lawrence, from the neighbourhood ofBrockville, are of limestone, and from twenty to fifty feet in height. Immense masses of reddish granite are also scattered along the bed ofthe stream, and sometimes project from the shore. The numerous islandswhich crowd the approach to _Lake Ontario_, have all a granite basis:they are clothed with cedar and pine-trees, and with an abundance ofraspberry plants. The bed of the _Gananoqua_ is also of granite. Thisriver is rising into importance, from the circumstance of a newsettlement being formed, under the auspices of the British government, on the waters with which it communicates. This settlement lies at the head of the lakes of the _Rideau_, and, incase of another American war, is meant to secure a communication betwixtMontreal and Kingston, by way of the Utawa. The settlers are chieflydisbanded soldiers, who clear and cultivate the land, under thesuperintendance of officers of the quarter-master-general's department. A canal has been cut to avoid the falls of the Rideau; and thecommunication, either by the Gananoqua, or Kingston, will be improved bylocks. _Kingston_, which is within the Canadian dominions, is admirablysituated for naval purposes. The basis of the soil on which this town is situated is limestone, disposed in horizontal strata. Kingston contains some good houses andstores; a small theatre, built by the military, for private theatricals;a large wooden government house, and all the appendages of an extensivemilitary and naval establishment; with as much society as canreasonably be expected, in a town but lately created from the "howlingdesert. " The adjacent country is flat, stony, and barren. Mr. Hall saysthat fleets of ships occasionally lie off Kingston, several of which areas large as any on the ocean. Vessels of large dimensions were at thistime building, on the spot where, a few months before, theirframe-timbers had been growing. Mr. Hall left Kingston, in a packet, for the American station of_Sackett's harbour_. This, after Kingston, has a mean appearance: itssituation is low, its harbour is small, and its fortifications are ofvery different construction, both as to form and materials, from thoseof the former town. The navy-yard consists merely of a narrow tongue ofland, the point of which affords just space sufficient for theconstruction of one first-rate vessel; with room for work-shops, andstores, on the remaining part of it. One of the largest vessels in theworld, was at this time on the stocks. The town consists of a longstreet, in the direction of the river, with a few smaller streetscrossing it at right angles: it covers less ground than Kingston, andhas fewer good houses; but it has an advantage which Kingston does notpossess, in a broad flagged footway. The distance from Sackett's harbour to _Watertown_ is about ten miles. This is an elegant village on the _Black River_. It contains abouttwelve hundred inhabitants, chiefly emigrants from New England. Thehouses are, for the most part, of wood, but tastefully finished; and afew are built of bricks. At Watertown there was a good tavern, which afforded to Mr. Hall and hiscompanions a luxury unusual in America, a private sitting-room, anddinner at an hour appointed by themselves. Within a few miles ofWatertown the country rises boldly, and presents a refreshing contrast, of hill and valley, to the flat, heavy woods, through which they hadbeen labouring from Sackett's harbour. _Utica_, the town at which the travellers next arrived stands on theright bank of the _River Mohawk_, over which it is approached by acovered wooden bridge, of considerable length. The appearance of thistown is highly prepossessing: the streets are spacious; the houses arelarge and well built; and the stores, the name given to shops throughoutAmerica, are as well supplied, and as handsomely fitted up, as those ofNew York or Philadelphia. There are at Utica two hotels, on a large scale; one of which, the YorkHouse, was equal in arrangement and accommodation, to any hotel beyondthe Atlantic: it was kept by an Englishman from Bath. The inhabitants, from three to four thousand in number, maintained four churches: oneepiscopal, one presbyterian, and two Welsh. This town is laid out on a very extensive scale. A small part of it onlyis yet completed; but little doubt is entertained that ten years willaccomplish the whole. Fifteen years had not passed since there was hereno other trace of habitation than a solitary log-house, built for theoccasional reception of merchandise, on its way down the Mohawk. Theoverflowing population of New England, fixing its exertions on a new andfertile soil, has, within a few years, effected this change. Independently of its soil, Utica has great advantages of situation; forit is nearly at the point of junction betwixt the waters of the lakesand of the Atlantic. With Utica commences a succession of flourishing villages andsettlements, which renders this tract of country the astonishment oftravellers. That so large a portion of the soil should, in less thantwenty years, have been cleared, brought into cultivation, and haveacquired a numerous population, is, in itself, sufficiently surprising;but the surprise is considerably increased, when we consider thecharacter of elegant opulence with which it every where smiles on theeye. Each village teems, like a hive, with activity and employment. Thehouses, taken in the mass, are on a large scale; for (except the fewprimitive log-huts that still survive) there is scarcely one below theappearance of an opulent London tradesman's country box. They are, ingeneral, of wood, painted white, with green doors and shutters; and withporches, or verandas, in front. The travellers passed through _Skaneactas_, a village, pleasantlysituated, at the head of the lake from which it is named. They thenproceeded to _Cayuga_, which, besides its agreeable site, is remarkablefor a bridge, nearly a mile in length, over the head of the Cayuga lake:it is built on piles, and level. Betwixt Cayuga and Geneva is theflourishing little village of _Waterloo_, formed since the battle sonamed. _Geneva_ contains many elegant houses, beautifully placed, on therising shore, at the head of the Geneva lake. From Geneva to _Canandaigua_, a tract of hill and vale extends, forsixteen miles, and having (within that space) only two houses. Canandaigua is a town of villas, built on the rising shore of the_Canandaigua lake_. The lower part of the main street is occupied bystores and warehouses; but the upper part of it, to the length of nearlytwo miles, consists of ornamented cottages, tastefully finished withcolonnades, porches, and verandas; and each within its own garden orpleasure-ground. The prospect, down this long vista, to the lake, ispeculiarly elegant. From Canandaigua the travellers turned from the main road, nine miles, south-west, to visit what is called "_the burning spring_. " On arrivingnear the place, they entered a small but thick wood, of pine andmaple-trees, enclosed within a narrow ravine. Down this glen, the widthof which, at its entrance, may be about sixty yards, trickles a scantystreamlet. They had advanced on its course about fifty yards, when, close under the rocks of the right bank, they perceived a bright redflame, burning briskly on the water. Pieces of lighted wood were appliedto different adjacent spots, and a space of several yards in extent wasimmediately in a blaze. Being informed by the guide that a repetition ofthis phenomenon might be seen higher up the glen, they scrambled on, for about a hundred yards, and, directed in some degree by a strongsmell of sulphur, they applied their match to several places, withsimilar effect. These fires continue burning unceasingly, unless theyare extinguished by accident. The phænomenon was originally discoveredby the casual rolling of lighted embers, from the top of the bank, whilst some persons were clearing it for cultivation; and, in theintensity and duration of the flame, it probably exceeds any thing ofthe kind that is known. _Rochester_ stands immediately on the great falls of the Genesee, abouteight miles above its entrance into lake Ontario. When Mr. Hall washere, this town had been built only four years, yet it contained ahundred good houses, furnished with all the conveniences of life;several comfortable taverns, a cotton-mill, and some large corn-mills. Its site is grand. The Genesee rushes through it, over a bed oflimestone, and precipitates itself down three ledges of rock, ninety-three; thirty, and seventy-six feet in height, within thedistance of a mile and a half from the town. The immediate vicinity ofRochester is still an unbroken forest, consisting of oak, hickory, ash, beech, bass, elm, and walnut-trees. The wild tenants of the woods have, naturally, retired before the sound of cultivation; but there are a fewwolves and bears still in the neighbourhood. One of the latter hadlately seized a pig close to the town. Racoons, porcupines, squirrelsblack and grey, and foxes, are still numerous. The hogs have done goodservice in destroying the rattlesnakes, which are already becoming rare. Pigeons, quails, and blackbirds abound. At Rochester, the line ofsettled country, in this direction, terminates; for, from this place toLewistown, are eighty miles of wilderness. The traveller, halting on the verge of these aboriginal shades, isinclined to pause in thought, and to consider the interesting scenesthrough which he has been passing. They are such as reason must admire, for they are the result of industry, temperance, and freedom. Five orten, or, at the utmost, twenty years before Mr. Hall was in America, where there are now corn-fields, towns, and villages, the whole countrywas one mass of forest. Notwithstanding the bad state of the roads, the stage-waggon runs fromRochester to Lewistown in two days. This journey is so heavy, that it issometimes necessary to alight, and walk several miles, or to sufferalmost a dislocation of limbs, in jolting over causeys or logged roads, formed of pine, or oak-trees, laid crossways. At different intervals, square patches seem cut out of the forest, in the centre of which lowlog-huts have been constructed, without the aid of saw or plane; and aresurrounded by stumps of trees, black with the fires kindled for thepurpose of clearing the land. _Lewistown_ was one of the frontier villages burnt during the last war, to retaliate upon the Americans for the destruction of Newark. It has, however, been since rebuilt, and all the marks of its devastation havebeen effaced. It is agreeably situated, at the foot of the limestoneridge, on the steep bank of the river St. Lawrence, which here rushes, with a boiling and eddying torrent, from the falls to Lake Ontario. Lewistown, notwithstanding its infancy, and its remote situation, contains several good stores. _Queenston_, on the opposite side of the river, stands in the midst ofcorn-fields and farm-houses; a rare and interesting sight in Canada. Itis built on the river's edge, at the foot of the heights. Before thelate war it was embosomed in peach-orchards; but these were all felled, to aid the operations of the English troops. The heights are stillcrowned by a redoubt, and by the remains of batteries, raised to defendthe passage of the river. It was near one of these that Sir Isaac Brockewas killed, on the 13th of October, 1812, while, with four hundred men, he gallantly opposed the landing of fifteen hundred Americans, the wholeof whom were afterwards captured by g\General Sheaffe. From Queenston Mr. Hall proceeded to _York_, a town within the Britishterritory, situated on the north-western bank of lake Ontario. Thecountry through which he passed abounded in game of various kinds. Fromthe head of the lake it was, however, less varied than on the Niagarafrontiers; and, for many miles, it was an uniform tract of sandybarrens, unsusceptible of culture. York, being the seat of government for Upper Canada, is a place ofconsiderable importance in the eyes of its inhabitants. To a stranger, however, it presents little more than about one hundred wooden houses, several of them conveniently, and even elegantly built; one or two ofbrick. The public buildings were destroyed by the Americans. From York, Mr. Hall went, through the little town of _Ancaster_, tovisit a _Settlement of Mohawk Indians_, on the banks of the _GrandRiver_. In the American war the Mohawks were strongly attached to theBritish interest, and first followed Sir William Johnson in Canada, under their chieftain, a celebrated warrior, whose name was Brandt. Thisman accustomed his people to the arts of civilized life, and madefarmers of them. He built a church, and himself translated one of thegospels into the Mohawk language. His grave is to be seen under thewalls of his church. The son of this extraordinary Indian is now living, and is a fine young man, of gentlemanly manners and appearance: he bothspeaks and writes the English language with correctness; and he dressesnearly in the English fashion. Brandt left also a daughter, who isliving, and who would not disgrace the fashionable circles of Europe. Her face and person are fine and graceful: she speaks English, not onlycorrectly, but elegantly; and, both in her speech and manners, she has asoftness approaching oriental languor. She retains so much of hernational dress as to identify her with her people; over whom she affectsno superiority, but with whom she seems pleased to preserve all the tiesand duties of relationship. She held the infant of one of her relationsat the font, on the Sunday that Mr. Hall visited the church at Ancaster. The usual church and baptismal service was performed by a Dr. Aaron, anIndian, and an assistant priest; the congregation consisted of sixty orseventy persons, male and female. Many of the young men were dressed inthe English fashion, but several of the old warriors came with theirblankets, folded over them; and, in this dress, with a step and mien ofquiet energy, they forcibly reminded Mr. Hall of ancient Romans. Some ofthem wore large silver crosses, medals, and other trinkets, on theirbacks and breasts; and a few had bandeaus, ornamented with feathers. Dr. Aaron, a grey-headed Mohawk, had touched his cheeks and forehead with afew spots of vermilion, in honour of Sunday: he wore a surplice, andpreached at considerable length; but his delivery was unimpassioned andmonotonous. The Mohawk village stands on a little plain, and looks down upon theGrand River. The houses of the inhabitants, built of logs, rudely puttogether, exhibit, externally, a great appearance of neglect and want ofcomfort: some few are in a better condition. The house belonging toBrandt's family resembled that of a petty English farmer: Dr. Aaron'swas neat and clean. The doctor, who had been regularly ordained, andspoke very good English, told Mr. Hall that the village had been muchinjured by the wars, which had impeded its improvements, and haddispersed the inhabitants over the country. Mr. Hall had little opportunity of observing the manners and characterof these Indians. It may, however, be conjectured that Europeanintercourse is fast obliterating the characteristic features of theirformer social system. Their increased knowledge of European arts andenjoyments, has been probably followed by a proportionate increase ofwants and desires. Their manners seemed, to Mr. Hall, remarkable fornothing so much as for that quiet self-possession, which constitutesthe reverse of vulgarity. Their women, before strangers, are extremelytimid: most of those who lived at a distance from the church, camemounted, with their husbands walking by their sides; a symptom, perhaps, that the sex is rising among them into an European equality of rightsand enjoyments. The whole of the settlements are reckoned to furnishabout five hundred warriors to the British government. Mr. Hall next describes the celebrated _Cataract_ or _Falls of Niagara_. At the distance of about a mile from this cataract, a white cloud, hovering over the trees, indicates its situation: it is not, however, until the road emerges from a close country, into the space of openground immediately in its vicinity, that white volumes of foam are seen, as if boiling up from a sulphureous gulph. Here a foot-path turns fromthe road, towards a wooded cliff. The rapids are beheld on the right, rushing for the space of a mile, like a tempestuous sea. A narrow tractdescends about sixty feet down the cliff, and continues across a plashymeadow, through a copse, encumbered with masses of limestone. Beyondthis, Mr. Hall found himself upon what is called the Table Rock, on thewest side of the upper part of the cataract, at the very point where theriver precipitates itself into the abyss. The rapid motion of thewaters, the stunning noise, and the mounting clouds, almost persuade thestartled senses, that the rock itself is tottering, and is on the pointof being precipitated into the gulph, which swallows the mass ofdescending waters. He bent over it, to mark the clouds rolling whitebeneath him, as in an inverted sky, illuminated by a most brilliantrainbow; one of those features of softness which nature delights topencil amid her wildest scenes, tempering her awfulness with beauty, andmaking even her terrors lovely. There is a ladder about half a mile below the Table Rock; and, by this, Mr. Hall descended the cliff, to reach the foot of the fall. There wasformerly much difficulty in the descent, but a few years have made agreat change: the present dangers and difficulties may easily beenumerated. The first is, the ordinary hazard that every one runs whogoes up or down a ladder: this ladder is a very good one, of thirtysteps, or about forty feet; and, from it, the path is a rough one, overthe fragments and masses of rock which have gradually crumbled, or havebeen forcibly riven, from the cliff, and which cover a broad decliningspace, from its foot to the brink of the river. The only risk, in thispart of the pilgrimage, is that of a broken shin from a false step. Thepath gradually becomes smooth as it advances towards the cataract. Mr. Hall, as he drew near, says that he felt a sensation of awe, like thatcaused by the first cannon, on the morning of a battle. He passed, fromsunshine, into gloom and tempest. The spray beat down in a heavy rain; aviolent wind rushed from behind the sheet of water: it was difficult torespire, and, for a moment, it seemed temerity to encounter theconvulsive workings of the elements, and to intrude into the darkdwellings of their power. But the danger is in appearance only: it ispossible to penetrate only a few yards beyond the curtain, and, in thesefew, there is no hazard; the footing is good, and the space issufficiently broad and free. There is even no necessity for a guide: theeyes amply suffice to point out all that is to be seen or avoided. During Mr. Hall's first visit, there were two young American ladies onthe same errand; and they, as well as himself, were drenched in thecloud of spray. The larger fall was formerly called the "Horse-shoe, " but this name isno longer applicable; for its shape has become that of an acute angle. An officer, who had been stationed in the neighbourhood thirty years, pointed out to Mr. Hall the alteration which had taken place in thecentre of the fall, and which he estimated at about eighteen feet inthat time. The lesser fall, on the American side, had the appearance of aconsiderable elevation, above the bed of the greater: on enquiry, Mr. Hall found that there was a difference between them, of about fifteenfeet, caused, probably, by the greater weight of water descending downone than the other. The island which divides the falls has, of late years, been frequentlyvisited; nor is the visit to it an adventure of much hazard. At thepoint where the rapids commence, the current separates, and is drawn, oneither side, towards the centre of the two falls, while the centre ofthe stream, being in the straight line of the island, descends towardsit, without any violent attraction; and, down this still water, Americanboats, well manned, and furnished with poles to secure them from theaction of the two currents, have frequently dropt to the island. There is a whirlpool about half way betwixt Niagara and Queenston. Theriver, boiling and eddying from the falls, enters a circular basin, round which the lofty cliff sweeps, like an antique wall, overgrown withtrees at its base, and amid its clefts and crevices. The cause of thewhirlpool is perceptible to the spectator, who looks down, and observesthat the stream, being compelled into this basin, by the direction ofits channel, and unable to escape with celerity, is forced to gain timeby revolving within its own circumference. [Mr. Weld, who visited Niagara, about the year 1797, observes that, although the spray, and the noise of the cataract, are sometimes notobservable so far as half a mile, yet, at other times, the noise hasbeen heard at the distance of forty miles; and that he has himself seenthe spray, like a cloud, at the distance of fifty-four miles. The river, as it approaches the falls, runs with astonishing impetuosity. Just atthe precipice, down which it tumbles, it takes a considerable bendtowards the right; and the line of the falls, instead of extending frombank to bank, in the shortest direction, runs obliquely across. Thewhole width of the fall is estimated to be about three quarters of amile, including a rocky island, a quarter of a mile wide, by which thestream is divided. This cataract is divided, by islands, into threedistinct falls, the loftiest of which is one hundred and sixty feet inperpendicular height. Mr. Weld observes that it is possible not merely to pass to the veryfoot of the great fall; but even to proceed behind the tremendous sheetof water which comes pouring down from the top of the precipice; for thewater falls from the edge of a projecting rock, and, by its violentebullition, caverns of considerable size have been hollowed out of therocks at the bottom, and extend some way beneath the bed of the upperpart of the river. Mr. Weld advanced within about six yards of the edgeof the sheet of water, just far enough for him to peep into the cavernsbehind it. But here his breath was nearly taken away by the violentwhirlwind, that always rages at the bottom of the cataract, occasionedby the concussion of such a vast body of water against the rocks. IndeedMr. Weld had no inclination either to go further, or to explore thedreary confines of these caverns, where death seemed to await any onewho should be daring enough to enter their threatening jaws. No words, he says, can convey an adequate idea of the awful grandeur of the scene, at this place. The senses are appalled by the sight of the immense bodyof water that comes pouring from the top of the precipice; and by thethundering sound of the billows dashing against the rocky sides of thecavern below. He trembled with reverential fear, when he considered thata blast of the whirlwind might have swept him from off the slipperyrocks on which he stood, and have precipitated him into the dreadfulgulph beneath; whence all the power of man could not have extricatedhim. He here felt what an insignificant being man is in the creation;and his mind was forcibly impressed with an awful idea of the power ofthat mighty Existence, who commanded the waters to flow. ] Fourth Day's Instruction. UNITED STATES CONTINUED. _Narrative of Lieutenant_ HALL'S _Journey from Niagara toPhiladelphia. _ Mr. Hall crossed the river from _Fort Erie_, and proceeded to _Buffalo_, one of the frontier villages which had been burnt during the greatAmerican war. Not a house had been left standing; yet, when Mr. Hall wasthere, it was not merely a flourishing village, but a considerable town, with good shops and hotels. The celerity with which Buffalo had risenfrom its ashes, indicates the juvenile spirit of life and increase, which so eminently distinguishes the American population. As Mr. Hall proceeded on his journey, he found the country thicklysettled, but dull and uniform in feature; being an entire flat. Theautumn had been dry, and water was, in many places, extremely scarce. This is an evil not uncommon in newly-settled districts. Drainingfollows clearing; the creeks, no longer fed by the swamps, disencumberedalso of fallen trunks of trees, and other substances, by which theirwaters were, in a great degree, stayed, easily run dry in summer, andsoon fail altogether. The principal inn at _Batavia_ is large, and yet constructed upon aneconomical principle; for one roof covers hotel, prison, court-house, and assembly-room. The inhabitants were, at this time, building, bysubscription, an episcopal church, the cost of which was to be twentythousand dollars. _Caledonia_ is a small, but flourishing village, which has a handsomeinn, with very comfortable accommodations; and, close to the road, is alarge sheet of water, from which a clear and rapid stream descends, through a pleasing valley, into Allen's Creek, before the latter uniteswith the _Genesee River_. The banks of this creek are adorned withnatural groves and copses, in which Mr. Hall observed the candleberrymyrtle in great abundance: but a more interesting sight was afforded bynumerous organic remains, with which the blocks of limestone, scatteredthrough the low ground around it, are encrusted, as if with rudesculpture. These blocks are mixed with nodules of granite, and presentinnumerable forms, both of shells and aquatic plants. This district hadbeen settled fifteen years; and, when Mr. Hall was here, cleared landwas worth fifty dollars, and uncleared land about fifteen dollars peracre. At _Avon_ Mr. Hall quitted the main road, and followed the rightbank of the Genesee. The scenery, in the vicinity of this place, beganto improve, but the roads were proportionally deteriorated. Wild even tosavageness, mountain heights branched thickly across the country, withno seeming order or direction. The only level ground was in the narrowvalleys, along the course of the streams. The woods in the vicinity of the Genesee abound in large blacksquirrels, some of which are as big as a small cat. They are destructiveto grain, and are, therefore, keenly pursued by sportsmen, whofrequently make parties to kill them, and who destroy several thousandsat one chase: their flesh is considered a great delicacy. These animalsmigrate, at different seasons; and have the credit of ingeniouslyferrying themselves over rivers, by using a piece of bark for a raft, and their tails for sails. _Bath_ is embosomed in wild mountains. The principal houses areconstructed round the three sides of a square, or green; and, as most ofthem were at this time new, white, and tastefully finished, they had alively appearance, and were agreeably contrasted with the dark adjacentmountain scenery. The road from Bath to _Painted Post_, though stony, is tolerably level. The adjacent mountains have a slaty appearance, with horizontal strata. Mr. Hall was disappointed at Painted Post, to find the post gone, broken down or rotted, within the last few years. It had been an Indianmemorial, either of triumph or death, or of both. When he was at Ancaster, this gentleman had been shown the grave of anIndian, among the woods, near the head of the stream: it was coveredwith boards, and a pole was erected at each end, on which a kind ofdance was rudely painted with vermilion. The relatives of the deceasedbrought offerings to it daily, during their stay in the neighbourhood. After passing through some other villages, Mr. Hall reached the banks ofthe _Susquehanna_: these have no great variety of scenery, though theyfrequently present grand features. The space betwixt the mountains andthe river is often so narrow, that it barely suffices for one carriageto pass; and, in many places, the road, for a mile or two, seems to havebeen hewn from the rock. Near the creeks there is tolerable land, andtwo or three pleasant villages. The face of the landscape is no wherenaked: mountain and vale are alike clothed with pine and dwarfoak-trees; the swamp lands are covered with hemlock-trees, and thebottoms of the woods with rhododendrons. _Wilksbarre_ is a neat town, regularly laid out, on the left bank of theSusquehanna. Its locality is determined by the direction of one of theAlleghany ridges, which recedes from the course of the river, a fewmiles above the town, and, curving south-west, encloses a semicircularplot of land, towards the centre of which the town is built. Itsneighbourhood abounds in coal. The pits are about a mile distant. Theylie under a stratum of soft clay slate, which contains impressions offerns, oak-leaves, and other vegetables, usually found in suchsituations. The town itself, in consequence of the frequent separationof its streets and houses, by grass-fields and gardens, has a quiet andrural aspect. It contains a neat church, appropriated to the alternateuse of episcopalians and presbyterians. Wilkesbarre is built on thesite of _Wyoming_: a small mound, near the river, is pointed out, asthat on which the fort stood; and the incursion of the Indians, whenmost of the inhabitants fell, in an unsuccessful battle, is stillremembered. Some few escaped, by swimming across the stream, and fled, naked, through the woods, for several days, till they reached thenearest settlement; and this is all the record that exists of Albert andGertrude, the foundation of Campbell's poem of Gertrude of Wyoming. At Wilkesbarre the road quits the Susquehanna, and, ascending a ridge ofthe Alleghany Mountains, crosses through deep forests and hemlockswamps, sparingly interspersed with settlements. The Pokono Mountain, over which Mr. Hall passed, is famous with the sportsmen and epicures ofPhiladelphia, for its grouse. Mr. Hall crossed the _Blue Ridge_, at thestupendous fissure of the _Wind Gap_, where the mountain seems forciblybroken through, and is strewed with the ruin of rocks. There is asimilar aperture, some miles north-east, called the Water Gap. Thisaffords a passage to the Delaware; and all the principal rivers of thestates, that rise in the Alleghanys, pass through similar apertures. Betwixt the Blue Ridge and the Lehigh River, are two Moraviansettlements, called _Bethlehem_ and _Nazareth_. [The inhabitants of theformer constitute a large society, and occupy several farms. They have aspacious apartment, in which they all daily assemble, for the purpose ofpublic worship. The single men and women have each a separate dwelling. The women are occupied in various domestic employments; in fancy andornamental works; and, occasionally, in musical practice, under thedirection of a superintendant. The walls of the large hall, where thesociety dine, are adorned with paintings, chiefly Scripture pieces, executed by members. Various branches of trade and manufacture arecarried on, the profits of which go to the general stock; and, fromthis, all are supplied with the necessaries of life. Their whole timeis spent in labour, and in prayer; except an hour in the evening, whichis allotted for a concert. Among the Moravians marriage is contracted ina singular manner. If a young man has an inclination to marry, he makesapplication to the priest, who presents a young woman, designated by thesuperintendant as the next in rotation for marriage. Having left theparties together for an hour, the priest returns, and, if they consentto live together, they are married the next day; if otherwise, each isput at the bottom of the list, containing perhaps sixty or seventynames; and, on the part of the girl, there is no chance of marriage, unless the same young man should again feel disposed for matrimony. Whenunited, a neat habitation, with a pleasant garden, is provided; andtheir children, at the age of six years, are placed in the seminary. Ifeither of the parties die, the other returns to the apartment of thesingle people. In the Moravian establishment at Bethlehem, there is atavern, with extensive and excellent accommodations. ] Madame de Stael, in describing the Moravians, says, "Their houses andstreets are peculiarly neat. The women all dress in the same manner, conceal their hair, and surround their heads with a ribbon, the colourof which indicates whether they are single, married, or widows. The mendress in brown, somewhat like quakers. A mercantile industry occupiesnearly the whole community; and all their labours are performed withpeculiar regularity and tranquillity. " Mr. Hall attended one of themeetings which the inhabitants of Bethlehem commonly hold every evening, for the joint purposes of amusement and devotion. The women were rangedat one end of the room, and the men at the other. Their bishop presided:he was an old man, dressed in the plainest manner, and possessed acountenance singularly mild and placid. He gave out a psalm, and led thechoir; and the singing was alternately in German and English. There is another Moravian settlement about a mile and a half fromNazareth. This, though small, exceeds both the others, in the calm andpensive beauty of its appearance. The houses are built of limestone:they are all on a similar plan, and have their window-frames, doors, andother wood-work, painted fawn-colour: before each house are plantedweeping willows, whose luxuriant shade seems to shut out worldly glare, and throws an air of monastic repose over the whole village. The _Lehigh Mountain_ is the last of the Allegheny Ridges; the countryis thenceforth level, fertile, and thickly inhabited, by steady Germans, who wear broad hats, and purple breeches; and whose houses and villageshave the antique fashion of Flemish landscape. German is so generallyspoken here, that the newspapers and public notices are all printed inthat language. The approach to Philadelphia is announced by a good turnpike road. _German Town_ is a large suburb to the city, and the traveller herefeels himself within the precincts of a populous and long-establishedcapital. _A Description of Philadelphia. _ The first impressions, on entering this city, are decidedly favourable. It possesses a character essentially different from that of New York. Ithas not so much business, nor so much animation; but there is, inPhiladelphia, a freedom from mere display; an evidence of solidity, ofwhich its more commercial rival is nearly destitute. All the _streets_ are spacious; the names of many of them, as Sassafras, Chesnut, and Locust, record their sylvan origin: rows of Lombardypoplars are planted in them. The private _houses_ are characterized byelegant neatness; the steps and window-sills of many of them are of greymarble, and they have large mats placed before the doors. The streetsare carefully swept, as well as the foot-paths, which are paved withbrick. The _shops_ do not yield, in display, to those of London. Theprincipal street is one hundred feet wide; and the others vary fromeighty to fifty. In the foot-paths a great inconvenience is experiencedby the injudicious mode in which cellars are constructed, the openingsof which project into the street; and also by the slovenly practice ofthe store or shopkeepers placing great quantities of loose goods on theoutside of their doors. Philadelphia stands on the bank of the river _Delaware_; and, in 1795, when Mr. Weld was there, its appearance, as approached from the water, was not very prepossessing. Nothing was visible but confused heaps ofwooden store-houses, crowded upon each other, and wharfs, whichprojected a considerable way into the river. The wharfs were built ofwood; they jutted out, in every direction, and were well adapted for theaccommodation of shipping; the largest merchant vessels being able tolie close alongside of them. Behind the wharfs, and parallel to theriver, runs a street called _Water-street_. This is the first streetwhich the stranger in America usually enters, after landing; and (saysMr. Weld) it will not give him a very favourable opinion either of theneatness or commodiousness of the public ways of Philadelphia. Suchstenches, at times, prevail in it, owing in part to the quantity offilth and dirt that is suffered to remain on the pavement, and in partto what is deposited in waste-houses, of which there are several in thestreet, that it is really dreadful to pass through it. It was here, inthe year 1793, that the malignant yellow fever broke out, which madesuch terrible ravages among the inhabitants; and, in the summer season, in general, this street is extremely unhealthy. Few of the _public buildings_ in Philadelphia pretend to greatarchitectural merit. The churches are neat, but plain. The Masonic Hallis an unsightly combination of brick and marble, in the Gothic style. The Philadelphia bank is in a similar style. The United States andPennsylvania banks are the finest edifices in the city: the first has ahandsome portico, with Corinthian columns of white marble, and thelatter is a miniature representation of the temple of Minerva at Athens, and is the purest specimen of architecture in the states: the wholebuilding is of marble. The _State House_ is a plain brick building, which was finished in 1735, at the cost of £. 6000. The most interesting recollections of America areattached to this edifice. The Congress sat in it during the greatestpart of the war; and the Declaration of Independence was read, from itssteps, on the 4th of July, 1776. The Federal Convention also sat in it, in 1787. It is now occupied by the supreme and district courts below, and by Peale's Museum above. This museum, among other articles, containsan immense fossil skeleton of the great Mastodon, or American Mammoth, which, some years ago, was publicly exhibited in London. The _University_ of Pennsylvania was instituted several years ago, bysome of the citizens of Philadelphia; among whom was Dr. Franklin, whodrew up the original plan. It is governed by a provost and vice-provost. In 1811, the number of students amounted to five hundred. The lecturescommence the first Monday in November, and end on the first day ofMarch. Among others, are professors of anatomy, surgery, midwifery, chemistry, moral philosophy, mathematics, and natural philosophy, belleslettres, and languages. The Philadelphia _prison_ is a more interesting object to humanity thanthe most gorgeous palaces. Its exterior is simple, and has rather theair of an hospital than a gaol: a single grated door separates theinterior from the street. On entering the court, Mr. Hall found it fullof stone-cutters, employed in sawing and preparing large blocks of stoneand marble; smiths' forges were at work on one side, and the wholecourt was surrounded by a gallery and a double tier of work-shops, inwhich were brush-makers, tailors, shoemakers, weavers, all at theirseveral occupations, labouring, not only to defray, to the public, theexpenses of their confinement, but to provide the means of their ownhonest subsistence for the future. It had none of the usual features ofa prison; neither the hardened profligacy which scoffs down its ownsense of guilt, nor the hollow-eyed sorrow which wastes away in a livingdeath of unavailing expiation: there was neither the clank of chains, nor the yell of execration; but a hardworking body of men were seen, who, though separated by justice from society, were not supposed to havelost the distinctive attribute of human nature: they were treated asrational beings, were operated upon by rational motives; and they repaidthis treatment by improved habits, by industry, and submission. They hadbeen profligate, they were now sober and decent in their behaviour; theyhad been idle, they were now actively and usefully employed; they haddisobeyed the laws, they now submitted (armed as they were with allkinds of utensils) to the government of a single turnkey, and thebarrier of a single grating. The _markets_ of Philadelphia are well supplied; and the price ofprovisions is considerably lower than in London. No butchers arepermitted to slaughter cattle within the city, nor are live cattlepermitted to be driven to the city markets. The _inhabitants_ of this city are estimated at one hundred and twentythousand, and many of them live in houses which would adorn any city inthe world. They have, universally, a pallid and sallow countenance, except the younger females; and many of these, even quakers, adopt thedisgusting practice of ornamenting their faces with rouge. In theirdress, the gentlemen follow the fashions of England, and the ladiesthose of France. Mr. Fearon perceived here, what, he says, pervades thewhole of the new world, an affectation of splendour, or, what may becalled style, in those things that are intended to meet the public eye;with a lamentable want, even of cleanliness, in such matters as areremoved from that ordeal. To this may be added an appearance ofuncomfortable extravagance, and an ignorance of that kind of order andneatness, which, in the eyes of those who have once enjoyed it, constitute the principal charm of domestic life. The Philadelphiansconsist of English, Irish, Scotch, Germans, and French; and ofAmerican-born citizens, descended from people of those differentnations. It is a remark very generally made, not only by foreigners, butalso by persons from distant parts of the United States, that they areextremely deficient in hospitality and politeness towards strangers. Among the uppermost circles in Philadelphia, pride, haughtiness, andostentation, are conspicuous; and, in the manners of the people ingeneral, there is much coldness and reserve. Philadelphia is the grand residence of the quakers in America, but theirnumber does not now bear the same proportion to that of the othercitizens, which it formerly did. This, however, is not occasioned by adiminution of quakers, so much as by the great influx, into the city, ofpersons of a different persuasion. In this city _funerals_ are uniformly attended by large walkingprocessions. The newspapers frequently contain advertisements, statingthe deaths of individuals, and inviting all friends to attend theburial. The dead are seldom kept more than two days. At the timeappointed, intimate friends enter the house; others assemble on theoutside, and fall into the procession when the body is brought out. With regard to the _climate_ of Philadelphia, it is observed that theheats of summer are excessive; and that the cold of winter is equallyextreme. During the few days which Mr. Weld spent at Philadelphia, inthe month of June, 1795, the heat was almost intolerable. For two orthree days the thermometer stood at 93°, and, during these days, no onestirred out of doors who was not compelled to do so. Light white hatswere universally worn, and the young men appeared dressed in cotton orlinen jackets and trowsers. The window-shutters of the houses wereclosed early in the mornings, so as to admit no more light than what wasabsolutely necessary for domestic business. Indeed, many of the houseswere kept so dark, that, on going into them from the street, it wasimpossible, at first entrance, to perceive who was present. The besthouses in the city are furnished with Venetian blinds, at the outside, to the windows and hall doors, which are made to fold together likecommon window-shutters. A very different scene was presented aftersunset. Every house was then thrown open, and all the inhabitantscrowded into the streets, to take their evening walks, and to visittheir acquaintance. This usually lasted till about ten o'clock: ateleven all was quiet; and a person might have passed over half the townwithout seeing a single human being, except the watchmen. Heavy dewssometimes fall after the sun is down, and the nights are then very cold:at other times there are no dews, and the air continues hot all thenight through. At this season of the year meat cannot be kept sweet, even for a single day, except in an icehouse or a remarkably coldcellar. Milk generally turns sour in an hour or two; and fish is neverbrought to market without being covered with lumps of ice. Poultry, intended for dinner, is never killed till about four hours before it iswanted, and even then it is kept immersed in water. The _carriages_ used in Philadelphia consist of coaches, chariots, chaises, coachees, and light waggons. The equipages of a few individualsare extremely ostentatious; but there does not appear, in any, thatneatness and elegance which might be expected among people who aredesirous of imitating the fashions of England, and who are continuallyprocuring models from that country. The coachee is a carriage peculiarto America; the body of it is somewhat longer than that of a coach, butof the same shape. In front it is left quite open, down to the bottom, and the driver sits on a bench under the roof. It has two seats for thepassengers, who sit with their faces towards the horses. The roof issupported by small props, which are placed at the corners. On each sideof the doors, above the pannels, it is quite open; and, to guard againstbad weather, there are curtains, which are made to let down from theroof, and which fasten to buttons, placed for the purpose, on theoutside. There is also a leathern curtain, to hang occasionally betweenthe driver and passengers. The light waggons are on the same construction, but are calculated toaccommodate from four to twelve people. The only difference between asmall waggon and a coachee, is, that the latter is better finished, hasvarnished pannels, and doors at the side. The former has no doors; butthe passengers scramble in, the best way they can, over the seat of thedriver. These waggons are universally used for stage-carriages. The accommodations at the _taverns_, in Philadelphia, are veryindifferent; as, indeed, with very few exceptions, they are throughoutthe country. The mode of conducting them is nearly the same every where. The traveller, on his arrival, is shown into a room, which is common toevery person in the house, and which is generally the one set apart forbreakfast, dinner, and supper. All the strangers that are in the housesit down, to these meals, promiscuously; and, excepting in the largetowns, the family of the house also forms a part of the company. It isseldom that a private parlour or drawing-room can be procured attaverns, even in the towns; and it is always with reluctance thatbreakfast or dinner is served up separately to any individual. If aseparate bed-room can be procured, more ought not to be expected; and itis not always that even this is to be had; and persons who travelthrough the country must often submit to be crammed into rooms wherethere is scarcely sufficient space to walk between the beds. The _Delaware_, on the banks of which this city is built, rises in thestate of New York. At Philadelphia it is thirteen hundred and sixtyyards wide, and is navigable for vessels of any burden. It is frozen inthe winter months; a circumstance which materially affects thecommercial interests of Philadelphia, and gives a great advantage to NewYork. The tide reaches as high as the falls of Trenton, thirty-fivemiles above Philadelphia, and one hundred and fifty-five miles from thesea. Six or seven steam-boats, of large size, ply on the Delaware, andform a communication with New York, by Trenton and Bordentown; and withBaltimore, by Wilmington and Newcastle. These vessels are all fitted upin an elegant manner. Over the river _Schuylkil_, near Philadelphia, there is a singularbridge of iron wire. It is four hundred feet in length, and extends, from the window of a wire factory, to a tree on the opposite shore. Thewires which form the curve are six in number; three on each side, andeach three-eighths of an inch in diameter. The floor of the bridge iselevated sixteen feet above the water; and the whole weight of the wiresis about four thousand seven hundred pounds. It is possible to constructa bridge of this kind in the space of a fortnight; and the whole expensewould not exceed three hundred dollars. * * * * * About thirty miles north-east of Philadelphia, and betwixt that city andNew York, is _Trenton_, the capital of New Jersey. Mr. Weld visited thisplace in the year 1796; and he says that it then contained only abouteighty dwellings, in one long street. It had a college, which was inconsiderable repute. The number of students was about seventy; but, fromtheir appearance, and the course of their studies, it more correctlydeserved the appellation of a grammar-school, than a college. Thelibrary was a miserable one; and, for the most part, contained only oldtheological books. There were an orrery out of repair, and a fewdetached parts of philosophical apparatus. At the opposite end of theroom were two small cupboards, which were shown as the museum. Thesecontained two small alligators, stuffed, and a few fishes, in a wretchedstate of preservation. Not far from Trenton, and on the bank of the Delaware, is the residenceof Joseph Buonaparte, who, since the re-establishment of the ancientfamilies on the thrones of Europe, has retired to America. The estate onwhich he lives he purchased for ten thousand dollars; and he is said tohave expended, twenty thousand more in finishing the buildings, andlaying out the grounds in a splendid style. At present it has much theappearance of the villa of a country gentleman in England. Fifth Day's Instruction. UNITED STATES CONTINUED. _Narrative of Mr. _ FEARON'S _Journey from Philadelphia toPittsburgh. _ In the month of October, 1817, Mr. Fearon left Philadelphia forPittsburgh. He passed through an extensive, fertile, well-cultivated, and beautiful tract of land called the _Great Valley_. Farms in thisdistrict are chiefly owned by Dutch and Germans, and their descendants. They consist of from fifty to two hundred acres each; and arepurchasable at the rate of about £. 46 sterling per acre, the buildingsincluded; and, in well-improved land, the average produce of wheat maybe estimated at twenty-five bushels. At the distance of about twenty miles from Philadelphia there is acopper and zinc mine. Iron ore abounds throughout the state ofPennsylvania; and many of the rocks are of limestone. A coarse kind ofgrey marble is found in great quantity, and is used for steps andchimney-pieces. The towns of _Lancaster_, _Harrisburgh_, and _Carlisle_, through whichMr. Fearon passed, are all considerable, both in extent and population. [_Lancaster_ is nearly the largest inland town of North America. Itcontains upwards of nine hundred houses, built chiefly of brick andstone, and, in general, two stories high. It has also six churches, amarket-house, and a gaol. The streets are laid out regularly, and crosseach other at right angles. Several different kinds of wares aremanufactured here, and chiefly by German mechanics. The rifled barrelguns made at this place are considered to have great excellence. In1787, a college was founded at Lancaster, and named Franklin College, inhonour of Dr. Franklin. The founders were an association of Germans, whowere desirous of establishing a seminary for the education of theirsons, in their own language and habits. But it has not flourished; and, in 1815, the number of students did not exceed fifty. ] Lancaster, Harrisburgh, and Carlisle, each contain many excellent brickbuildings, and the usual erections of market-houses, gaols, andchurches, all evincing an extent of national property, and anadvancement to European establishments, truly extraordinary, when werecollect that this is a country which may be said to be but ofyesterday. The German character is very prevalent throughout this state;and even the original language is preserved. [At _Carlisle_ there are many excellent shops and warehouses. This placehas a college, which was founded in 1783, by Mr. John Dickenson ofPennsylvania. The number of students is about one hundred and forty; andthere are professors of logic, metaphysics, languages, naturalphilosophy, and chemistry. ] Mr. Fearon next arrived at _Chambersburgh_, a town which contains abouttwo hundred and forty houses, and two or three churches. He here secureda place, in the stage, to Pittsburgh, and set off the next morning atthree o'clock. About eight he arrived at _Loudon_, a small town at thefoot of the north mountain, one of the Alleghany ridges, and at thistime containing seventeen log and twenty frame or brick houses. Thetavern was cheerless and dirty. On the road Mr. Fearon counted thirty regular stage-waggons, which wereemployed in conveying goods to and from Pittsburgh. Each of these wasdrawn by four horses; and the articles carried in them, were chieflyhardware, and silk, linen, cotton, and woollen goods. The waggons, inreturn, conveyed from Pittsburgh farming produce, and chiefly flour. Itis, however, necessary to observe that this is the only trading waggonroute to the whole western country; and that there is no water-carriagethrough this part of America. The road, for a considerable distance, was excellent, and was part of anew national turnpike, which had been projected to extend from the headof the river Potomac to Wheeling. This road, when completed, will be ofgreat advantage to the whole western country. The stage passed over the_North Mountain_, whence there was a most extensive view, of a wide andbeautiful valley, containing several thousand acres, which have not yetbeen cultivated. The prospect combined some grand mountain-scenery, andwas the most magnificent that Mr. Fearon had ever beheld. The travellerspassed through a little town situated in the midst of this apparentlytrackless wild. They afterwards overtook twenty small family waggons, those chiefly ofemigrants from one part of the state to another. These persons weretravelling in company, and thus formed an unity of interest, for thepurpose of securing, when necessary, an interchange of assistance. Thedifficulties they experienced, in passing through this mountainousdistrict, were very great. Mr. Fearon and the other stage-passengers supped and slept at a placecalled _Bloody Run_, having, for several miles, proceeded over roadsthat were almost impassable. Early the next morning they again set out;and they arrived at _Bedford_ about nine o'clock. [This little town, like most others on the great western road, trades in all kinds of corn, flour, and provisions. ] They were not, however, permitted to stop here, as the stage-proprietor had a house further on, where they breakfasted. In passing over a range of mountains called the _Dry Ridge_, the viewwas peculiarly magnificent. The eye, at one glance, took in a varied andmost interesting view of mountain scenery, intermingled with woodedvales, and much fertile land. The travellers continued to overtake manywaggons of emigrants from different states. About five o'clock in the afternoon they reached the top of the_Alleghany Mountains_. The road had of late been so bad, that they hadwalked more than sixteen miles, leaving the stage far behind. Thecharacter of the mountain _inhabitants_ appeared to be cold, friendless, unfeeling, callous, and selfish. All the emigrants with whom Mr. Fearonconversed, complained of the enormous charges at taverns. Log-houses arethe only habitations for many miles. These are formed of the trunks oftrees, about twenty feet in length, and six inches in diameter, cut atthe ends, and placed on each other. The roof is framed in a similarmanner. In some houses there are windows; in others the door performsthe double office of window and entrance. The chimney is erected on theoutside, and in a similar manner to the body of the house. The hinges ofthe doors are generally of wood; and locks are not used. In some of thehouses there are two apartments; in others but one, for all the variousoperations of cooking, eating, and sleeping; and even the pigs come infor their due share of the log residence. About eleven o'clock atnight, the travellers safely arrived at _Somerset_, a small towndistant two hundred and thirty-seven miles from Philadelphia. In the morning of their third day's journey, they crossed _Laurel Hill_. The vegetation on this ridge appears superior to that of the Allegheny. The mountain called _Little Chesnut Ridge_ succeeds Laurel Hill. Thedifficulties of the road were here extremely great. These arose not onlyfrom the height of the mountains, but from the enormous stones and deepmud-holes with which the road abounded. The trees on Chesnut Ridge arechiefly oak and chesnut; and the soil appeared to be chalky. At halfpast ten at night they arrived at _Greensburg_, [a town built upon thesummit of a hill. The land, in its vicinity is, in general, veryfertile; and the inhabitants, who are of German origin, cultivate wheat, rye, and oats, with great success. ] The party started, on the fourth day, at four in the morning, and withthe high treat of a turnpike-road; but the advantages, arising fromthis, were but of short continuance. They had to descend _Turtle CreekHill_, the road over which, in consequence of late rains, had become, ifpossible, even worse than those across Laurel Hill. The passengers allgot out; and, up to their knees in mud, they took their turns, inholding up the stage. This tract bore decided evidence of being embeddedwith coal. About two o'clock they reached _Pittsburg_. From Chambersburgh to Greensburgh the condition of the people is that ofan absence of wealth and of the conveniences of life, with, however, themeans of obtaining a sufficient quantity of food. The blacksmith and thetavern-keeper are almost the only occupations. The former earns fromtwenty shillings and sixpence to twenty-seven shillings per week; andthe profits of the latter must be very great, if we may judge from thehigh charges and bad quality of the accommodations. From Greensburgh toPittsburgh the improvement, in size and quality, of the houses, isevident, and the cultivation and condition of the land is much superiorto those of the country through which the travellers had before past. _Pittsburg_ is, in several points of view, a most interesting town. Itssituation, which is truly picturesque, is at the termination of tworivers, and at the commencement of a third river, that has a directcommunication with the ocean, though at the immense distance of twothousand five hundred miles. This place possesses an exhaustless storeof coal. During the great American war, Pittsburg was an important military postcalled _Du Quesne_, and was remarkable for two signal defeats of theBritish troops. It is, at present, a place of great importance: theconnecting link between _new_ and _old_ America; and though it is not a"Birmingham, " as the natives bombastically style it, yet it certainlycontains the seeds of numerous important and valuable manufactories. Agricultural produce finds here a ready and advantageous market. Farmingin this neighbourhood is not, indeed, the most profitable mode ofemploying capital; but here, as in other parts of the union, it is anindependent mode of life. The farmer, however, must labour hard with hisown hands. The labourers, or "helps, " as they style themselves, are paidhigh wages, and are not to be relied on. In many instances they expectto sit down at table with their master, to live as well as he, and to beon terms of equality with every branch of the family. Mr. Fearon remained at Pittsburgh several days, during which time therain never ceased. The smoke, also, from the different manufactories, isextreme, giving, to the town and its inhabitants, a very sombre aspect. The articles manufactured here are various, and chiefly of copper, iron, and glass. In one of the glass-warehouses, Mr. Fearon saw chandeliersand numerous other articles, of a very splendid description, in cutglass. Among the latter was a pair of decanters, cut from a Londonpattern, the price of which was to be eight guineas. And it isremarkable that the demand for these articles of elegant luxury lies inthe western states; the inhabitants of eastern America being stillimporters from the "old country. " Not thirty years ago, the whole rightbank of the Ohio was termed the "Indian side. " Spots in Tenessee, inOhio and Kentucky, which, within the lifetime of even young men, witnessed only the arrow and the scalping knife, now present, to thetraveller, articles of elegance, and modes of luxury, which might rivalthe displays of London and of Paris: within the last half century, thebeasts of the forest, and men more savage than the beasts, were the onlyinhabitants of the whole of that immense tract, which is peculiarlydenominated the western country. This tract is now partially inhabited;and promises soon to be generally so, by civilized man, possessed of thearts and pursuits of civilized life. On the whole, Pittsburgh is a very important town. When Mr. Fearon washere, it was supposed to contain about ten thousand inhabitants. The face of the country, beyond this town, is an uninterrupted level, and many parts of it are occupied by agriculturists. Mr. Fearon, however, was informed that there were still for sale one million ofacres of United States' land, at the rate of two dollars per acre, orone dollar and sixty-four cents for prompt payment. The principal townsare situated on the banks of the river. There are no canals, nor, indeedis there much occasion for them, as the whole state abounds with riversand creeks, which fall into the Ohio. The trees produced by the best kind of land are honey-locust, blackwalnut, and beech; by land of second quality, the sugar maple tree, sycamore, or butter-wood, and what is called white wood, which is usedfor building and joiner's work; and land of the third quality producesoak. There is but little underwood; for the great height and thespreading tops of the trees, prevent the sun from penetrating to theground, and nourishing inferior articles of vegetation. The winters are severe, and of from three to four months continuance, with a keen and dry air, and cloudless sky. During summer excessive heatprevails, with heavy dews at night. In the spring there are cold andheavy rains. The autumns are fine, and are followed by what is called"Indian summer, " which is truly delightful. Along the route that Mr. Fearon had travelled in this state, there was scarcely an elevationwhich could be called a hill, with exception of rising grounds on themargins of rivers. The dreary monotony of limited views, of such endlessuniformity, produces sensations of the most depressing melancholy. Theatmosphere, after a hot day, causes headaches, which frequentlyterminate in intermittent fevers. Judging from the beds of the rivers, and the quality of the water, Mr. Fearon presumes that coal must be abundant. Salt is found in severalsituations, particularly on the Kenaway. There is much limestone. Thewild animals, in this part of America, are neither numerous, nortroublesome. The interior population of the United States, Mr. Fearon considers, maybe divided into three classes: first, the "squatter, " or man, who "setshimself down, " upon land which is not his own, and for which he paysnothing; cultivates a sufficient extent of ground to supply himself andhis family with the necessaries of life, remains until he isdissatisfied with his choice, has realized a sufficiency to become aland-owner, or is expelled by the real proprietor. Second, the smallfarmer, who has recently emigrated, and has had barely sufficient to paythe first instalment for his eighty or one hundred and sixty acres, oftwo-dollar land; cultivates, or, what he calls, improves, from ten tothirty acres; raises a sufficient "feed" for his family; is in acondition, which, if compelled by legislative acts, or by external forceto endure, would be considered truly wretched; but, from being his ownmaster, and having made his own choice, joined with the consciousness, that, though slowly, he is regularly advancing towards wealth, thebreath of complaint is seldom heard to escape from his lips. Third, thewealthy, or "strong-handed" farmer, who owns from five to twelve hundredacres, has from one-fourth to one-third under cultivation, of a kindmuch superior to the former; raises live stock for the home, andAtlantic city markets; sends beef, pork, cheese, lard, and butter, toNew Orleans: is a man of plain, business-like sense, though not inpossession, nor desirous, of a very cultivated intellect; understandshis own interest, and that of his country; and lives in sufficientaffluence, and is possessed of comfort, according to the Americanacceptation of the term, but to which, an Englishman must feel inclinedto take an exception. The management of farms is here full a century behind that in England:there being a want of improved machinery for the promotion of economy intime and labour; and no regular attention being paid to the condition oflive stock; while the mode of culture, in general, appears slovenly andunsystematic. * * * * * On the subject of emigration to America, Mr. Fearon remarks, that thecapitalist will here receive legal interest of six or seven per cent. For his money; and perhaps eight per cent. Might be made upon goodsecurity, as capital is wanted throughout the country. A Londonshopkeeper, with a capital of three thousand pounds or upwards, and whois well acquainted with the principles of business, might succeed. Lawyers, doctors, clerks, shopmen, literary men, artists, andschoolmasters, to use an American phrase, would "come to a bad market. "Mechanics are able to obtain employment, but many who have emigratedhave been lamentably deceived in their expectations. The person of smallproperty, who is desirous to live on the interest of his money, andwants to remove to a cheaper country than England, should pause beforethe object of his choice is America. From what Mr. Fearon had hithertoseen of large towns, living is not, on the whole, cheaper than in theEnglish cities. In the interior it may be less expensive than in thecountry parts of England; but such a man must, of necessity, have hisideas of happiness associated with many sources of comfort andgratification, which he would seek for in vain within the United States. With regard to certain Yorkshire and Leicestershire manufacturers, inwhose welfare he was particularly interested, Mr. Fearon says, he wasconvinced that they could not profitably succeed here. Sixth Day's Instruction. UNITED STATES CONTINUED. _Narrative of an Expedition from Pittsburg into the Illinois territory. From Notes on a Journey in America, by MORRIS BIRKBECK. _ Leaving Mr. Fearon at Pittsburgh, we will thence accompany Mr. Birkbeckon his tour into the western settlements of the United States. About theend of May, 1817, this gentleman and his family, consisting of ninepersons, five male and four female, arrived at _Pittsburgh_; and, on the5th of June, well mounted, and well furnished with saddle-bags andblankets, they set out on their journey westward, in search of a placewhere they might form an advantageous settlement. Each person had ablanket under his saddle, another upon it, and a pair of saddle-bags, with a great coat and an umbrella strapped behind. In this manner, says Mr. Birkbeck, even women, and those of advancedage, often take long journeys without inconvenience. The day before heleft Pittsburgh, he was told of a lady who was coming from Tenessee toPittsburgh, twelve hundred miles; and, although she had with her aninfant, she preferred travelling on horseback to boating up the river. Seventeen miles of the ride from Pittsburgh on to _Cannonsburg_, waschiefly over clayey hills, well adapted for grass; but, in the presentcircumstances of the country, too stiff for profitable cultivation underthe plough. From Cannonsburg to _Washington_, in Pennsylvania, eightmiles, is a very desirable tract, containing much excellent land, withfine meadows. Washington is a pretty, thriving town, which contains about two thousandfive hundred inhabitants. It has a college, with about a hundredstudents; but, from the dirty condition of the schools, and theloitering habits of the young men, Mr. Birkbeck suspected it to be anill-regulated institution. From Washington, Mr. Birkbeck and his family proceeded still westward, and, on entering the _State of Ohio_, they found themselves in a countrybeautiful and fertile, and affording, to a plain, industrious, andthriving population, all that nature has decreed for the comfort of man. It contains rich land, good water, wholesome air; limestone, coal, mills, and navigation. It is also fully appropriated, and thicklysettled; and land is worth from twenty to thirty dollars per acre: anadvance of a thousand per cent. In about ten years! A heavy fall of wet had rendered the roads muddy and unpleasant. On the10th of June, the party arrived at _Wheeling_, a considerable butmean-looking town, of inns and stores, on the banks of the Ohio. Herethey baited their horses, and took a repast of bread and milk. At thisplace the Ohio is divided into two channels, of five hundred yards each, by an island of three hundred acres. Between Wheeling and St. Clairsville, they had sundry foaming creeks toford; and sundry log-bridges to pass, which are a sort of commutation ofdanger. They had also a very muddy road, over hills of clay; and thunderand rain during nearly the whole of this their first stage: suchthunder, and such rain, as they had heard of, but had seldom witnessedin England. They were detained some days at _St. Clairsville_. This place consistsof about one hundred and fifty houses; stores, taverns, doctors'-shops, and lawyers' offices, with the dwellings of sundry artisans; such astailors, shoemakers, hatters, and smiths. Its chief street runs over oneof the beautiful, round, and fertile hills which form this country. Thecourt-house, a handsome brick edifice, on the summit, has a cheerful anda rather striking appearance. If the streets were paved, St. Clairsvillewould be a pleasant town, but, from the continued rains, they were, atthis time, deep in mud. The rich clay of this country is very favourable to grass, and thepastures are extremely fine. When the timber is destroyed, a beautifulturf takes immediate possession of the surface. As they proceeded westward, towards Zanesville, the soil did notimprove. It is here a yellow clay, well adapted for grass; but, whenexhausted by repeated cropping, it will be unprofitable for tillage. Insome places, the clay is over limestone, and exhibits marks of great anddurable fertility. During their journey, on the 13th of June, they met a group of nymphs, with their attendant swains, ten in number, on horseback: for noAmerican walks who can obtain a horse; and there are few indeed whocannot. The young men were carrying umbrellas over the heads of theirpartners; and the appearance of the whole was very decent andrespectable. At the distance of eighteen miles east of Zanesville, whilst takingshelter from a thunder-storm, they were joined by four industriouspedestrians, who were returning eastward from a tour of observationthrough this state. These all agreed in one sentiment, that there is nopart of the Union, either in the new settlements or in the old, where anindustrious man need be at a loss for the comforts of a goodlivelihood. The land continued of the same character as before, a weak yellow clay, under a thin covering of vegetable mould, profitable for cultivationmerely because it is new. The timber is chiefly oak. Little farms, offrom eight to one hundred and sixty acres, with simple erections, acabin and a stable, may be purchased, at the rate of from five to twentydollars per acre. This is a hilly and romantic country; and affords manypleasant situations. Sand-stone is common; limestone more rare; butclay-slate appears to be the common basis. The inhabitants are friendly and homely, not to say coarse; but they arewell informed. This day the travellers passed various groups ofemigrants, proceeding westward: one waggon, in particular, was themoving habitation of twenty souls. _Zanesville_ is a thriving town, on the beautiful _river Muskingum_, which is, at all times, navigable downward. The country around it ishilly and pleasant; not rich, but dry, and tolerably fertile. It aboundsin coal and lime, and may, at some future period, become a grand stationfor manufactures. At _Rushville_ Mr. Birkbeck, another gentleman, and three children, satdown to a breakfast, consisting of the following articles: coffee, rolls, biscuits, dry toast, waffles, (a kind of soft hot cake, of Germanextraction, covered with butter, ) salted pickerell, (a fish from LakeHuron, ) veal-cutlets, broiled ham, gooseberry-pie, stewed currants, preserved cranberries, butter, and cheese: and Mr. Birkbeck, for himselfand three children, and four gallons of oats, and a sufficient quantityof hay for four horses, was charged only six shillings and ninepencesterling. South-west of Zanesville, instead of steep hills of yellow clay, thecountry assumes a more gently undulating surface; but it is sufficientlyvaried both for health and ornament, and has an absorbent, gravelly, orsandy soil, of moderate fertility. _Lancaster_ is on the edge of a marsh, or fen, which, at present, should seem to be a source of disease; though its bad effects, on theinhabitants of that town, are not by any means obvious. The three towns, Zanesville, Lancaster, and _Chillicothe_, were foundedby a sagacious man of the name of Zane, one of the earliest of thesettlers. They are admirably placed, geographically, but with littleregard to the health of their future inhabitants. The local advantagesof Zanesville might have been equally secured, had the site of the townbeen on the higher, rather than the lower bank of the Muskingum: and theSciota might have afforded equal facilities to the commerce of theinhabitants of Chillicothe, had they viewed it flowing beneath them, from those lovely eminences which adorn its opposite banks. Chillicotheis surrounded by the most charming elevations, but is itself in abottom; and Lancaster is on the brink of an extensive marsh. Seven miles north-west of Chillicothe the traveller enters on a tract ofriver bottom, the first rich land, for which this state, and indeed thewhole western country, is so justly famous. It is agreeably varied insurface, occasionally rises into hills, and is never flat. At Chillicothe there is an office for the several transactions regardingthe disposal of the public lands of this district; and, on Mr. Birkbeck's arrival, he repaired to this office, for the purpose ofinspecting a map of the district; and he found a great quantity ofunentered lands, comprehending many entire townships, of eight milessquare, lying about twenty miles south of Chillicothe; and, in severalparts, abutting on the Sciota. Though it appeared certain thatsubstantial objections had deterred purchasers from this extensivetract, in a country so much settled, yet Mr. Birkbeck, accompanied byhis son, determined to visit it. They rode over twenty miles of fertilecountry, on the bank of the Sciota, and crossed that river to _PikeTown_; not far from which place was the land they were seeking. Near Pike Town was a small cultivated prairie, the first Mr. Birkbeckhad seen. It contained about two hundred acres of rich land, and wasdivided by a road, which ran through the middle; and nearly the whole ofit was covered by fine Indian corn, neatly cultivated. The surroundinghills were crowned with woods. Nothing that Mr. Birkbeck had before seenin America at all resembled this delightful spot; but, from its lowsituation near the Sciota, it was unhealthy. Pike Town was laid out, and received its name, about the year 1815. WhenMr. Birkbeck was here, it contained a tavern, a store, and about twentyother dwellings. The land of which Mr. Birkbeck came in quest was, as he supposed, ofinferior quality. But though he found it unfit for his purpose, he hadbeen repaid his trouble by the pleasure of his ride, through a fineportion of country. In leaving Chillicothe, to proceed towardsCincinnati, he and his party travelled through about seven miles of richalluvial land, and over fertile uplands. But, as they proceeded, thecountry became level, with a cold heavy soil, better adapted to grassthan tillage. Much of this tract remained in an unimproved state. Theyhad passed some hills which were covered with the grandest whiteoak-timber imaginable. Within view from the road there were thousands ofthese magnificent trees, each of which measured fourteen or fifteen feetin circumference: their straight stems rising, without a branch, to theheight of seventy or eighty feet, not tapering and slender, butsurmounted by full, luxuriant heads. For the space of a mile in breadth, a hurricane, which had traversed theentire western country in a north-east direction, about seven yearsbefore Mr. Birkbeck was here, had opened itself a passage through theforests, and had left a scene of extraordinary desolation. The trees laytumbled over each other, like scattered stubble; some torn up by theroots, others broken off at different heights, or splintered only, andtheir tops bent over, and touching the ground. These hurricane tractsafford strong holes for game, and for all animals of savage kind. As Mr. Birkbeck approached the _Little Miami River_, the country becamemore broken, much more fertile, and better settled than before. Aftercrossing this rapid and clear stream, he had a pleasant ride to Lebanon, which is not a mountain of cedars, but a valley, so beautiful andfertile that, at its first opening on the view, it seemed rather aregion of fancy than a real back-settlement scene. _Lebanon_ is itself one of those wonders which are the natural growth ofthese back woods. In fourteen years, from two or three cabins ofhalf-savage hunters, it has grown to be the residence of a thousandpersons, with habits and looks in no respect differing from theirbrethren of the east. Before Mr. Birkbeck and his party entered thetown, they heard the supper-bells of the taverns; and they arrived justin time to take their seats at one of the tables, together withtravellers like themselves, and several store-keepers, lawyers, anddoctors; men who regularly board at taverns, and make up a standingcompany for the daily public table. Mr. Birkbeck and his family next passed through _Cincinnati_, [a townwhich presents a scene of great life and activity. The market-house isan excellent building; and the market is under judicious regulations. Provisions are here plentiful and cheap; but articles of clothing, house-rent, and journeymen's wages are all very high. This interesting town is situated on the banks of the _Ohio_, andcontains from eight to ten thousand inhabitants, including blacks, whoare numerous. It is built on the same plan as Philadelphia. There is aschool, in which children are educated on the Lancasterian plan; andwhich, in 1817, contained one hundred and fifty children. Owing, however, to the "untamable insubordination of the scholars, it was foundimpossible to put in practice most of the punishments that are directedby the founder of the system. Two weekly newspapers are published atCincinnati; one called "The Western Spy, " and the other, "LibertyHall. " There are, at this place, a woollen manufactory, a steam corn-mill, anda glass-house, on a tolerably large scale; and, in the main street, English goods abound in as great profusion as in Cheapside. Thetradesmen import some of their goods direct from England, but theyusually purchase them at Philadelphia; the journey to and from whichplace occupies three months; and goods are generally about fifty days inarriving. There are, in Cincinnati, three banks; and paper-money is here soabundant, that specie, even of the smallest amount, is rarely to beseen. The little that does exist, consists chiefly of _cut_ Spanishdollars. Notes of two shillings and two-pence, thirteen pence, sixpencehalfpenny, and even of three-pence farthing, are very common: indeed, they constitute the chief part of the circulating medium. Cincinnati is a very handsome town; a town, in fact, which must astonishevery traveller, when he considers how recently it has been formed. Someof the houses are on a large scale; and the number of moderate-sized andwell-built brick buildings is considerable. The churches are neat; andthe post-office, in arrangement and management, would bear comparisonwith that of London. ] After having passed through Cincinnati, Mr. Birkbeck and his familyentered the _state of Indiana_, and proceeded towards Vincennes. Indianawas, evidently, newer than the state of Ohio; and the character of thesettlers appeared superior to that of the settlers in Ohio, who, ingeneral, were a very indigent people. Those who fix themselves inIndiana, bring with them habits of comfort and the means of procuringthe conveniences of life. These are observable in the construction oftheir cabins, and the neatness surrounding them; and, especially, intheir well-stocked gardens, so frequent here, and so rare in the stateof Ohio. The country, from the town of Madison to the _Camp Tavern_, is notinteresting, and a great part of the land is but of medium quality. Atthe latter place commences a broken country, approaching to mountainous, which, if well watered, would form a fine grazing district. In theirprogress, Mr. Birkbeck, one of the ladies, and a servant boy, werebenighted at the foot of one of these rugged hills; and, without beingwell provided, they were compelled to make their first experiment of"camping out, " as it is called. A traveller, in the woods, says this gentleman, should always carry withhim a flint, steel, tinder, and matches; a few biscuits, a half-pintvial of spirits, a tin cup, and a large knife or tomahawk; then, withhis two blankets, and his great coat and umbrella, he need not beuneasy, should any unforeseen delay require his sleeping under a tree. In the present instance, the important articles of tinder and matcheswere in the baggage of the division that had proceeded; and, as thenight was rainy and excessively dark, the benighted party were, for sometime, under considerable apprehension, lest they should be deprived ofthe comfort and security of a fire. Fortunately, Mr. Birkbeck'spowder-flask was in his saddle-bags, and he succeeded in supplying theplace of tinder, by moistening a piece of paper, and rubbing it withgunpowder. He then placed the touchpaper on an old cambric handkerchief. On this he scattered gunpowder pretty copiously, and with a flint andsteel he soon succeeded in raising a flame: then, collecting together aquantity of dry wood, he made a noble fire. There was a mattress for thelady, a bear-skin for Mr. Birkbeck, and the load of the pack-horseserved as a pallet for the boy. Thus, by means of great coats andblankets, and their umbrellas spread over their heads, they made theirquarters tolerably comfortable; and, placing themselves to the leewardof the fire, with their feet towards it, they lay more at ease than theycould have done in the generality of taverns. They had a few biscuits, a small bottle of spirits, and a phial of oil. By twisting some cordvery hard, and dipping it in the oil, they contrived to make torches;and, after several fruitless attempts, they succeeded in finding water. "Camping out, " when the tents are pitched by day-light, and the partyare furnished with the articles, which Mr. Birkbeck was obliged tosupply by expedients, is pleasant in fine weather. The lady wasexceedingly ill, which had in fact occasioned their being benighted; andnever was the night's charge of a sick friend undertaken with moredismal forebodings. The rain, however, having ceased, the invalid passedthe night in safety; so that the morning found them more comfortablethan they could have anticipated. The town of _Vincennes_ is scattered over a plain, lying some feet lowerthan the banks of the _Wabash_: a situation seemingly unfavourable tohealth; and, in fact, agues and bilious fevers are frequent here duringthe autumn. The road from Sholt's Tavern to this place, thirty-six miles distant, lies partly across "barrens, " that is, land of middling quality, thinlyset with timber, or covered with long grass and shrubby underwood;generally level and dry, and gaudy with marigolds, sunflowers, martagonlilies, and many other beautiful flowers. On the whole, the country istame, poorly watered, and not desirable as a place of settlement; but, from its varied character, it is pleasant to travel over. Vincennesexhibits a motley assemblage of inhabitants as well as visitors. Theinhabitants are Americans, French Canadians, and Negroes. The visitorsare chiefly Americans from various states; and Indians from variousnations: Shawnees, Delawares, and Miamies, who live about a hundredmiles northward, and who come here to trade for skins. The Indians wereencamped, in considerable numbers, round the town, and were continuallyriding into the place, to the stores and the whiskey-shops. Their horsesand accoutrements were generally mean, and their persons disagreeable. Their faces were painted in various ways, which gave an appearance offerocity to their countenances. One of them, a Shawnee, had his eyes, or rather his eyelids and thesurrounding parts, daubed with vermilion. He thus looked hideous enoughat a distance; but, on a nearer view, he had good features, and was afine, stout, and fierce-looking man. Some of the Indians were welldressed. One young man, in particular, of the Miami nation, wore aclear, light blue cotton vest, with sleeves; and had his head ornamentedwith black feathers. They all wear pantaloons, or rather long moccasins of buck-skin, covering the foot and leg, and reaching half way up the thigh, which isbare: a covering of cloth, a foot square, passes between the thighs, andhangs behind like an apron. Their complexion was various: some weredark, and others were not so swarthy as even Mr. Birkbeck; but he sawnone of the copper-colour, which he had imagined to be theirdistinguishing characteristic. These Indians are addicted to drinkingspirits, and are often intoxicated. They use much action in theirdiscourse, and laugh immoderately. Their hair is straight and black, andtheir eyes are dark. Many of the women are decently dressed andgood-looking. Mr. Birkbeck remarks that, in Great Britain, the people are socircumscribed in their movements, that, with them, miles seem equal totens of miles in America. He says that, in America, travellers willstart on an expedition of three thousand miles, by boats, on horseback, or on foot, with as little deliberation or anxiety, as an Englishmanwould set out on a journey of three hundred. At Vincennes, the foundation had just been laid of a large establishmentof mills to be worked by steam. Water-mills of great power were buildingon the Wabash, near Harmony; and undertakings of similar kind will, nodoubt, be called for and executed, along the banks of this river, andof its various tributary streams. On entering Vincennes there is nothing which tends to make a favourableimpression on a stranger; but it improves on acquaintance, for itcontains agreeable people: and there is a spirit of cleanliness, andeven of neatness, in the houses and manner of living. There is also astrain of politeness in the inhabitants, which marks the origin of thissettlement to be French. At _Princeton_, a place scarcely three years old, Mr. Birkbeck and hisfamily went to a log-tavern, where neatness was as well observed as atmany taverns in the cities of England. The people of this town belong toAmerica in dress and manners; but they would not disgrace old England inthe general decorum of their deportment. Mr. Birkbeck lamented here, as in other parts of America, the smallaccount that is had of time. Subsistence is easily secured, and liberalpursuits are yet too rare to operate as a general stimulus to exertion:the consequence is, that life is whiled away in a painful state ofyawning lassitude. Twenty or thirty miles west of this place, in the Illinois territory, isa large country where settlements were beginning; and where, Mr. Birkbeck says, there was an abundant choice of unentered lands, of adescription, which, if the statements of travellers and surveyors, evenafter great abatements, can be relied on, he imagined would satisfy hiswishes. Princeton affords a very encouraging situation for a temporary abode. Itstands on an elevated spot, in an uneven country, ten miles from theriver Wabash, and two from the navigable stream of the Patok; but thecountry is rich, and the timber is vast in bulk and height. The small-pox is likely soon to be excluded from this state; forvaccination is very generally adopted, and inoculation for the small-poxis prohibited altogether; not by law, but by common consent. If itshould be known that an individual had undergone this operation, theinhabitants would compel him to withdraw from society. If he lived in atown, he must absent himself, or he would be driven away. On the 25th of July, Mr. Birkbeck explored the country as far as_Harmony_ and the banks of the Ohio. He lodged in a cabin, at a very newtown, on the banks of the Ohio, called _Mount Vernon_. Here he found thepeople of a character which confirmed the aversion he had previouslyentertained to a settlement in the immediate vicinity of a largenavigable river. Every hamlet was demoralized, and every plantation wasliable to outrage, within a short distance of such a thoroughfare. Yet, to persons who had been long buried in deep forests, the view ofthat noble expanse was like the opening of a bright day upon the gloomof night. To travel, day after day, among trees a hundred feet high, without a glimpse of the surrounding country, is oppressive to a degreewhich those cannot conceive who have not experienced it. Mr. Birkbeck left Harmony after breakfast, on the ensuing day, and, crossing the Wabash, at a ferry, he proceeded to the _Big Prairie_, where, to his astonishment, he beheld a fertile plain of grass andarable; and some thousand acres of land covered with corn, moreluxuriant than any he had before seen. The scene reminded him of someopen well-cultivated vale in Europe, surrounded by wooded uplands. Butthe illusion vanished on his arrival at the habitation of Mr. Williams, the owner of an estate, on which, at this time, there were nearly threehundred acres of beautiful corn in one field; for this man lived in away apparently as remote from comfort, as the settler of one year, whothinks only of the means of supporting existence. The inhabitants of the Prairie are healthy, and the females and childrenare better complexioned than their neighbours of the timber country. Itis evident that they breathe better air: but they are in a low state ofcivilization, being about half Indian in their mode of life. They arehunters by profession, and would have the whole range of the forests forthemselves and their cattle. Strangers appear, to them, invaders oftheir privileges; as they have intruded on the better founded andexclusive privileges of their Indian predecessors. After viewing several Prairies, which, with their surrounding woods, were so beautiful as to seem like the creation of fancy; (gardens ofdelight in a dreary wilderness;) and after losing their horses, andspending two days in recovering them, Mr. Birkbeck and his party took ahunter, as their guide, and proceeded across the little Wabash, toexplore the country between that river and the Skillet Fork. The lonely settlers, in the districts north of Big Prairie, are in amiserable state: their bread-corn must be ground thirty miles off; andit occupied three days to carry to the mill, and bring back, the smallhorse-load of three bushels. To struggle with privations has now becomethe habit of their lives, most of them having made several successiveplunges into the wilderness. Mr. Birkbeck's journey across the little Wabash was a complete departurefrom all mark of civilization. Wandering without track, where even thesagacity of the hunter-guide had nearly failed, they at length arrivedat the cabin of another hunter, in which they lodged. This man, hiswife, his eldest son, a tall, half-naked youth, just initiated in thehunter's arts; his three daughters, growing up into great rude girls, and a squalling tribe of dirty brats, of both sexes, were of one paleyellow colour, without the slightest tint of healthful bloom. They wereremarkable instances of the effect, on the complexion, produced byliving perpetually in the midst of woods. Their cabin, which may serve as a specimen of these rudiments of houses, was formed of round logs, with apertures of three or four inches: therewas no chimney, but large intervals were left between the "clapboards, "for the escape of the smoke. The roof, however, was a more effectualcovering, than Mr. Birkbeck had generally experienced, as it protectedhim and his party very tolerably from a drenching night. Two bedsteads, formed of unhewn logs, and cleft boards laid across; two chairs, (one ofthem without a bottom, ) and a low stool, were all the furniturepossessed by this numerous family. A string of buffalo-hide, stretchedacross the hovel, was a wardrobe for their rags; and their utensils, consisting of a large iron-pot, some baskets, one good rifle, and twothat were useless, stood about in corners; and a fiddle, which wasseldom silent, except when the inhabitants were asleep, hung by them. These hunters, in the back-settlements of America, are as persevering assavages, and as indolent. They cultivate indolence as a privilege: "YouEnglish (they say) are industrious, but we have freedom. " And thus theyexist, in yawning indifference, surrounded by nuisances and petty wants;the former of which might be removed, and the latter supplied, by theapplication of one tenth part of the time that is loitered away in theirinnumerable idle days. The _Little Wabash_, which Mr. Birkbeck crossed in search of somePrairies, that had been described to him in glowing colours, was, atthis season, a sluggish and scanty stream; but, for three months of thelatter part of winter and the beginning of spring, it covers a greatspace of ground, by the overflow of waters collected in its long course. The _Skillet Fork_ is a river of similar character; and the country thatlies between them must labour under the inconvenience of absoluteseclusion, for many months every year, until bridges and ferries areestablished. Having made his way through this wildest of wildernesses tothe Skillet Fork, Mr. Birkbeck crossed that river at a shoal. Thecountry, on each side of it, is flat and swampy; so that the water, inmany places, even at this season, rendered travelling disagreeable; yethere and there, at ten miles' distance, perhaps, the very solitudetempts persons to pitch their tents for a season. At one of these lone dwellings Mr. Birkbeck found a neat, respectablelooking female, spinning under the little piazza at one side of thecabin, which shaded her from the sun. Her husband was absent onbusiness, which would detain him some weeks: she had no family, and nocompanion except her husband's dog, which usually attended him duringhis bear-hunting, in the winter. She said she was quite overcome with"lone, " and hoped the party would tie their horses in the wood, and sitawhile with her, during the heat of the day. They did so, and sherewarded them with a basin of coffee. She said her husband was kind andgood, and never left her without necessity. He was a true lover ofbear-hunting; and, in the preceding winter, had killed a great number ofbears. On the second of August the party lodged at another cabin, where similarneatness prevailed, both within and without. The woman was neat, and thechildren were clean in skin, and whole in their clothes. The manpossessed good sense and sound notions, and was ingenious andindustrious. He lived on the edge of the Seven Miles' Prairie, a spotcharming to the eye, but deficient in water. Mr. Birkbeck considers _Shawnee Town_ as a phænomenon, evincing thepertinacious adherence of man to the spot where he has once establishedhimself. Once a year, for many successive springs, the Ohio, in itsannual overflowings, has carried away the fences from the cleared landsof the inhabitants, till at length they have given them up, and ceasedto cultivate them. Once a year the inhabitants of Shawnee Town eithermake their escape to higher lands, or take refuge in the upper storiesof their houses, until the waters subside, when they recover theirposition on this desolate sand-bank. At Shawnee Town there is an office for the south-east district ofIllinois. Here Mr. Birkbeck constituted himself a land-owner, by payingseven hundred and twenty dollars, as one-fourth part of thepurchase-money of fourteen hundred and forty acres. This land, with asimilar purchase made by a Mr. Flower, constituted part of a beautifuland rich Prairie, about six miles distant from the Big Wabash, and thesame distance from the Little Wabash. The land was rich, natural meadow, bounded by timbered ground: it waswithin reach of two navigable rivers; and, at a small expence, wascapable of being rendered immediately productive. The geographical position of this portion of territory appeared to beextremely favourable. The Big Wabash, a noble stream, which forms itseastern boundary, runs four hundred miles, through one of the mostfertile portions of this most fertile region. By means of a portage ofeight miles to the Miami of the lakes, it has a communication, wellknown to the Indian traders, with Lake Huron, and with all thenavigation of the north. Mr. Birkbeck left Shawnee town on the third of August. He had found heresomething of river-barbarism, the genuine Ohio character; but he had metwith a greater number, than he had expected, of agreeable individuals:and the kind and hospitable treatment he experienced at the tavern, formed a good contrast to the rude society and wretched fare he had leftat the Skillet Fork. On his return to _Harmony_, the day being Sunday, he had an opportunityof seeing, grouped and in their best attire, a large part of the membersof this wonderful community. It was evening when he arrived, and heobserved no human creature about the streets: soon the entire body ofthe people, about seven hundred in number, poured out of the church, andexhibited the appearance of health, neatness, and peace. This colony is useful to the neighbourhood. It furnishes, from itsstore, many articles of great value, not so well supplied elsewhere; andit is a market for all spare produce. Many kinds of culinary plants, andmany fruit-trees are cultivated here; and the Harmonites set a goodexample of neatness and industry. When we contrast their neatness andorder, with the slovenly habits of their neighbours, we see (says Mr. Birkbeck) the good that arises from association, which advances thesepoor people a century, at least, on the social scale, beyond thesolitary beings who build their huts in the wilderness. At Harmony Mr. Birkbeck and his family lived at the tavern, and theirboard there cost two dollars per week, each person: for these theyreceived twenty-one meals. Excellent coffee and tea, with broiledchickens, bacon, &c. For breakfast and supper, and a variety of good, but simple fare at dinner. Except coffee, tea, or milk, no liquor butwater is thought of at meals in this country. Mr. Birkbeck observes that, when the back country of America ismentioned in England, musquitoes by night, and rattlesnakes by day, never fail to alarm the imagination: to say nothing of wolves and bears, and panthers, and Indians still more ferocious than these. His course oftravelling, from the mouth of James River, and over the mountains, up toPittsburg, about five hundred miles; then three hundred miles throughthe woods of the state of Ohio, down to Cincinnati; next, across theentire wilderness of Indiana, and to the extreme south of theIllinois:--this long and deliberate journey, (he says, ) one wouldsuppose, might have introduced his party to an intimate acquaintancewith some of these pests of America. It is true that they killed severalof the serpent tribe; black snakes, garter-snakes, &c. And that they sawone rattlesnake of extraordinary size. They experienced inconveniencefrom musquitoes in a few damp spots, just as they would have done fromgnats in England. In their late expeditions in the Illinois, where theyled the lives of thorough backwoods-men, if they were so unfortunate asto pitch their tent on the edge of a creek, or near a swamp, andmismanaged their fire, they were teased with musquitoes, as they wouldhave been in the fens of Cambridgeshire: but this was the sum totalof their experience of these reported plagues. Wolves and bears are extremely numerous, and commit much injury in thenewly-settled districts. Hogs, which are a main dependance for food aswell as profit, are the constant prey of the bears; and the holds ofthese animals are so strong, that the hunters are unable to keep downtheir numbers. * * * * * [In the autumn of the year 1817, Mr. Birkbeck removed, with his family, to the property he had purchased, between the Great and Little Wabash, and to which he has given the name of "_English Prairie_. " In his "Noteson America, " and in his "Letters from the Illinois, " he has described, in an interesting manner, the face of the country, its soil, productions, mode of culture, and capacities of improvement; and haspointed out the great advantages which it offers to settlers, especiallyto labourers and to farmers with small capital. The confidence that isreposed in his judgment and agricultural skill, has already inducedseveral persons to emigrate into the same neighbourhood, both fromEngland and the United States; but the singularity of his religiousopinions, and his objection to the admission of religious instructors ofany description into his settlement, had prevented many conscientiouspersons from joining him, who might have proved useful members of hislittle community. ] * * * * * From this place we must return to _Philadelphia_, for the purpose ofaccompanying Mr. Weld on a journey to Washington, the federal city ormetropolis of the United States. Seventh Day's Instruction. UNITED STATES CONTINUED. _Narrative of_ MR. WELD'S _Excursion from Philadelphia toWashington_. On the 16th of November, 1795, Mr. Weld left _Philadelphia_ in one ofthe public stage-waggons. The country around this city was wellcultivated, and abounded with neat villas and farm-houses; but it had anaked appearance, for all the trees had been cut down, either for fuelor to make way for the plough. The road to Baltimore passed over the lowest of three floating bridges, which had been thrown across the _river Schuylkill_. The view, oncrossing this river, which is about two hundred and fifty yards wide, ispeculiarly beautiful. The banks on each side are high, and, for manymiles, afford extremely delightful situations for villas. The country, after passing the Schuylkill, is pleasingly diversifiedwith rising grounds and woods; and appears to be in a good state ofcultivation. The first town of any note at which Mr. Weld arrived, was_Chester_; which at this time contained about sixty dwellings, and wasremarkable for being the place where the first colonial assembly sat. From the vicinity of Chester, there is a grand view of the riverDelaware. About half a mile from Wilmington is _Brandywine River_, remarkable forits mills: no fewer than thirteen having been built, almost close toeach other, upon it. _Wilmington_ is the capital of the state of Delaware, and contained, atthis time, about six hundred houses, which were chiefly of brick. Thestreets are laid out in a manner somewhat similar to those ofPhiladelphia. There is, however, nothing very interesting in this town, and the country around it is flat and unpleasant. _Elkton_, twenty-onemiles from Wilmington, and the first town in Maryland, is a dirty anddisagreeable place; which contains about ninety indifferent houses, thatare built without any regularity. Every ten or twelve miles upon this road there are taverns. These areall built of wood, and much in the same style; with a porch in front, which extends the entire length of the house. Few of them have anysigns, and they are only to be distinguished from other houses, by anumber of handbills pasted upon the walls near the door. Each of them isnamed, not from the sign, but from the person who keeps it; as Jones's, Brown's, &c. And all are kept nearly in the same manner. At each housethere are regular hours for breakfast, dinner, and supper: and, if atraveller arrive somewhat before the time appointed for any one of thesemeals, it is in vain to desire a separate repast for himself: he mustpatiently wait till the regulated hour; and must then sit down with suchother guests as happen to be in the house. The _Susquehannah_ river is crossed, on the way to Baltimore, at a ferryfive miles above its entrance into the Chesapeak. The river is hereabout a mile and a quarter wide, and deep enough for vessels of anyburden. The banks are high and thickly wooded, and the scenery is grandand picturesque. A small town, called _Havre de Grace_, which containsabout forty houses, stands on this river at the ferry. From Havre toBaltimore the country is extremely poor; the soil is of a yellow gravelmixed with clay, and the road is execrable. _Baltimore_ is supposed to have, at this time, contained about sixteenthousand _inhabitants_. Though not the capital of the state, it is thelargest town in Maryland; and, after Philadelphia and New York, is themost considerable place of trade in North America. [It is built roundthe head of a bay or inlet of the _river Patuxent_, and about eightmiles above its junction with the Chesapeak. ] The _plan_ of the town issomewhat similar to that of Philadelphia. Most of the _streets_ crosseach other at right angles. The main street, which runs nearly east andwest, is about eighty feet wide, and the others measure from forty tosixty feet. The streets are not all paved, so that, in wet weather, theyare almost impassable; the soil being a stiff yellow clay, which retainsthe water a long time. On the south of the town is the harbour, whichaffords about nine feet water, and is large enough to contain twothousand sail of merchant-vessels. The greatest number of private _houses_ in Baltimore, are of brick; butmany, particularly in the skirts of the town, are of wood. In some ofthe new streets, a few appeared to be well built; but, in general, theyare small, heavy, and inconvenient. [The public buildings have verylittle architectural beauty. In the year 1817, Baltimore contained fifty thousand inhabitants; andwas still rapidly increasing. ] Among the inhabitants are to be foundEnglish, Irish, Scotch, and French; but the Irish appear to be mostnumerous. With a few exceptions, they are all engaged in trade; and theyare, for the most part, a plain people, sociable among themselves, andfriendly and hospitable towards strangers. Cards and dancing are herefavourite amusements. During the autumn, Baltimore is unhealthy, andsuch persons as can afford it, retire to country-seats in theneighbourhood, some of which are delightfully situated. From Baltimore to Washington, a distance of forty miles, the country hasbut a poor appearance. The soil, in some parts, consists of yellow claymixed with gravel: in other parts it is sandy. In the neighbourhood ofthe creeks, and between the hills, there are patches of rich blackearth, called bottoms, the trees upon which grow to a large size. _A description of the City of Washington. _ This city was laid out in the year 1792; and was expressly designed forthe seat of government, and the metropolis of the United States. Accordingly, in the month of November, 1800, the congress assembled herefor the first time. It stands on a neck of land, between the forksformed by the eastern and western branches of the river _Potomac_. Thisneck of land, together with an adjacent territory, ten miles square, wasceded to the American congress by the states of Maryland and Virginia. The ground on which the city has been built, was the property of privateindividuals, who readily relinquished their claim to one half of it infavour of congress, conscious that the value of what was left to themwould increase, and amply compensate them for their loss. The _plan_ of the buildings was drawn by a Frenchman, whose name wasL'Enfant; and the ground, marked out for them, was fourteen miles incircumference. The _streets_ run north and south, east and west; but, toprevent that sameness which would result from their all crossing eachother at right angles, several avenues have been laid out, in differentparts of the city, which run transversely. The streets are, in general, from ninety to a hundred feet, and the avenues one hundred and sixtyfeet wide. There is also an arrangement for several squares. Including the suburb of George Town, this city contains about twentythousand _inhabitants_, who are scattered over a vast space, in detachedmasses of buildings, which appear like petty hamlets in a populouscountry. The intended _streets_ are, for the most part, onlydistinguishable from the rugged waste, by a slight trace, like that of anewly-formed road; or, in some instances, by rows of poplar trees, whichafford neither ornament nor shade. The _Capitol_, and the house appropriated to the president of the UnitedStates, are situated on opposite hills, and are the chief publicbuildings in Washington. During the late war, they were both nearlydestroyed by the British forces; but they are now rising into increasedsplendour. The capitol, in which are the houses of the legislature, andseveral public offices, stands on a bank of the Potomac, seventy feetabove the level of that river. It as yet consists of only two wings; butthese are intended to be connected by a centre, surmounted by a dome. The _president's house_ is at the opposite end of "Pennsylvania Avenue, "and commands a most beautiful prospect. On each side of it stands alarge brick building: one of which is the treasury, and the other isappropriated to the war and navy offices. These are hereafter to beconnected with the palace. The _post office_ is a large brick edifice, situated at about an equaldistance from the president's house and the capitol. Under the same roofis the patent-office, and the national library, for the use of membersof the congress. In 1817 there were, in Washington, many brickbuildings, two and three stories high. There were also some small woodenhouses; though, according to the original plan, no houses were to bebuilt less than three stories high, and all were to have marble steps. The _river Potomac_, at Washington, is navigable only for small craft;but, besides this, there is a river, about the width of the Paddingtoncanal, which is dignified by the name of _Tiber_. The ridiculous, thoughcharacteristic vanity displayed in changing its original appellationfrom "Goose-creek" to that of "Tiber, " has been happily exposed by theEnglish poet Moore. Speaking of this city, he says, In fancy now, beneath the twilight gloom, Come, let me lead thee o'er this modern Rome, Where tribunes rule, where dusky Davi bow, And what was Goose-creek once is Tiber now. This fam'd metropolis, where fancy sees Squares in morasses, obelisks in trees. There are, at Washington, four market-days in the week, and negroes arethe chief sellers of provisions; but the supplies are neither good norvarious. In this city rents are very high; and mechanics are fullyemployed and well paid. Shopkeepers too are numerous; but its increasecannot be rapid, for it has no decidedly great natural advantages. Ithas little external commerce, a barren soil, and a scanty population; isenfeebled by the deadly weight of absolute slavery, and has no directcommunication with the western country. With regard to the manners of the _inhabitants_, it is remarked thatboth sexes, whether on horseback or on foot, carry umbrellas at allseasons: in summer, to keep off the sunbeams; in winter, as a shelterfrom the rain and snow; and in spring and autumn, to intercept the dewsof the evening. At dinner and at tea parties, the ladies sit together, and seldom mix with the gentlemen, whose conversation usually turns uponpolitical subjects. In almost all houses toddy, or spirits and water, isoffered to guests a few minutes before dinner. Boarders inboarding-houses, or in taverns, sometimes throw off their coats duringthe heat of summer; and, in winter, their shoes, for the purpose ofwarming their feet at the fire; customs which the climate only canexcuse. The barber always arrives on horseback, to perform the operationof shaving; and here, as in some towns of Europe, he is the organ of allthe news and scandal of the place. In the year 1817, when Mr. Fearon was in Washington, the congress wassitting, and that gentleman several times attended the debates. Theplace of meeting was a temporary one: it had been designed for an hotel, and was in the immediate vicinity of the capitol. The congress assembledat eleven o'clock in the morning, and adjourned at four in theafternoon. Mr. Fearon's first visit was to the _senate_. This body iscomposed of forty members, the states having increased their originalnumber of thirteen to that of twenty; and each state, regardless of itspopulation, sends two. The gallery of the senate-house is open to all;and the only form observed, is that of taking off the hat. When Mr. Fearon was at Washington, the chairman's seat was central, under ahandsome canopy; and the members were seated, on rich scarlet cushions, some at double, and some at single desks. There were two large fires;and the room was carpeted, as was also the gallery. In the congress, theforms of business, with a few minor exceptions, are taken from those ofthe British parliament. There is, however, one point of variation: everyspeech is apparently listened to; and all the speeches, whether good orbad, seem regarded with equal apathy, and with a complete lifelessendurance, neither applause nor censure being allowed. The _Representative Chamber_ was in the same building, and about twicethe extent. A gallery was here also open to the public of both sexes. This assembly consists of nearly two hundred members. These want, inappearance, the age, experience, dignity, and respectability, which anEnglishman associates with the idea of legislators, and which arepossessed by the superior branch of the congress. The members sat onvery common chairs, and at unpainted desks, which were placed in rows. Afew of the speakers commanded attention; but others talked on as longthey pleased, while the rest were occupied in writing letters or readingnewspapers. A spitting-box was placed at the feet of each member, and, contrary to the practice of the upper house, both the members andvisitors wore their hats. During the sitting of congress, the president, or rather his lady, holdsa drawing-room weekly. He takes by the hand all those persons who arepresented to him; shaking of hands being here considered more rationaland more manly than kissing them. _George Town_ may be described as a suburb of Washington. It is finelysituated, on the north-east side of the Potomac river, and is divided, from Washington, by the Rock Creek, over which are two bridges. Thehouses are chiefly of brick, and have a neat appearance. Several ofthem were built before the streets were formed, which gave rise to anobservation by a French lady, that "George Town had houses withoutstreets; Washington, streets without houses. " _Alexandria_, formerly called Belhaven, is a small, but peculiarly neattown, on the western side of the Potomac, and about six miles south ofWashington. Its streets, like those of Philadelphia, run in straightlines, and intersect each other at right angles. The houses are of neatconstruction. The public buildings are an episcopal church, an academy, a court-house, a bank, and gaol. This place carries on a considerabletrade; and the warehouses and wharfs are very commodious. The distancefrom Alexandria to George Town is about ten miles; and there is a dailycommunication between the two places, by means of a packet-boat. Nine miles below Alexandria, and also on the bank of the Potomac, stands_Mount Vernon_, formerly the country-seat of general Washington. Thehouse is of wood, but cut and painted so as to resemble stone. It has alawn in front; and, when Mr. Weld was here, the garden had theappearance of a nursery-ground. _Narrative of Mr. _ WELD'S _Journey from Washington to Richmondin Virginia_. In proceeding from Washington southward, Mr. Weld passed through a partof the country which was flat, sandy, and had a most dreary aspect. Formany successive miles nothing was to be seen but extensive plains, thathad been worn out by the culture of tobacco, and were overgrown withyellow sedge, and interspersed with groves of pine and cedar-trees, thedark green colour of which formed a singular contrast with the yellow ofthe sedge. In the midst of these plains there were, however, the remainsof several good houses, which showed that the country had once been in aflourishing state. Mr. Weld crossed the Potomac at a place called _Hoe's Ferry_, Theferry-man told him that, in the river, was a bank of oysters, and that, if he wished it, the men should take up some. The singularity ofobtaining oysters from fresh water induced Mr. Weld to stop at the bank;and the men, in a few minutes, collected as many as would have filled abushel. The oysters were extremely good when cooked, but weredisagreeable when eaten raw. The Potomac, as well as the other rivers inVirginia, abounds with excellent fish of various kinds. At the ferry itis about three miles wide. Mr. Weld prevailed with the ferry-man to take him about ten miles downthe river, and land him on the Virginian shore, in a part of the countrywhich appeared to be a perfect wilderness. No traces of a road orpathway were visible on the loose white sand; and the cedar andpine-trees grew so closely together, on all sides, that it was scarcelypossible to see further forward, in any direction, than a hundred yards. Taking a course, as nearly as he could guess, in a direct line from theriver, at the end of about an hour, he found a narrow road, which led toa large and ancient brick house. The master of it was from home, and Mr. Weld was obliged to proceed onward, several miles further, to a wretchedhovel which had the name of a tavern. On the ensuing morning heproceeded to the residence of a gentleman, which was between the riversPotomac and _Rappahannoc_, and where he had been invited to pass a fewweeks. The principal planters in Virginia possess large estates, and have, onthem, nearly every thing they can want. Among their slaves are foundtailors, shoemakers, carpenters, smiths, turners, wheelwrights, weavers, and tanners. Woollen cloths and cotton goods, of several kinds, aremanufactured at this province. Cotton grows here in great luxuriance:the plants, indeed, are often killed by the frost in winter, but theyalways produce abundantly, the first year in which they are sown. The large estates in Virginia are managed by stewards and overseers; andthe work is done wholly by slaves. The cottages of the slaves areusually at the distance of a few hundred yards from the dwelling-house, and give the appearance of a village, to the residence of every planter. Adjoining to these cottages the slaves usually have small gardens, andyards for poultry. They have ample time to attend to their own concerns:their gardens are generally well stocked, and their flocks of poultrynumerous. Many of their little huts are comfortably furnished, and theyare themselves, in general, well clad. But Mr. Weld remarked, that thisclass of persons is much more kindly treated in Virginia, than in theother states of America. The part of Virginia in which Mr. Weld was now passing his time, was, ingeneral, flat and sandy, and abounded in pine and cedar-trees: somedistricts, however, were well cultivated, and afforded good crops ofcorn; but these were intermixed with extensive tracts of waste land, worn out by the culture of tobacco, and almost destitute of verdure. The common people, in the lower parts of Virginia, have very sallowcomplexions, owing to the burning rays of the sun in summer, and thebilious complaints to which they are subject during the fall of theyear; but those in the upper parts of the country, towards themountains, have a healthy and comely appearance. After Mr. Weld had left the house of his friend, he crossed the_Rappahannoc River_, to a small town called _Tappahannoc_, or _Hob'sHole_, containing about one hundred houses. The river is here aboutthree quarters of a mile wide, and, though the distance from its mouthis seventy miles, sharks are very often seen. From Tappahannoc to _Urbanna_, another small town on the Rappahannoc, and about twenty-five miles lower down, the country wears but a pooraspect. The road, which is level and sandy, runs, for many successivemiles, through woods. The habitations that are seen from it are but few, and these of the poorest description. The woods chiefly consist of blackoak, pine, and cedar-trees, which only grow on land of the worstquality. Mr. Weld observed many traces of fires in the woods. Such fires, he wasinformed, were frequent in the spring of the year; and they were usuallyoccasioned by the negligence of people who burnt the underwood, for thepurpose of clearing the lands. He was himself witness to one of them. The day had been remarkably serene, and the underwood had been fired inseveral places. During the afternoon, the weather was sultry, and, aboutfive o'clock, the horizon, towards the north, became dark, and aterrible whirlwind arose. Mr. Weld was standing, with some gentlemen, onan eminence, and perceived it gradually advancing. It carried along withit a cloud of dust, dried leaves, and pieces of rotten wood; and, inmany places, as it passed along, it levelled the fence-rails, andunroofed the cattle-sheds. Mr. Weld and his friends endeavoured, but invain, to reach a place of shelter. In the course of two minutes thewhirlwind overtook them: the shock was violent; it was hardly possibleto stand, and was difficult to breathe. It passed over in about threeminutes; but a storm, accompanied by heavy thunder and lightning, succeeded: this lasted more than half an hour. On looking round, immediately after the whirlwind had passed, a prodigious column of fireappeared in a part of the wood where some underwood had been burning. Inmany places the flames rose considerably above the summit of the trees, which were of large growth. It was a tremendous, and, at the same time, a sublime sight. The Negroes, on the surrounding plantations, were allassembled with their hoes; and guards were stationed, at every corner, to give alarm, if the fire appeared elsewhere, lest the conflagrationshould become general. To one plantation a spark was carried by the windmore than half a mile; happily, however, a torrent of rain, shortlyafterwards, came pouring down, and enabled the people to extinguish theflames in every quarter. The country between Urbanna and Gloucester is neither so sandy nor soflat as that bordering upon the Rappahannoc. The trees, chiefly pines, are of large size, and afford abundance of turpentine, which isextracted from them, in great quantities, by the inhabitants. _Gloucester_ contained, at this time, only ten or twelve houses. It issituated on a neck of land nearly opposite to the town of York, and onthe bank of the _York River_, here about a mile and half wide. _York_consisted of about seventy houses, an episcopalian church, and a gaol. It is remarkable for having been the place where lord Cornwallissurrendered his army to the combined forces of the Americans and French. The banks of the river are, for the most part, high and inaccessible;and the principal part of the town is built upon them; only a fewfishing-huts and store-houses standing at the bottom. Twelve miles from York is _Williamsburgh_, formerly the seat ofgovernment in Virginia. At this time it consisted of one principalstreet, and two others, which ran parallel to it. At one end of the mainstreet stands the college, and, at the other end, the old capitol orState-house, a capacious building of brick, which was crumbling topieces, from neglect. The houses around it were mostly uninhabited, andpresented a melancholy appearance. The college of William and Mary, as it is still called, is at theopposite end of the main street: it is a heavy pile of building, somewhat resembling a large brick-kiln. The students were, at this time, about thirty in number; but, from their boyish appearance, the seminaryought rather to be termed a grammar-school than a college. Mr. Weld dined with the president of the college. Half a dozen, or more, of the students, the eldest about twelve years old, were at table; somewithout shoes and stockings, and others without coats. A couple ofdishes of salted meat, and some oyster-soup, formed the whole of therepast. The town of Williamsburgh contained, at this time, about twelve hundredinhabitants; and the society in it was thought to be more extensive, andat the same time more genteel, than in any other place of its size inAmerica. No manufactures were carried on here, and there was scarcelyany trade. From Williamsburgh to Hampton the country is flat and uninteresting. _Hampton_ is a small town, situated at the head of a bay, near the mouthof James River. It contained about thirty houses and an episcopalchurch; and was a dirty, disagreeable place. From this town there is a regular ferry to Norfolk, across HamptonRoads, eighteen miles over. _Norfolk_ stands nearly at the mouth of theeastern branch of Elizabeth River, the most southern of the rivers whichfall into _Chesapeak Bay_. This is the largest commercial town inVirginia, and carries on a flourishing trade to the West Indies. Itsexports consist principally of tobacco, flour, and corn, and variouskinds of timber. Of the latter it derives an inexhaustible supply, fromthe great "Dismal Swamp, " which is immediately in its neighbourhood. The houses in Norfolk were about five hundred in number; but most ofthem were of wood, and meanly built. These had all been erected sincethe year 1776; when the place had been totally burnt, by order of lordDunmore, then the British governor of Virginia. The losses sustained, onthis occasion, were estimated at three hundred thousand pounds sterling. Near the harbour the streets are narrow and irregular: in the otherparts of the town they are tolerably wide. None of them, however, arepaved, and all are filthy. During the hot months of summer, the stenchthat proceeds from some of them is horrid. There were, at this time, two churches, one for episcopalians, and theother for methodists; but, in the former, service was not performed morethan once in two or three weeks. Indeed, throughout all the lower partsof Virginia, that is, between the mountains, and the sea, the peopleseemed to have scarcely any sense of religion; and, in the countrydistricts, all the churches were falling into decay. From Norfolk Mr. Weld went to the _Dismal Swamp_. This commences at thedistance of nine miles from the town, extends into North Carolina, andoccupies, in the whole, about one hundred and fifty thousand acres. Theentire tract is covered with trees, some of which are of enormous size;and between them, the underwood springs up so thick, that the swamp is, in many parts, absolutely impervious. It abounds also with cane-reeds, and with long rich grass, on which cattle feed with great avidity, andbecome fat in a short time. In the interior of the swamp, large herds ofwild cattle are found; the offspring, probably, of animals which have atdifferent times been lost, or turned out to feed. Bears, wolves, deer, and other wild indigenous animals, are also found here. As the Dismal Swamp lies so very near to Norfolk, where there is aconstant demand for timber, staves, and other similar articles, forexportation; and, as the best of these are made from trees grown uponthe swamp, it of course becomes a valuable species of property. A canal, which the inhabitants of Norfolk were, at this time, cutting through it, would also tend to enhance its value. From the Dismal Swamp to Richmond, a distance of about one hundred andforty miles, along the south side of _James River_, the country is flatand sandy, and, for many successive miles, is covered with pine-trees. In some parts there are peach-orchards, which are very profitable. Fromthe peaches, the inhabitants make brandy, which, when properly matured, is an excellent liquor, and much esteemed: they give it a deliciousflavour by infusing dried pears in it. The accommodation at the taverns along this road, was most wretched;nothing was to be had but rancid fish, fat salt pork, and bread made ofIndian corn. Mr. Weld's horses were almost starved. Hay is scarcely everused in this part of the country, but, in place of it, the inhabitantsfeed their cattle with what they call fodder, the leaves of the Indiancorn-plant. Not a bit of fodder, however, was to be had on the wholeroad from Norfolk to Richmond, except at two places. _Petersburgh_ stands at the head of the navigable part of _AppommattoxRiver_, and is the only place of importance between Norfolk andRichmond. The houses in Petersburgh were about three hundred in number, and built without regularity. A flourishing trade was carried on in thisplace. About two thousand four hundred hogsheads of tobacco wereinspected annually at the warehouses; and, at the falls of theAppamatox, near the upper end of the town, were some of the bestflour-mills in Virginia. _Richmond_, the capital of Virginia, is situated immediately below theFalls of _James River_, which is here about four hundred yards wide, andwas at this time crossed by two bridges, separated from each other by anisland. The houses in Richmond were not more than seven hundred innumber, yet they extended nearly a mile and a half along the banks ofthe river. The lower part of the town is built close to the water; andopposite to it, lies the shipping. It is connected with the upper townby a long street, which runs parallel to the course of the river, andabout fifty yards from the banks. The situation of the upper town isvery pleasing: it is on an elevated spot, and commands a fine prospectof the falls of the river, and of the adjacent country. The best housesstand here, and also the capitol or state-house, which is a clumsy, ill-shaped edifice. Richmond, at this time, contained about fourthousand inhabitants, one half of whom were slaves. The _Falls_ in the river, or the _Rapids_, as they ought to be called, extend six miles above the city. Here the river is full of large rocks;and the water rushes along in some places with great impetuosity. At thenorth side of the falls is a canal, which renders the navigationcomplete from Richmond to the Blue Mountains. There is, perhaps, no place in the world of equal size, in which moregambling is carried on, than in Richmond. Mr. Weld had scarcely alightedfrom his horse, when the landlord of the tavern at which he stopped, inquired what game he was most partial to, as in such a room there was afaro-table, in another a hazard-table, in a third a billiard-table; toany of which he was ready to conduct him. Not the slightest secrecy isemployed in keeping these tables. They are always crowded with people, and the doors of the apartments are only closed to prevent the rabblefrom entering. Cock-fighting is another favourite diversion. The lowerclasses of people, however, are those chiefly who partake of suchamusements; but the circumstance of having the taverns thus infested, renders travelling extremely unpleasant. The common people of Virginia are usually represented to be morequarrelsome than those of any other American state; and, when they cometo blows, they fight like wild beasts. They bite and kick each otherwith indescribable fury; and endeavour to tear each other's eyes outwith their nails. Eighth Day's Instruction. UNITED STATES CONTINUED. _Narrative of_ MR. WELD'S _return from Richmond toPhiladelphia, through the central parts of Virginia. _ Having continued at _Richmond_ somewhat more than a week, Mr. Weldmounted his horse, and, accompanied by his servant, proceeded towardsthe _South-west_ or _Green Mountains_. The country around Richmond is sandy; but it is not so much so, nor soflat, as on the south side of James River, towards the sea. When Mr. Weld was here it wore a most pleasing aspect. The first week in May hadarrived; the trees had acquired a considerable part of their foliage;and the air, in the woods, was perfumed with the fragrant smell ofnumberless flowers and flowering shrubs. The music of the birds also wasdelightful: the notes of the mocking-bird or Virginia nightingale, inparticular, were extremely melodious. In this part of America there is a singular bird, called whipper-will, or whip-poor-will, which has obtained its name from the plaintive noisethat it makes. This it commences every evening about dusk, and continuesthrough the greatest part of the night. The frogs in America make a mostsingular noise. Some of them absolutely whistle; and others croak soloudly, that it is difficult, at times, to tell whether the soundproceeds from a calf or a frog. Mr. Weld, whilst walking in the meadows, was more than once deceived by it. The largest kinds are calledbull-frogs: they chiefly live in pairs, and are never found but wherethere is good water; their bodies measure from four to seven inches, andtheir legs are of proportionate length. These animals are extremelyactive, and take prodigious leaps. In one part of his journey, the road extended almost wholly throughpine-forests, and was very lonely. Night came on before he reached theend of it; and, as commonly happens with travellers in this part of theworld, he soon lost his way. A light, however, seen through the trees, seemed to indicate that a house was not far distant. His servant eagerlyrode up to it, but the poor fellow's consternation was great indeed whenhe observed it moving from him, presently coming back, and then, withswiftness, departing into the woods. Mr. Weld was himself at a loss toaccount for this singular appearance, till, after having proceeded alittle further, he observed the same sort of light in many other places;and, dismounting from his horse to examine a bush, where one of thesesparks appeared to have fallen, he found that it proceeded from afire-fly. In the present instance Mr. Weld was much surprised; but, asthe summer advanced, these flies appeared every night. After a lightshower in the afternoon, this gentleman says he has seen the woodssparkling with them in every direction. The light is emitted from thetail, and the animal has the power of emitting it or not at pleasure. After wandering about till near eleven o'clock, he came at last to ahouse, where he obtained information respecting the road: and, aboutmidnight, he arrived at a miserable tavern. During the next day's ridehe observed a great number of snakes, which were now beginning to comeforth from their holes. The _South-west Mountains_ run nearly parallel to the _Blue Ridge_, andare the first that are seen in Virginia, on going up the country, fromthe sea-coast. They are not lofty, and ought indeed rather to be calledhills than mountains. These mountains are not seen till the travellercomes within a few miles of them; and the ascent is so gradual, that hereaches their top almost without perceiving it. The soil is here a deep clay, particularly well suited to the culture ofgrain and clover, and it produces abundant crops. The salubrity of the climate, in this part of Virginia, is equal alsoto that of any part of the United States; and the inhabitants have, inconsequence, a healthy and ruddy appearance, totally different from thatof the residents in the low country. In these mountains live several gentlemen of large property, who farmtheir own land. Among the number was Mr. Jefferson, the vice-presidentof the United States. His house was about three miles fromCharlottesville, and was most singularly situated, being built on thetop of a small mountain, the apex of which had been cut off. At thistime it was in an unfinished state; but, if carried on, according to aplan which had been laid down, it promised to be one of the most elegantprivate habitations in America. Several attempts have been made in thisneighbourhood, to bring the manufacture of wine to perfection; none ofthem, however, have succeeded to the wish of the parties concerned init. The country between the South-west Mountains and the Blue Ridge is veryfertile, and is much more closely inhabited than that in the lower partsof Virginia. The climate is good, and the people have a healthy androbust appearance. Several valuable mines of iron and copper have beendiscovered here. Having crossed the South-west Mountains, Mr. Weld proceeded to_Lynchburgh_, a town on the south side of _Fluvanna River_, and onehundred and fifty miles beyond Richmond. This town contained about onehundred houses; and a warehouse for the inspection of tobacco, whereabout two thousand hogsheads were annually inspected. It had been builtwithin the last fifteen years, and, in consequence of its advantageoussituation for trade, was rapidly increasing. Between Lynchburgh and the Blue Mountains, the country is rough andhilly, and but thinly inhabited. The few inhabitants, however, who areseen here, are uncommonly robust and tall: it is rare to observe a manamongst them who is not six feet high. The Blue Ridge is thickly coveredwith large trees, to the very summit. Some of the mountains are ruggedand stony; others are not so; and on the latter the soil is rich andfertile. It is only in particular places that this ridge can be crossed;and at some of the gaps the ascent is steep and difficult. The _Peaks of Otter_, near which Mr. Weld crossed it, are the highestmountains in the Blue Ridge, and, measured from their bases, they aresupposed to be more lofty than any others in North America. Theprincipal peak is said to be about four thousand feet in perpendicularheight. Beyond the Blue Ridge, Mr. Weld observed very few settlements, till heapproached _Fincastle_. This town is about twenty miles from themountains, and fifteen south of _Fluvanna River_. It was only begunabout the year 1790; yet, when Mr. Weld was there, it contained sixtyhouses, and was rapidly increasing. The inhabitants consistedprincipally of Germans. On the eastern side of the Blue Mountains, cotton grows extremely well;and, in winter, the snow scarcely ever remains more than a day or twoupon the ground. On the opposite side, cotton never comes to perfection;the winters are severe, and the fields are covered with snow for manysuccessive weeks. In every farm-yard are seen sleighs or sledges, a kindof carriages that are used for travelling upon the snow. In this part of America, the soil consists chiefly of a rich brownmould, in which white clover grows spontaneously. To have a fertilemeadow, it is only necessary to leave a piece of ground to the hand ofnature for one year. A bed of limestone also runs entirely through thecountry. It appeared to Mr. Weld that there was no part of America where theclimate would be more congenial to the constitution of a native of GreatBritain or Ireland than this. The frost in winter is more regular, butis not more severe than what commonly takes place in those islands. During summer the heat is somewhat greater; but there is not a night inthe year in which a blanket is not found comfortable. Fever and ague aredisorders here unknown; and the air is so salubrious, that persons whocome from the low country, afflicted with those disorders; get rid ofthem in a short time. In the western part of the country there are several medicinal springs, to which, about the end of summer, great numbers of people resort, asmuch for the sake of escaping the heat in the low country, as fordrinking the waters. Those that are most frequented are called the_Sweet Springs_; but there are others in _Jackson's Mountains_, a ridgethat runs between the Blue Mountains and the Alleghany. One of these iswarm, and another quite hot. There is also a sulphur spring near them, into which, if the leaves of trees fall, they become thickly incrustedwith sulphur, in a very short time; and silver, if put into them, willbe turned black almost immediately. Mr. Weld, now bending his course in a northerly direction, again crossedthe _Fluvanna River_. About ten miles from this stream, there is, amongthe mountains, a deep cleft or chasm, about two miles long, and, in someplaces, three hundred feet deep. Over one part of this is a naturalarch, called _Rockbridge_, which consists of a solid mass of stone, orof several stones so strongly cemented together that they appear but asone. The road extends over this natural bridge. On one side of it is aparapet or wall of fixed rocks, but on the other there is a gradualslope, to the very brink of the chasm. The slope is thickly covered withlarge trees, principally cedars and pines. The whole width of the bridgeis about eighty feet: the road runs nearly along the middle of it, andis passed daily by waggons. At the distance of a few yards from the bridge there is a narrow path, which winds, along the sides of the fissure, and amidst immense rocksand trees, down to the bottom of the chasm. Here the stupendous archappears in all its glory, and seems even to touch the skies. The height, to the top of the parapet, is two hundred and thirteen feet. The rocksare of limestone, and nearly perpendicular; and the sides of the chasmare thickly clad with trees, wherever there is space sufficient to admitof their growth. A small stream runs at the bottom of the fissure, overbeds of rock, and adds much to the beauty of the scene. About fifty miles beyond Rockbridge, there is another remarkable naturalcuriosity: a large cavern, known by the name of _Maddison's Cave_. It isin the heart of a mountain, and about two hundred feet high. Persons whoreside in a house, not far distant from this cave, act as guides, anduse, as lights, splinters from the wood of the pitch pine-tree, a bundleof which they carry with them for this purpose. This cave is of greatextent, and is divided into many large, and singularly-shapedapartments, covered with stalactites, or petrifactions, at the top andsides. Before these were blackened by the smoke of the torches, they aresaid to have been extremely beautiful. The floor is of a deep sandyearth, which has been repeatedly dug up, for the purpose of obtainingsaltpetre, with which it is strongly impregnated. The country immediately behind the Blue Mountains, is agreeablydiversified with hill and dale, and abounds in extensive tracts of richland. Clover grows here in great luxuriance. Wheat also is raised, andin crops as abundant as in any part of the United States. Tobacco is notgrown, except for private use. The climate is not here so warm as in thelower parts of the country, on the eastern side of the mountains. As Mr. Weld passed along, he met great numbers of people who wereproceeding from Kentucky, and from the state of Tenessee, towardsPhiladelphia and Baltimore. He also saw many others, who were going in acontrary direction, to "explore, " as they called it; that is, to searchfor, lands in the western country, conveniently situated for newsettlements. These all travelled on horseback, armed with pistols andswords; and each had a large blanket, folded up under his saddle, forsleeping in, whenever they were obliged to pass the night in the woods. Of all the uncouth human beings that Mr. Weld met with in America, thepeople from the western country were the most so. Their curiosity wasboundless. Often has he been stopped abruptly by them, even in solitaryparts of the road; and, without any further preface, has been askedwhere he came from? if he was acquainted with any news? where bound to?and what was his name? The first town that Mr. Weld reached was _Lexington_, a neat littleplace, which had contained about one hundred dwelling-houses, acourt-house, and a gaol; but most of these had been destroyed by fire, just before he was there. Great numbers of Irish are settled in thisplace. Thirty miles further on is _Staunton_. This town carries on aconsiderable trade with the back country, and contains nearly twohundred dwellings, mostly built of stone. _Winchester_ stands one hundred miles north of Staunton, and is thelargest town in the United States, on the western side of the BlueMountains. The houses were, at this time, estimated at three hundred andfifty, and the inhabitants at two thousand. There were four churches, which, as well as the houses, were plainly built. The streets wereregular, but very narrow. There was nothing particularly deserving ofattention, either in this place, or in any of the small towns that havebeen mentioned. Mr. Weld reached the _Potomac_, at the place where that river passesthrough the Blue Ridge; and where a scene is exhibited which has beenrepresented as one of the most "stupendous in nature, and even worth avoyage across the Atlantic. " The approach towards it is wild andromantic. After crossing a number of small hills, which rise insuccession, one above another, the traveller at last perceives a breakin the Blue Ridge; at the same time, the road, suddenly turning, windsdown a long and steep hill, shaded with lofty trees, whose branchesunite above. On one side of the road are large heaps of rocks, overhead, which threaten destruction to any one who passes beneath them; on theother, a deep precipice presents itself, at the bottom of which is heardthe roaring of the waters, that are concealed from the eye, by thethickness of the foliage. Towards the end of this hill, about sixty feetabove the level of the water, stand a tavern and a few houses; and fromsome fields in the rear of them, the passage of the river, through themountain, is seen to great advantage. The Potomac, on the left, winds through a fertile country, towards themountain. On the right flows the _Shenandoah_. Uniting together, theyroll on, in conjunction, through the gap; then, suddenly expanding tothe breadth of about four hundred yards, they pass on towards the sea, and are finally lost to the view, amidst surrounding hills. After crossing the Potomac, Mr. Weld passed on to _Frederic_, inMaryland, which has already been mentioned, and thence to Baltimore. Thecountry between Frederic and Baltimore is by no means so rich as thatwest of the Blue Ridge, but it is tolerably well cultivated. Iron andcopper are found here in many places. From Baltimore Mr. Weld returned to _Philadelphia_, where he arrived onthe fourteenth of June, after an absence of about three months. * * * * * We must now return to Pittsburgh, for the purpose of proceeding, fromthat place, with M. Michaux a French naturalist of considerableeminence, in a journey through Kentucky, Tenessee, North and SouthCarolina. Ninth Day's Instruction. UNITED STATES CONTINUED. _Narrative of a Journey from Pittsburgh to Lexington in Kentucky. FromTravels in North America, by_ F. A. MICHAUX. This gentleman, in company with a Mr. Craft, set out from Pittsburgh, onthe 14th of July, 1802; and, two days afterwards, arrived at Wheeling, asmall town on the bank of the Ohio, and about eighty miles distant fromPittsburgh. _Wheeling_ had not been more than twelve years in existence, yet it contained, at this time, about seventy houses, built of wood. Itis bounded by a long hill, nearly two hundred fathoms high, and the baseof which is not more than four hundred yards from the river. In thisspace the houses are built: they form but one street, along which runsthe main road. From fifteen to twenty large shops supply theinhabitants, twenty miles, round, with provisions. This little townshares largely in the export trade that is carried on with the westerncountry at Pittsburgh. At Wheeling the travellers purchased a canoe, twenty-four feet long, eighteen inches wide, and about as many in depth. Canoes of thisdescription are made from the single trunk of a tree: they are toonarrow for the use of oars, and, in shallow water, they are generallyforced along either with a paddle or a staff. As a shelter from the sun, M. Michaux and his friend covered their canoe, a quarter of its length, with a piece of cloth thrown upon two hoops; and, having placed on boardof it a sufficient stock of provisions, they embarked about five o'clockin the afternoon of the ensuing day. They floated twelve miles down thestream that evening, and slept on the right bank of the Ohio. Both M. Michaux and his friend were excessively fatigued with their first day'svoyage; but not so much by paddling their canoe along, as by remainingconstantly seated in one position. For, the canoe being very narrow atthe bottom, they were obliged to keep their legs extended; as the leastmotion of the vessel would have exposed them to the danger of beingoverset. In the course, however, of a few days, they became accustomedto these inconveniences, and attained the art of travelling comfortably. They were three days and a half in proceeding to _Marietta_, about ahundred miles from Wheeling. This town is situated on the right bank ofthe _Great Muskingum_, and near the place of its junction with the Ohio. Although fifteen years before M. Michaux was here, it was not inexistence, Marietta now contained more than two hundred houses, some ofwhich were built of brick; but the greatest number were of wood. Severalof them were from two to three stories high, and somewhat elegantlyconstructed. The mountains which, from Pittsburgh, extend along the sideof the river, are, at Marietta, distant from its banks, and leave aconsiderable space of level ground, which will facilitate, in everyrespect, the enlarging of the town. The inhabitants of Marietta were the first, in the interior of America, who entertained an idea of exporting, directly to the Caribbee Islands, the produce of their country. This they did in a vessel, built in theirown town. The vessel was sent to Jamaica, and the success which crownedthis first attempt, excited great emulation among the inhabitants of thewestern country. The ship-yard at Marietta is near the town, on thegreat Muskingum. When M. Michaux was there, the inhabitants werebuilding three brigs, one of which was of two hundred and twenty tonsburden. On the 21st of July the voyagers set out from Marietta, for Gallipoli, distant about a hundred miles. On the 23rd, at ten in the morning, theydiscovered _Point Pleasant_, situated a little above the mouth of the_Great Kenaway_, and on a promontory which is formed by the right bankof that river. Its situation is peculiarly beautiful. The Ohio, intowhich the Kenaway falls, is here four hundred fathoms wide, andcontinues of the same width for four or five miles. Its borders, slopingand elevated from twenty-five to forty feet, are, in the whole of itswindings, overgrown, at their base, with willow, from fifteen toeighteen feet in height, the drooping branches and foliage of which forma pleasing contrast to the sugar-maples, red-maples, and ash-trees, which are seen immediately above. The latter are overhung by palms, poplars, beeches, and magnolias, of the highest elevation; the enormousbranches of which, attracted by a more splendid light and an easierexpansion, extend towards the borders, overshadowing the river, at thesame time that they completely cover the trees that are beneath them. This natural display, which reigns upon the two banks, forms, from eachside, a regular arch, the shadow of which, reflected by the stream, embellishes, in an extraordinary degree, the magnificent _coupd'oeil_. _Gallipoli_ is on the right bank of the Ohio, four miles below PointPleasant. It was, at this time, composed of about sixty log-houses, mostof which, being uninhabited, were falling into ruins; the rest wereoccupied by Frenchmen, two only of whom appeared to enjoy the smallestcomfort. On the 25th of July, M. Michaux and his friend set out, in their canoe, for _Alexandria_, about a hundred and four miles distant; and theyarrived there in three days and a half. The ground designed for thistown is at the mouth of the _Great Scioto_, and in the angle which theright bank of this river forms with the north-west border of the Ohio. Although the plan of Alexandria had long been laid out, few people hadsettled there: the number of its edifices was not, at this time, morethan twenty, and the major part of these were constructed of wood. Theinhabitants are subject, every autumn, to intermittent fevers, whichseldom abate till the approach of winter. On the 1st of April the voyagers arrived at _Limestone_ in Kentucky, fifty miles lower than Alexandria; and, at this place, their voyage onthe Ohio terminated. They had floated, in their canoe, three hundred andforty miles from Wheeling; and, during the ten days which their voyagehad occupied, they had been obliged, almost incessantly, to paddle theirvessel along. This labour, although in itself painful to persons who areunaccustomed to it, was, in the present instance, still more so, onaccount of the intense heat which prevailed. They also suffered muchinconvenience from thirst, not being able to procure any thing to drink, but by stopping at the plantations on the banks of the river; for, during summer, the water of the Ohio acquires such a degree of heat, that it is not fit to be drunk till it has been kept twenty-four hours. At Limestone M. Michaux relinquished an intention which he had formed ofproceeding further down the Ohio; and here he took leave of Mr. Craft, who prosecuted the remaining part of the voyage alone. The banks of the Ohio, though elevated from twenty to sixty feet, scarcely afford any hard substances, betwixt Pittsburgh and Limestone;except large detached stones, of a greyish colour, which M. Michauxobserved, in an extent of ten or twelve miles, below Wheeling: theremainder of the country seems wholly covered with vegetable earth. Afew miles before this gentleman reached Limestone, he observed a chalkybank, the thickness of which, being very considerable, left no room todoubt that it must be of great extent. The Ohio abounds in fish, some ofwhich are of great size and weight. Till the years 1796 and 1797, the banks of the Ohio were so littlepopulated, that there were scarcely thirty families in the space of fourhundred miles; but, since that time, a great number of emigrants hadsettled here, from the mountainous parts of Pennsylvania and Virginia;consequently the plantations had, at this time, so much increased, thatthey were not further than two or three miles asunder; and, when M. Michaux was on the river, he always had some of them in view. The inhabitants of the banks of the Ohio employ the greatest part oftheir time in stag and bear-hunting, for the sake of the skins, whichare important articles of traffic. The dwellings of this people are, forthe most part, in pleasant situations; but they are only log-houses, without windows, and so small that they hold no more than two beds each. A couple of men, in less than ten days, could erect and finish one ofthem. No attention is here paid to any other culture than that of Indiancorn. The favourable situation of the Ohio entitles this river to beconsidered as the centre of commercial activity, between the eastern andwestern states; and it is the only open communication with the ocean, for the exportation of provisions, from that part of the United States, which is comprised between the Alleghany Mountains, the lakes, and theleft bank of the Mississippi. All these advantages, blended with the salubrity of the climate and thegeneral beauty of the country, induced M. Michaux to imagine that, inthe course of twenty years, the banks of the Ohio, from Pittsburgh toLouisville, would become the most populous and the most commercial partof the United States. _Limestone_ consisted only of thirty or fortyhouses, constructed with wood. This little town had been built upwardsof fifteen years. It was for some time the place where such emigrantslanded as came from the northern states, by way of Pittsburgh: it wasalso the mart for merchandise, sent from Philadelphia and Baltimore toKentucky. M. Michaux resolved to travel on foot, from this place to Lexington. Thedistance is sixty-five miles, and he performed the journey in two daysand a half. In his journey he passed through _Mays Lick_, where thereis a salt-work. The wells that supply the salt-water are about twentyfeet in depth, and not more than fifty or sixty fathoms from the _RiverSalt Lick_; the waters of which, during the summer, are somewhatbrackish. In this part of the country salt-springs are usually found inplaces which are described by the name of _Licks_; and where, before thearrival of Europeans, the bisons, elks, and stags, that existed inKentucky, went, by hundreds, to lick the saline particles; with whichthe soil is impregnated. In the country around Mays Lick the soil is dry and sandy; and the roadis covered with large, flat, chalky stones, of a bluish colour within, and the edges of which are round. The only trees that M. Michauxobserved here, were white oaks and hickory; and the stinted growth andwretched appearance of these, clearly indicated the sterility of thesoil. In the year 1796, _Lexington_ consisted of only eighteen houses; but itnow contained more than a hundred and fifty, half of which were ofbrick. This town is situated on a delightful plain, and is watered by asmall river, near which were several corn-mills. Every thing seemed toannounce the comfort of its inhabitants. It is built on a regular plan. The streets are broad, and cross each other at right angles. The want ofpavement, however, renders it very muddy in winter. There were, at thistime, in Lexington, two printing-offices, at each of which a newspaperwas published twice a week. Two extensive rope-walks, constantly inemploy, supplied, with rigging, the ships that were built upon the Ohio. Independently of other manufactories which had been established in thistown, there were several common potteries, and one or twogunpowder-mills. The sulphur for the latter was obtained fromPhiladelphia, and the saltpetre was manufactured from substances dug outof grottos, or caverns, that are found on the declivity of lofty hills, in the mountainous parts of the state. The soil of these is extremelyrich in nitrous particles. [About fifty miles west of Lexington, on the bank of the Ohio, and nearthe falls of that river, is the town of _Louisville_. This place forms aconnecting link between New Orleans and the whole western parts of theUnited States. Mechanics can here obtain full employment, and they areable to earn from forty to fifty-four shillings a week. Every article ofclothing is excessively expensive; and the rents of houses are veryhigh. This place was formerly very unhealthy, the inhabitants beingsubject to fevers, agues, and other complaints; but it is said to beimproving in healthiness. Mr. Fearon, who visited this place in the year1817, does not speak favourably of the character of the Kentuckians. Hesays they drink a great deal, swear a great deal, and gamble a greatdeal; and that even their amusements are sometimes conducted withexcessive barbarity. The expence of sending goods, by water, from NewOrleans to Louisville, is about twenty shillings per hundred weight; anddown the stream, to New Orleans, about four shillings. The boats usuallymake the voyage upward in about ninety days; and downward intwenty-eight days. Steam-vessels accomplish the former voyage inthirty-six, and the latter in twenty-eight days. There are in Louisville, two great hotels, one of which has, on anaverage, one hundred and forty, and the other eighty boarders. A person, on going to either of them, applies to the bar-keeper for admittance:and the accommodations are very different from those in an Englishhotel. The place for washing is not, as with us, in the bed-rooms; butin the court-yard, where there are a large cistern, several towels and anegro in attendance. The sleeping-room usually contains from four toeight bedsteads, having mattresses and not feather-beds; sheets ofcalico, two blankets, and a quilt: the bedsteads have no curtains. Thepublic rooms are, a news-room, a boot-room, (in which the bar issituated, ) and a dining-room. The fires are generally surrounded byparties of about six persons. The usual custom with Americans is to paceup and down the news-room, in a manner similar to walking the deck of aship at sea. Smoking segars is practised by all, and at every hour ofthe day. Argument or discussion, in this part of the world, is of veryrare occurrence; social intercourse seems still more unusual;conversation on general topics, or taking enlarged and enlightened viewsof things, rarely occurs: each man is in pursuit of his own individualinterest. At half past seven, the first bell rings for the purpose ofcollecting all the boarders, and, at eight, the second bell rings;breakfast is then set, the dining-room is unlocked, a general rushcommences, and some activity, as well as dexterity, is necessary toobtain a seat at the table. The breakfast consists of a profuse supplyof fish, flesh, and fowl, which is consumed with a rapidity trulyextraordinary. At half-past one, the first bell rings, announcing theapproach of dinner; the avenues to the dining-room become thronged. Attwo o'clock the second bell rings, the doors are thrown open, and arepetition of the breakfast-scene succeeds. At six, tea, or what is herecalled supper, is announced, and partaken of in the same manner. This isthe last meal, and it usually affords the same fare as breakfast. Attable there is neither conversation nor drinking: the latter is effectedby individuals taking their liquor at the bar, the keeper of which is infull employ from sunrise to bed-time. A large tub of water, with aladle, is placed at the bar; and to this the customers go and helpthemselves. When spirits are called for, the decanter is handed; theperson calling for them takes what quantity he pleases, and the chargeis sixpence-halfpenny. The life of boarders at an American tavern, presents a senseless and comfortless mode of killing time. Most housesof this description are thronged to excess; and few of the persons whofrequent them, appear to have any other object in view than spitting andsmoking. In the state of Kentucky there are several subterraneous _caverns_, which have attracted much attention, and which are described as amongthe most extraordinary natural curiosities in the world. They are alsoof considerable importance in a commercial view, from the quantity ofnitre they afford. The great cave, near Crooked Creek, is supposed tocontain a million pounds of nitre. This cave has two mouths orentrances, about six hundred and fifty yards from each other, and onehundred and fifty yards from the creek. ] Tenth Day's Instruction. UNITED STATES CONTINUED. _Narrative of the Journey of M. Michaux, from Lexington to Charleston inSouth Carolina. _ On the tenth of August, M. Michaux set out from Lexington to Nasheville, in the state of Tenessee; and, as an establishment for the purpose ofnaturalizing the vine in Kentucky, was not very far out of his road, heresolved to visit it. Consequently, about fourteen miles from Lexington, he quitted the road, turned to the left, strolled through some woods, and reached the vineyard in the evening. It was, at this time, under thesuperintendance of a M. Dufoux, the principal person of a small Swisscolony, which had settled in Kentucky some years before. The vines hadbeen selected chiefly from the vicinity of New York and Philadelphia. Many of them had failed; but those of the kinds which produce theMadeira wines, appeared to give considerable hopes of success. The wholeof the vines occupied a space of about six acres; and they were plantedand fixed with props similar to those in the environs of Paris. From this place M. Michaux was conducted, through the woods, to a ferryover the _Kentucky River_. The borders of the river at this ferry areformed by an enormous mass of chalky stones, remarkably peaked, andabout a hundred and fifty feet high. Near _Harrodsburgh_ M. Michaux visited the plantation and residence ofGeneral Adair. A spacious and commodious house, a great number of blackservants, equipages: every thing announced the opulence of the general. Magnificent peach-orchards, and immense fields of Indian wheat, surrounded the house. The soil was extremely fertile, as was evidentfrom the largeness of the blades of corn, their extraordinary height, and the abundance of the crops. About forty miles beyond the general's plantation, M. Michaux passedover _Mulder Hill_, a steep and lofty mountain, that forms a kind ofamphitheatre. From its summit the neighbouring country presents theaspect of an immense valley, covered with forests of imperceptibleextent. As far as the eye can reach, nothing but a gloomy verdant spaceis seen, formed by the tops of the close-connected trees, and, throughwhich, not even the vestige of a plantation can be discerned. Theprofound silence that reigns in these woods, uninhabited by savagebeasts, and the security of the place, forms an _ensemble_ rarely to beseen in other countries. About ten miles beyond _Green River_ commence what are called the_Barrens_, or _Kentucky Meadows_. On the first day of his journey overthem, M. Michaux travelled fifteen miles; and, on the ensuing morning, having wandered to some distance out of the road, in search of a spring, at which to water his horse, he discovered a plantation in a low andnarrow valley. The mistress of the house told him that she had residedthere upwards of three years, and that, for eighteen months, she had notseen any individual except of her own family: that, weary of living thusisolated, her husband had been more than two months from home in questof another spot, towards the mouth of the Ohio. A daughter, aboutfourteen years of age, and two children, considerably younger, were allthe company she had: her house was abundantly stocked with vegetablesand corn. This part of the Barrens was precisely similar to that which M. Michauxhad traversed the day before; and the same kind of country extends asfar as the line which separates the state of Tenessee from that ofKentucky. Here, to the great satisfaction of M. Michaux, he once moreentered the woods. Nothing, he says, can be more tiresome than thedoleful uniformity of these immense meadows, where there is no humancreature to be met with; and where, except a great number of partridges, no species of living beings are to be seen. The Barrens comprise a portion of country from sixty to seventy miles inlength, by sixty miles in breadth. According to the signification of thename, M. Michaux had imagined that he should have to cross a nakedspace, scattered here and there with a few plants; but he was agreeablysurprised to find a beautiful meadow, where the grass was from two tothree feet high. He here discovered a great variety of interestingplants. In some parts he observed several species of wild vines, and, inparticular, one which is called by the inhabitants "summer grapes:" thebunches of fruit were as large, and the grapes as good in quality, asthose in the vineyards round Paris. And it appeared to M. Michaux thatthe attempts which had been made in Kentucky, to establish the cultureof the vine, would have been more successful in the Barrens, the soil ofwhich appeared to him better adapted for this kind of culture, than thaton the banks of the Kentucky. The Barrens are very thinly populated;for, on the road where the plantations are closest together, M. Michauxcounted but eighteen in a space of sixty or seventy miles. _Nasheville_, the principal and the oldest town in this part ofTenessee, is situated on the _river Cumberland_, the borders of whichare here formed by a mass of chalky stone, upwards of sixty feet inheight. Except seven or eight houses, built of brick, the rest, to thenumber of about a hundred and twenty, were constructed of wood, and weredistributed over a surface of twenty-five or thirty acres, where therock appeared almost naked in every part. This little town, although it had been built more than fifteen years, contained no kind of manufactory or public establishment; but there wasa printing-office, at which a newspaper was published once a week. Acollege had also been founded here; but it was yet in its infancy, having not more than seven or eight students, and only one professor. The price of labour in the vicinity of Nasheville was higher than atLexington. There appeared to be from fifteen to twenty shops, which weresupplied from Philadelphia and Baltimore; but they did not seem so wellstocked as those of Lexington, and the articles, though dearer, were ofinferior quality. All the inhabitants of the western country, who go by the river to NewOrleans, return by land and pass through Nasheville, which is the firsttown beyond Natchez. The interval which separates these towns is aboutsix hundred miles, and was, at this time, entirely uninhabited. Severalpersons who had travelled this road, assured M. Michaux that, for aspace of four or five hundred miles beyond Natchez, the country was veryirregular; that the soil was sandy, in some parts covered with pines, and not much adapted for culture; but that, on the contrary, the bordersof the river Tenessee were fertile, and superior even to the richestparts of Kentucky. On the fifth of September, M. Michaux set out from Nasheville forKnoxville. He was accompanied by a Mr. Fisk, one of the commissionerswho had been appointed to determine the boundaries between the statesof Tenessee and Kentucky. They stopped on the road, with differentfriends of Mr. Fisk; among others, with General Smith, one of the oldestinhabitants of the country. M. Michaux saw, _en passant_, GeneralWinchester. He was at a stone house which was building for him on theroad. This mansion, the state of the country considered, bore theexternal marks of grandeur: it consisted of four large rooms on theground-floor, one story, and a garret. The workmen employed to finishthe inside had come from Baltimore, a distance of near seven hundredmiles. A few miles from the residence of General Winchester, and at a shortdistance from the road, is a small town which had been founded but a fewyears, and to which the inhabitants had given the name of _Cairo_, inmemory of the taking of Cairo by the French. Between Nasheville and Fort Blount the plantations, though alwaysisolated in the woods, were, nevertheless, by the side of the road, andwithin two or three miles of each other: the inhabitants resided inlog-houses, and most of them kept negroes, and appeared to live happilyand in abundance. Through the whole of this space the soil was butslightly undulated: in some places it was level, and in general it wasexcellent. _Fort Blount_ had been constructed about eighteen years before M. Michaux was in America. It had been built for the purpose of protecting, against the attacks of the Indians, such emigrants as came, at thattime, to settle in its vicinity. But peace having been concluded withthe Indians, and the population having much increased, thefortifications now no longer existed. On the eleventh of September M. Michaux and Mr. Fisk left Fort Blount;and, at the house of Major Russel, some miles distant, they wereobligingly furnished with provisions for two days' journey through theterritory of the Cherokees. The country became now so mountainous, that they could not proceed morethan forty-five miles the first day, though they travelled tillmidnight. They encamped near a small river, where there was anabundance of grass; and, after having lighted a fire, they slept intheir rugs, keeping watch alternately, in order to guard their horses. During this day's journey they had seen no animals, except some flocksof wild turkeys. The second day after their departure, they met a party of eight or tenIndians, who were searching for grapes and chinquapins, a small speciesof chesnuts, superior in taste to those of Europe. As M. Michaux and hisfriend had only twenty miles to go before they reached West Point, theygave to these men the remainder of their provisions. With the AmericanIndians bread is a great treat; for their usual food consists only ofvenison and wild-fowl. The road, which crosses this part of the Indian territory, cuts throughthe mountains of Cumberland; and, in consequence of the great number ofemigrants who travel through it, to settle in the western country, itwas, at this time, as broad and commodious as the roads were nearPhiladelphia. In some places, however, it was very rugged. Little boardspainted black and nailed against the trees, every three miles, indicatedto travellers the distance they had to go. In this part of Tenessee the mass of the forests is composed of all thespecies of trees which belong more particularly to the mountainousregions of North America; such as oaks, maples, hickory-nut trees, andpines. At _West Point_ there was a fort palisadoed round with trees, and builtupon a lofty eminence, at the conflux of the _rivers Clinch_ and_Holstein_. A company of soldiers was kept here, for the purpose ofholding the Indians in check, and also of protecting them against theinhabitants on the frontiers, whose cruelty and illiberal proceedingshad frequently excited them to war. These _Indians_ are above the middle size, are well-proportioned, andhealthy in appearance, notwithstanding the long fasting they arefrequently obliged to endure, whilst in pursuit of animals, the flesh ofwhich forms their chief subsistence. The carbine is the only weaponthey use: they are very dexterous with it, and are able to kill animalsat a great distance. The usual dress of the men consists of a shirt, which hangs loose, and of a slip of blue cloth, about half a yard inlength, which serves them for breeches; they put it between theirthighs, and fasten the two ends, before and behind, to a sort of girdle. They wear long gaiters, and shoes made of prepared goat-skins. When fulldressed they wear a coat, waistcoat, and hat; but they never havebreeches. On the top of their heads they have a tuft of hair, which theyform into several tresses, that hang down the sides of their face; andthey frequently attach quills or little silver tubes to the extremities. Many of them pierce their noses, in order to put rings through. Theyalso cut holes in their ears, which are made to hang down two or threeinches, by pieces of lead, which are fastened to them. They paint theirfaces red, blue, or black. A shirt and a short petticoat constitute the chief dress of the women, who also wear gaiters like the men. Their hair, which is of jet-blackcolour, they suffer to grow to its natural length; but they do notpierce their noses, nor disfigure their ears. In winter both the men andwomen, in order to guard against cold, wrap themselves in blue rugs, which they always carry with them, and which form an essential part oftheir luggage. M. Michaux was informed, at West Point, that the Cherokees had latelybegun to cultivate their possessions, and that they had made a rapidprogress in agriculture. Some of them had good plantations, and evennegro slaves. Several of the women spin cotton and manufacturecotton-stuffs. The distance from West Point to Knoxville is thirty-five miles. About amile from West Point the travellers passed through _Kingstown_, a placeconsisting of thirty or forty log-houses. After that the road extended, upwards of eighteen miles, through a rugged and flinty soil, coveredwith a kind of grass. The trees that occupied this space, grew withintwenty or thirty yards of each other. _Knoxville_, the seat of government for the state of Tenessee, issituated on the _river Holstein_, here a hundred and fifty fathomsbroad. The houses were, at this time, about two hundred in number, andwere built chiefly of wood. Although it had been founded eighteen ortwenty years, Knoxville did not yet possess any kind of commercialestablishment, or manufactory, except two or three tan-yards. Baltimoreand Richmond are the towns with which this part of the country transactsmost business. The distance from Knoxville to Baltimore is seven hundredmiles, and to Richmond four hundred and twenty. The inhabitants ofKnoxville send flour, cotton, and lime, to New Orleans, by the riverTenessee; but the navigation of this river is much interrupted, in twoplaces, by shallows interspersed with rocks. In the tavern at Knoxville travellers and their horses are accommodatedat the rate of about five shillings per day; but this is considered dearfor a country where the situation is by no means favourable to the saleof provisions. A newspaper is published at Knoxville twice a week. On the 17th of September, M. Michaux took leave of Mr. Fisk, andproceeded alone towards Jonesborough, a town about a hundred milesdistant; and situated at the foot of the lofty mountains which separateNorth Carolina from Tenessee. On leaving Knoxville the soil was uneven, stony, and bad; and the forests contained a great number of pine-trees. Before he reached _Macby_, M. Michaux observed, for the space of twomiles, a copse extremely full of young trees, the loftiest of which wasnot more than twenty feet high. The inhabitants of the country informedhim that this place had formerly been part of a barren, or meadow, whichhad clothed itself again with trees, after its timber, about fifteenyears before, had been totally destroyed by fire. This appears toprove, that the spacious meadows in Kentucky and Tenessee owe theirorigin to some great conflagration which has consumed the forests andthat they continue as meadows, by the practice, still continued, ofannually setting them on fire, for the purpose of clearing the land. M. Michaux stopped, the first day, at a place where most of theinhabitants were Quakers. One of these, with whom he lodged, had anexcellent plantation, and his log-house was divided into two rooms. Around the house were growing some magnificent apple-trees: these, although produced from pips, bore fruit of extraordinary size andexcellent flavour, a circumstance which proves how well this country isadapted for the culture of fruit-trees. At this house there were twoemigrant families, consisting of ten or twelve persons, who were goingto settle in Tenessee. Their clothes were ragged, and their childrenwere barefooted and in their shirts. Beyond this place the road divided into two branches, both of which ledto Jonesborough; and, as M. Michaux was desirous of surveying the banksof the _river Nolachuky_, renowned for their fertility, he took thebranch which led him in that direction. As he proceeded he found manysmall rock crystals, two or three inches long, and beautifullytransparent. They were loose, and disseminated upon the road, in areddish kind of earth. On the twenty-first he arrived at _Greenville_, a town which containedscarcely forty houses, constructed with square beams, and somewhat inthe manner of log-houses. The distance between this place andJonesborough, is about twenty-five miles: the country was slightlymountainous, the soil was more adapted to the culture of corn than thatof Indian wheat; and the plantations were situated near the road, two orthree miles distant from each other. _Jonesborough_, the last town in Tenessee, consisted, at this time, ofabout a hundred and fifty houses, built of wood, and disposed on bothsides of the road. Four or five respectable shops were establishedthere, and the tradespeople, who kept them, received their goods fromRichmond and Baltimore. On the twenty-first of September, M. Michaux set out from Jonesboroughto cross the _Alleghany Mountains_, for North Carolina. In some placesthe road, or rather the path, was scarcely distinguishable, inconsequence of the plants of various kinds that covered its surface. Itwas also encumbered by forests of rhododendron: shrubs, from eighteen totwenty feet in height, the branches of which, twisted and interwovenwith each other, greatly impeded his progress. He had also to crossnumerous streams; particularly a large torrent, called Rocky Creek, thewinding course of which cut the path in twelve or fifteen directions. On the twenty-third this gentleman proceeded twenty-two miles, through ahilly country; and, in the evening, arrived at the house of a personnamed Davenport, the owner of a charming plantation upon _Doe River_. M. Michaux staid here a week, in order to rest himself and recruit hisstrength, after a journey of six hundred miles which he had just made. On the second of October, he again set out, and proceeded towardsMorganton. About four miles from Doe River he passed the chain of the_Blue Ridges_, and afterwards that of the _Linneville Mountains_. Fromthe summit of the latter he observed an immense extent of mountainouscountry, covered with forests. Only three small places appeared to becleared, which formed as many plantations, three or four miles distantfrom each other. From the Linneville Mountains to Morganton, the distance is abouttwenty-five miles: in this interval the country was slightlymountainous, and the soil extremely bad. _Morganton_, the principal town of the county of Burke, contained aboutfifty houses built of wood, almost all of which were inhabited bytradesmen. There was only one warehouse, and this was supported by acommercial establishment at Charleston. To it the inhabitants of thecountry, for twenty miles round, came to purchase English manufacturedgoods and jewellery; or to exchange, for these, a portion of their ownproduce, consisting of dried hams, butter, tallow, bear-skins andstag-skins. From Morganton to Charleston the distance is two hundred and eighty-fivemiles. There are several roads; but M. Michaux took that which ledthrough Lincolnton, Chester, and Columbia. The distance from Morgantonto Lincolnton, is forty-five miles. Through the whole of this space thesoil is extremely barren; and the plantations, straggling five or sixmiles from each other, have an unfavourable appearance. The woods arechiefly composed of different kinds of oaks; and the surface of theground is covered with grass, intermixed with other plants. _Lincolnton_, at this time, consisted of forty houses, and, like all thesmall towns in the interior of the United States, was surrounded bywoods. There were, at Lincolnton, two or three large shops, whichtransacted the same kind of business as that at Morganton. The tradesmenwho kept them sent the produce of the adjacent country to Charleston, but they sometimes stocked themselves with goods from Philadelphia. At Lincolnton a newspaper was published twice a week. The price ofsubscription was two dollars per annum, but the printer, who was his owneditor, took, by way of payment, flour, rye, wax, or other traffic, atthe market-price. As in England, the advertisements were the mostimportant source of profit. The foreign news was almost wholly extractedfrom papers published at the sea-ports. The district around Lincolnton was peopled, in a great measure, byGermans from Pennsylvania. Their plantations were kept in excellentorder, and their lands were well cultivated. Almost all had negroslaves, and there reigned among them a greater independence than in thefamilies of English origin. From Lincolnton to Chester, in the state of South Carolina, the distanceis about seventy miles. Through the whole of this space the earth islight, and of a quality inferior to that between Morganton andLincolnton, although the mass of the forests is composed of variousspecies of oaks. In some places, however, pine-trees are in suchabundance that, for several miles, the ground is covered with nothingelse. _Chester_ contained about thirty houses, built of wood; and among thenumber were two inns and two respectable shops. From Chester the country becomes worse in every respect than before; andthe traveller is obliged to put up at inns, where he is badlyaccommodated both in board and lodging, and at which he pays dearer thanin any other part of the United States. The reputation of these inns isesteemed according to the quantity and different kinds of spirits whichthey sell. From Chester to Columbia the distance is fifty-five miles. M. Michauxpassed through _Winesborough_, containing about a hundred and fiftyhouses. This place is one of the oldest inhabited towns in Carolina, andseveral planters of the low country go thither every year to spend thesummer and autumn. [_Columbia_, now the seat of government for the state of South Carolina, is situated below the confluence of the _Broad_ and _Saluda Rivers_. Itis laid out on a regular plan, the streets intersecting each other atright angles. The buildings are erected at the distance of about threequarters of a mile from the _Cangaree River_, on a ridge of high land, three hundred feet above the level of the water. In 1808, Columbiacontained about one hundred and fifty houses. Vineyards, cotton, andhemp-plantations are successfully cultivated in its vicinity; andoil-mills, rope walks, and some other manufactories have beenestablished here. ] The distance from Columbia to Charleston is about a hundred and twentymiles; and, through the whole of this space, the road crosses an evencountry, sandy and dry during the summer, whilst in the autumn andwinter, it is so covered with water that, in several places, for thespace of eight or ten miles, the horses are up to their middle. Everytwo or three miles there were, by the side of the road, miserablelog-houses, surrounded by little fields of Indian corn. The extreme unwholesomeness of the climate is shown by the pale andlivid countenances of the inhabitants, who, during the months ofSeptember and October, are almost all affected with tertian fevers. Veryfew persons take any remedy for this complaint: they merely wait theapproach of the first frosts, which, if they live so long, generallyeffect a cure. M. Michaux arrived at _Charleston_ on the eighteenth of October, 1802, three months and a half after his departure from Philadelphia, having, in that time, travelled over a space of nearly eighteen hundred miles. Eleventh Day's Instruction. UNITED STATES CONTINUED. _A Description of Charleston, and of some places in the adjacent partsof Carolina and Georgia. _ Charleston is situated at the conflux of the rivers Ashley and Cooper. The ground that it occupies is about a mile in length. From the middleof the principal street the two rivers might be clearly seen, were itnot for a public edifice, built upon the banks of the Cooper, whichintercepts the view. The most populous and commercial part of the townis situated along the Ashley. Several ill-constructed _quays_ projectinto the river, to facilitate the trading-vessels taking in theircargoes. These quays are formed of the trunks of palm-trees, fixedtogether, and laid out in squares, one above another. The _streets_ ofCharleston are wide, but not paved; consequently, every time the footslips, from a kind of brick pavement before the doors, it is immersed, nearly ancle deep, in sand. The rapid and almost incessant motion ofcarriages grinds this moving sand, and pulverizes it in such a manner, that the most gentle wind fills the shops with it, and renders it verydisagreeable to foot-passengers. The principal streets extend east andwest between the two rivers, and others intersect these nearly at rightangles. From its exposure to the ocean, this place is subject to storms andinundations, which affect the security of its harbour. The town also hassuffered much by fires. The last, in 1796, destroyed upwards of fivehundred houses, and occasioned damage to the amount of £. 300, 000sterling. The _houses_, in the streets near the water-side, are, for the mostpart, lofty, and built close together. The bricks are of a peculiarnature, being porous, and capable of resisting weather better than thefirm, close, and red bricks of the northern states. They are of a darkbrown colour, which gives to the buildings a gloomy appearance. Theroofs are tiled or slated. In this part of the town the principalshopkeepers and merchants have their stores and warehouses. Houses herebear a very high rent: those in Broad and Church-streets, which arevaluable for shops, let for more than £. 300 per annum; and those alongthe bay, with warehouses, let for £. 700 and upwards, according to thesize and situation of the buildings. The houses in Meeting-street andthe back part of the town, are in general lofty and extensive, and areseparated from each other by small gardens or yards, in which are thekitchens and out-offices. Almost every house is furnished with balconiesand verandas, some of which occupy the whole side of the building, fromtop to bottom, having a gallery for each floor. The houses are sometimesshaded with Venetian blinds, and afford to the inhabitants a cool andpleasant retreat, from the scorching rays of the sun. Most of the modernhouses are constructed with taste and elegance; but the chief designseems to be, to render them as cool as possible. The town is alsocrowded with wooden buildings, of an inferior description. Three of the _public buildings_ in Charleston, and the episcopal churchof St. Michael, are situated at the corners, formed by the intersectionof Broad and Meeting-streets. St. Michael's is a large and substantialedifice, with a lofty steeple and spire. The Branch Bank of the UnitedStates occupies one of the corners: this is a substantial, and, comparedwith others in the town, is a handsome building; but, from aninjudicious intermixture of brick, stone, and marble, it has a verymotley appearance. Another corner of the street is occupied by the gaoland armory: the fourth corner has a large and substantial brickbuilding, cased with plaster. The ground-floor of this building isappropriated to the courts of law: in the first story are most of thepublic offices; and the upper story contains the public library and themuseum. A kind of tree, called the "pride of India, " (_melia azedarach_, ) isplanted, in rows, along the foot-paths and the streets of Charleston. Itdoes not grow very high; but its umbrageous leaves and branches afford, to the inhabitants, an excellent shelter from the sun. It has theadvantage also of not engendering insects; for, in consequence of itspoisonous qualities, no insect can live upon it. When in blossom, thelarge clusters of its flowers resemble those of the lilac; these aresucceeded by bunches of yellow berries, each about the size of a smallcherry. It is a deciduous tree; but the berries remain during thewinter, and drop off in the following spring. The health of the _inhabitants_ is very much injured, in consequence oftheir general neglect of cleanliness. The drains that are formed forcarrying off the filth and putrid matter, which collect from all partsof the town, are too small for the purpose. This circumstance, added tothe effluvia of the numerous swamps and stagnant pools in theneighbourhood, are known to be extremely injurious. Another neglect ofhealth and comfort arises from a filthy practice, which prevails, ofdragging dying horses, or the carcasses of dead ones, to a field in theoutskirts of the town, near the high road, and there leaving them, to bedevoured by troops of ravenous dogs and vultures. The latter, inappearance, are not much unlike turkeys, and thence have obtained thename of turkey buzzards; but, from their carnivorous habits, they have amost offensive smell. These birds hover over Charleston in greatnumbers; and are useful in destroying putrid substances, which lie indifferent parts of the city. At Charleston there is a garden dignified by the name of _Vauxhall_. Itis situated in Broad-street, at a short distance from the theatre; butit possesses no decoration worthy of notice. It cannot even be comparedwith the common tea-gardens in the vicinity of London. On one side of itare warm and cold baths, for the accommodation of the inhabitants. During summer, vocal and instrumental concerts are performed here, andsome of the singers from the theatre are engaged for the season. Thesituation and climate of Charleston are, however, by no means adaptedfor entertainments of this description. There are, in this town, four or five _hotels_ and coffee-houses; but, except the Planters' Hotel, in Meeting-street, not one of them issuperior to an English public-house. Charleston contains a handsome and commodious _market-place_, whichextends from Meeting-street to the water-side, and is as well suppliedwith _provisions_ as the country will permit. Compared, however, withthe markets in the towns of the northern states, the supply is veryinferior, both in quality and quantity. The beef, mutton, veal, andpork, of South Carolina, are seldom in perfection; and the hot weatherrenders it impossible to keep meat many hours after it is killed. Thoughthe rivers abound in a great variety of fish, yet very few are broughtto market. Oysters, however, are abundant, and are cried about thestreets by negroes. They are generally shelled, put into small pails, which the negroes carry on their heads, and are sold, by measure, at therate of about eight-pence per quart. Vegetables have been cultivated, oflate years, with great success; and, of these, there is generally atolerable supply in the market. In winter, the markets of Charleston are well supplied with fish, whichare brought from the northern parts of the United States, in vessels soconstructed as to keep them in a continual supply of water, and alive. The ships, engaged in this traffic, load, in return, with rice andcotton. At Charleston, wood is extravagantly dear: it costs from forty to fiftyshillings a _cord_, notwithstanding forests of almost boundless extent, commence at six miles, and even at a less distance, from the town. Hencea great portion of the inhabitants burn coals that are brought fromEngland. The pestilential marshes around Charleston yield a great abundance ofrice. It is true that no European frame could support the labour of itscultivation; but Africa can produce slaves, and, amid contagion andsuffering, both of oppressors and oppressed, Charleston has become awealthy city. * * * * * The road from Charleston towards North Carolina, extends, for somedistance, through the districts adjacent to the sea-coast; and much ofthe country is clad with bright evergreens, whence, in many places, itappears like the shrubbery of a park. In this part of America the treesare covered with a curious kind of vegetable drapery, which hangs fromthem in long curling tendrils, of gray or pale green colour. It bears asmall blue flower, which is succeeded by a plumed seed, that adheres tothe bark of the trees. Though the bark of the oak seems to afford themost favourite soil, it suspends itself to trees of every description;and, as it has no tenacity, but hangs like loose drapery, it probablydoes them no injury. In the interior of the country the road traverses a desolate tract ofswamps and sandy pine-forests, and afterwards a series of granite rocks. The capital of North Carolina is _Raleigh_, a clean little country town. At one end of the only street stands the governor's brick house; and, atthe other, the senate or court-house, surrounded by a grass-plot, neatlylaid out. The houses are, in general, small, and built of wood; but someof them have foundations of granite, which is the only kind of stone inthe country. The total want of limestone, and the scarcity ofbrick-earth, render it here extremely difficult and expensive to give tobuildings any degree of stability. Although Raleigh is considered the capital of North Carolina, _Newbern_is the largest town in the state. So long ago as the year 1790, itcontained four hundred houses; but these were chiefly built of wood. InSeptember, 1791, about one-third of this town was consumed by fire; but, since that period, more of the houses have been built of brick thanbefore. Newbern is situated on a flat, sandy point of land, near thejunction of the two rivers Neus and Trent, and about thirty miles fromthe sea. It carries on a trade with the West Indies and the interior ofCarolina, chiefly in tar, pitch, turpentine, lumber, and corn. * * * * * About a hundred miles south-west of Charleston is the town of_Savannah_, situated upon an open, sandy plain, which forms a bluff orcliff, about fifty feet above the level of the river of the same name. It is laid out, in the form of a parallelogram, about a mile and aquarter long, and half a mile wide. The streets are broad, and open intospacious squares, each of which has in the middle a pump, surrounded bytrees. There are neither foot-paths nor pavement in this place; and, consequently, every one walking in the streets, sinks, at each step, upto the ancles in sand; and, in windy weather, the eyes, mouth, andnostrils, are filled with sand. The houses in Savannah are, for the most part, built of wood, and standat a little distance from each other. In two or three of the streets, however, they are close together, and many of them are built with brick:these contain the shops and stores. The principal street is that calledthe Bay; and in this there are several good houses, of brick and wood. It extends nearly three quarters of a mile in length; and opposite to itis a beautiful walk, planted with a double row of trees. Similar treesare planted in other parts of the town. This agreeable promenade is nearthe margin of the height, upon which the town stands; and the merchants'stores, warehouses, and wharfs, for the landing, housing, and shippingof goods, are immediately below. From the height there is a fine view ofthe Savannah river, as far as the sea; and, in a contrary direction, tothe distance of several miles above the town. About the centre of the walk, and just on the verge of the cliff, standsthe Exchange, a large brick building, which contains some publicoffices; and an assembly-room, where a concert and ball are held everyfortnight, during the winter. The situation of Savannah, and the plan upon which it is laid out, ifthe town contained better houses, would render it far more agreeable, asa place of residence, than Charleston. Its greater elevation must alsobe more conducive to the health of the inhabitants, than the low andflat site of the other city. Both, however, are in the neighbourhood ofswamps, marshes, and thick woods, which engender diseases, injurious tothe constitution of white people. On the swamps, around Savannah, greatquantities of rice are grown. Twelfth Day's Instruction. UNITED STATES CONTINUED. _Narrative of an excursion from Charleston into Georgia and WestFlorida. From Travels in North America, by_ WILLIAM BARTRAM. At the request of Dr. Fothergill, an eminent physician in London, Mr. Bartram went to North America, for the purpose, chiefly, of collecting, in Florida, Carolina, and Georgia, some of the rare and usefulproductions which had been described, by preceding travellers, to aboundin those states. He left England in the month of April, 1773, andcontinued abroad several years. In 1776, he was at _Charleston_; and on the 22d of April, in that year, he set off on horseback, intending to make an excursion into the countryof the Cherokee Indians. He directed his course towards Augusta, a townon the Savannah river. During his first day's journey he observed a large orchard ofmulberry-trees, which were cultivated for the feeding of silkworms. Thenotes of the mocking-bird enlivened all the woods. He crossed intoGeorgia, by a ferry over the Savannah; and he thence passed through arange of pine-forests and swamps, about twelve miles in extent. Beyondthese, in a forest, on the border of a swamp, and near the river, hereached a cow-pen, the proprietor of which possessed about fifteenhundred head of cattle. He was a man of amiable manners, and treated Mr. Bartram with great hospitality. The chief profits made by this personwere obtained from beef, which he sent, by the river, for the supply ofdistant markets. About one hundred miles beyond this place is _Augusta_, in one of themost delightful and most eligible situations imaginable. It stands onan extensive plain, near the banks of the river Savannah, which is herenavigable for vessels of twenty or thirty tons burden. Augusta, thusseated near the head of an important navigation, commands the trade andcommerce of the vast and fertile regions above it; and, from every side, to a great distance. [Since Mr. Bartram was here, this place has becomethe metropolis of Georgia. ] Below Augusta, and on the Georgia side of the river, the road crosses aridge of high swelling hills, of uncommon elevation, and sixty orseventy feet higher than the surface of the river. These hills, fromthree feet below the common vegetative surface, to the depth of twentyor thirty feet, are entirely composed of fossil oyster-shells, which, internally, are of the colour and consistency of white marble. Theshells are of immense magnitude; generally fifteen or twenty inches inlength, from six to eight wide, and from two to four inches inthickness; and their hollows are sufficiently deep to receive a man'sfoot. From Augusta, Mr. Bartram proceeded to Fort James. For thirty miles theroad led him near the banks of the Savannah. The surface of the land wasuneven, in ridges or chains of swelling hills, and corresponding vales, with level downs. The latter afforded grass and various herbage; and thevales and hills produced forest-trees and shrubs of several kinds. Inthe rich and humid lands, which bordered the creeks and bases of thehills, Mr. Bartram discovered many species of plants which were entirelynew to him. _Fort James_ enclosed about an acre of ground, and contained barracksfor soldiers, and a house for the governor or commandant. It wassituated at the extreme point of a promontory, formed by the junction ofthe _Broad_ and _Savannah rivers_; and, at the distance of two miles, there was a place laid out for the construction of a town, which was tohave the name of _Dartmouth_. The surgeon of the garrison conducted Mr. Bartram, about five miles fromthe fort, to a spot where he showed him some remarkable Indianmonuments. These were on a plain, about thirty yards from the river, andthey consisted of conical mounds of earth, with square terraces. Theprincipal mount was in the form of a cone, forty or fifty feet high, andtwo or three hundred yards in circumference at the base. It was flat atthe top; a spiral track, leading from the ground to the summit, wasstill visible; and it was surmounted by a large and spreadingcedar-tree. On the sides of the hill, facing the four cardinal points, were niches or centry-boxes, all entered from the winding path. Thedesign of these structures Mr. Bartram was unable to ascertain. Theadjacent grounds had been cleared, and were at this time planted withIndian corn. On the 10th of May, Mr. Bartram set out from Fort James. He rode six oreight miles along the bank of the river, and then crossed it into SouthCarolina. The road led him over a country, the surface of which wasundulated by ridges or chains of hills, and sometimes rough with rocksand stones; yet generally productive of forests, and of a great varietyof curious and interesting plants. The season was unusually wet: showers of rain fell almost daily, andwere frequently attended with thunder. Hence travelling was rendereddisagreeable, toilsome, and hazardous; particularly in the countrythrough which he had to pass; an uninhabited wilderness, abounding inrivers and brooks. During his progress, Mr. Bartram was kindly received into the houses ofsuch planters as lived near the road. In his journey betwixt Fort Jamesand the Cherokee town of _Sinica_, he observed an abundance ofgrape-vines, which ramble and spread themselves over the shrubs and lowtrees. The grapes, when ripe, are of various colours, and yieldexcellent juice. _Sinica_ is a respectable Cherokee settlement, on the east bank of the_Keowe river_; but the greatest number of Indian habitations are on theopposite shore, where also stands the council-house, in a plain, betwixtthe river and a range of lofty hills, which rise magnificently, and seemto bend over the green plains and the river. Sinica had not, at thistime, been long built. The number of inhabitants was estimated at aboutfive hundred, among whom about a hundred warriors could be mustered. From Sinica Mr. Bartram went to another Indian town, about sixteen milesdistant, called _Keowe_. It stood in a fertile vale, which was nowenamelled with scarlet strawberries and blooming plants, of innumerablekinds, through the midst of which the river meandered, in a mostpleasing manner. The adjacent heights were so formed and disposed, that, with little, expence of military architecture, they might have beenrendered almost unassailable. In the vicinity of Keowe, Mr. Bartram sawseveral ancient Indian mounts or tumuli, and terraces. On leaving this place he crossed the river at a ford, and, soonafterwards, began to ascend the steep ridges on the west side of thevalley. The prospects of the surrounding country here presented to hisview, were, in many instances, peculiarly beautiful. Having reached thesummits of the mountains, he afterwards passed through a series ofmagnificent forests, and then approached an ample meadow, bordered witha high circular amphitheatre of hills, the ridges of which rosemagnificently one above another. After this the surface of the land waslevel, and, in some places exhibited views of grand forests, and dark, detached groves, and in others of fertile vales and meadows. After having crossed a delightful river, a main branch of the _Tugilo_, Mr. Bartram passed through a mountainous country. Here, being overtakenby a tremendous hurricane, accompanied with torrents of rain, and themost awful thunder imaginable, in the midst of a solitary wilderness, he was glad to obtain shelter in a forsaken Indian dwelling. In this helighted a fire, dried his clothes, comforted himself with a frugalrepast of biscuit and dried beef, and afterwards passed the night. At some distance beyond this cottage, were the ruins of an Indian towncalled _Sticoe_. At this place was a vast Indian mount or tumulus, witha great terrace. Here also were old peach and plum-orchards, some of thetrees of which still appeared to be thriving and fruitful. From Sticoe, proceeding along a vale, and crossing a delightful brook, which fallsinto the Tenessee, Mr. Bartram followed its course nearly as far as_Cowe_, an Indian town which stands in a valley on the bank of one ofthe branches of the _river Tenessee_. He had letters of introduction toa gentleman resident in this place, who had, for many years, been atrader with the Indians, and who was noted for his humanity, hisprobity, and his equitable dealings with them. By this gentleman he wasreceived with every demonstration of hospitality and friendship. After having staid two days at Cowe, and, in the mean time, having madesome excursions to places in its vicinity, Mr. Bartram proceeded on hisjourney, and was accompanied, about fifteen miles, by his hospitablefriend, the trader. After this gentleman had left him, he was in themidst of solitude, surrounded by dreary and trackless mountains; and, for some time, he was unable to erase from his mind a notion that hispresent situation in some degree resembled that of Nebuchadnezzar, whenexpelled from the society of men, and constrained to roam in thewilderness, there to herd and to feed with the beasts of the forest. He, however, proceeded with all the alacrity which prudence would permit. His present object was, at all events, to cross the Jore Mountains, saidto be the highest land in the Cherokee country. These he soon afterwardsbegan to ascend; and, at length, he accomplished one part of his arduoustask. From the most elevated peak of these mountains, he beheld, withrapture and astonishment, a sublimely awful scene of magnificence, aworld of mountains piled upon mountains. On the ensuing day, still proceeding in his journey westward, Mr. Bartram, on descending from the heights, observed a company of Indianson horseback. They rapidly approached him; and, under an impression thatone of them, who was at the head of the troop, was the emperor or grandchief of the Cherokees, Mr. Bartram turned out of the path in token ofrespect. In this supposition he was correct, and the compliment wasaccepted, for the chief, with a cheerful smile, came up to him, andplacing his hand on his breast, then offered it to Mr. Bartram, andheartily shook hands with him. The chief made enquiry respecting agentleman of Charleston, with whom he was acquainted, and afterwardswelcomed Mr. Bartram into his country, as a friend and brother. Being, at this time, on a journey to Charleston, he shook hands with Mr. Bartram, bade him heartily farewell, and then proceeded. Describing the _Cherokee_ Indians, our traveller says that these peopleconstruct their habitations in a square form, each building being onlyone story high. The materials consist of logs or trunks of trees, stripped of their bark, notched at the ends, fixed one upon another, andafterwards plastered both inside and out, with clay well tempered withdry grass; and the whole covered or roofed with the bark of thechesnut-tree, or with broad shingles or wooden tiles. The principalbuilding is partitioned transversely, so as to form three apartments, which communicate with each other by inside doors. Each habitation hasalso a little conical house, which is called the winter or hot-house;this stands a few yards from the mansion-house, and opposite to thefront door. The council or town-house at Cowe, is a large rotunda, capable ofaccommodating several hundred people. It stands on the summit of anancient artificial mount, about twenty feet high; and the rotunda at thetop, being about thirty feet more, gives to the whole fabric anelevation of sixty feet from the ground. But the mount on which therotunda stands, is of much more ancient date than the building, andperhaps was raised for some other purpose than to support it. TheCherokees themselves are ignorant by what people, or for what purpose, these artificial hills were raised. According to their traditions, theywere found in much the same state as they now appear, when theirforefathers arrived from the west, and possessed themselves of thecountry, after vanquishing the nations of red men who then inhabited it, and who themselves found these mounts when they took possession of thecountry. Mr. Bartram, in company with some Europeans that were resident here, went one evening to the rotunda, to witness a grand entertainment ofmusic and dancing. This was held principally for the purpose ofrehearsing what is called a ball-play dance; the inhabitants of Cowehaving received a challenge to play against those of another town. The people, being assembled and seated, and the musicians having takentheir station, the ball was opened, first with a long harangue ororation, spoken by an aged chief, in commendation of the manly exerciseof ball-play. This chief recounted the many and brilliant victorieswhich the town of Cowe had gained over the other towns in the nation;not forgetting to recite his own exploits, together with those of otheraged men now present, coadjutors in the performance of these athleticgames during their youthful days. This oration ended, the music, both vocal and instrumental, began. Presently a company of girls, hand in hand, dressed in clean whiterobes, and ornamented with beads, bracelets, and a profusion of gayribbons, entering the door, sang responses in a gentle, low, and sweettone of voice; and formed themselves in a semicircular file, or line oftwo ranks, back to back, facing the spectators, and moving slowly round. This continued about a quarter of an hour, when the strangers weresurprised by a sudden loud and shrill whoop, uttered by a company ofyoung men, who came in briskly, after one another, each with a racket orhurl in his hand. These champions likewise were well dressed, painted, and ornamented with silver bracelets, gorgets, and wampum, and havinghigh waving plumes in their diadems: they immediately formed themselvesin a semicircular rank in front of the girls; on which these changedtheir position, and formed a single rank parallel to that of the men. They raised their voices, in responses to the tunes of the youngchampions, the semicircles continually moving round during the time. The Cherokees, besides the ball-play dance, have several others, equallyentertaining. The men, especially, exercise themselves in a variety ofgesticulations and capers, some of which are extremely ludicrous. Theyhave others of a martial kind, and others illustrative of the chase:these seem to be somewhat of a tragical nature, in which they exhibitastonishing feats of military prowess, masculine strength, and activity. Indeed, all their dances and musical entertainments seem to betheatrical exhibitions or plays, varied with comic, and sometimesindecent interludes. On the ensuing morning, Mr. Bartram set off on his return to Fort James;and, two days afterwards, he again arrived at _Keowe_, where hecontinued two or three days. In the environs of this place he observedsome very singular Indian antiquities. They each consisted of four flatstones, two set on edge for the side, another closed one end, and a verylarge flat stone was laid horizontally on the top. Mr. Bartramconjectures that they must have been either altars for sacrifices, orsepulchres. This gentleman accompanied the traders to _Sinica_, where he continuedsome time, employing himself in observations, and in making collectionsof such things as were deserving of notice; and, not long afterwards, heonce more reached _Fort James_. From this place he set out with a caravan, consisting of twenty men andsixty horses. Their first day's journey was, for the most part, overhigh gravelly ridges, and hills of considerable eminence. Many scarceand interesting plants were discovered along the sides of the roads. They passed several considerable creeks, branches of the _Ocone_, and, on the first of July, encamped, on the banks of that river, in adelightful grove. They forded the river at a place where it was abouttwo hundred and fifty yards wide. Subsequently they crossed the_Oakmulge_ and _Flint rivers_. In many places they observed that thesoil was rich, and admirably adapted to every branch of agriculture andgrazing. The country was diversified with hills and dales, savannas, andvast cane-meadows, and watered by innumerable rivulets and brooks. During the day the horses were excessively tormented by flies of severalkinds, and the numbers of which were almost incredible. They formed, around the caravan, a vast cloud, so thick as to obscure every distantobject. The heads, necks, and shoulders of the leading horses werecontinually covered with blood, the consequence of the attacks of thesetormenting insects. Some of them were horse-flies, as large ashumble-bees; and others were different species of gnats and musquitoes. During the day the heat was often intense. After traversing a very delightful country, the party reached the _ChataUche_ river, which was betwixt three and four hundred yards in width. They crossed it to _Uche_ town, situated on a vast plain. This, Mr. Bartram observes, was the most compact and best situated Indian town hehad ever seen. The habitations were large and neatly built, having theirwalls constructed of a wooden frame, then lathed and plastered insideand out with a reddish, well-tempered clay or mortar, which gave themthe appearance of brick. Uche appeared to be populous and thriving. Thewhole number of inhabitants was about fifteen hundred, of whom aboutfive hundred are gun-men or warriors. Beyond this the travellers arrived at another Indian town called_Apalachucla_, the capital of the Creek Indians. This place is sacred topeace. No captives are here put to death, and no human blood is spilt. And when a general peace is proposed, deputies from all the towns in theconfederacy assemble at this capital, in order to deliberate on thesubject. On the contrary, the great _Coweta_ town; about twelve milesdistant, is called the bloody town, for here the micos, chiefs, andwarriors assemble, when a general war is proposed; and here captives andstate malefactors are executed. The caravan continued at Apalachucla about a week, for the purpose ofrecruiting the strength of the horses, by turning them out into theswamps to feed. After this, having repaired their equipage, andreplenished themselves with fresh supplies of provisions, on thethirteenth of July they resumed their journey for Mobile. Beyond _Talasse_, a town on the Tallapoose river, they changed theircourse to a southerly direction, and, not long afterwards, arrived at_Coloome_, a settlement, where they continued two days. The houses ofthis place are neat and commodious; each of the buildings consists of awooden frame with plastered walls, and is roofed with cypress bark orshingles. Every habitation consists of four oblong square houses, of onestory, and so arranged as to form an exact square, encompassing an areaor court-yard of about a quarter of an acre of ground, and leaving anentrance at each corner. There was a beautiful square, in the centre ofthe new town; but the stores of the principal trader, and two or threeIndian habitations, stood near the banks of the opposite shore, on theside of the old Coloome town. The Tallapoose river is here three hundredyards wide, and fifteen or twenty feet deep. Having procured a guide, to conduct them into the great trading path ofWest Florida, they set out for Mobile. Their progress, for abouteighteen miles, was through a magnificent forest, which, at intervals, afforded them a view of distant Indian towns. At night, they encampedbeneath a grove of oaks; but, shortly afterwards, there fell soextraordinary a shower of rain, that, suddenly, the whole adjacentground was inundated, and they were obliged to continue standing throughthe whole of the night. Early in the morning, the guide, havingperformed his duty, returned home; and the travellers continued theirjourney, over an extended series of grassy plains, more than twentymiles in length, and eight or nine miles wide. These plains were boundedby high forests, which, in some places, presented magnificent andpleasing sylvan landscapes, of primitive and uncultivated nature. Theycrossed several rivulets and creeks, branches of the _Alabama_, theeastern arm of the Mobile. These rivulets were adorned with groves ofvarious trees and shrubs. Immediately beyond the plains, the travellersentered a high, and grand forest; and the road, for several miles, ledthem near the banks of the _Alabama_. The surface of the land was brokeninto hills and vales; some of them of considerable elevation, andcovered with forests of stately trees. After many miles' travelling, over a varied and interesting country, they arrived at the eastern channel of the _river Mobile_, and, on thesame day, reached the city to which they were proceeding. _Mobile_stands on the easy ascent of a rising bank, near the western side of thebay of that name. This place has been nearly a mile in length; but itwas now in ruins. Many of the houses were, at this time, unoccupied, andmouldering away; yet there were a few good buildings, inhabited byFrench, English, Scotch, and Irish, and emigrants from the northernparts of America. The principal French buildings were constructed ofbrick, and were one story high, but on an extensive scale. They weresquare, and were built so as to encompass, on three sides, a large areaor court-yard. The principal apartment was on the side fronting thestreet. This plan of habitations seems to have been copied from that ofthe Creek Indians. The houses of the poorer class of inhabitants wereconstructed of a strong frame of cypress-timber, filled up with brick;plastered and white-washed inside and out. On the 5th of August, having procured a light canoe, Mr. Bartram set outon a voyage up the river. He sailed along the eastern channel, andpassed several well-cultivated plantations, on fertile islands. Here thenative productions exceeded, in luxuriance, any that he had ever seen:the reeds and canes, in particular, grew to an immense height andthickness. On one part of the shore of the river, he was delighted bythe appearance of a great number of plants, of a species of oenothera, each plant being covered with hundreds of large golden yellow flowers. Near the ruins of several plantations, were seen peach and fig-trees, richly laden with fruit. Beyond these, were high forests and richswamps, where canes and cypress-trees grew of astonishing magnitude. The_magnolia grandiflora_, here flourished in the utmost luxuriance; andflowering-trees and shrubs were observed, in great numbers and beauty. Several large alligators were seen basking on the shores, and otherswere swimming along the river. After having pursued his course forseveral miles, and made many important botanical discoveries, Mr. Bartram returned to _Mobile_, for the purpose of proceeding thence, in atrading-vessel, westward, to the Pearl river. Previously, however, to setting out on his voyage westward, he had anopportunity of visiting _Pensacola_, the capital of West Florida, abouta hundred miles east of Mobile. This city possesses some naturaladvantages, superior to those of any other port in this province. It issituated on a gently rising ground, environing a harbour, sufficientlycapacious to shelter all the navies of Europe. Several rivers fall intothis _harbour_; but none of them are navigable for ships of burden, toany considerable distance. In Pensacola there are several hundredhabitations. The governor's palace is a large brick building, ornamentedwith a tower. The town is defended by a fortress, within which is thecouncil-chamber, houses for the officers, and barracks for the soldiersof the garrison. On the sand-hills, near this place, Mr. Bartramdiscovered several species of plants, which at that time had not beendescribed. Having again returned to Mobile, he left that place, in a trading-boat, the property of a Frenchman, who was about to sail to his plantations, on the banks of the Pearl river. Before Mr. Bartram set out on thisexpedition, he had been attacked by a severe complaint in his eyes, which occasioned extreme pain, and almost deprived him of sight: it didnot, however, deter him from proceeding. On his arrival at _Pearlriver_, he was, however, so ill, as to be laid up, for several weeks, atthe house of an English gentleman, who resided on an island in thatriver. As soon as he was sufficiently recovered to prosecute hisjourney, he proceeded, in a boat, to Manchac on the Mississippi. Having sailed westward for some days, he entered the _river Amite_, and, ascending it, arrived at a landing-place, from which he crossed, byland, to _Manchac_, about nine miles distant. The road was straight, spacious, and level, and extended beneath the shadow of a grand forest. On arriving at the banks of the _Mississippi_, Mr. Bartram stood, forsome time, fascinated by the magnificence of this grand river. Its widthwas nearly a mile, and its depth at least two hundred and forty feet. But it is not merely the expansion of its surface which astonishes anddelights: its lofty banks, the steady course of its mighty flood, thetrees which overhang its waters, the magnificent forests by which it isbounded; all combine in exhibiting prospects the most sublime that canbe imagined. At Manchac, the banks are at least fifty feet inperpendicular height. After having continued in this place a short time, Mr. Bartram made anexcursion several miles up the Mississippi. At his return, he once moreset sail for _Mobile_, where, not long afterwards, he safely arrived. On the 27th of November, he sailed up the river, from Mobile, in a largetrading-boat, and the same evening arrived at _Taensa_. Here themerchandise, which the boat had conveyed, was formed into smallpackages, and placed on horses, for the purpose of being conveyedoverland. The party now consisted of between twenty and thirty horses, two drivers, the owner of the goods, and Mr. Bartram; who found thismode of travelling very unpleasant. They seldom set out till the sun hadbeen some hours risen. Each of the men had a whip, made of cow-skin;and, the horses having ranged themselves in a line, the chief drove themby the crack of his whip, and by a whoop or shriek, so loud as to ringthrough the forests and plains. The pace was a brisk trot, which wasincessantly urged, and continued as long as the miserable creatures wereable to move forward. Each horse had a bell; and the incessantclattering of the bells, smacking of the whips, and whooping of the men, caused an uproar and confusion which was inexpressibly disagreeable. Thetime for encamping was generally about the middle of the afternoon; atime which, to Mr. Bartram, would have been the pleasantest fortravelling. After having proceeded on their journey several days, they came to thebanks of a large and deep river, a branch of the _Alabama_. The watersran furiously, being overcharged with the floods of a violent rain, which had fallen the day before. There was no possibility of crossingthis river by fording it. With considerable difficulty, a kind of raftwas made, of dry canes and pieces of timber, bound together by a speciesof vines or vegetable cords, which are common in the woods of thetropical districts of America. When this raft was completed, one of theIndians swam over the river, having in his mouth the end of a long vineattached to it; and, by hauling the raft backward and forward, all thegoods were safely landed on the opposite side: the men and horses swamacross. In the evening of the day on which they passed this stream, the partyarrived at the banks of the great _Tallapoose river_; and encamped, forthe night, under the shelter of some Indian cabins. On the ensuing daythey were conducted across the river, in the canoes of a party ofIndians who were resident in the neighbourhood. Not long afterwards, thetravellers arrived at the Indian town of _Alabama_, situated near thejunction of two fine rivers, the _Tallapoose_ and the _Coosa_. At thisplace were seen the traces of an ancient French fortress, with a fewpieces of cannon, half-buried in the earth. This, says Mr. Bartram, isperhaps one of the most eligible situations in the world for a largetown: it is a level plain, at the conflux of two majestic rivers, eachnavigable for vessels, to the distance of at least five hundred milesabove it, and spreading their numerous branches over a great extent offertile and delightful country. The travellers continued all night at Alabama, where a grandentertainment was made for them, with music and dancing, in the greatsquare. They then proceeded along the Tallapoose to _Mucclasse_. Intheir journey they passed through numerous plantations and Indian towns, and were every where treated by the inhabitants with hospitality andfriendship. About three weeks after this, Mr. Bartram joined a company of traders, and proceeded with them to Augusta. They set out in the morning of the2d of January, 1788, the whole surface of the ground being covered witha white and beautifully sparkling frost. The company, besides Mr. Bartram, consisted of four men, with about thirty horses, twenty ofwhich were laden with leather and furs. In three days they arrived atthe _Apalachula_ or _Chata Uche_ river, and crossed it at the towns of_Chehau_ and _Usseta_. These towns nearly join each other, yet theinhabitants speak different languages. Beyond this river nothing ofimportance occurred, till they arrived at _Oakmulge_. Here theyencamped in expansive, ancient Indian fields, and within view of thefoaming flood of the river, which now raged over its banks. There were, at this place, two companies of traders from Augusta, each consisting offifteen or twenty men, with seventy or eighty horses. The traders whomMr. Bartram accompanied, had with them a portable leather boat, eightfeet long. It was made of thick sole-leather, was folded up, and carriedon one of the horses. This boat was now put together, and rigged; and init the party was ferried across the river. They afterwards crossed the_Ocone_, in the same manner; and encamped in fertile fields on the banksof that beautiful river. Proceeding thence, they encamped, the next day, on the banks of the _Ogeche_; and, after two days hard travelling, beyond this river, they arrived at _Augusta_, whence, shortlyafterwards, Mr. Bartram proceeded to _Savannah_. Thirteenth Day's Instruction. UNITED STATES CONTINUED. _Narrative of_ MR. BARTRAM'S _Journey from Savannah into EastFlorida. _ Leaving _Savannah_ at the most beautiful season of the year, Mr. Bartramproceeded, on horseback, to _Sunbury_, a sea-port, about forty milesdistant; and thence to Fort Barrington. Much of the intervening countrywas level, and well watered by large streams. The road was straight, spacious, and in excellent repair. For a considerable distance it wasbordered on each side by groves, of various kinds of trees and shrubs, entwined with bands and garlands of flowering-plants. Extensiveplantations of rice and corn, now in early verdure, were seen, decorated, here and there, with groves of floriferous and fragrant treesand shrubs, through which, at intervals, appeared the neat habitationsof the proprietors. At Fort Barrington, Mr. Bartram crossed the river Alatamaha, here aboutfive hundred yards in width. When safely landed on the opposite side, hemounted his horse, and followed the high road, through an uninhabitedwilderness, to the ferry on _St. Ille_. The sudden transition, from richcultivated settlements, to high pine-forests, and dark grassy savannas, formed, he says, no disagreeable contrast; and the new objects, in theworks of nature, which here excited his attention, soon reconciled himto the change. In the midst of the woods he observed great numbers ofdens, or caverns, which had been dug in the sand-hills, by the gopher, or great land tortoise. The next day's progress, presented scenes nearly similar to these;though the land was lower, more level and humid, and the produce wasmore varied. Mr. Bartram passed some troublesome cane-swamps, in whichhe saw several herds of horned-cattle, horses, and deer, and noticedmany interesting plants. In the evening, he arrived at _St. Ille's_, where he lodged; and, nextmorning, having crossed the river in a ferry-boat, he proceeded towardsSt. Mary's. The appearance of the country, its soil, and productions, between these rivers, were nearly similar to those which he had alreadypassed, except that the savannas were more frequent and extensive. Mr. Bartram had now passed the utmost frontier of the white settlements, on that border; and the day was drawing towards a close, when, on asudden, an Indian, armed with a rifle, crossed the path, at aconsiderable distance before him. This man, turning short round, came upat full gallop. Though his intentions, at first, seemed hostile, he, after some hesitation, shook Mr. Bartram by the hand, directed him onhis way, and then proceeded in his former course. Mr. Bartram again setforward, and, after riding eight or ten miles, arrived at the banks of_St. Mary's_, opposite to the stores, and got safely over that river, before dark. The savannas about St. Mary's displayed a very charming appearance, offlowers and verdure: their more elevated borders were varied with bedsof violets, lupines, and amaryllis; and with a new and beautiful speciesof sensitive plant. In a subsequent excursion, Mr. Bartram, accompanied by some othergentlemen, passed the mouth of St. Mary's, and entered the _river St. Juan_, or _St. John_. At _Cowford_, a public ferry over this river, and about thirty milesfrom its mouth, he procured a neat little sail-boat; and, having storedit with necessaries for his voyage, he proceeded up the river alone, insearch of new productions of nature; having his chief happiness centeredin tracing and admiring the infinite power, majesty, and perfection ofthe great Creator, and in the contemplation that, through divinepermission, he might be instrumental in introducing into his nativecountry, some productions which might become useful to society. Hislittle vessel, being furnished with a good sail, and withfishing-tackle, a swivel gun, powder, and ball, Mr. Bartram foundhimself well equipped for his voyage, of about one hundred miles, to thetrading houses of the Indians. Having proceeded about eight miles above Cowford, to a place where theriver was nearly three miles broad, he was obliged to land, as his boathad sustained some damage from the wind; and, a thunder-storm coming on, he resolved to continue on shore till the morning. Observing a largeoak-tree, which had been thrown down by a hurricane, and which offeredhim a convenient shelter, as its branches bore up the trunk a sufficientheight from the earth, to admit him either to, sit or to lie downbeneath it, he spread his sail, slanting from the trunk of the tree tothe ground, on the windward side; and, having collected a quantity ofwood sufficient to keep up a fire during the night, he kindled one infront. He then spread skins on the ground, and upon these he placed ablanket, one half of which he lay down upon, and the other he turnedover him for a covering. The wind was furious, and the thunder and lightning were tremendous;but, happily, not much-rain fell. Next morning, on reconnoitring theneighbourhood, he was roused by the report of a musket not far off; and, shortly afterwards, an Indian stepped out of a thicket, having a largeturkey-cock slung across his shoulders. He saw Mr. Bartram, and, stepping up to him, spoke in English, bidding him good morning. Hestated that he lived at an adjacent plantation, and that he was employedas a hunter. Mr. Bartram accompanied him to the house of his master, about half a mile distant, and was there received in the most polite andfriendly manner imaginable. The owner of this plantation invited him tostay some days, for the purpose of resting and refreshing himself; andhe immediately set his carpenters to work, to repair the damaged vessel. Mr. Bartram spent one day with this gentleman. The house in which heresided was on an eminence, about one hundred and fifty yards from theriver. On the right of it was an orangery, consisting of many hundredtrees, natives of the place, and left standing when the ground about itwas cleared. Those trees were large, flourishing, in bloom, and, at thesame time, loaded with ripe golden fruit. On the other side was aspacious garden, occupying a regular slope of ground, down to the water;and a pleasant lawn lay between. The owner of this plantation having, with great liberality, supplied him with an abundance of ammunition andprovision, Mr. Bartram departed on the ensuing morning. He againembarked on board his little vessel, and had a favourable, steady gale. The day was extremely pleasant; the shores of the river were level andshallow; and, in some places, the water was not more than eighteeninches or two feet in depth. At a little distance it appeared like agreen meadow; having water-grass, and other amphibious vegetables, growing from its oozy bottom, and floating upon its surface. Mr. Bartram kept as near the shore as possible; and he was greatlydelighted with the prospect of cultivation, and the increase of humanindustry, which were often visible from the water. In pursuing hisvoyage, he sometimes slept at plantations that were near the banks ofthe river; but sometimes he was obliged to pitch his tent upon theshore, or to sleep under the protection of his sail. In the latter casehe was, not unfrequently, disturbed at night, by the plunging androaring of alligators, and the loud croaking of frogs; and, in themorning, by the noise of wild turkeys, hundreds of which roosted aroundhim. During his progress he saw great numbers of alligators, some ofthem immensely large. He was successful in collecting seeds, andspecimens of uncommon trees and plants. In some places he was astonishedto see the immense magnitude to which the grape-vines grew. These werenot unfrequently from nine to twelve inches in diameter: they twinedround the trunks of trees, climbed to their very tops, and then spreadalong, from tree to tree, almost throughout the forest. The fruit, however, was small and ill-flavoured. As Mr. Bartram was coasting along the shore, he suddenly saw before himan Indian settlement or village. It was in a fine situation, on theslope of a bank which rose gradually from the water. There were eight orten habitations, in a row or street, fronting the water, and about fiftyyards distant from it. Some of the youths of this settlement were naked, and up to their hips in water, fishing with rods and lines; whilstothers, younger, were diverting themselves in shooting frogs with bowsand arrows. As Mr. Bartram passed, he observed some elderly peoplereclining on skins, spread upon the ground, beneath the cool shade ofoaks and palm-trees, that were ranged in front of the houses. Thesepersons arose, and eyed him as he passed; but, perceiving that heproceeded without stopping, they resumed their former position. There was an extensive orange-grove, at the upper end of the village:the trees were large, and had been carefully pruned; and the groundbeneath them was clean, open, and airy. Around the village were severalacres of cleared land, a considerable portion of which was planted withmaize, batatas, beans, pompions, squashes, melons, and tobacco. After leaving this village, the river became much contracted, andcontinued so till Mr. Bartram reached _Charlotia_ or _Rolle's Town_, where it was not more than half a mile wide. Here he came to an anchor. This town was founded by Denis Rolle, Esq. And is situated on a cliff onthe east side of the river. Having obtained directions for discovering a little remote island, wherethe traders and their goods were secreted, he set sail again, and, inabout an hour and a half, arrived at the desired place. At this islandhe was received with great politeness; and he was induced to continuethere several months, during which he was treated with the utmosthospitality, by the agents of one of the British mercantile houses. The numerous plains and groves in the vicinity of the island, affordedto Mr. Bartram much gratification in his botanical pursuits; and, at thetermination of his residence here, he set out with a party of traders, who were about to proceed to the upper parts of the river. The traders, with their goods in a large boat, went first, and Mr. Bartram, in hislittle vessel, followed them. The day was pleasant, and the wind fairand moderate. In the evening they arrived at _Mount Royal_, a housebelonging to a Mr. Kean. This place was surrounded by magnificent grovesof orange-trees, oaks, palms, and magnolias; and commanded a mostenchanting view of the great Lake George, about two miles distant. _Lake George_ is a beautiful piece of water, a dilatation of the riverSt. John, and about fifteen miles wide. It is ornamented with two orthree fertile islands. Mr. Bartram landed, and passed the night on oneof them; and he found, growing upon it, many curious flowering shrubs, anew and beautiful species of convolvulus, and some other species ofplants, which he had never before seen. A favourable gale enabled the voyagers, towards the close of the ensuingday, to enter the river at the southern extremity of the lake. Here theyfound a safe and pleasant harbour, in a most desirable situation. Opposite to them was a vast cypress swamp, environed by a border ofgrassy marshes; and, around the harbour, was a grove of oaks, palm, magnolia, and orange-trees. The bay was, in some places, almost coveredwith the leaves of a beautiful water-lily, the large, sweet-scentedyellow flowers of which grew two or three feet above the surface of thewater. A great number of fine trout were caught, by fishing, with a hookand line, near the edges of the water-lilies; and many wild turkeys anddeer were seen in the vicinity of this place. On the ensuing day the party reached a trading-house, called _Spalding'supper Store_, where Mr. Bartram resided for several weeks. Beingafterwards desirous of continuing his travels and observations higher upthe river, and, having received an invitation to visit a plantation, theproperty of an English gentleman, about sixty miles distant, he resolvedto pursue his researches to that place. For several miles the left bankof the river had numerous islands of rich swamp land. The opposite coastwas a perpendicular cliff ten or twelve feet high: this was crowned bytrees and shrubs, which, in some places, rendered the scenery extremelybeautiful. The straight trunks of the palm-trees were, in manyinstances, from sixty to ninety feet high, of a bright ash colour, andwere terminated by plumes of leaves, some of them nearly fifteen feet inlength. Mr. Bartram landed, for the night, in a little bay, not far from theentrance to a small lake, another expansion of the river. Near thisplace there was much low and swampy land, and the islands in the riverwere numerous. The evening was cool and calm, and he went out in hiscanoe, to fish for trout. As the evening closed, alligators appeared ingreat numbers along the shores and in the river. Mr. Bartram states thathe was witness to a combat between these dreadful animals, whichinspired him with horror, especially as his little harbour wassurrounded by them. In endeavouring to paddle his canoe through a lineof alligators, he was pursued by several large ones; and, before hecould reach the shore, he was assailed on every side. His situationbecame extremely precarious. Two very large alligators attacked himclosely, rushing with their heads and part of their bodies above thewater, roaring terribly, and, from their mouths, throwing floods ofwater over him. They struck their jaws together so close to his ears asalmost to stun him; and he, every moment, expected to be dragged out ofthe boat and devoured by them. He held in his hand a large club, whichhe used so efficaciously, as to beat them off: he then hastened towardsthe shore, as the only means of preservation left. Here the water wasshallow; and his ferocious opponents, some of which were twelve feet inlength, returned into deeper water. After this, as Mr. Bartram wasstepping out of his canoe, an alligator rushed up to him, near his feet, and, with its head and shoulders out of the water, lay there for sometime. Mr. Bartram ran for his gun, and, having a heavy charge in it, heshot the animal in the head and killed him. While Mr. Bartram wasemployed in cleansing some fish for his supper, he raised his head, andbeheld, through the clear water, another of these animals of large size, moving slowly towards him; and he stepped back, at the instant the beastwas preparing to spring upon him. This excessive boldness gave him greatuneasiness, as he feared he should be obliged to keep on watch throughthe whole night. He had made the best preparation, in his power, forpassing the night, when he was roused by a tumultuous noise, whichseemed to come from the harbour. On going to the water's edge he behelda scene so astonishing, that it was some time before he could credit theevidence even of his own senses. The river, though of great width, appeared, from shore to shore, to be almost a solid bank of fish. Thesewere of various species, and were pushing along the river, towards thelittle lake, pursued by alligators in such incredible numbers, and soclose together, that, had the animals been harmless, Mr. Bartramimagined it might have been possible to have walked across the waterupon their heads. During this extraordinary passage, thousands of fishwere caught and swallowed by them. The horrid noise of their closingjaws, their plunging amid the broken banks of fish, and rising withtheir prey some feet above the water, the floods of water and bloodrushing from their mouths, and the clouds of vapour issuing from theirnostrils, were truly frightful. This scene continued, at intervals, during the whole night. After it was ended, Mr. Bartram says he foundhimself more reconciled to his situation than he had before been; as hewas convinced that the extraordinary assemblage of alligators at thisplace had been owing to the annual passage of these shoals of fish; andthat they were so well employed in their own element, that he had littleoccasion to fear they would wander from the banks for the purpose ofannoying him. It being now almost night, he returned to his tent, where he had lefthis fish broiling, and his kettle of rice stewing; and having, in hispackages, oil, pepper, and salt, and, in place of vinegar, excellentoranges hanging in abundance over his head, he sat down and regaledhimself cheerfully. Before he retired to rest, he was suddenly roused bya noise behind him, towards the land. He sprang up, seized his gun, and, going cautiously in the direction from which the sound approached, hebeheld two large bears, advancing towards him. He waited till they wereabout thirty yards distant, when he snapped his piece at them. Itflashed in the pan, but they both galloped off, and did not return. After this he passed the night without any other molestation than beingoccasionally awaked by the whooping of owls, the screaming of bitterns, or by wood-rats running among the leaves. When he arose in the morningthere was perfect peace: very few alligators were to be seen, and thesewere asleep near the shore. His mind was not, however, free from alarm. He could not but entertain considerable dread lest, in pursuing hisvoyage up the river, he should, every evening, encounter difficultiessimilar to those which he had now experienced. Having loaded his gun and re-embarked, he set sail cautiously along theshore; and was, not long afterwards, attacked by an alligator, which hebeat off with his club; another passed close by his boat, having a broodof young ones, a hundred or more in number, following her, in a longtrain. On one part of the shore Mr. Bartram beheld a great number ofhillocks, or small pyramids, in shape resembling haycocks, and rangedlike an encampment. They were on a high marsh, fifteen or twenty yardsfrom the water, and each about four feet in height. He knew them to bethe nests of alligators, and now expected a furious and general attack, as he saw several large alligators swimming near them. Notwithstandingthis he was determined to land and examine them. Accordingly, he ran hiscanoe on shore; and, having ascended a sloping bank or road which led tothe place, he found that most of the nests were deserted, and thickwhitish egg-shells lay broken and scattered upon the ground around them. These nests were in the form of obtuse cones, and were constructed withmud, grass, and herbage. In the formation of them, the alligators hadmade a kind of floor of these substances, upon the ground; on this theyhad deposited a layer of eggs, and upon that a stratum of mortar, sevenor eight inches in thickness, and then another layer of eggs; and, inthis manner, one stratum upon another, nearly to the top. Mr. Bartramsupposes that the eggs are hatched by the heat of the sun; and that thefemale alligator carefully watches her own nest of eggs until they areall hatched. He says it is certain that the young ones are not left toshift for themselves, for he had frequent opportunities of seeing femalealligators leading about the shores their offspring, as a hen does herchickens. After having gratified his curiosity, he continued his voyage up theriver. In his progress he observed several small floating islands. Theswamps on the banks of the river were, in general, three or four feetabove the level of the water; and the timber upon them was large, butthinly scattered. The black mould of these swamps was covered with asucculent and tender kind of grass, which, when chewed, was sweet andagreeable to the taste, somewhat like young sugar-canes. Alligators werestill numerous. Exposed, during the day, to the rays of a vertical sun, Mr. Bartram experienced great inconvenience in rowing his canoe againstthe stream; and, at night, he was annoyed by the stings of musquitoes, and he was obliged to be constantly on guard against the attacks ofalligators. In one instance an alligator, of immense size, came up tohis tent, and approached within six feet of him, when he was awakened bythe screaming owl. Starting up, he seized his musket, which, during thenight, he always kept under his head; and the animal, alarmed by thenoise, rushed again into the water. In many places the banks of the river were ornamented with hanginggarlands of various climbing vegetables, both shrubs and plants. One ofthese had white flowers, each as big as a small funnel, the tube five orsix inches in length, and not thicker than a tobacco-pipe. It wascurious to observe the wild squash, (a species of cucurbita, ) which grewupon the lofty limbs of the trees: its yellow fruit, somewhat of thesize and shape of a large orange, pendant over the water. In some partsthere were steep cliffs on each side of the river. During the middle ofthe day the weather was so intensely hot, that Mr. Bartram was obligedto seek for shelter under the shade of the trees which grew upon thebanks. He passed another lake, the eastern shores of which were adorned withdark, high forests: on the north and south were apparently endlessplains and meadows, embellished with islets and promontories coveredwith trees. Whilst he was navigating this lake, he was exposed to themost tremendous storm of thunder and lightning that he had everwitnessed. The lofty forests bent beneath the fury of the blast, and thesturdy limbs of the trees cracked under the weight of the wind. Groveswere torn up; and the spreading branches of the trees were rent asunder, and, like leaves or stubble, were whirled aloft in the air. After awhile the wind and rain abated. Mr. Bartram then crossed the lake, abouta mile in length, and arrived in safety at a plantation near itssouthern extremity. Here he found that nearly all the buildings had beenoverturned by the hurricane; and that a hundred acres of indigo plants, almost ripe for cutting, and several acres of sugar-canes, had beenruined. About four miles beyond this plantation, Mr. Bartram was shown a vastfountain of hot mineral water, which issued from a ridge or bank of theriver, in a great cove or bay. The water, though hot and of adisagreeable brassy and vitriolic taste, and very offensive to thesmell, was perfectly transparent, and exhibited to view a prodigiousnumber of fish, and alligators, which were lying about the bottom. Mr. Bartram now returned, in his canoe, to the station called the _UpperStore_. Thence, in company with five persons who had been commissionedto make some commercial arrangements with the Indians, he set out for anIndian town called _Cuscowilla_. For four or five miles they travelledwestward, over a level plain, which, before and on each side of them, appeared like a green meadow, thinly planted with low and spreadingpine-trees. The whole surface seemed clad with grass, herbage, and lowshrubs, and with many kinds of plants, which were rare and highlyinteresting. Here also many species of birds were seen, the plumage ofsome of which was extremely beautiful. Snakes, lizards, and insects werealso very abundant. Beyond this plain was a hill, ornamented with agreat variety of herbaceous plants and grasses, and with a magnificentgrove of pines. After the pine-groves were passed, the travellersentered a district called the _Sand-hills_. They encamped, for the first night, at the _Half-way Pond_. This is alake, about three miles in circumference, which extends, through anapparently spacious meadow, and beneath a chain of elevated sand-hills. It is inhabited by numerous kinds of fish, by alligators, and by a kindof turtles with soft shells. The latter are so large as to weigh fromtwenty to thirty, and even forty pounds each. They are extremely fat anddelicious; but, if eaten to excess, are unwholesome. Numerous herds ofdeer, and extensive flocks of turkeys, frequent the vicinity of thisplace. From Half-way Pond the travellers proceeded, still westward, through thehigh forests of Cuscowilla. The country, for five or six miles, presented nearly the same scenery as before. After this the sand-ridgesbecame higher, and their bases proportionally more extensive. Thesavannahs and ponds were larger; the summits of the ridges moregravelly; and here and there rocks, formed of a sort of concrete of sandand shells, were seen above the sand and gravel. Having passed an extensive and fruitful orange-grove, through apine-forest, and crossed two or three streams that were tributary to theriver St. John, the travellers at length came within sight of the greatand beautiful _Lake of Cuscowilla_. Their course now lay through amagnificent forest, about nine miles in extent, and consisting oforange-groves, overtopped by grand magnolias, palm-trees, oaks, beech, and other trees. This forest bounded one edge of the lake; and, beyondit, lay the town of _Cuscowilla_, the place of their destination. Thisplace is situated on the banks of a brook, which, at a little distance, falls into the lake. They were welcomed to the town, and conducted, by a party of young menand maidens, to the house of the chief. This stood on an eminence, andwas distinguished from the other dwellings by its superior magnitude, and by having a flag hoisted, on a high staff, at one corner. The chief, attended by several old men, came to them, and shook them by theirhands, or rather their arms, (a form of salutation peculiar to theAmerican Indians, ) saying at the same time, "You are come. " Theyfollowed him into an apartment prepared for their reception. The following customs are practised towards their guests, by the Indiansin this part of America. The pipe being filled, it is handed round toeach. After this a large bowl, containing what is called "thin drink, "is brought, and is set down on a low table. In the bowl is a greatwooden ladle: each person takes up in the ladle as much of the liquor ashe pleases; and, after drinking until he is satisfied, he returns itinto the bowl, pushing the handle towards the next person in the circle;and so it goes round. On the present occasion, after the usual compliments had passed, theprincipal trader informed the Indian chief, in the presence of hiscouncil or attendants, respecting the purport of their business; andwith this the chief expressed his satisfaction. When the latter wasinformed concerning the object of Mr. Bartram's journey, he received himwith complaisance; giving him unlimited permission to travel over hiscountry, for the purpose of collecting plants, and saluting him by thename of _Pug Puggy_, or "Flower-hunter. " This chief was a tall, well-formed man, very affable and cheerful, aboutsixty years of age. His eyes were lively and full of lustre, hiscountenance was manly and placid, yet ferocious; his nose aquiline, andhis dress extremely simple; but his head was ornamented in the manner ofthe Creek Indians. He had been a great warrior, and had now, attendinghim as slaves, many captives, which had been taken by himself whenyoung. They were dressed better than he, and served and waited upon himwith signs of the most abject humility. The manners and customs of theseIndians, who are called _Alachuas_, and of most of the lower _Creeks_ or_Siminoles_, appear evidently tinctured with Spanish civilization. Thereare several Christians among them, many of whom wear little silvercrucifixes, affixed to a collar round their necks, or suspended by asmall chain upon their breasts. Mr. Bartram and his party had not long been here, before the repast wasbrought in. This consisted of venison stewed in bear's oil, of freshcorn-cakes, milk, and a dish called homony; and the drink was honey andwater, very cool and agreeable. A few days after this some negotiations took place between the tradersand the Indians, in the public square or council-house. These havingterminated to the satisfaction of both parties, a banquet succeeded; theribs and choicest fat pieces of bullocks, well barbecued, were broughtinto an apartment of the square: bowls and kettles of stewed flesh andbroth constituted the next course; and with these was brought in a dish, made of the belly or paunch of an ox, not over-cleansed of its contents, cut and minced tolerably fine, and then made into a thin kind of soup, and seasoned with salt and aromatic herbs; but the seasoning was notquite strong enough to overpower the original taste and smell. This is afavourite dish with the Indians. Cuscowilla is the capital of the Alachua Indians; and it, at this time, contained about thirty habitations, each of which consisted of twohouses, nearly of the same size, about thirty feet in length, twelvefeet wide, and twelve high. Of these, one is divided into twoapartments; the cook-room, or common hall, and the lodging-room. Theother house is nearly of the same dimensions, and stands about twentyyards from the dwelling-house. This building is two stories high, and isconstructed in a different manner from the former. Like that, it isdivided across; but the end next the dwelling-house is open on threesides, and is supported by posts or columns. It has an open loft orplatform, the ascent to which is by a portable stair or ladder: this ispleasant, cool, and airy; and here the master or chief of the familyretires to repose, in the hot seasons, and receives his guests orvisitors. The other half of this building is closed on all sides: thelowest or ground part is a potatoe-house; and the upper story a granary, for corn and other provisions. The town of Cuscowilla stands in an extremely pleasant situation, upon ahigh, swelling ridge of sand-hills, within three or four hundred yardsof a large and beautiful lake, which continually washes a sandy beach, under a moderately high, sloping bank; terminated on one side byextensive forests of orange-groves, and overtopped with magnolias, palms, poplars, limes, live oaks, and other trees. The ground, betweenthe town and the lake, is adorned by an open grove of tall pine-trees, which, standing at a considerable distance from each other, admit adelightful prospect of the sparkling waters. The lake abounds withvarious kinds of excellent fish and wild fowl. The inhabitants of Cuscowilla have each a small garden attached to theirdwellings, for the purpose of producing corn, beans, tobacco, and otheruseful articles; but the plantation which supplies them with their chiefvegetable provisions, is near the great Alachua savannah, and about twomiles distant. This plantation has one common enclosure, and is workedand tended by the whole community: yet every family has its particularpart, marked off when planted; and this portion receives the commonlabour and assistance, until the corn, or other articles cultivated uponit, are ripe. Each family then gathers and deposits in its store-houseits own proper share, setting apart a small gift or contribution for apublic granary, which stands near the centre of the plantation. Mr. Bartram made several excursions to places in the vicinity ofCuscowilla and the Alachua Swamp. In one of these, he came to a littleclump of shrubs, where he observed several large snakes, entwinedtogether. They were each about four feet in length, and as thick as aman's wrist. Mr. Bartram approached, and endeavoured to irritate them, but they appeared perfectly harmless. Numerous herds of cattle and deer, and many troops of horses were seen peacefully browsing on the grass ofthe savannah, or strolling through the groves on the surroundingheights. Large flocks of wild turkeys were also observed in the woods. At some distance from Cuscowilla, is an Indian town called_Talahasochte_, which Mr. Bartram some time afterwards visited. It isdelightfully situated on the elevated east bank of a river called_Little St. John's_. The habitations were, at this time, about thirty innumber, and constructed like those of Cuscowilla; but the council-housewas neater and more spacious. The Indians of this town have large and handsome canoes, which they formout of the trunks of cypress-trees: some of them are sufficientlycommodious to accommodate twenty or thirty persons. In these canoes theydescend the river, on trading and hunting excursions, as far as thesea-coast, to the neighbouring islands and shores; and they sometimeseven cross the Gulf of Florida to the West India Islands. In this neighbourhood are seen many singular and unaccountable cavities. These are funnel-shaped; and some of them are from twenty to forty yardsacross at the rim. Their perpendicular depth is, in many instances, upwards of twenty feet. At this time, nearly the whole of East Florida, and a great portion ofWest Florida, were in the possession of Indians; and these chiefly atribe called _Siminoles_, an apparently contented and happy race ofpeople, who enjoyed, in superabundance, the necessaries and theconveniences of life. With the skins of deer, bears, tigers, and wolves, together with honey, wax, and other productions of their country, thispeople purchased, from Europeans, clothing, equipage, and domesticutensils. They seemed to be free from want or desires: they had no enemyto dread; and, apparently, nothing to occasion disquietude, except thegradual encroachments of the white people. Mr. Bartram returned to the trading-store, on the bank of the river St. John; and, about the end of September, he reached the place from whichhe had commenced his voyage. * * * * * We must now proceed, across the southern states, to the mouth of theMississippi, for the purpose of tracing the course of that astonishingriver, and describing the most important places in its vicinity. Fourteen Day's Instruction. UNITED STATES CONTINUED. _The River Mississippi. _ The Mississippi has its source in about forty-six degrees thirty minutesof north latitude; and terminates in the Gulf of Mexico, at somedistance below the town of New Orleans. Its length, in a direct line, exceeds one thousand seven hundred miles; and it falls into the sea, bymany mouths, most of which, like those of the Nile, are too shallow tobe navigable. For a considerable distance, its banks are low, marshy, and covered with reeds; and are annually overflowed, from the meltingof the snows in the interior of the country. The inundation usuallycommences in March, and continues about three months; and the slimewhich it deposits on the adjacent lands, tends, in a very importantdegree, to fertilize the soil. This river is navigable to a greatdistance; but, at spring-tides, the navigation is difficult, on accountof the strength of the currents, and the innumerable islands, shoals, and sand-banks, with which it is interspersed. Vessels of three hundredtons burden can ascend it as high as Natchez, four hundred miles fromthe sea; and those of lighter burden can pass upward, as far as theFalls of St. Anthony, in latitude forty-four degrees fifty minutes. _New Orleans_, the capital of the state of Louisiana, is situated on thenorthern bank of the Mississippi, and is a place of great commercialimportance. It was founded in the year 1717, and now contains nearthirty thousand inhabitants. In 1787, it had eleven hundred houses; but, nine hundred of these having been consumed by fire, it has since beenrebuilt on a regular plan, and a more enlarged scale. Most of the housesare constructed with wooden frames, raised about eight feet from theground, and have galleries round them, and cellars under the floors:almost every house has a garden. Louisiana having, till lately, been a French colony, the French languageis still predominant at New Orleans. The appearance of the people too isFrench; and even the negroes, by their antics and ludicrous gestures, exhibit their previous connexion with that nation. Their general mannersand habits are very relaxed. Though New Orleans is now a city belongingto the United States, the markets, shops, theatre, circus, and publicball-rooms, are open on Sundays, in the same manner as they are in thecatholic countries of the old continent. Gambling-houses, too, arenumerous; and the coffee-houses and the Exchange are occupied, frommorning till night, by gamesters. The general stile of living isluxurious. The houses are elegantly furnished; and the ladies dress inan expensive manner. Provisions are here of bad quality, and enormously dear. Hams andcheese, from England; potatoes, butter, and beef from Ireland, arecommon articles of import. The rents of houses, also, are veryextravagant. The country around New Orleans is level, rich, and healthy, and has manyextensive sugar-plantations. And, for the space of five leagues below, and ten above the town, the river has been embanked, to defend theadjacent fields from those inundations of the Mississippi which takeplace every spring. The land, adjacent to the town, yields abundantcrops of rice, Indian corn, and vegetables. There is a regular communication, by means of steam-boats and othervessels, between New Orleans and the towns on the banks of theMississippi, the Ohio, and other rivers, in the distant parts of NorthAmerica. The scenery of the Mississippi, to the distance of one hundred and fiftymiles and upwards, from New Orleans, is very uninteresting. The countryis a dead flat; so that the banks of the river, and most of the adjacentgrounds, are annually overflowed. In the vicinity of Natchez it becomesmore varied and pleasing. _Natchez_ is a town in the state of Mississippi, near the banks of theriver, and about four hundred miles from its mouth. It contains aboutthirty dwellings, most of which are whiskey-shops, gambling, and otherhouses, where an excess of profligacy prevails, which is not usual inthe United States. Mr. Fearon visited Natchez in the year 1817; and in the port there weretwenty-five flats, seven keels, and one steam-vessel. The flats aresquare covered vessels, of considerable capacity, used for carryingfreight from Pittsburgh, on the Ohio, and other places below that town, down to New Orleans. Their construction is temporary and of slightmaterials; for they are broken up at New Orleans, as not sufficientlystrong to be freighted up the river. The keel is a substantial, well-built boat, of considerable length; and, in form, somewhatresembles the floating-bath at Blackfriars' Bridge. Observing a great many coloured people in these boats, Mr. Fearonconcluded that they were emigrants, who had proceeded thus far on theirroute towards a settlement. The fact, however, proved to be, thatfourteen of the flats were freighted with human beings intended forsale. They had been collected in the United States, by slave-dealers, and shipped, up the Mississippi, to Kentucky for a market. There are, at Natchez, numerous stores, and three-fourths of the goodsat every store are articles of British manufacture. Shopkeeping is hereprofitable, and mechanics are highly paid. Lotteries are very prevalentat Natchez. When Mr. Fearon was here, there was a lottery for _buildinga Presbyterian church_; and the scheme was preceded by a long address, on the advantages of religion, and the necessity of all citizenssupporting Christianity, by purchasing tickets in this lottery! The streets of Natchez were literally crammed with bales of cotton forthe Liverpool market. These are carried to the water-side in carts, eachdrawn by two mules, horses being here little used. During Mr. Fearon'sresidence at this town, he twice visited the State legislature, whichwas composed of men who appeared any thing but legislators. Their placeof meeting was in a superior kind of hay-loft; and the imitation of theforms of the British parliament were perfectly ludicrous. Between Natchez, and the mouth of the Ohio, there is not one spot whichcould be recommended as a place for an Englishman to settle in. Throughout the whole of this space, the white population are the victimsof demoralizing habits. The native Indians present, of course, nothingbut a picture of mere savage life; and the negro slaves suffer even moremisery than commonly falls to the lot of their oppressed and degradedcondition. What a foul stain is it upon the American republic, professing, as they do, the principles of liberty and of equal rights, that, out of twenty states, there should be eleven in which slavery isan avowed part of the political constitution; and that, in those calledfree, New England excepted, the condition of blacks who are indentured, for terms of years, should practically amount to slavery! Beyond the state of Louisiana, the Mississippi divides the Missouriterritory from the territory of Mississippi; and, north of that, fromthe states of Tenessee and Kentucky. About the 37th degree of northlatitude, and on the western bank of the river, is a town called _NewMadrid_. This place, from the advantages of its situation, aboutforty-five miles from the mouth of the Ohio, may at some future timebecome of considerable importance. The _Ohio_, at the place of itsjunction with the Mississippi, is about a mile in width, and isnavigable, for vessels of considerable burden, to a distance of morethan a thousand miles. Beyond the Ohio commences the _Illinois territory_. Here the generalface of the country is flat; but, in some parts, the land is high andcraggy. It abounds in deer, wolves, bears, squirrels, racoons, andfoxes; in wild turkeys and quails; geese and ducks, partially; andhawks, buzzards, and pigeons in tolerable abundance; and the riverscontain several species of fish. In the prairies there are rattlesnakes. The woods supply grapes, pecan nuts, (similar to our walnut, ) andhickory nuts. Hops, raspberries, and strawberries, here grow wild. Limestone abounds; and salt, copper, and coal have all been found inthis district. The seat of the territorial government is _Kaskaski_, a town whichstands on a plain, near the western bank of the Mississippi, andcontains about one hundred and fifty houses. This place has beensettled somewhat more than a century, and its inhabitants are chieflyFrench. Some parts of the district of Illinois are occupied by Indians. The other inhabitants are, first, what are here termed "squatters, "persons half civilized and half savage; and who, both in character andhabits, are extremely wretched: second, a medley of land-jobbers, lawyers, doctors, and farmers, a portion of those who traverse thisimmense continent, founding settlements, and engaging in all kinds ofspeculation: and third, some old French settlers, who are possessed ofconsiderable property, and who live in ease and comfort. About seventy miles north of Kaskaski, and on the opposite side of theriver, is a town or large village, called _St. Louis_. It stands on arock or bank of considerable height, in a beautiful and healthysituation, and is surrounded by a country of exuberant fertility. Theinhabitants of this place are chiefly employed in the fur-trade, andseldom occupy themselves in agriculture. _Narrative of a Voyage from St. Louis to the source of theMississippi. By_ ZEBULON MONTGOMERY PIKE. Major Pike, at that time a lieutenant in the American army, was employedby the government of the United States, to make a survey of theMississippi, from the town of _St. Louis_, upwards, to its source. Inpursuance of his instructions, he embarked, in a keel-boat, at thisplace, on the afternoon of Friday the 9th of August, 1805; and wasaccompanied by a serjeant and seventeen private soldiers of the Americanarmy. As far as the mouth of the river Missouri, he says, the eastern shore ofthe Mississippi consists of a sandy soil, and is covered withtimber-trees of various kinds. The western shore is, for a littledistance, composed of high land, bordered by prairie or naturalmeadow-ground; after which bottom-land occurs, with timber similar tothat on the eastern shore. The current is rapid, and, at low water, thenavigation is obstructed by sand-banks. Beyond the entrance of the Missouri, the stream is gentle, as far as themouth of the _Illinois_; but there, owing to extensive sand-bars, andmany islands, it becomes extremely rapid. From the Illinois to the_Buffalo River_, the eastern shore exhibits a series of gentleeminences; but, on the west, the land is a continued prairie. Timber isfound on both sides; generally hackberry, cotton-wood, and ash. TheBuffalo river enters from the west, and is about a hundred yards wide atits mouth. On the 14th of August the voyagers passed a camp of the _Sac Indians_, consisting of three men, with their families. The men were employed inspearing and landing a large fish. Mr. Pike gave them a small quantityof whiskey and biscuit; and they, in return, presented him with somefish. The Sacs are a tribe of Indians which hunt on the Mississippi, andits confluent streams, from the Illinois to the river Jowa; and on theplains west of them, which border upon the Missouri. They are muchdreaded by other Indians, for their propensity to deceit, and theirdisposition to commit injury by stratagem. On the ensuing day, the voyagers reached the mouth of _Salt river_, aconsiderable stream, which, at high water, is navigable for at least twohundred miles. From the Illinois to this river, the western shore iseither immediately bordered by beautiful cedar-cliffs, or the ridges ofthese cliffs may be seen at a distance. On the east the land is low, andthe soil rich. On the 16th of August they passed the house of a Frenchman, on thewestern side of the river. The cattle belonging to this person appearedto be in fine order, but his corn-land was in a bad state ofcultivation. Three days afterwards their boat was damaged by strikingagainst a vessel carrying timber and planks down the stream. While theywere engaged in repairing it, three canoes, with Indians, passed on theopposite side of the river. The men in the canoes called out, inEnglish, "How do you do?" wishing for an invitation to come over; butthis was not given, and they proceeded on their voyage. Beyond Salt river the western shore of the Mississippi is hilly, but theeastern side consists of lowland, timbered with hickory, oak, ash, maple, and other trees. The navigation here is easy, and the soil onboth sides tolerably good. On the 20th of August the voyagers, with great difficulty, passed the_Rapids des Moines_. These are eleven miles in extent; and, withsuccessive ledges and shoals, reach from shore to shore, across the bedof the river. Mr. Pike had here an interview with four chiefs, andfifteen men of the Sac nation, accompanied by a French interpreter, andan agent who had been sent from the United States to teach themagriculture. These men assisted him in his progress up the Rapids; and, in recompense for the service, they were presented with some tobacco, knives, and whiskey. At some distance beyond the Rapids the voyagers had a beautifulprospect, at least forty miles in extent, down the river. Their averagedaily progress appears to have been betwixt twenty and thirty miles. Above the _river Jowa_, which is one hundred and fifty yards wide at itsmouth, the shore of the Mississippi consists of high prairie, withyellow clay-banks, and, in some places, banks of red sand: the westernshore also is prairie, but bounded by wood. About ten miles up the Jowais a village of _Jowa Indians_. This people subsist chiefly by hunting, but they cultivate some corn-land. Their chief residence is on the smallstreams in the rear of the Mississippi. From the Jowa to _Rock river_, there are, on the west, beautiful prairies, and, in some places, richland, with black walnut and hickory timber. On the 28th of August the vessel was much injured in passing up a seriesof rapids nearly eighteen miles in extent, and, in some places, reaching from shore to shore. Four days after this they arrived in thevicinity of some extensive lead-mines, which belonged to a Frenchmannamed Dubuque. The only animals they had hitherto seen were a few wildturkeys and some deer. From the lead-mines to _Turkey river_, the Mississippi continues nearlyof the same width, and the banks, soil, and productions appear preciselysimilar. On the bank of the Turkey river is a village of _ReynardIndians_, who raise there a considerable quantity of corn. The Reynardsreside in three villages on the Mississippi, two of which Mr. Pike hadalready past. They grow corn, beans, and melons; and they annually sellmany hundred bushels of corn to the inhabitants of the United States. On the 2d of September, Mr. Pike and some of his men landed for thepurpose of shooting pigeons; but the guns were no sooner fired, than aparty of Indians, who were on shore at a little distance, ran to thewater, and escaped in their pirogues or canoes, with greatprecipitation. After this the voyagers passed the mouth of the_Ouisconsin river_, which enters the Mississippi in latitude 43 degrees44 minutes, and is nearly half a mile wide. This river is an importantsource of communication with the great American lakes, and is the routeby which all the traders of Michillimackinac convey their goods to theMississippi. On the 6th of September, a council was held with a party of _Puant_ or_Winebagoe Indians_, and one of the _Sioux_ chiefs. The former occupyseven villages, and are supposed to be a nation who originally emigratedfrom Mexico, to avoid the oppression of the Spaniards. They are reputedto be brave; but their bravery resembles the ferocity of tigers, ratherthan the deliberate resolution of men. They are so treacherous that, itis said, a white man should never lie down to sleep in their villages, without adopting the utmost caution to preserve himself from injury. The_Sioux_ are a powerful nation, the dread of whom is extended over allthe adjacent country. They are divided into numerous bands, headed bycelebrated chiefs. Few of them cultivate land; but they chiefly live onthe production of the chase, and on a kind of bread which they make fromwild oats. This species of grain is here produced in such abundance, that a sufficiency for their subsistence is easily collected in theautumn, without any trouble whatever in cultivating the land. Not long after their interview with these Indians, the voyagers reachedthe _Prairie des Chiens_. The houses of this village, about eighteen innumber, are arranged in two streets, along the front of a marsh. Theyare chiefly built of wood; are daubed on the outside with clay, andwhite-washed within. The furniture in most of them is decent, and, inthose of the most wealthy inhabitants, displays a considerable degree oftaste. The Prairie des Chiens was first settled under the protection ofthe English government, in the year 1783; and derives its name from afamily of Reynards, who formerly lived there, and were distinguished bythe appellation of Dog Indians. It is a place of resort for Indiantraders and others, who reside in the interior. Mr. Pike here engagedtwo interpreters to accompany him; one of whom was to perform the wholevoyage, and the other to sail with him as high as the falls of St. Anthony. On the 9th of September he had an interview with a party of _SiouxIndians_. When he went towards the shore to meet them, they saluted himby firing three rounds from their muskets, loaded with ball. On landing, Mr. Pike was met by the chief, and invited to his lodge. This invitationhe complied with, having first stationed some of his men as guards, toprotect him in case of danger. In the lodge he found a clean mat and apillow arranged for him to sit upon; and the complimentary pipe of peacewas placed before him, on a pair of small crutches. The chief sate at hisright hand, and the interpreter at his left. After they had satisfiedeach other of their mutual good wishes, and Mr. Pike had accepted thepipe, dinner was prepared. This consisted of wild rye and venison. Mr. Pike was afterwards conducted by the chief to a dance, theperformance of which was accompanied by many curious gestures. Men andwomen danced indiscriminately. They were all dressed in the gayestmanner imaginable. Each had, in his hand, a small skin of some kind ofanimal. They frequently ran up, pointed their skin, and gave a puff withtheir breath; on which the person blown at fell, and either appearedlifeless, or in great agony; but afterwards slowly recovered, rose, andjoined in the dance. This was understood to be of a religiousdescription; and the Indians believed that they actually puffed, intoeach others bodies, something which occasioned them to fall. For personsto be permitted to take a part in these dances, it was requisite thatthey should make valuable presents to the society, give a feast, and beadmitted with great ceremony. When Mr. Pike returned to his boat, hesent for the chief, and presented him with a quantity of tobacco, fourknives, half a pound of vermilion, a quart of salt, and several gallonsof spirits. At some distance beyond this place, Mr. Pike was shewn several holes, which had been dug in the ground by the Sioux Indians. These were, ingeneral, of circular shape, and about ten feet in diameter; but some ofthem were in the form of half moons. When this people apprehend anattack from their enemies, or discover an enemy near them, they dig intothe ground, with their knives, tomahawks, and wooden ladles; and, in anincredibly short space of time, sink holes that are sufficientlycapacious to protect both themselves and their families from the ballsor arrows of their foe. Though the part of the river which the voyagers were now traversing wasnearly two thousand miles distant from the sea, the width of the streamwas supposed to be at least two miles. The wet season had commenced, and rain fell, in considerable quantityalmost every day. In this part of his voyage, Mr. Pike was accompaniedby a Mr. Frazer and two other persons, with three birch canoes. On the16th of September, they passed the mouth of the _Sauteaux_ or _Chippewayriver_, a deep and majestic stream, which has a communication, by ashort passage, with the Montreal river, and, by this river, with LakeSuperior. The shores of the Mississippi were here, in many places, boldand precipitous, forming a succession of high perpendicular cliffs andlow valleys; and they exhibited some of the most romantic andpicturesque views imaginable. But this irregular scenery was sometimesinterrupted by wide and extensive plains, which brought to the minds ofthe voyagers the verdant lawns of civilized countries, and almostinduced them to imagine themselves in the midst of a highly-cultivatedplantation. The timber of this part of the country was generally birch, elm, and cotton-wood; and all the cliffs were bordered with cedars. Theprevailing species of game were deer and bears. On the 21st of September, the voyagers breakfasted at a Sioux village, on the eastern side of the river. It consisted of eleven lodges, and wassituated at the head of an island, just below a ledge of rocks; but theinhabitants had all left it. About two miles beyond this village, theysaw three bears, swimming over the river, but beyond the reach ofgun-shot. In a camp of Sioux, which they afterwards passed, Mr. Pike wasastonished by the garrulity of the women. At the other camps the womenhad not opened their lips; but here they flocked around the strangers, and talked without cessation. The cause of this freedom is supposed tohave been the absence of their husbands. In a spot at which the voyagersarrived this day, the Mississippi was so narrow that Mr. Pike crossedit, in a boat, with forty strokes of his oars. From the _Canoe river_ to the _St. Croix_, it becomes still narrower, and the navigation is less obstructed by islands, than below. From the_Cannon river_ it is bounded on the east, by high ridges; but the leftshore consists of low ground. The timber is generally ash and maple;except the cedars of the cliffs, the sugar-tree, and ash. Mr. Pike thisday observed, on the shore, a white flag, and, on landing, he discoveredit to be of silk. It was suspended over a scaffold, on which were laidfour dead bodies; two enclosed between boards, and two between pieces ofbark. They were wrapped in blankets, which appeared quite new; and werethe bodies of two Sioux women, a child, and a relative. This is themanner in which the Sioux Indians bury such of their people as die anatural death: such as are killed, they suffer to lie unburied. On the 23d, the voyagers arrived at the _Falls of St. Anthony_. Theseare about seventeen feet in height, and the approach to them is throughrapids, which vessels have great difficulty in passing. At the foot ofthe falls, the voyagers unloaded their boats, which they carried up thehill, and placed and reloaded in the river above. While this process wasgoing on, a small party of Indians, painted black, and prepared for war, appeared on the heights. They were armed with guns, bows and arrows, clubs, and spears; and some of them had cases of pistols. Mr. Pike wasdesirous of purchasing from them a set of bows and arrows, and one oftheir war-clubs, made of elk-horn, and decorated with inlaid work; butthey took offence at something which occurred, and suddenly went away. The weather was now so rainy, and the men had been so much fatigued withconveying the vessels and their lading, to the upper part of the falls, that seven of the twenty-two, who accompanied Mr. Pike, were taken ill. It is impossible for vessels of any description, or in any state of theriver, to pass up these falls. The width of the river, immediately belowthem, is two hundred and nine yards, and above them, six hundred andtwenty-seven yards. At high-water, the appearance is extremely sublime;as then, the quantity of water falling throws up a spray, which, inclear weather, reflects, from some positions, the colours of therainbow; and, when the sky is overcast, this spray covers the falls ingloom and chaotic majesty. On Tuesday, the 1st of October, Mr. Pike and his men again embarked, toproceed on their voyage above the falls. At first the river wassufficiently deep for the easy passage of the boats; but, at thedistance of about four miles, the shoals commenced, and there was muchdifficulty in proceeding. Nearly from the Falls of St. Anthony to the_Rum river_, the Mississippi is a continued chain of rapids, witheddies, formed by winding channels. The land, on both sides, consists ofPrairie, with scarcely any timber, except small groves of scrubby oaks. Not far from this spot is _Red Cedar lake_, the grounds in the vicinityof which are considered, by the Indians, extremely valuable for hunting. In some parts of the river it was requisite for the men to wade for manysuccessive hours, in order to force the boats over the shoals, and drawthem through the rapids. The weather was now cold and rainy. On the 10thof October, in the course of four miles, the voyagers passed a clusterof more than twenty islands, which Mr. Pike called _Beaver islands_, from numerous dams and paths which had been made by these animals uponthem. The passage up the river was still much impeded by rocks andshoals. About the beginning of October, the voyagers began to look out for astation in which they could pass the winter. Mr. Pike was determined, ifpossible, to reach the _Corbeau_ or _Raven river_, the highest pointthat had ever been reached by traders, in bark canoes. But he was notable to accomplish his intention; for, on the seventeenth, many of hismen were so benumbed with cold, that their limbs became useless, andothers were laid up with illness. He consequently fixed on a stationnear _Pine Creek_, where the borders of the Mississippi consisted ofprairie, with groves of pine at the edge of the banks; and, in someplaces, with oak, ash, maple, and lime-trees. The banks of _Lake Clear_, a small and beautiful lake, about three miles distant, are the resort ofimmense herds of elks and buffaloes; and _Clear river_, which unitesthis lake with the Mississippi, is a delightful little stream, abouteighty yards wide. On the seventeenth, snow fell during the whole day: Mr. Pike killed fourbears, and his hunter three deer. Several ensuing days were occupied incutting down trees, for the formation of winter-huts; and inconstructing the huts, and forming a fence round them. When the latterwas completed, the two boats were hauled out of the water, and turnedover, on each side of the gateways, so as to form a defence against anyIndians who might be inclined to attack the encampment. At this place, and in its vicinity, the voyagers continued severalweeks, during which they suffered great hardships. Much of their timewas occupied in hunting. They occasionally saw large herds of elks, someof them of immense size; the horns of the bucks measuring four feet andupwards in width. Many droves of buffaloes were also seen, and deer ofvarious kinds: bears, wolves, racoons, and otters, were occasionallyshot. On the 7th of November the Mississippi was nearly filled with snow; and, on the land, the snow was knee deep. Before the end of the month, theriver was frozen over. During his residence at this place, Mr. Pike did not see many Indians. On one occasion he visited the tent or hut of an Indian chief, whom hefound sitting amidst his children, and grand-children, ten in number. The hut was constructed of rushes, platted into mats. In the month of December, Mr. Pike and some of his men proceeded, insledges, up the Mississippi. On the twenty-fourth, they reached _Corbeauriver_; which, at its mouth, was nearly as wide as the Mississippi. Fora considerable distance, the Mississippi was interrupted by a continuedsuccession of rapids, shoals, and falls. One of the latter, called the_Falls of the Painted Rock_, formed the third important obstacle to thenavigation of the river, which Mr. Pike had encountered. Most of thetimber, now observed near the banks, consisted of pine-trees. On the thirty-first, Mr. Pike passed _Pine river_. For many miles, theMississippi had been much narrower, and more free from islands, than inthe lower parts of the stream. The shores, in general, presented adreary prospect of high barren knobs, covered with dead and fallenpine-timber; and most of the adjacent country was interspersed withsmall lakes. Deer of various kinds, were plentiful; but no buffaloes, nor elks, had been seen. Near the mouth of the Pine river, an encampment of _Chippeway Indians_was observed. This had been occupied in the summer, but it was nowvacant. By certain marks which had been left, the voyagers understoodthat these Indians had marched a party of fifty warriors against theSioux, and had killed four men and four women, who were here representedby figures carved in wood. The figures of the men were painted, and putinto the ground, to the middle; and, by their sides, were four paintedpoles, sharpened at the end, to represent the women. Near this spot werepoles with deer-skins, plumes, silk-handkerchiefs, &c. And a circularhoop of cedar, with something attached to it which resembled a scalp. Beyond this place, Mr. Pike observed, on the bank of the river, sixelegant bark-canoes, which had been laid up by the Chippeways, and acamp, which appeared to have been evacuated about ten days before. Afterhaving endured considerable hardship and much fatigue for some weekslonger, he accomplished the object of his expedition, by arriving, onthe 1st of February, at _Leech Lake_, from which issues the main sourceof the Mississippi. He crossed this lake, (about twelve miles in width, )to an English fort, an establishment belonging to the North WestCompany, and was there received, with great hospitality, by a Mr. HughMac Gillis. His men reached the fort on the sixth; but, in traversingthe lake, some of them had their ears, some their noses, and otherstheir chins frozen. Near this place, Mr. Pike effected some arrangements with the Indians, which were considered advantageous to the American government; and, notlong afterwards, having examined the adjacent country, as well as theseverity of the weather would permit, he set out on his return, accompanied by a deputation of Indian chiefs. The river still continuedfrozen, and the party travelled chiefly in sledges, drawn by dogs. Onthe 5th of March, they again reached the encampment near _Pine Creek_. About a fortnight after this, Mr. Pike visited a plantation of sugarmaple-trees, at a little distance from the creek, one of the finest hehad ever seen. He was conducted to the lodge of the chief, who receivedhim in a truly patriarchal style. This person assisted him in taking offhis clothes, conducted him to the best part of his lodge, and offeredhim dry clothes. He then presented him with syrup of the maple-tree, todrink, and asked whether he preferred eating beaver, swan, elk, or deer?Preference being given to the first, a large kettle was filled withbeavers' flesh, for the purpose of its being made into soup. This wasafterwards served up; and when the repast was ended, Mr. Pike visitedother lodges, at each of which he was presented with something to eat. He continued here all night; and, on the ensuing day, having purchasedtwo baskets filled with sugar, he departed, and returned to his camp. Some Indians, whom Mr. Pike and his men visited not long after this, were extremely well-formed and elegant people. They were about themiddle size; and their complexions, for savages, were, in general, fair:their teeth were good: their eyes were large and somewhat languishing;and they had a mild but independent expression of countenance. In the evening, these Indians entertained their visitors with thecalumet and dog-dance; and with another dance, in which some of the menstruck a post, and related their war exploits. After the dance, was afeast of the dead. At this, every two or three persons had a pan orvessel full of meat set before him; a prayer was then said, and theeating commenced. Each was expected to devour his whole portion, and notto drop even a bone; for all the bones were carefully collected and putinto a dish. When the eating was finished, the chief gave anexhortation, which concluded the ceremony. About the end of March, Mr. Pike ordered the boats to be prepared forthe voyage, in return, down the river. The ice had not, indeed, yetbroken up; but he was every day in anxious expectation of seeing itbegin to move. On the 6th of April, the river was found sufficientlyclear of ice, to permit the party to re-embark. They accordingly loadedthe boats, and, on the ensuing morning, experienced inexpressible joy, in leaving the savage wilderness, in which they had been so longimprisoned. On the 10th, they again reached the _Falls of St. Anthony_. The appearance of this cataract was much more tremendous than it hadbeen when they ascended; and the great increase of the water occasionedthe spray to rise much higher than it had done before. The river wasstill nearly covered with floating-ice; and much snow continued to fall. After his arrival at the _Prairie des Chiens_, Mr. Pike held a council, with the Puant chiefs, respecting some murders which had been committedby the men of their nation; and, in the afternoon, he was entertainedwith a game of "the cross, " between the Sioux on one side, and thePuants and the Reynards on the other. The ball used in this game is madeof a hard substance, and covered with leather. When the parties areready, and the bets have been agreed upon, (and these are sometimes tothe amount of several thousand dollars, ) the goals are erected on theprairie, about half a mile asunder. The ball is then thrown up, in themiddle, and each party, with a kind of racket, strives to beat it to theopposite goal. After the first rubber is gained, which is done by theball being driven round one of the posts, it is again taken to thecentre, the ground is changed, and the contest is renewed; and this iscontinued until one of the parties has been four times victorious, onwhich the bets are decided. It is an interesting sight, says Mr. Pike, to behold two or threehundred naked savages contending, on the plain, who shall bear off thepalm of victory; for the man who drives the ball round the goal, receives the shouts of his companions, in congratulation of his success. It sometimes happens, that one of them catches the ball in his racket, and, depending on his speed, endeavours to carry it to the goal; but ifhe finds himself too closely pursued, he hurls it, with great force anddexterity, to an amazing distance, where there are always flankers, ofboth parties, ready to receive it. The ball seldom touches the ground;but it is sometimes kept in the air, for hours, before either party cangain the victory. About ten miles above _Salt river_, the voyagers, on the 28th of April, stopped at some islands where there were numerous roosts of passengerpigeons; and, in about fifteen minutes, they knocked on the head, andbrought on board the boat, about three hundred. Mr. Pike, though he hadfrequently heard of the fecundity of these birds, had never given creditto it; but, he says, that the most fervid imagination cannot conceivetheir numbers. The noise, which they made in the woods, was like thecontinued roaring of the wind. The young ones were still in theirnests: these consisted only of small bunches of sticks; and their numberwas such, that all the small trees were covered with them. On the 30th of April, after an absence of eight months and twenty-twodays, Mr. Pike once more reached St. Louis in safety. Fifteenth Day's Instruction. WESTERN TERRITORY OF AMERICA. _The river Missouri. _ Previously to the commencement of the expedition commanded by Mr. Pike, the government of the United States had directed arrangements to be madefor examining the Missouri, from its mouth to its source; thenceexploring the vast and dreary range of mountains, which form the highestland in the centre of that part of the American continent; andafterwards, of descending, by some one of the rivers which flowwestward, to the Pacific ocean. This formidable undertaking wascommitted to captains Lewis and Clarke, two officers, in the Americanarmy, who were, in every respect, qualified for the arduous duties whichit required; and who had, under their command, a party of forty-twosoldiers and boatmen. Its professed object was to ascertain thepossibility of opening an inland communication, between the Atlantic andPacific oceans; but the American government had also in view theobtaining of information, respecting the country of Louisiana, whichthey were desirous of possessing, and which has since been ceded tothem by France. _Narrative of a voyage from St. Louis to the source of the Missouri. From the travels of Captains_ LEWIS _and_ CLARKE. The party having embarked in three boats, set out from St. Louis, on the14th of May, 1804; and, for several days, they proceeded withoutinterruption. Early in the morning of the twenty-fourth, they ascended adifficult rapid, called the _Devil's Race-ground_, and narrowly escapedhaving one of their boats upset. Beyond this place, they met two canoes, laden with furs, which had been eight weeks on their voyage from theMahar nation, about seven hundred miles distant. On the banks of theriver was much timber, consisting of cotton-wood, sycamore, hickory, andwhite walnut. On the 1st of June, they passed the mouth of the _Osage river_, whichfalls into the Missouri, at the distance of a hundred and thirty-threemiles from its junction with the Mississippi. This stream gives name toa nation of Indians which inhabit its banks. The _Osage Indians_ are, intheir persons, well formed: they reside in villages, and, having madeconsiderable progress in agriculture, they seem less addicted to warthan their northern neighbours. Beyond the Osage river, the southern bank of the Missouri was low, andcovered with rushes; and occasionally with oak, ash, and walnut-trees. On the north, the land was, in some places, rich, and well adapted toagriculture. Near the mouth of _Big Manitou Creek_, the voyagers met araft, formed of two canoes joined together. On this, two French traderswere descending, from the river Kanzes: it was laden with beaver-skins, which they had collected during the winter. Not long afterwards, captains Lewis and Clarke landed, to examine a singular limestone rock, which was nearly covered with inscriptions and uncouth paintings ofanimals; but they found the place occupied by a nest of rattlesnakes, and left it. In several parts of their voyage, they passed canoes, boats, and rafts laden with furs. In many places the river was bordered with prairies or swampy meadows, on which grew several kinds of fruit, such as mulberries, plums, wildapples, raspberries, and strawberries. Numerous herds of deer were seen, pasturing in the plains, or feeding on the young willows of the river. Near the mouth of the _Kanzes_, the Missouri is about five hundred yardswide. On the south, the hills or highlands approach within a mile andhalf of the shore; but, on the north, they are several miles distant;and the country, on all sides, is fine. In some places the navigationwas interrupted by sand-banks, and in others, by the remains of treeswhich had fallen into the water. On the second of July, the wholesurface of the stream, for a considerable distance, was covered withdrift wood. This had probably been occasioned by the giving way of somesand-bank, which had before detained the wood, as it floated down thestream. The weather was now so hot that some of the men experienced from itgreat inconvenience; but the air was occasionally cooled by showers. Inthe evenings the voyagers often landed and encamped, for the purpose ofpassing the night on shore. In that part of the river at which theyarrived on the 16th, the width, from bank to bank, was about a mile; butthe water was so shallow that they could perceive the remains of fallentimber scattered quite across the bottom. The Missouri is here widerthan it is below, where the timber, which grows on its banks, resiststhe power of the current. On the 21st of July the voyagers reached the mouth of the great _riverPlatte_. Captains Lewis and Clarke ascended it for about a mile, andfound the current very rapid; rolling over sands, and divided intoseveral channels, none of which, however, appeared to be more than fiveor six feet deep. At this place they encamped for several days, in order to dry theirprovisions, make some oars, prepare an account and make maps of thecountry through which they had passed. The game they saw here werechiefly deer, turkeys, and grouse; and they obtained an abundance ofripe grapes. During the nights they were much annoyed by wolves. Thecountry behind their camp was a plain, about five miles in extent, onehalf covered with wood, and the other dry and elevated. Not far from this place was a settlement of the _Pawnee Indians_; a racewhich had once been extremely numerous, but which now consisted of onlyfour bands, comprising, in the whole, about one thousand four hundredpersons. On the 30th of July, the commanders of the expedition directed anencampment to be formed on the southern bank of the river, for thepurpose of their waiting the arrival of the chiefs of the Ottoe Indians, with whom an interview had been appointed to take place. From anelevated station near the camp, they had a beautiful view of the riverand of the adjoining country. The hunters abundantly supplied them withdeer, turkeys, geese, and beavers; and they were well supplied withfish. A party of fourteen _Ottoe_ and _Missouri Indians_, came, at sunset, onthe 2d of August, accompanied by a Frenchman who had resided among themand acted as an interpreter. The next morning an awning was formed withthe mainsail of the largest vessel; and, under this, Captains Lewis andClarke received them. A speech was made to these Indians, announcingthat the territory which they inhabited had been ceded to the Americangovernment, and advising them respecting their future conduct towardsthe Americans. They promised obedience, requested permission to tradewith the Americans, asked for a supply of arms, and solicited themediation of the voyagers, between them and the Mahars, with whom theywere then at war. The chiefs were each presented with a medal, to beworn round his neck, some paint, garters, and cloth ornaments of dress:to these were added a canister of gunpowder, a bottle of whiskey, and afew other articles. Not long after the ceremonies of the council had concluded, the voyagersagain embarked. The hills which now extended along the river, werenearly fifteen miles asunder: those on the north were clad with aconsiderable quantity of timber; but those on the south had only somescattered trees in the ravines or narrow valleys. On the 5th of August they passed round a peninsula; and, having encampedon the north side of it, Captain Clarke, in pursuing some game, aboutthree hundred and seventy yards from the camp, found himself at a pointof the river which they had already passed, and which, by water, wasdistant nearly twelve miles. Some miles beyond this, on traversing apart of the country, to reach one of the Indian villages, the vegetationwas so luxuriant, that the men, who had been sent to explore it, wereforced to break their way through grass, sunflowers, thistles, and otherplants, more than ten feet high. This village had once consisted ofthree hundred huts; but, about four years before the voyagers were here, it had been burnt, in consequence of the small-pox having destroyed fourhundred of the men, and a great number of women and children. On a hillbehind the village were seen the graves of the nation. The accounts which the voyagers received of the effects of the small-poxamong these Indians, were most distressing. They had been a military anda powerful people; but, when they saw their strength wasting before amalady which they were unable to resist, their phrensy was extreme. Theyburnt their village; and many of them put to death their wives andchildren, in order to save them from so cruel an affliction, and thatthey might all go together to the unknown and better country. A party of _Ottoe_ and _Missouri Indians_ with whom the voyagers had aninterview after this, were almost naked, having no covering, except acloth round their middle, and a loose blanket or buffalo robe thrownover their shoulders. In one place Captain Lewis noticed that the hills which extended to theedge of the river on the south side, contained alum, copperas, cobalt, (having the appearance of soft isinglass, ) pyrites, and sand-stone: thetwo first very pure. In another cliff, seven miles distant, he observedan alum rock, of dark brown colour, containing, in its crevices, greatquantities of cobalt, cemented shells, and red earth. The appearance ofthese mineral substances enabled him to account for some disorders ofthe stomach with which his men had of late been much afflicted. They hadbeen in the habit of dipping up the water of the river inadvertently, and drinking it; and he had now no doubt but the sickness was occasionedby a scum which covered its surface along the southern shore. Alwaysafter this the men agitated the water, so as to disperse the scum, before they drank of it, and these disorders ceased. The soil of a plain over which the two commanders and some of the menwalked, on the 25th, was exceedingly fine; and was encumbered with butlittle timber, except immediately on the banks of the Missouri. Theyfound delicious plums, grapes, and blue currants. The musquitoes, andother insects which here abounded, seem, however, to have occasionedthem some inconvenience. On the 29th they were joined by five chiefs and seventy men of the_Yanktons_, a tribe belonging to the Sioux Indians. The camps or huts ofthis people are of a conical form: they are covered with buffalo robes, painted with various figures and colours, and have an aperture at thetop for the smoke to pass through. Each hut is calculated to containfrom ten to fifteen persons, and the interior arrangement is compact andhandsome: the kitchen or place for cooking is always detached. CaptainLewis delivered to these people a speech containing, as he says, theusual advice and counsel with regard to their future conduct towards thegovernment and the "great father" (as the Indians are taught to call thepresident) of the United States. He gave to the grand chief a flag, amedal, a certificate, a laced uniform coat of the United Statesartillery corps, a cocked hat and a red feather; and to the other chiefsmedals, tobacco, and clothing. Among the inferior men were distributedknives, tobacco, bells, tape, binding, and other articles of triflingvalue. After this the Indian chiefs, and Captains Lewis and Clarke, smoked together the pipes of peace. These chiefs begged the strangers tohave pity on them, as they were very poor; to send traders to them, asthey wanted powder and ball: they were also anxious to be supplied withsome of "the great father's milk, " by which they meant rum, or otherardent spirits. This people are stout and well proportioned, and have apeculiar air of dignity and boldness: they are fond of decorations, anduse, for this purpose, paint, porcupine-quills, and feathers. Some ofthem wear a kind of necklace of white bear's claws, three inches long, and closely strung together round their necks. They had among them a fewfowling-pieces, but they were, in general, armed with bows and arrows. Beyond the village of the Yanktons the country, on both sides of theriver, was low, and, for the most part, destitute of timber; but, insome places, it was covered with cotton-wood, elm, and oak. The weatherhad been intensely hot; but, in the beginning of September, the wind wasviolent, and the weather cold and rainy. On the second of this month, the hunters killed four elks, and the whole party was supplied with anabundance of grapes and plums, which grew wild near the river. They thisday observed, on the south side of the Missouri, the remains of anancient Indian fortification, formed chiefly of walls of earth. On the 7th of September the weather was very cold. The voyagers, thisevening, encamped at the foot of a round mountain, about three hundredfeet in height, which, at a distance, had the appearance of a dome. Inthis part of the country the hunters chiefly killed elks, deer, andsquirrels: and they occasionally brought in beavers, porcupines, andfoxes. On the 12th they passed an island covered with timber; and theyhad great difficulty in struggling through the sand-bars, the waterbeing both rapid and shallow. The weather was now becoming so cold, thatit was requisite to give out flannel-shirts to the men; and severalanimals were killed, for the sake of their skins to cover the boats. Inmany places the strong current of the river had worn away the banks, toconsiderable extent. An interview took place, on the 25th, with some chiefs of the _Tetons_, a tribe of the Sioux Indians: nearly the same ceremonies and agreementswere used and entered into, as with the preceding tribes; and similarpresents were made. They promised obedience to the "great father, " butthey soon showed how little dependance could be placed on the promisesof uncivilized nations. As they were going away, a party of themendeavoured to seize one of the boats, declaring that they had notreceived presents enough. On being told they should receive no more, they drew their arrows from their quivers, and were bending their bows, when the swivel-gun in one of the boats was levelled at them. Perceivingfrom this that the most determined resistance would be made, they atlength ceased from their claims. On the ensuing day these Indians approached the banks of the river, accompanied by their wives and children, and by a great number of theirfriends. Their disposition now seemed friendly, and the voyagersaccepted an invitation to remain, during the night, on shore, to witnessa dance which was preparing for their entertainment. When Captains Lewis and Clarke landed, they were met by ten young men, who took each of them up in a robe highly decorated, and carried him toa large council-house, where he was placed on a dressed buffalo-skin, by the side of the grand chief. The hall or council-room was in theshape of three quarters of a circle, and covered, at the top and sides, with skins sewed together. Under this sate about seventy men, forming acircle round the chief. In the vacant part of the circle, between thesemen and the chief, the pipe of peace was raised, on two forked sticks, six or eight inches from the ground, and having the down of the swanscattered beneath it. At a little distance was a fire, at which some ofthe attendants were employed in cooking provisions. As soon as CaptainsLewis and Clarke were seated, an old man rose up, and stating that heapproved of what they had done, begged of their visitors to take pity onthem. Satisfactory assurances of amity were made by both parties; andthe chief, after some previous ceremony, held up the pipe of peace, first pointed it toward the heavens, then to the four quarters of theglobe, and then to the earth, made a short speech, lighted it, andpresented it to the strangers. They smoked it, and he harangued hispeople, after which the repast was served up. It consisted of the bodyof a dog, a favourite dish among the Sioux; to this was added a dishmade of buffalo-meat dried, pounded, and mixed raw with grease, and akind of potatoe. Of this the strangers ate freely, but they could notrelish the roasted dog. The party ate and smoked till it was dark, whenevery thing was cleared away for the dance. A large fire was lighted inthe centre of the room, for the purpose of giving, at the same time, light and warmth. The music was partly vocal and partly instrumental. The instruments consisted chiefly of a sort of tambourine, formed ofskin stretched across a hoop; and a small skin bag with pebbles in it. The women then came forward, highly decorated: some with poles in theirhands, on which were hung the scalps of their enemies; and others withguns, spears, or different trophies, taken in war by their husbands, brothers, or connexions. Having arranged themselves in two columns, oneon each side of the fire, they danced towards each other till they metin the centre, when the rattles were shaken, and they all shouted andreturned to their places. They had no step, but shuffled along theground. The music appeared to be nothing more than a confusion ofnoises, distinguished only by hard or gentle blows upon the skin; andthe song was extemporaneous. In the pauses of the dance, any man in thecompany, who chose it, came forward and recited, in a sort of lowguttural tone, some story or incident: this was taken up by theorchestra and the dancers, who repeated it in a higher strain, anddanced to it. These amusements continued till midnight, when thevoyagers retired on board their vessels, accompanied by four of thechiefs. In their persons these Indians were rather ugly and ill made, their legsand arms being peculiarly slender, their cheek-bones high, and theireyes projecting. The females, with the same character of form, weresomewhat more handsome. Both sexes appeared cheerful and sprightly, butafforded many indications of being both cunning and vicious. The menshave the hair off their heads, except a small tuft on the top, whichthey suffer to grow, so as to wear it in plats over the shoulders. Infull dress, the principal chiefs wear a hawk's feather, worked withporcupine-quills, and fastened to the top of the head. Their face andbody are generally painted with a mixture of grease and coal. The hairof the women is suffered to grow long, and is parted from the forehead, across the head; at the back of which it is either collected into a kindof bag, or hangs down over the shoulders. This people seem fond offinery. Their lodges are very neatly constructed: they consist of aboutone hundred cabins, made of white buffalo hides, supported on polesfifteen or twenty feet high; and, having a larger cabin in the centre, for councils and for dances. These lodges may be taken to pieces, packedup, and carried from place to place. The beasts of burden are dogs. Someof these Indians had their heads shaved, and others had arrows stuckthrough their flesh above and below the elbow: these were indications ofmourning. On Friday the 28th of September, Captains Lewis and Clarke pursued theirvoyage up the river; and on the ensuing day, they passed a spot where aband of _Ricara Indians_ had had a village, about five years before: butthere were now no remains of it, except a mound which encircled thetown. Beyond this, the country, on the north side of the river, presented anextensive range of low prairie, covered with timber: on the south werehigh and barren hills; but, afterwards, the land assumed the samecharacter as that on the opposite side. A great number of Indians werediscovered on the hills at a distance: they approached the river, andproved to be _Tetons_, belonging to the band which the voyagers had justleft. In the course of this day the navigation was much impeded by logsand sand-bars. The weather was now very cold. The voyagers next passedthe _Chayenne river_, which flowed from the south-west, and the mouth ofwhich was four hundred yards wide. On both sides of the Missouri, nearthis river, are richly timbered lowlands, with naked hills behind them. In this part of the country the hunters observed a great numbers ofgoats, white bears, prairie-cocks or grouse; and a species of quadrupedsdescribed to resemble a small elk, but to have large, circular horns. For many successive days Indians were observed on the shores; and, ifthey had been more numerous, some of them seemed inclined to molest thevoyagers. On the sand-bars, which here very much obstructed the courseof the river, great number of geese, swans, brants, and ducks ofdifferent kinds were seen. On the 9th of October, the voyagers received visits from three chiefs ofthe _Ricara Indians_; and, though the wind was violent, and the wavesran very high, two or three squaws or females rowed off to them, inlittle canoes, each made of a single buffalo-skin, stretched over aframe of boughs, interwoven like a basket. These Indians did not usespirituous liquors; and had even rejected, with disgust, all attemptswhich the traders had hitherto made to introduce them: they said theywere surprised that their "father, " meaning the president of the UnitedStates, should present to them a liquor which would make them fools. Captains Lewis and Clarke visited two of the villages, where they werepresented with corn and beans boiled; and also with bread made of cornand beans. The Ricara Indians are tall and well proportioned. The menwear skins round their legs, a cloth round their middle, and theyoccasionally have a buffalo robe thrown over their shoulders: theirhair, arms, and ears, are decorated with ornaments of different kinds. The women, who are handsome and lively, wear long shirts made of goats'skin, generally white and fringed, and tied round the waist; and, inaddition to these, they have a buffalo robe dressed without the hair. The lodges of the Ricara Indians are of a circular or octagonal form, and generally thirty or forty feet in diameter. They are made by placingforked posts, each about six feet high, round the circumference of acircle; joining these, by poles lying upon the forks; forming a slopingroof; interweaving the whole with branches and grass, and covering itwith mud or clay. Before the door there is a sort of entrance about tenfeet from the lodge. This people cultivate maize or Indian corn, beans, pumpkins, water-melons, and a species of tobacco which is peculiar tothemselves. They are well armed with guns, and carry on a considerabletraffic in furs. For many successive days the voyagers continued to see Indians everyday. They had occasionally wet and unpleasant weather. In one place theysaw, on the bank of the river, a great number of goats; and, soonafterwards, large flocks of these animals were driven into the river bya party of Indians, who gradually lined the shore, so as to preventtheir escape, and fired on them, and beat them down with clubs, with somuch success, that, in a short time, they killed more than fifty. Manybuffaloes, elks, and deer were seen; and a great number of snakes. On Thursday the 18th, they passed the mouth of _Le Boulet_, or_Cannon-ball river_, the channel of which is about one hundred and fortyyards wide. This stream, (which is indebted for its name to a greatnumber of large stones, that are perfectly round and lie scattered aboutthe shore and on the eminences above, ) rises in the Black Mountains, andfalls into the Missouri on the south. Great numbers of goats wereobserved to cross the river, and direct their course towards the west. The country, in general, was level and fine, with broken, short, highgrounds, low timbered mounds near the river, and a range of rugged hillsat a distance. The low grounds had here much more timber than had beenobserved lower down the river. So numerous are wild animals in this partof the country, that the voyagers counted, at a single view, fifty-twoherds of buffaloes, and three of elks. On the 20th the weather was so cold, that the rain which fell froze onthe ground; and, in the course of the night, the ground was covered withsnow. A Ricara chief told Captain Lewis that, at some distance up one ofthe rivers, there was a large rock which was held in great veneration bythe Indians, and was often consulted by them, as to their own, or theirnations' destinies; all of which they imagine they are able to discern, in some rude figures or paintings, with which it is covered. The voyagers passed, on each side of the river, the ruins of severalvillages of _Mandan Indians_; and, on an island of the river, they founda Mandan chief, who, with some of his men, was on a hunting excursion. As they proceeded, several parties of Mandans, both on foot and onhorseback, approached the shore to view them. The vessels here gotaground several times, among the sand-bars and rocks. In this part oftheir voyage they saw two Europeans, belonging to the Hudson's Baycompany. These men had arrived about nine days before, to trade forhorses and buffalo robes. From one of the villages of the Mandans, a crowd of men, women, andchildren, came to see the strangers. Some of the chiefs had lost the twojoints of their little fingers; for, with this people, it is customaryto express grief for the death of relations, by some corporealsuffering, and the usual mode is to cut off the joints of the littlefingers. There were, in this part of the country, many Indian villages, andCaptains Lewis and Clarke held, with the chiefs, a council, similar inits nature to those already mentioned; and afterwards presented themwith flags, medals, uniform-coats, and other articles. Sixteenth Day's Instruction WESTERN TERRITORY CONTINUED. _Conclusion of_ LEWIS _and_ CLARKE'S _Voyage from St. Louis to the Source of the Missouri. _ As the winter was now fast approaching, the commanders of the expeditionconsidered it requisite to look out for some convenient place, wherethey might pass those months, during which the river would be frozen andunnavigable. Accordingly, on the 2d of November, they fixed upon aplace, not far distant from the Indian villages. They cut down aconsiderable quantity of timber for the formation of huts; andconstructed tolerably comfortable habitations. Food could here beprocured in such abundance, that, in the course of two days, a MandanIndian killed as many as two hundred goats. In the night of the 5th they were awaked by the man on guard, who calledthem to witness a peculiarly beautiful appearance of the auroraborealis, or northern lights. Along the sky, towards the north, a largespace was occupied by a light of brilliant white colour, which rose fromthe horizon, and extended itself to nearly twenty degrees above it. After glittering for some time, its colours were occasionally overcastand obscured; but again it would burst out with renewed beauty. Theuniform colour was pale; but its shapes were various and fantastic. Attimes the sky was lined with light-coloured streaks, risingperpendicularly from the horizon, and gradually expanding into a body oflight, in which could be seen the trace of floating columns, sometimesadvancing, sometimes retreating, and shaping into an infinite variety offorms. Before the middle of November a store-house was completed, in which thecontents of the boats were laid up for the winter. On the 13th, icebegan to float down the river for the first time; and, on the ensuingday, the ground was covered with snow. In some traps which had been set, twenty beavers were caught. On the 16th the men moved into the huts, although they were not finished. Three days after this the huntersbrought in a supply of thirty-two deer, eleven elks, and five buffaloes, all of which were hung up to be smoked, for future subsistence. The huts were ranged in two rows, each row containing four rooms, fourteen feet square, and seven feet high. The place in which they wereerected was called _Fort Mandan_, and was a point of low ground, on thenorth side of the Missouri, covered with tall and heavy cotton-wood. Thecomputed distance from the mouth of the Missouri was sixteen hundredmiles. In the vicinity of this place were five villages of three distinctnations: _Mandans_, _Ahanaways_, and _Minnetarees_. Not many years agothe Mandans were a very numerous race, occupying, in the whole, eighteen villages; but their numbers had been so much reduced, by thesmall-pox and by their wars with the Sioux, that they were compelled toemigrate in a body, and unite themselves with the Ricara nation; andthey now occupy only two villages, on opposite sides of the Missouri, and about three miles asunder. Each of these contains forty or fiftylodges, built in the same manner as those of the Ricaras. The wholeforce of the Ahanaways is not, at present, more than fifty men. Theirresidence is on an elevated plain, near the mouth of the _Knife river_. On the south side of the same river, and about half a mile distant fromthis people, is a village of the _Minnetarees_; and there are four othervillages of these Indians at a little distance. The religion of the Mandans consists in the belief that one great Spiritpresides over their destinies; but they also believe that variousbeings, some imaginary and some existing in the form of animals, havethe power of interceding for them with the great spirit. To these theypay their devotion. They believe in a future state; and that, afterdeath, they shall go to the original seats of their forefathers, whichthey suppose to be underground, immediately beneath a spot on the banksof the Missouri, where they formerly had nine villages. On the 7th of December, the Missouri was frozen over, and the ice was aninch and half in thickness. The cold was so intense, that the air wasfilled with icy particles resembling a fog; and the snow was severalinches deep. Notwithstanding this, one of the commanders, accompanied bysome of the men, went out almost every day to hunt. On the tenth, Captain Clarke and his hunters, after having killed nine buffaloes, wereobliged to spend a wretched night on the snow: having no other coveringthan a small blanket and the hides of the buffaloes they had killed. Thenext day the wind blew from the north; and the ice in the atmosphere wasso thick, as to render the weather hazy, and to give the appearance oftwo suns reflecting each other. On the seventeenth, the mercury in thethermometer fell to seventy-four degrees below the freezing point. Thefort was completed on the day before Christmas. The Indians, inured to the severity of the climate, are able to supportthe rigours of the season, in a way which Captains Lewis and Clarke hadhitherto considered impossible. Many parts of their bodies were exposed;and one of the Indians, in particular, although his dress was very thin, was known to have passed the night on the snow, without a fire; and yethe did not suffer the slightest inconvenience. After having spent nearly five months in this dreary abode, the icebroke up, the boats were repaired and once more got into the river; andother preparations were made for the voyagers to pursue their coursetowards the sources of the Missouri. In the afternoon of Sunday, the 7th of April, the arrangements being allcompleted, the party, consisting of thirty-two persons, once moreembarked. They now occupied six small canoes and two large pirogues. Thebarge was sent down the river, to the United States, with presents ofnatural curiosities, which had been collected, and with dispatches tothe president. At some distance from Fort Mandan, the land, on each side of theMissouri, after ascending the hills near the water, exhibits theappearance of one fertile and unbroken plain, which extends as far asthe eye can reach, without a solitary tree or shrub, except in moistsituations, or in the steep declivities of hills. In some parts theplains were on fire; for, every spring, as soon as the ice breaks up inthe river, these plains are set on fire by the Indians, for the purposeof driving out and attacking the buffaloes, and other wild animals whichinhabit them. Beavers were here very abundant. A herd of antelopes, andthe track of a large white bear, were seen in the plain: geese andswans were observed, in great numbers. The musquitoes now began to bevery troublesome. Before the middle of April, the weather became so warm, that, in theday-time, the men worked with no clothes on, except round their waist. On the twelfth, the voyagers reached the mouth of the _Little Missouri_, where they remained during the day, for the purpose of making celestialobservations. This river falls into the Missouri, on its south side, andat the distance of sixteen hundred and ninety-three miles above itsconfluence with the Mississippi. Its current is strong, and its width ahundred and thirty-four yards; but its greatest depth is only two feetand half. The adjacent country is hilly and irregular; and the soil is, for the most part, a rich dark-coloured loam, intermixed with a smallproportion of sand. On the thirteenth, the voyagers passed the remains of forty-threetemporary lodges, which were supposed to have belonged to the AssiniboinIndians. The waters of many of the creeks were found to be so stronglyimpregnated with mineral salts, that they were not fit to be drunk. Oneach bank of the Missouri the country presented the appearance of lowplains and meadows; bounded, at the distance of a few miles, by brokenhills, which end in high, level, and fertile lands: the quantity oftimber was increasing. In the timbered-grounds, higher up the river, thevoyagers observed a great quantity of old hornets' nests. Many of thehills exhibited a volcanic appearance, furnishing great quantities oflava and pumice stone: of the latter, several pieces were observedfloating down the river. In all the copses there were remains ofAssiniboin encampments. On the twentieth, near an Indian camp, the voyagers observed a scaffold, about seven feet high, on which were two sleds, with their harness; andunder the scaffold was the body of a female, carefully wrapped inseveral dressed buffalo-skins. Near it lay a bag, made of buffalo-skin, and containing some articles of apparel, scrapers for dressing hides, some dried roots, plats of sweet grass, and a small quantity of tobacco. These, as well as the body, had probably fallen down by accident, as itis customary to place the dead bodies on scaffolds. At a little distancewas the body of a dog, not yet decayed: he had, no doubt, been employedin dragging, in the sled, the body of his mistress, and, according tothe Indian usage, had been sacrificed to her. From the sand-bars in the river, the wind sometimes blew such vastquantities of sand into the air, as to appear like clouds, and even toconceal the opposite bank from view. These clouds of sand floated, likecolumns of thick smoke, to the distance of many miles; and the particleswere so penetrating, that nothing could be kept free from them. Near the junction of _Yellow-stone river_ with the Missouri, the countrywas much more woody than it had been in any other part, since thevoyagers had passed the Chayenne; and the trees were chiefly ofcotton-wood, elm, ash, box, and alder. In the low grounds wererose-bushes, the red-berry, service-berry, red-wood, and other shrubs;and among the bushes on the higher plains, were observed willows, gooseberry-trees, purple currant-trees, and honeysuckles. The sources ofYellow-stone river are said to be in the Rocky Mountains, near those ofthe Missouri and the Platte; and this river is navigable, in canoes, almost to its head. Near the junction of the Yellow-stone and Missouri rivers, there is ahigh plain, which extends three miles in width, and seven or eight milesin length; and which Captain Lewis says might be rendered a veryadvantageous station for a trading establishment. Beyond this place, the hills were rough and high, and almost overhungthe river. As the voyagers advanced, the low grounds were fertile andextensive, with but little timber, and that cotton-wood. On the 3d ofMay, they reached the mouth of a river, which; from the unusual numberof porcupines that were seen near it, they called _Porcupine river_. Forseveral days after this, they continued their progress without muchinterruption. In many places the river was, at least, half a mile wide. During their excursions on the shore, in pursuit of food, theyencountered many perils in shooting at bears. Some of these were of vastsize and strength: one of them weighed nearly six hundred pounds, andmeasured eight feet seven inches and a half, from the nose to theextremity of the hind feet. Beyond the _Muscle-shell river_, which the voyagers reached on the 21st, the shores of the Missouri were abrupt and bold, and composed of a blackand yellow clay. After a navigation of two months, and a progress of more than a thousandmiles from their winter camp, the party became considerably embarrassed, at the conflux of two rivers, which were, apparently, of equalmagnitude. It was important for them to decide which of the streams inquestion was the true Missouri; because the river, which it was theirobject to ascend, was described to be at no great distance from the headwaters, running, from the opposite side of the Rocky Mountains, towardsthe Pacific ocean. Two canoes, with three men, were consequentlydispatched, to survey each of these doubtful streams; and parties weresent out by land, to discover, if possible, from the rising grounds, thedistant bearings of the lofty ranges of mountains, which wereconspicuous in the west; and some of which, though it was now the monthof June, were covered with snow. Hence, there was no doubt of theirvicinity to the great central ridge of American mountains; but thedirection of the rivers just mentioned, could not be distinguished toany considerable distance. Of the two, the one coming from the north, had the brown colour and thick appearance of the Missouri; while thesouthern river had a rapid current, a pebbly bed, and transparentwater, as if it issued from a mountainous country. The resemblance ofthe former to the river already navigated, led nearly all the privatesof the party to consider it as the Missouri; but the clearness of theother stream induced the two captains to the conclusion that itproceeded from those central mountains, which were the grand objects oftheir search. After a further investigation, they resolved to pursue thecourse of the latter. It was, however, requisite to make a deposit of all the heavy baggage, that could possibly be spared, as the increasing shallowness of thewater would soon render the navigation much more laborious than it hadhitherto been. They accordingly adopted a plan, common among traders whobring merchandise into the country of Indians of doubtful integrity, that of digging a hole in the ground, small at the top, but widened inthe descent, somewhat like the shape of a kettle. Choice was made of adry situation; and the sod, being carefully removed, the excavation wascompleted, a flooring of wood and hides was laid at the bottom, and thegoods were covered with skins: the earth was then thrown into the river, and the sod laid on again with so much care, that not the slightestappearance remained of the surface having been disturbed. These arrangements being completed, Captain Clarke took charge of thecanoes; while Captain Lewis, with four men, proceeded by land, in hopesof soon putting it beyond a doubt that the river which they were nowascending was the Missouri. The decisive proof was to be sought in itsfalls, which the Indians had described as not remote from the RockyMountains, and as of remarkable grandeur. Captain Lewis passed along thedirection of the river, during two days, and, on the next day, foundhimself in a position which overlooked a most beautiful plain. Finding that the river here bore considerably to the south; and fearfulof passing the falls before he reached the Rocky Mountains, he nowchanged, his course towards the south, and, leaving these hills to theright, proceeded across the plain. In this direction he had gone abouttwo miles, when his ears were saluted with the agreeable sound of a fallof water; and, as he advanced, a spray, which seemed to be driven by thehigh south-west wind, arose above the plain, like a column of smoke, andvanished in an instant. Towards this point he directed his steps; andthe noise, increasing as he approached, soon became too tremendous to bemistaken for any thing but the _Great Falls of the Missouri_. Havingtravelled seven miles after he first heard the sound, he at lengthreached the falls. The hills became difficult of access, and were two hundred feet high. Down these he hurried with impatience; and, seating himself on somerocks under the centre of the falls, he enjoyed the sublime spectacle ofthis stupendous object; which, since the creation of the world, had beenlavishing its magnificence on the desert, unknown to civilization. Forninety or a hundred yards from the left cliff, the water falls in onesmooth, even sheet, over a precipice of at least eighty feet. Theremaining part of the river precipitates itself with a more rapidcurrent; but, being received, as it falls, by the irregular and somewhatprojecting rocks below, it forms a splendid prospect of perfectly whitefoam, two hundred yards in length, and eighty yards in perpendicularelevation. This spray is dissipated into a thousand shapes, sometimesflying up in columns fifteen or twenty feet high; and then beingoppressed by larger masses of white foam, which exhibit all thebrilliant colours of the rainbow. On the 14th of June, one of the men was sent to Captain Clarke, with anaccount of the discovery of the falls; and Captain Lewis proceeded toexamine the rapids above. From the falls, he directed his course, south-west, up the river. After passing one continued rapid, and threesmall cascades, each three or four feet high, he reached, at thedistance of five miles, a second fall. Above this, the river bendssuddenly towards the north. Here captain Lewis heard a loud roar abovehim; and, crossing the point of a hill, for a few hundred yards, he sawone of the most beautiful objects in nature: the whole Missouri issuddenly stopped by one shelving rock, which, without a single niche, and with an edge as straight and regular as if formed by art, stretchesfrom one side of the river to the other, for at least a quarter of amile. Over this, the water precipitates itself, in an even, uninterrupted sheet, to the perpendicular depth of fifty feet; whence, dashing against the rocky bottom, it rushes rapidly down, leaving behindit a spray of the purest foam. The scene here presented was indeed singularly beautiful; since, withoutany of the wild, irregular, sublimity of the lower falls, it combinedall the regular elegancies which the fancy of a painter would select toform a beautiful cataract. Captain Lewis now ascended the hill which wasbehind him, and saw, from its top, a delightful plain, extending fromthe river to the base of the Snowy Mountains. Along this wide, levelcountry, the Missouri pursued its winding course, filled with water, toits even and grassy banks; while, about four miles above, it was joinedby a large river, flowing from the north-west, through a valley threemiles in width, and distinguished by the timber which adorned itsshores: the Missouri itself stretched to the south, in one unruffledstream of water; and bearing on its bosom, vast flocks of geese, whilenumerous herds of buffaloes were feeding on the plains which surroundit. Captain Lewis then descended the hills, and directed his course towardsthe river. Here he met a herd of at least a thousand buffaloes; and, being desirous of providing for his supper, he shot one of them. Theanimal immediately began to bleed; and the captain, having forgot toreload his rifle, was intently watching to see him fall, when he behelda large brown bear, cautiously approaching him, and already withintwenty yards. In the first moment of surprise, he lifted his rifle;but, recollecting that it was not charged, and that he had no time toreload, he felt that there was no safety but in flight. He was in anopen, level plain; not a bush nor a tree was within three hundred yardsof him; and the bank of the river was sloping, and not more than threefeet high, so that there was no possible mode of concealment. CaptainLewis therefore thought of retreating, in a quick walk. He did so, butthe bear approached, open mouth and at full speed, upon him. He ranabout eighty yards; but finding that the animal gained on him fast, heplunged into the river, about waist deep, and, then facing about, presented the point of an espontoon or kind of spear, which he hadcarried in his hand. The bear arrived at the water's edge, within twentyfeet of him; but, as soon as the captain put himself in this posture ofdefence, the animal seemed frightened, and, wheeling about, retreatedwith as much precipitation as he had pursued. With respect to Captain Clarke, he and his canoes advanced up the river, but they proceeded very slowly; for the rapidity of the current, thenumber of large stones, and the numerous shoals and islands, greatlyimpeded their progress. After they had passed a stream, to which he gavethe name of _Maria's river_, they redoubled their exertions. It, however, soon became necessary for them once more to lighten the canoes. They did so, and filled another hole, with a portion of their provisionsand ammunition. On the 29th of June, Captain Clarke left the canoes, and went on to thefalls, accompanied by a black servant, named York, an Indian and hiswife, with her young child. On arriving there, they observed a very darkcloud rising in the west, which threatened rain. They therefore lookedaround for shelter, but could find no place where they would be securefrom being blown into the river, if the wind should prove as violent asit sometimes does in the plains. At length, about a quarter of a mileabove the falls, they found a deep ravine, where there were someshelving rocks; and under these they took refuge. Being now perfectlysafe from the rain, they laid down their guns and compass, and the otherarticles which they had brought with them. The shower was, at first, moderate; but it increased to a heavy rain, the effects of which theydid not feel: soon afterwards, a torrent of intermingled hail and rainwas poured from the clouds: the rain seemed to fall in a solid mass;and, collecting in the ravine, it came rolling down, like a cataract, carrying along with it mud and rocks, and every thing that opposed it. Captain Clarke saw the torrent a moment before it reached them; and, springing up, with his gun and shot-pouch in his left hand, he, with hisright, clambered up the steep cliff, pushing on before him the Indianwoman, with her child in her arms. Her husband, too, had seized herhand, and was dragging her up the hill; but he was so terrified at thedanger, that, but for Captain Clarke, himself and his wife and childwould have been lost. So instantaneous was the rise of the water, thatbefore Captain Clarke had reached his gun, and had begun to ascend thebank, the water was up to his waist; and he could scarcely get up fasterthan it rose, till it reached the height of fifteen feet. Had theywaited a moment longer, it would have swept them all into the river, just above the great cataract, down which they must inevitably have beenprecipitated. They had been obliged to escape so rapidly, that CaptainClarke lost his compass and umbrella: the Indian left his gun, shot-pouch, and tomahawk; and the Indian woman had just time to graspher child, before the net, in which it had lain at her feet, was carrieddown the current. After the storm was over, they proceeded to a fountain, perhaps thelargest in America. It is situated in a pleasant, level plain, and abouttwenty-five yards from the river, into which it falls over some steep, irregular rocks. In this part of the country a remarkable phenomenon was noticed. A loudreport, precisely resembling the sound of a cannon, was repeatedly heardfrom the mountains, at different times, both of the day and night;sometimes in one stroke; at others, in five or six successivedischarges. This report was occasionally heard when the air wasperfectly still and without a cloud; and it was supposed to beoccasioned by the bursting of rocks. The party, continuing indefatigable in their exertions, dragged thecanoes, or pushed them along with poles, up the current of the Missouri. This they did, day after day, until the 27th of June, when they arrivedat the _Three forks of the river_; that is, at the point at which threerivers, each of considerable size, flow together, and form the greatstream. As it was difficult to determine the largest of the three, Captains Lewis and Clarke decided on discontinuing here the appellationof Missouri; and named the streams, respectively, Jefferson's, Madison's, and Gallatin's river. As the first of these flowed from thewest, they ascended it in preference to the others; but they continuedto experience great difficulty with the canoes, in consequence of therapidity of the current. They were now approaching the termination of the first great division oftheir journey. The river continued to lessen as they proceeded: itswidth, in the part at which they arrived on the 8th of July, was notmore than forty yards; and, on the 11th, it was diminished to twelve, soas to admit of being waded over without hazard. They had now proceeded, by computation, three thousand miles from the mouth of the Missouri; andthey, not long afterwards, reached its extreme navigable point, inlatitude 43 degrees 30 minutes, and nearly in longitude 112 degrees westfrom Greenwich. Here they laid up their canoes, until they should return from thePacific ocean; and, proceeding by land, had the gratification of tracingthe current to its _fountain head_, in the midst of the Rocky Mountains. Seventeenth Day's Instruction. WESTERN TERRITORY CONTINUED. _Narrative of_ LEWIS _and_ CLARKE'S _Travels from theSource of the Missouri to the Pacific Ocean. _ From the source of the Missouri, we will now accompany these gentlemenin their journey across the Rocky Mountains, and in their subsequentnavigation of the Oregan or Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. They had reached the highest ground in the _Rocky Mountains_, or thatelevated part of the continent which constitutes the boundary betweenthe streams flowing to the Atlantic on the one side, and the Pacific onthe other. Their next object was to prosecute their journey westward, through this cold and barren track, until they should come to anavigable stream flowing into the Columbia, the great channel of accessto the western ocean. They had been told, by Indians in the Mandan country, that, immediatelyon crossing the central ridge, they would discover copious riversrunning in a direction towards the Columbia. Captain Lewis accordinglyfound a clear stream forty yards wide, and three feet deep, which rantowards the west. It was bounded on each side by a range of highmountains, and was so closely confined between them, as not only to beunnavigable, but to be impassable along its banks. A still morediscouraging circumstance was the total want, in this wintry region, oftimber fit for building canoes. An old Indian, being consulted respecting these mountains, stated themto be so inaccessible, that neither he nor any of his nation had everattempted to cross them; and another Indian, a native of the south-westmountains, described them in terms scarcely less terrific. The course tothe Pacific lay, he said, along rocky steeps, inhabited by savages, wholived in holes, like bears, and fed on roots and on horse-flesh. Ondescending from the mountainous ridge, he stated that the travellerwould find himself in a parched desert of sand, where no animals, of anature to afford subsistence, could be discovered; and, although thisplain was crossed by a large river running towards the Columbia, itsbanks had no timber for the construction of canoes. After all these mortifying communications, there appeared to be left, tothe present travellers, only one route, that by which some individualsof the Chopunnish Indians, living to the west of the mountains, findmeans to make their way to this elevated region; and the accounts thathad been given of this road, were very discouraging; the Indians beingobliged to subsist for many days on berries, and suffering greatly fromhunger. The commanders of the expedition were not, however, disheartened; for they were convinced that their men could accomplish apassage without enduring so much hardship as Indians, who are generallyaccompanied by women and children. Having ascertained that the accounts of the impractibility of navigatingthe river were well founded, it became indispensable to take measuresfor proceeding on horseback. The men had already begun to suffer fromwant of food, for the country afforded very little except berries, and afew river-fish. Captain Lewis describes the ravenous propensities of the Indians whoreside in this part of America, to be very extraordinary. While some ofthem were with the travellers, a deer was killed. They all hastened tothe spot, like so many beasts of prey, and actually tumbled over eachother, to reach the intestines which had been thrown aside. Each toreaway whatever part he could seize, and instantly began to devour it. Some had the liver, some the kidneys; in short, no part was left, onwhich we are accustomed to look with disgust. One of them, who hadseized about nine feet of the entrails, was chewing, at one end, while, with his hand, he was diligently clearing his way by discharging thecontents at the other. Yet, though suffering from excessive hunger, theydid not attempt, as they might have done, to take by force the wholedeer, but contented themselves with what had been thrown away by thehunters. After this, Captain Lewis gave one quarter of the body of thedeer to the Indians; and they immediately devoured it raw. A second deerwas killed, and nearly the whole of it was given to the Indians. Thisthey also devoured, even to the soft parts of the hoofs; and theyshortly afterwards ate nearly three quarters of a third. It happened fortunately for the travellers, in the prosecution of theirjourney by land, that the horses of the country were good, and thatthere was no difficulty in purchasing as many as were necessary, for theconveyance of themselves and their baggage. They were thus enabled toset out about the end of August, under the guidance of an old man, who, notwithstanding the dissuasion of his countrymen, undertook to conductthem to the Indians who live westward of the mountains. Arriving, soon afterwards, in a district where no tract could bediscovered, they were obliged to cut their way through thickets of treesand brushwood, along the sides of hills. Here their horses sufferedgreat fatigue; and the season was still so little advanced, that theground was covered with snow. On the 9th of September they reached theroad or path commonly taken by the Indians in crossing from the Columbiato the Missouri; and here they learned that they might have lessened thehardships of the mountain journey, had they laid up their canoes andstruck off to the west, before they navigated the latter river to itsfurthest-point. A small creek at this station received the name of_Traveller's Rest-creek_. From this spot the party proceeded nearly due west, along the Indianpath; but they still experienced considerable inconvenience, from adeficiency of provisions. On some days they killed only a few birds;and, being obliged to turn their horses loose at night to feed, themorning hours were frequently passed in finding and catching them. Onthe 15th of August, they reached the upper parts of the river_Koos-koos-kee_, which affords one of the most direct channels ofcommunication with the Columbia; but there is no timber, in itsneighbourhood, of size large enough for canoes; nor did its channelpromise an easy navigation. The travellers were consequently obliged tocontinue their journey by land; and on the 19th they were cheered withthe prospect, towards the south-west, of an extensive plain, which, though still distant, assured them of an outlet from the barren regionwhich they were traversing. By this time they had suffered so much fromhunger, that horse-flesh was deemed a luxury. At last, on the 22d, having reached the plain, they found themselvesonce more in an inhabited country. They explained their pacificintentions to the people, who were Indians of a tribe called_Chopunnish_. The removal, however, from a cold to a warm district, and, still more, the sudden change from scarcity to an abundance of food, proved very detrimental to the health of the men; and it was fortunatethat the most laborious part of their task was now, for a time at least, at an end. The river Koos-koos-kee being navigable in the place which the party hadnow reached, it remained only to build the requisite canoes. The woodwas soon obtained; and such of the men as had sufficient strength forthe undertaking, worked at the canoes, during the intervals of coolweather, and were not very long in completing them. In this part of thecountry the weather was cool during an easterly wind; exactly as, onthe opposite side of the mountains, it had been in a westerly one. Theirhorses, to the number of thirty-eight, they consigned to the care ofthree Indian chiefs, to be kept till their return; and the saddles, witha small supply of ammunition, they buried in a hole, dug for thepurpose, near the river. On the 8th of October, the travellers once more proceeded by water; andthey now occupied five canoes. Exertion was still requisite, in theshoals and other difficult places; but the change was, on the whole, extremely favourable to them, and their progress down the current wasproportionally rapid. This part of the country is inhabited by the _Shoshonees_, a tribe of_Snake Indians_, which, at present, consists of about a hundredwarriors, and thrice as many women and children. Within their ownrecollection these Indians had lived in the plains; but they had beendriven thence by the Pawkees and other powerful tribes, and they nowlive a wandering and precarious life. From the middle of May till thebeginning of September they reside on the western waters; but, when thesalmon, on which they chiefly subsist there, disappear, they cross theridge and descend, slowly and cautiously, till they are joined, near theThree Forks, by other bands, either of their own nation, or of theFlat-heads, who make common cause with them. They then venture to huntbuffaloes in the plains eastward; but such is their dread of thePawkees, that, so long as they can obtain the scantiest subsistence, they do not leave the interior of the mountains; and, as soon as theycollect a large stock of dried meat, they again retreat: thus theyalternately obtain food at the hazard of their lives, and hidethemselves to consume it. Two-thirds of the year they are forced to livein the mountains, passing whole weeks with no other subsistence than afew fish and roots. The salmon were, at this time, fast retiring; rootswere becoming scarce, they had not yet attained strength to hazard ameeting with their enemies, and nothing could be imagined more wretchedthan their condition. Notwithstanding their miseries they were cheerful, and, in manyimportant points of character, were superior to any other tribes whomthe travellers had seen. They never begged: they were not tempted to asingle act of dishonesty by the sight of the treasures which theirvisitors displayed; and they were ready to share with their guests, thelittle which they themselves possessed. They were also a high-spiritedpeople. The Spaniards, the only white men with whom they had hithertohad any intercourse, would not supply them with fire-arms, allegingthat, if they were possessed of such weapons, they would only be themore induced to kill one another. The Shoshonees, perhaps, do notperceive that policy is the real motive of the Spaniards; but theyclearly see that the plea of humanity is fallacious, and they complainthat they are thus left to the mercy of their enemies the Minnetarees, who, having fire-arms, plunder them of their horses, and slay them atpleasure. Though many of their stock had lately been stolen, the Shoshoneespossessed, at this time, not fewer than seven hundred horses, of goodsize, vigorous, and patient of fatigue, as well as of hunger. They hadalso a few mules, which had been purchased or stolen from the Spaniards, by the frontier Indians. These were the finest animals of the kind, thatCaptain Clarke had ever seen; even the worst of them was consideredworth the price of two horses. The horse is a favourite animal with this people. His main and tail, which are never mutilated, they decorate with feathers, and his earsthey cut into various patterns. A favourite horse, also, is sometimespainted; and a warrior will suspend, at the breast of his horse, thefinest ornaments which he possesses. The Shoshonees always fight on horseback. They have a few bad guns amongthem, which are reserved, exclusively, for war; but their common weaponsare bows and arrows. The bows that are chiefly prized, are made of theargali's horn, flat pieces of which are cemented together with glue. They have also lances, and a formidable sort of club, consisting of around stone, about two pounds in weight, fastened, by a short thong, toa wooden handle. Their defensive armour is a shield of buffalo's hide, manufactured with equal ingenuity and superstition. The skin must be thewhole hide of a male buffalo, two years old, and never suffered to dry, since it was flayed off. A feast is held, to which all the warriors, oldmen, and jugglers, are invited. After the repast, a hole is dug in theground, about eighteen inches deep, and of the same diameter as theintended shield. Red hot stones are thrown into this hole; and water ispoured upon them, to produce a strong steam. Over this, the skin islaid, with the fleshy side to the ground; and stretched, in everydirection, by as many persons as can take hold of it. As it becomesheated, the hair separates, and is taken off; and the skin is, at last, contracted into the compass designed for the shield. It is then removed, placed on a dry hide; and, during the remainder of the festival, ispounded by the bare heels of the guests. This operation sometimescontinues for several days. The shield is then actually proof againstany arrow; and, if the old men and the jugglers have been satisfied withthe feast, they pronounce it impenetrable by bullets also, which many ofthe warriors believe. It is ornamented with feathers, with a fringe ofdressed leather, and with paintings of strange figures. This people havealso a sort of arrow-proof mail, with which they cover themselves andtheir horses. It is made of dressed antelope-skins, in many folds, united by a mixture of glue and sand. The Shoshonees are a diminutive and ill-formed race; with flat feet, thick ancles, and crooked legs. The hair of both sexes is usually wornloose over the face and shoulders; some of the men, however, divide it, by leather thongs, into two equal queues, which they allow to hang overthe ears. Their tippet, or rheno, as it is called, is described to havebeen the most elegant article of Indian dress, that the travellers hadever seen. It is of otter-skin, tasselled with ermine; and not fewerthan an hundred ermine-skins are required for each. The inhabitants of the plains, to the west of the Rocky Mountains, appear to differ considerably from their neighbours on the highergrounds. The _Chopunnish_ or _Pierced Nose nation_, who reside on theKooskooskee, and the river now called Lewis's river, are, in person, stout, portly, and, good-looking men. The women are small, with regularfeatures; and are generally handsome, though dark. Their chief ornamentsare a buffalo or elk-skin robe, decorated with beads; and sea-shells, ormother-of-pearl, attached to an otter-skin collar, and hung in the hair, which falls in front in two queues. They likewise ornament themselveswith feathers and paints of different kinds; principally white, green, and light blue, all of which they find in their own country. In winter, they wear a shirt of dressed skins, long painted leggings and moccasins, and a plat of twisted grass round the neck. The dress of the women is more simple: it consists of a long shirt ofargali-skin, which reaches down to the ankles, and is without a girdle:to this are tied shells, little pieces of brass, and other smallarticles; but their head is not at all ornamented. The Chopunnish Indians have very few ornaments; for their life ispainful and laborious; and all their exertions are necessary to earntheir subsistence. During the summer and autumn they are busily occupiedin fishing for salmon, and collecting their winter store of roots. Inthe winter, with snow-shoes on their feet, they hunt deer over theplains; and, towards the spring, they cross the mountains to theMissouri, for the purpose of trafficking for buffalo-robes. In descending the _Kooskooskee_, the travellers had many opportunitiesof observing the arrangements of the Indians for preserving fish, particularly salmon, which are here very abundant. In some places, especially in the Columbia, the water was so clear, that these fish wereseen at the depth of fifteen or twenty feet. During the autumn, theyfloat down the stream in such numbers, that the Indians have only tocollect, split, and dry them. Scaffolds and wooden houses, piled upagainst each other, for the purpose of fishing, were frequentlyobserved. Indeed fish are here so abundant, that, in a scarcity of wood, dried salmon are often used as fuel. A considerable trade is carried on in dried fish, which is thusprepared. The salmon, having been opened, and exposed some time to thesun, is pounded between two stones; then packed in baskets, neatly madeof grass and rushes, which are lined and covered with salmon-skins, stretched and dried for that purpose. In these baskets, the poundedsalmon is pressed down as hard as possible. Each basket contains fromninety to one hundred pounds; seven baskets are placed side by side, andfive on the top. They are then covered with mats, and corded; and thenagain matted, thus forming a stack. In this manner the fish is keptsweet and sound for many years. The Koo-koos-kee is greatly augmented by the junction of Lewis's riverfrom the south; and the united streams, after flowing a considerabledistance, fall into the still larger flood of the Columbia. At theirjunction, the width of the Columbia is nine hundred and sixty yards. The Indians, in this part of America, are called _Solkuks_; and seem tobe of a mild and peaceable disposition, and to live in a state ofcomparative happiness. Each man is contented with a single wife, withwhom he shares the labours of procuring subsistence, much more than isusual among savages. What may be considered as an unequivocal proof oftheir good disposition, is the great respect which is shown to old age. Among other instances of it, the travellers observed, in one of thehouses, an old woman perfectly blind; and who, as they were informed, had lived more than a hundred winters. In this state of decrepitude sheoccupied the best position in the house, seemed to be treated with greatkindness, and whatever was said by her, was listened to with muchattention. The fisheries supply the _Solkuks_ with a competent, if not an abundantsubsistence. Fish is, indeed, their chief food; except roots, and thecasual supplies of the antelope, which, to those who have only bows andarrows, must be very scanty. Most of the Solkuks have sore eyes, andmany of them are blind of one or both eyes; and decayed teeth are verycommon among them. The party proceeded down the Columbia. Fish was here so abundant, thatin one day's voyage, they counted no fewer than twenty stacks of driedsalmon. They passed the falls of this river. These are not great; but, at alittle distance below them, a very remarkable scene is presented to theview. At a place where the river is about four hundred yards wide, andwhere the stream flows with a current more rapid than usual, it widensinto a large bend or basin, at the extremity of which a black rock, rising perpendicularly from the right shore, seems to run wholly across. So completely did it appear to block up the passage, that the travellerscould not, as they approached, see where the water escaped; except thatthe current appeared to be drawn with peculiar velocity towards the leftof the rock, where there was a great roaring. On landing, to survey it, they found that, for about half a mile, the river was confined within achannel only forty-five yards wide, whirling, swelling, and boiling, thewhole way, with the wildest agitation imaginable. Tremendous as the passwas, they attempted it; and, to the astonishment of the Indians, theyaccomplished it in safety. In the vicinity of this place, a tribe of Indians, called _Echeloots_, were settled. Here the travellers, for the first time, since they hadleft the Illinois country, observed wooden buildings. The floors weresunk about six feet in the ground, a custom implying at the same time acold and dry climate. Proceeding on their way, they saw an Indian, dressed in a round hat anda sailor's jacket, with his hair tied. Jackets, brass kettles, and otherEuropean or American articles, were observed to be common. These Indiansare fond of ornamenting their boats and houses with rude sculptures andpaintings. One of the chiefs exhibited, from what was called his greatmedicine-bag, fourteen fore-fingers, the trophies taken from as manyenemies, whom he had killed in war. This was the first time that thetravellers had known any other trophy preserved than the scalp. Thegreat medicine-bag, among these Indians, is an useful invention; for, asit is deemed sacrilegious for any person, except the owner, to touch it, this bag serves the purpose of a strong-box, in which the most valuablearticles may safely be deposited. The Echeloots in their mode of sepulture, differ much from thegenerality of North American Indians. They have common cemeteries, wherethe dead, carefully wrapt in skins, are laid on mats, in a directioneast and west. The vaults, or rather chambers, in which the bodies aredeposited, are about eighty feet square, and six in height. The whole ofthe sides are covered with strange figures, cut and painted; and woodenimages are placed against them. At the top of these sepulchral chambers, and on poles attached to them, brass-kettles are hung, old frying-pans, shells, skins, and baskets, pieces of cloth, hair, and other similarofferings. Among some of the tribes, the body is laid in one canoe andcovered with another. Every where the dead are carefully deposited, andwith like marks of respect. Captain Clarke says it is obvious, from thedifferent articles which are placed by the dead, that these peoplebelieve in a future state of existence. On the 2d of November, the travellers perceived the first tide-water;four days afterwards, they had the pleasure of hearing a few words ofEnglish, spoken by an Indian, who talked of a Mr. Haley, as theprincipal trader on the coast; and, on the 7th, a fog clearing off, gavethem a sight of the _Pacific Ocean_. They suffered great hardships near the mouth of the river. At one place, where they were detained two nights by the violence of the wind, thewaves broke over them, and large trees, which the stream had carriedalong with it, were drifted upon them, so that, with their utmostvigilance, they could scarcely save the canoes from being dashed topieces. Their next haven was still more perilous: the hills rose steepover their heads, to the height of five hundred feet; and, as the rainfell in torrents, the stones, upon their crumbling sides, loosened, andcame rolling down upon them. The canoes, in one place, were at the mercyof the waves; the baggage was in another place; and the men werescattered upon floating logs, or were sheltering themselves in thecrevices of the rocks. The travellers, having now reached the farthest limits of their journey, once more began to look out for winter-quarters. But it was not tillafter a long search, that they discovered, at some distance from theshore, and near the banks of the Columbia, a situation in all respectsconvenient. But so incessant was the rain, that they were unable tocomplete their arrangements, till about the middle of December. Here, inlatitude 46 degrees, 19 minutes, they passed three months, withoutexperiencing any thing like the cold of the interior; but they were, inother respects, exposed to numerous inconveniences. The supply of foodwas precarious; being confined to the fish caught along the sea-coasts, and to a few elks and other animals, which were killed in the adjacentcountry. The Indians, in this part of America, had been accustomed to traffic, along the shore, with European vessels, and had learned to askexorbitant prices for their commodities. Their circulating moneyconsisted of blue beads; but with these, as well as with othermerchandise, their visitors were, at this time, very scantily supplied. These Indians were unacquainted with the use of ardent spirits, but theywere no strangers to the vice of gaming. During the winter, Captains Lewis and Clarke occupied much of their timein acquiring information concerning the country; and obtained someaccount of the number of tribes, languages, and population of theinhabitants, for about three hundred and sixty miles southward, alongthe coast; but of those in an opposite direction, they were unable tolearn any thing more than their names. The people of the four nations with whom they had the most intercourse;the _Killamucks_, _Clatsops_, _Chinnoocks_, and _Cathlamahs_, werediminutive and ill-made. Their complexions were somewhat lighter thanthose of the other North American Indians: their mouths were wide, theirlips thick, and their noses broad, and generally flat between the eyes. All the tribes who were seen west of the Rocky Mountain, have theirforeheads flattened. The child, in order to be thus beautified, has itshead placed in a kind of machine, where it is kept for ten or twelvemonths; the females longer than the males. The operation is gradual, andseems to give but little pain; but if it produces headache, the poorinfant has no means of making its sufferings known. The head, whenreleased from its bandage, Captain Clarke says, is not more than twoinches thick, about the upper part of the forehead; and still thinnerabove. Nothing can appear more wonderful, than that the brain shouldhave its shape thus altered, without any apparent injury to itsfunctions. There is an extensive trade carried on upon the Columbia, which musthave existed before the coast was frequented by foreign traders; but towhich the foreign trade has given a new impulse. The great emporium ofthis trade is at the falls, the _Shilloots_ being the carriers betweenthe inhabitants above and below. The Indians of the Rocky Mountainsbring down bear's-grease, horses, and a few skins, which they exchangefor beads, pounded fish, and the roots of a kind of water-plant, whichare produced, in great abundance, in a tract of land between theMultomah and a branch of the Columbia. The mode of obtaining these rootsis curious. A woman carries a canoe, large enough to contain herself, and several bushels of them, to one of the ponds where the plants grow;she goes into the water breast high, feels out the roots with her feet, and separates the bulbs from them with her toes. These, on being freedfrom the mud, float. The women often continue in the water at thisemployment for many successive hours, even in the depth of winter. Thebulbs are about the size of a small potato, and, when roasted in woodashes, constitute a palatable food. These Indians are a very ingenious race. Even with their own imperfecttools, they make, in a few weeks, a canoe, which, with such implements, might be thought the work of years. A canoe, however, is very highlyprized: it is considered of equal value with a wife, and is what thelover generally gives a father in exchange for his daughter. The bow andstern are ornamented with a sort of comb, and with grotesque figures ofmen or animals, sometimes five feet high, composed of small pieces ofwood, skilfully inlaid and morticed, without a spike of any kind. Theirbowls or troughs are scooped out of a block of wood; in these they boiltheir food. Their best manufacture is a sort of basket, of straw-work orcedar bark, and bear-grass, so closely interwoven as to be water-tight. Further south the natives roast their corn and pulse over a slowcharcoal-fire, in baskets of this description, moving the basket aboutin such manner that it is not injured, though every grain within it iscompletely browned. Among these Indians the women are well treated, and enjoy anextraordinary degree of influence. On many subjects their opinions areconsulted: in matters of trade, their advice is generally asked andpursued. Sometimes they even take upon themselves a tone of authority;and the labours of the family are almost equally divided. No account isgiven by Captain Lewis of the superstitions of these people; and noinquiry seems to have been made concerning their religious belief. _Narrative of the return of Captains_ LEWIS _and_CLARKE, _from the Pacific Ocean to St. Louis. _ The commanders of the expedition were desirous of remaining on the coastof the Pacific till the arrival of the annual trading ships, hoping fromthem to be able to recruit their almost exhausted stores of merchandise;but, though these were expected in April, it was found impossible towait. The elks, on which they chiefly depended for subsistence, hadretreated to the mountains; and, if the Indians could have sold themfood, they were too poor to purchase it. The whole stock of goods, onwhich they had to depend, for the purchase of horses and food, during ajourney homeward, of nearly four thousand miles, was so much diminished, that it might all have been tied in two pocket-handkerchiefs. Theirmuskets, however, were in excellent order, and they had plenty of powderand shot. On the 23d of March, 1806, the canoes were loaded, and they took a finalleave of their encampment. Previously to their departure, theydeposited, in the hands of the Indian chiefs, some papers specifying thedates of the arrival and departure of the expedition. This was done in ahope that at least some one of them might find its way into a civilizedcountry. The course homeward was, during the first month, by water; thecanoes being dragged, or carried overland, in places where the currentof the Columbia was too strong to be navigated. On these occasions, thetravellers were exposed to much annoyance from the pilfering habits ofthe Indians; and their provisions were so scanty that they were obligedto subsist on dog's-flesh: a diet which, at first, was extremelyloathsome to them, but to which they in time became reconciled. The difficulties of the navigation made it expedient for them to leavethe canoes at some distance below the junction of the _Columbia_ with_Lewis's river_, after which they prosecuted their journey on horseback. Proceeding in an easterly direction, they arrived, on the seventh ofMay, within sight of the _Rocky Mountains_, and saw the tops of thesemountains completely covered with snow. Anxious, however, to cross themas early as they could, they lost no time in recovering their horsesfrom the Chopunnish Indians, and in extracting their stores from thehiding places in the ground. Still it was necessary for them to encampfor a few weeks, that they might occupy themselves in hunting, and thatthe health of the invalids might be reinstated. Here Captains Lewis and Clarke practised physic among the natives, asone means of supplying themselves with provisions. Their stock ofmerchandise was reduced so low, that they were obliged to cut off thebuttons from their clothes, and to present them, with phials and smalltin boxes, as articles of barter with the Indians; and, by means ofthese humble commodities, they were enabled to procure some roots andbread, as provision during their passage over the Rocky Mountains, whichthey commenced on the tenth of June. Towards the middle of June the fall of the rivers showed that the greatbody of snow on the mountains was at last melted; and they ventured toleave their encampment, against the advice of several of the Indians. They, however, soon found that they had been premature in their motions;for, on the higher grounds, there was no appearance whatever ofvegetation. The snow, which covered the whole country, was indeedsufficiently hard to bear the horses, but it was still ten or twelvefeet deep; so that a further prosecution of their journey was, atpresent, impossible; and the travellers, after having deposited, in thisupper region, their baggage, and such provisions as they could spare, reluctantly traced back their steps to the plain. There they remainedten days; and, on the 26th, they again began to ascend the lofty ridge;the snow on which had, in the interval, melted nearly four feet, leavingstill a depth of six or seven. They now implicitly followed the steps oftheir guides, who traversed this trackless region with a kind ofinstinctive sagacity: these men never hesitated respecting the path, andwere never embarrassed. In three days they once more reached the streamwhich, in their former journey, they had named _Traveller's Rest Creek_. Here Captains Lewis and Clarke agreed to separate, for the purpose oftaking a more comprehensive survey of the country in their journeyhomeward. It was considered desirable to acquire a further knowledge ofthe Yellow-stone, a large river which flows from the south-west, morethan one thousand miles before it reaches the Missouri; and it was ofimportance to ascertain, more accurately than they had hitherto done, the course of Maria's river. The separation took place on the 3d of July; and Captain Lewis, holdingon an eastern course, crossed a large stream which flowed towards theColumbia, and which had already been named _Clarke's river_. On the 18thof July he came to _Maria's river_, the object of his search; and hecontinued for several days, his route along its northern bank. Afterhaving ascertained the course of this river, he again set out on hisjourney homeward, that he might not lose the opportunity of returningbefore the winter. He and his companions were only four in number; and, in one part oftheir journey, they had an alarming intercourse with a party of Indians. Not very long after this they embarked on the _Missouri_; and, with theaid of their oars and the current, they proceeded at the rate of betweensixty and eighty miles a day. On the 7th of August they reached themouth of the _Yellow-stone river_, the place of rendezvous, appointedwith Captain Clarke. Here, by a note stuck upon a pole, they wereinformed that he had accomplished his voyage along that river, and wouldwait for them lower down the Missouri. Captain Clarke, on quitting the central encampment at _Traveller's RestCreek_, had marched in a southerly direction, and had traversed adistance of one hundred and sixty-four miles, to the head of_Jefferson's river_. This journey was performed, on horseback, and insix days, over a country by no means difficult; so that, in future, thepassage of this elevated region will be divested of a considerableportion of its terrors. He also discovered that the communicationbetween the _Upper Missouri_ and the _Yellow-stone river_, was attendedwith little trouble; for Gallatin's river, one of the tributary streamsof the Missouri, approaches within eighteen miles of the Yellow-stone, and, at a place, where the latter is completely navigable. Being unable to find wood of sufficient magnitude for the formation ofcanoes, Captain Clarke and his men were obliged to proceed on horseback, about one hundred miles down the side of this river. At length theysucceeded in constructing boats, and sailed down the remainder of thisstream with great rapidity. On the 27th, at the distance of two hundredmiles from the Rocky Mountains, they beheld that elevated region for thelast time. The Yellow-stone being easy of navigation, they reached theplace of rendezvous earlier than they had expected. The whole party being now assembled below the conflux of theYellow-stone and Missouri rivers, they prosecuted the remainder of theirvoyage together; experiencing, in the prospect of home, and in the easewith which they descended the river, a compensation for all theirfatigues; and receiving the visits of various tribes of Indians whoresided upon its banks. The greatest change which was experienced by them, in their southwardprogress, was that of climate. They had passed nearly two years, in acool, open country, and they were now descending into wooded plains, eight or ten degrees further to the south, but differing in heat muchmore than is usual in a correspondent distance in Europe. They werelikewise greatly tormented by musquitoes. On landing at _La Charrette_, the first village on this side of theUnited States, they were joyfully received by the inhabitants, who hadlong abandoned all hopes of their return. On the 23d of September theydescended the Mississippi to _St. Louis_, which place they reached aboutnoon; having, in two years and nine months, completed a journey ofnearly nine thousand miles. * * * * * At St. Louis we shall resume the narrative of Mr. Pike, who, in themonth of July, 1806, set out from that place on an expedition westward, through the immense territory of Louisiana, towards New Spain. The chiefobjects of this expedition were to arrange an amicable treaty betweenthe Americans and Indians of this quarter; and to ascertain thedirection, extent, and navigation, of two great rivers, known by thenames of Arkansaw and Red River. Eighteenth Day's Instruction. WESTERN TERRITORY CONCLUDED. _Narrative of Mr. Pike's Journey from St. Louis, through Louisiana, toSanta Fé, New Spain. _ The party engaged in this expedition, were Mr. Pike and anotherlieutenant, a surgeon, a serjeant, two corporals, sixteen privatesoldiers, and one interpreter. They had, under their charge, somechiefs of the Osage and Pawnee nations, who, with several women andchildren, had been redeemed from captivity, and now, to the number offifty-one, were about to be restored to their friends. They set out from _St. Louis_ on the 15th of July, 1806, and proceeded, in two boats, up the _Missouri_. About six miles from the village of_St. Charles_, they passed a hill of solid coal, so extensive that itwould probably afford fuel sufficient for the whole population ofLouisiana. Mr. Pike says that, every morning, he was awaked by the lamentations ofthe savages who accompanied him. These invariably began to cry aboutday-light, and continued to do so for an hour. On enquiry respectingthis practice, he was informed that it was customary, not only withpersons who had recently lost their friends; but also with others whocalled to mind the loss of some friend, dead long before. They seemed tobe extremely affected: tears ran down their cheeks, and they sobbedbitterly; but, when the hour was expired, they, in a moment, ceasedtheir cries, and dried their cheeks. In their progress up the river, the Indians walked along the banks, and, every night, encamped near the boats. On the 28th the boats reached themouth of the _Osage river_. For some distance the southern shore of theMissouri had been hilly, and covered with trees; and on the north werelow bottoms and heavy timber. The soil was rich, and well adapted forcultivation. They entered the Osage, and encountered few difficulties in their voyageup that river. From the shores, the hunters amply supplied the wholeparty with provisions; deer, turkeys, geese, and game of differentkinds. From the mouth of the Osage to that of the _Gravel river_, a distance ofone hundred and eighteen miles, the banks of the former are covered withtimber, which grows in a rich soil. Low hills, with rocks, alternatelyborder the eastern and western shores: the lower grounds have excellentsoil, and the whole adjacent country abounds in game. From theGravel-river to the _Yungar_, the Osage continues to exhibit theappearance of a fertile and well-timbered country. The Indians joined their friends on the 15th, after which Mr. Pike andhis party proceeded alone. On the ensuing day they passed the mouth ofthe _Grand Fork_, which was nearly as wide as the Osage; and, soonafterwards, reached the villages of the Osage Indians. The countryadjacent to these villages is extremely beautiful. Three branches of theriver wind round them, giving to their vicinity the advantages of woodand water, and, at the same time, those of an extensive prairie, crownedwith rich and luxuriant grass and flowers, diversified by rising swellsand sloping lawns. The _Osage Indians_, in language, habits, and many of their customs, differ little from other tribes which inhabit the country near theMissouri and Mississippi. They raise great quantities of corn, beans, and pumpkins; and all the agricultural labour is performed by women. Thegovernment is vested in a few of the chiefs, whose office is, in mostinstances, hereditary; but these never undertake any affair ofimportance, without first assembling the warriors, and proposing thesubject for discussion in council. The Osage Indians are divided intoclasses: those of the principal class are warriors and hunters; and theothers are cooks and doctors. The last exercise the function of priestsor magicians; and, by pretended divinations, interpretations of dreams, and magical performances, they have great influence in the councils ofthe nation: they also exercise the office of town-criers. Many oldwarriors assume the profession of cooks: these do not carry arms, andare supported by the public, or by particular families to which they areattached. When a stranger enters the Osage village, he is received, in apatriarchal style, at the lodge of the chief. He is then invited, by allthe great men of the village, to a feast. The cooks proclaim the feast, in different parts of the village, "Come and eat: such a one gives afeast, come and partake of his bounty. " The dishes are generally boiledsweet corn, served up in buffalo grease; or boiled meat and pumpkins. From the Osage villages, Mr. Pike, and his men, accompanied by severalIndians, proceeded, on horseback, in a somewhat westerly direction, towards the river Arkansaw. In some places the country was hilly, andcommanded beautiful prospects. The wild animals were so numerous, thatMr. Pike, standing on one of the hills, beheld, at a single view, buffaloes, elks, deer, and panthers. Beyond this they passed throughnumerous herds of buffaloes, elks, and other animals. In many places thecountry was very deficient in water. On the 17th of September they reached a branch of the _Kanzes river_, the water of which was strongly impregnated with salt, as was that ofmany of the creeks. At some distance beyond this river, they were met bya party of Pawnee Indians; one of whom wore a scarlet coat, and had twomedals: each of the others had a buffalo robe thrown over his nakedbody. From the eastern branch of the Kanzes river, to the village of thePawnee Indians, the prairies are low, the grass is high, the countryabounds in saline places, and the soil appears to be impregnated withparticles of nitre and of common salt. The immediate borders of theriver near the village, consist of lofty ridges; but this is anexception to the general appearance of the country. The _Pawnees_ reside on the rivers Platte and Kanzes. They are dividedinto three tribes. Their form is slender, and their cheeks bones arehigh. They are neither so brave nor so honest as their more northernneighbours. Their government, like that of the Osage Indians, is anhereditary aristocracy; but the power of the chiefs is extremelylimited. They cultivate the soil and raise corn and pumpkins: they alsobreed horses, and have vast numbers of excellent animals. The houses orhuts of the Pawnees are circular, except at the part where the door isplaced; and, from this part, there is a projection of about fifteenfeet. The roofs are thatched with grass and earth, and have, at the top, an aperture for the smoke to pass out: the fire is always made on theground, in the middle of the hut. In the interior there are, round thewalls, many small and neat apartments, constructed of wicker-work: theseare the sleeping places of the different members of the family. ThePawnees are extremely addicted to gaming, and have, for that purpose, asmooth piece of ground, about one hundred and fifty yards in length, cleared at each end of their village. On Monday, the 29th of September, Mr. Pike held a grand council with thePawnees; at which were present not fewer than four hundred warriors. Some attempts were made, by the chief, to prevent the further progressof the travellers; but Mr. Pike says, that they were not to be deterredby any impediments that could be opposed to them by a band of savages. Proceeding onward they came to several places which had evidently beenoccupied by Spanish troops; and they were desirous of tracing the coursealong which these troops had marched; but the marks of their footstepshad been effaced by the numerous herds of buffaloes, which abound inthis part of the country. On the 18th of October, the travellers crossed the _Arkansaw_. From thePawnee town, on the Kanzes river, to the Arkansaw, the country may betermed mountainous; and it contains a vast number of buffaloes. In thevicinity of this river it is, in many places, low and swampy. The travellers were occupied several days in cutting down trees andconstructing canoes. During this time the hunters killed severalbuffaloes, elks, and other animals. When the canoes were completed, Mr. Pike dispatched Lieutenant Wilkinson, and three men, down the river, with letters to the United States; and himself and the rest of his menproceeded, on horseback, up the side of the river. On the 29th ofOctober, a considerable quantity of snow fell, and ice floated along thecurrent. Three days after this, they observed a numerous herd of wildhorses. When within about a quarter of a mile of them, the animalsapproached, making the earth tremble, as if under a charge of cavalry. They stopped; and, among them, were seen some beautiful bays, blacks, and greys, and, indeed, horses of all colours. The next day the partyendeavoured to catch some of them, by riding up, and throwing noosesover them. The horses stood, neighing and whinnying, till the assailantsapproached within thirty or forty yards; but all attempts to ensnarethem were vain. Buffaloes were so numerous, that Mr. Pike says he is confident therewere, at one time, more than three thousand within view. Through all theregion which the party had hitherto traversed, they had not seen morethan one cow-buffalo; but now the whole face of the country appeared tobe covered with cows. Numerous herds of them were seen nearly every day. The course of the travellers still lay along the banks of the river;which, in this part of the country, were covered with wood on bothsides; but no other species of trees were observed than cotton-wood. Onthe 15th of November, a range of mountains was seen, at a greatdistance, towards the right: they appeared like a small blue cloud; andthe party, with one accord, gave three cheers, to what they consideredto be the Mexican mountains. On the 22d, a great number of Indians were seen in the act of runningfrom the woods, towards the strangers. Mr. Pike and his men advanced tomeet them; and observing that those in front, extended their hands, andappeared to be unarmed, he alighted from his horse. But he had no soonerdone this, than one of the savages mounted the horse, and rode off withit. Two other horses were taken away in a similar manner; but, whentranquillity was restored, these were all afterwards recovered. This wasa war-party of the _Grand Pawnees_, who had been in search of an Indiannation called Jetans; but, not finding them, they were now on theirreturn. They were about sixty in number, armed partly with guns, andpartly with bows, arrows, and lances. An attempt was made totranquillize them, by assembling them in a circle, offering to smokewith them the pipe of peace, and presenting them with tobacco, knives, fire-steels, and flints. With some difficulty they were induced toaccept these presents, for they had demanded many more; and, when thetravellers began to load their horses, they stole whatever they couldcarry away. A few days after this, Mr. Pike and his men reached the Blue Mountain, which they had seen on the 15th; and, with great difficulty, some ofthem ascended it. Along the sides, which were, in many places, rocky, and difficult of ascent, grew yellow and pitch pine-trees, and thesummit was several feet deep in snow. From the entrance of the _Arkansaw_ into the mountains, to its source, it is alternately bounded by perpendicular precipices, and small, narrowprairies. In many places, the river precipitates itself over rocks, soas to be at one moment visible only in the foaming and boiling of itswaters, and at the next disappearing in the chasms of the overhangingprecipices. The length of this river is one thousand nine hundred andeighty-one miles, from its junction with the Mississippi to themountains; and thence to its source one hundred and ninety-two; makingits total length two thousand one hundred and seventy-three miles. Withlight boats it is navigable all the way to the mountains. Its bordersmay be termed the terrestrial paradise of the wandering savages. Of allthe countries ever visited by civilized man, there probably never wasone that produced game in greater abundance than this. By the route of the Arkansaw and the _Rio Colorado_ of California, Mr. Pike is of opinion that a communication might be established betwixtthe Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The land-carriage, at the utmost, wouldnot exceed two hundred miles; and this might be rendered as easy asalong the public highways over the Alleghany Mountains. The Rio Coloradois, to the great Gulf of California, what the Mississippi is to the Gulfof Mexico; and is navigable for ships of considerable burden. The travellers left the vicinity of the Arkansaw on the 30th ofNovember; and, though the ground was covered with snow, and theysuffered excessively from the cold, they still persevered in theirjourney, and in their labour of examining and ascertaining the coursesof the rivers. They killed a great number of buffaloes and turkeys. Steering their course in a south-westerly direction, for the head of theRed river, one of the party found a camp which had been occupied by atleast three thousand Indians: it had a large cross in the middle. Theysubsequently found many evacuated camps of Indians. On the 18th of December, they came to a stream, about twenty-five yardsin width, which they erroneously supposed to be a branch of the Redriver. Its current flowed with great rapidity, and its bed was full ofrocks. On ascending this river, to examine its source, it was found torun close to the mountains, in a narrow and rocky channel; and to haveits banks bordered with pine-trees, cedar, and other kinds of timber. The whole party suffered extremely from cold; their clothing beingfrozen stiff, and their limbs considerably benumbed. Their situation, on Christmas-day, was not very enviable. All the foodthey possessed, was buffalo-flesh, without salt. Before this time, theyhad been accustomed to some degree of comfort, and had experienced evensome enjoyments: but now, at the most inclement season of the year, andeight hundred miles distant from the frontiers of the United States, notone person was properly clad for the winter; many were even withoutblankets, having cut them up for socks and other articles; and all wereobliged to lie down at night, upon the snow or wet ground, one sideburning and the other frozen. For shoes and clothing they were obligedto adopt a miserable substitute in raw buffalo hides. In their further progress, they suffered excessive hardships for severaldays. Food became so scarce, that they were obliged to separate intoeight different parties, in order to procure subsistence. The roads wereso mountainous, stony, and slippery, that it was with the greatestdifficulty the horses could be prevented from stumbling; and many ofthem fell. In one instance, the whole party were four days without food;and some of them had their feet frozen. At length, they were obliged toleave the horses; and each man had to carry a heavy load, and, at thesame time, to march through snow two feet and half deep. Several of themen, unable to keep pace with the rest, were left behind. On the 27th of January, Mr. Pike observed, at a distance, a large river, which he imagined to be the Red river; and, on the 30th, he reached itsbanks. This, afterwards, proved to be the _Rio del Norte_. Theyproceeded along its banks, for about eighteen miles; and, at length, came to a spot, where they established a temporary residence, whilstthey sent men to assist, and collect together the unfortunate stragglerswho had been left in the rear. The region they had traversed betwixt the Arkansaw and the Rio delNorte, was covered with mountains and small prairies. From the Missourito the head of the Osage river, a distance of about three hundred miles, Mr. Pike says that the country will admit of a numerous, extensive, andcompact population. From the Osage to the rivers Kanzes, La Platte, andArkansaw, the country could sustain only a limited population; but theinhabitants might, with advantage, rear cattle, horses, sheep, andgoats. On the 16th of February, whilst Mr. Pike and one of his men werehunting, in the vicinity of their residence, they observed, at adistance, two horsemen, armed with lances. They proved to be a Spanishdragoon and an Indian, who had been sent from Santa Fé, a town of NewSpain, about four days before. On the 17th, some of the stragglersarrived: several of them had lost the joints of their toes, by theintensity of the frost, and were rendered cripples for life. The Spanish dragoon and Indian had returned to Santa Fé; and the reportwhich they made of the appearance of the strangers, induced the governorto send out fifty dragoons, and fifty mounted militia, for the purposeof ascertaining their state and numbers. In an interview which tookplace with the commanders of these troops, Mr. Pike learnt that theriver, on the bank of which he had encamped, was the Rio del Norte, andnot the Red river, as he had imagined. The officers stated to him that ahundred mules and horses had been sent to convey him, his men, andbaggage, to Santa Fé; and that the governor was anxious to see them inthat town, to receive an explanation respecting their business on hisfrontiers. Mr. Pike and some of his men accompanied the officers to Santa Fé, whileothers were left behind, to wait the arrival of those who had not yetcome up. In their progress, they were treated, in all the villages, with theutmost hospitality. On their march, they were frequently stopped bywomen, who invited them into their houses to eat; and, in every placewhere they halted, there was a contest who should be their hosts. Thosethat had suffered by having their limbs frozen, were conducted home byold men, who caused their daughters to dress the sores, and to providefor them victuals and drink; and, at night, they gave them the best bedin the house. In the evening of the 3d of March, Mr. Pike reached _Santa Fé_. Thiscity, the capital of New Mexico, is situated along the banks of a smallcreek, which issues from the mountains, and runs westward to the Riodel Norte. It is about a mile in length, and not more than threestreets in width. The houses are, generally, only one story high, andhave flat roofs. There are, in Santa Fé, two churches, the magnificenceof whose steeples forms an extraordinary contrast to the miserableappearance of the other buildings. On the north side of the town is asquare, constructed for soldiers' houses, each flank of which containsfrom a hundred and twenty to a hundred and forty. The public square isin the centre of the town. On one side of it is the palace orgovernment-house, with the quarters for the guards; and the other sidesare occupied by the houses of the clergy, and public officers. Most ofthe houses have sheds before them, which occasion the streets to be verynarrow. The number of inhabitants in Santa Fé, is supposed to be aboutfour thousand five hundred. On Mr. Pike and his men entering this town, the crowd assembled to viewthem was excessively great: and, indeed, their extremely miserableappearance seems to have excited much curiosity. This may easily beaccounted for. After they had left the Arkansaw, they had been obligedto carry all their baggage on their backs; and, consequently, the usefulwere preferred to the ornamental articles. The ammunition, tools, leather-leggings, boots, and moccasins, had been considered absolutelyrequisite. They had left behind their uniform clothing; and, when theyentered Santa Fé, Mr. Pike was dressed in a pair of blue trowsers, moccasins, a blanket-coat, and a red cap. His men had leggings, clothsround their waists, and leather coats: there was not a hat among thewhole party. This appearance was extremely mortifying to them all, especially as soldiers; and it made no very favourable impression on thepeople of Santa Fé. They were asked, by many of the common people, whether they had lived in houses, or in camps, like the Indians; orwhether, in their country, the people wore hats. They were conducted to the government-house, where they dismounted. Onentering it they were conducted through various rooms, the floors of allwhich were covered with the skins of buffaloes, bears, or other animals. Here they underwent an examination, by the governor, respecting theirobjects and number. The conference terminated amicably; but the governorinformed Mr. Pike that he must be conducted to Chihuahua, a town in theprovince of New Biscay, and upwards of three hundred leagues distant. Nineteenth Day's Instruction. MEXICO OR NEW SPAIN. The Spanish possessions in North America, extend from the isthmus ofDarien, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean, to the distance of morethan two thousand two hundred miles. One half of them is situated underthe burning sky of the tropics, and the other belongs to the temperatezone. Their whole interior forms an immense plain, elevated from six toeight thousand feet above the level of the adjacent seas. The chain of_mountains_ which constitutes this vast plain, is a continuation of thatwhich, under the name Andes, runs through South America. They are, ingeneral, little interrupted by valleys, and, for the most part, theirdeclivity is very gentle. In consequence of this elevation, the Mexicanprovinces, situated under the torrid zone, enjoy a cold rather than atemperate _climate_. The interior provinces, in the temperate zone, have, like the rest of North America, a climate essentially differentfrom that of the same parallels in the European continent. A remarkableinequality prevails between the temperature of the different seasons:German winters succeed to Neapolitan and Sicilian summers. This country suffers many inconveniences from a want of water, andparticularly of navigable rivers. The Rio del Norte and the Rio Coloradoare almost the only _rivers_ of any importance. The _lakes_ with whichMexico abounds, are merely the remains of immense basins of water, whichappear to have formerly existed on the high and extensive plains of theCordilleras. The largest of these, the _Lake of Chapala_, containsnearly one hundred and sixty square leagues, and is about twice as largeas the lake of Constance. A great portion of high land, in the interior of New Spain, is destituteof vegetation; and some of the loftiest summits are clad with perpetualsnow. This country is not so much disturbed by earthquakes as severalparts of South America; for, in the whole of New Spain there are onlyfive _volcanos_; Orizaba, Popocatepetl, Tuxtla, Jorullo, and Colima. The _volcano of Jorullo_, in the province of Valladolid, was formedduring the night of the 29th of September, 1759. The great catastrophe, in which this mountain rose from the earth, and by which a considerablespace of ground changed its appearance, is, perhaps, one of the mostextraordinary physical revolutions in the history of the earth. Geologypoints out parts of the ocean, where, at recent periods, near theAzores, in the Egean Sea, and to the south of Iceland, small volcanicislands have arisen above the surface of the water; but it gives noexample of the formation, amidst a thousand small burning cones, of amountain of scoria, near seventeen hundred feet in height, above theadjoining plain. Till the middle of the year 1759, fields cultivatedwith sugar-canes and indigo occupied the extent of ground between thetwo brooks called Cultamba and San Pedro. In the month of June, asubterraneous noise was heard. Hollow sounds of most alarmingdescription, were accompanied by frequent earthquakes, which succeededone another for fifty or sixty days, to the great consternation of theinhabitants. From the beginning of September every thing seemed toannounce the complete re-establishment of tranquillity; when, in thenight between the 28th and 29th, the subterraneous noises recommenced. The affrighted Indians fled to the mountains; and a tract of ground, from three to four square miles in extent, which goes by the name of_Malpays_, rose up in the shape of a bladder. The bounds of thisconvulsion are still distinguishable in the fractured strata. TheMalpays, near its edges, is only about forty feet above the old level ofthe plain; but the convexity of the ground thus thrown up, increasesprogressively, towards the centre, to an elevation of more than fivehundred and twenty feet. The persons who witnessed this astonishing catastrophe, assert thatflames were seen to issue forth, for an extent of more than half asquare league; that fragments of burning rocks were thrown up toprodigious heights; and that, through a thick cloud of ashes, illuminedby the volcanic fire, the softened surface of the earth was seen toswell up like an agitated sea. The rivers of Cultamba and San Pedroprecipitated themselves into the burning chasms. The decomposition ofthe water contributed to invigorate the flames, which weredistinguishable at a vast distance. Eruptions of mud, and othersubstances, indicated that subterraneous water had no small share inproducing this extraordinary revolution. Thousands of small cones, fromsix to nine feet in height, called by the Indians "hornitos, " or ovens, issued forth from the Malpays. Each small cone is a "fumorola, " fromwhich a thick vapour ascends; and in many of them a subterraneous noiseis heard, which appears to announce the proximity of a fluid inebullition. In the midst of the ovens six large masses, elevated fromone thousand three hundred to one thousand six hundred and forty feetabove the old level of the plains, sprung up from a chasm. The mostelevated of these is the great volcano of Jorullo. It is continuallyburning, and has thrown up an immense quantity of scorified andbasaltic lavas, containing fragments of primitive rocks. These greateruptions of the central volcano continued till the month of February, 1760. In the following year they became gradually less frequent. TheIndians, frightened at the horrible noises of the new volcano, hadabandoned all the villages, within seven or eight leagues of it. They, however, gradually became accustomed to them, and returned to theircottages. So violent were the eruptions of this mountain, that the roofsof houses in Queretaro, though at a distance of more than forty-eightleagues, in a straight line from the scene of explosion, were sometimescovered with ashes. The Mexican _population_ consists of seven races, 1. Individuals born inEurope; 2. Creoles, or Whites of European extraction, born in America;3. Mesti zos, or descendants of whites and Indians; 4. Mulattoes, descendants of whites and negroes; 5. Zambos, descendants of negroes andIndians; 6. Indians, or the copper-coloured indigenous race; and, 7. African negroes. The number of _Indians_, including those only who have no mixture ofEuropean or African blood, are more than two millions and a half innumber; and these appear to constitute about two-fifths of the wholepopulation of Mexico. They bear a general resemblance to the Indians ofCanada, Florida, Peru, and Brazil: they have a similar swarthy andcopper-coloured skin, smooth hair, little beard, squat body, long eyes, with the corners directed upward towards the temples, prominent cheekbones, and thick lips. There is a great diversity in their language, butthey appear to have been all descendants from the same original stock. It is probable that these Indians would live to a great age, did theynot often injure their constitution by drunkenness. Their intoxicatingliquors are rum, a fermentation of maize, and the root of the jatropha;and especially a wine which is made from the juice of the greatAmerican aloe. The police, in the city of Mexico, sends round tumbrils, to collect such drunkards as are found lying in the streets. These aretreated like dead bodies, and are carried to the principal guard-house. The next morning an iron ring is put round each of their ancles, and, asa punishment, they are made to cleanse the streets for three days. The Mexican Indian, when not under the influence of intoxicatingliquors, is grave, melancholic, and silent. The most violent passionsare never depicted in his features; and it is sometimes frightful to seehim pass, at once, from a state of apparent repose, to the most violentand unrestrained agitation. It is stated that these Indians havepreserved, from their ancestors, a particular relish for carving in woodand stone; and that it is astonishing to see what they are able toexecute with a bad knife, on the hardest wood. Many Indian children, educated in the college of the capital, or instructed at the academy ofpainting, founded by the king of Spain, have considerably distinguishedthemselves, but without leaving the beaten track pursued by theirforefathers; they chiefly display great aptitude in the arts ofimitation; and in the purely mechanical arts. The _Spanish inhabitants_ and the _Creoles_ are noted for hospitality, generosity, and sobriety; but they are extremely deficient in energy, patriotism, enterprise, and independence of character. The women haveblack eyes and hair, and fine teeth: they are of dark colour, full habitof body, and have, in general, bad figures. They usually wear shortjackets and petticoats, high-heeled shoes, and no head-dress. As anupper garment they have a silk wrapper, which, when they are in thepresence of men, they affect to bring over their faces. In the towns onthe frontiers and adjacent to the sea-coast, many of the ladies weargowns, like those of our country-women. The lower classes of men aregenerally dressed in broad-brimmed hats, short coats, large waistcoats, smallclothes open at the knees, and a kind of boot or leather wrapperbound round the leg, and gartered at the knee. The spurs of thegentlemen are clumsy: they are ornamented with raised work; and thestraps are embroidered with gold and silver thread. The SpanishAmericans are always ready to mount their horses; and the inhabitants ofthe interior provinces pass nearly half their day on horseback. In thetowns, and among the higher ranks, the men dress in the European style. The _amusements_ of this people are music, singing, dancing, andgambling: the latter is, indeed, officially prohibited; but theprohibition is not much attended to. At every large town there is apublic walk, where the ladies and gentlemen meet and sing songs. Thefemales have fine voices, and sing French, Italian, and Spanish music, the whole company joining in chorus. In their houses the ladies play onthe guitar, and accompany this instrument with their voices. They eithersit on the carpet cross-legged, or loll on a sofa: to sit upright, on achair, appears to put them to great inconvenience. Both in _eating_ and _drinking_ the Spanish Americans are remarkablytemperate. Early in the morning those of the higher class havechocolate. At twelve they dine on meat, fowls, and fish; after whichdifferent kinds of confectionary are placed on the table; they drink afew glasses of wine, sing a few songs, and then retire to take their_siesta_ or afternoon nap. The latter is a practice common both to richand poor: the consequence of it is that, about two o'clock, every day, the windows and doors of the town are all closed, the streets aredeserted, and the stillness of midnight reigns throughout. At four theyrise, wash and dress, and prepare for the dissipation of the evening. About eleven o'clock refreshments are offered; but few take any thingexcept a little wine and water and candied sugar. The _commerce_ of New Spain, with Europe and the United States, iscarried on through the port of Vera Cruz only; and with the East Indiesand South America, through that of Acapulco. But all the commercialtransactions, and all the productions and manufactures, are subjected tosuch severe restrictions, that they are at present of little importanceto the prosperity of the country. Were the various bays and harbours ofMexico and California to be opened to the trade of the world; and werecorrect regulations to be adopted, New Spain might become both wealthyand powerful. Many parts of the country abound in iron ore, yet iron andsteel articles, of every description, are brought from Europe; for themanufacturing or working of iron is here strictly prohibited. Thisoccasions the requisite utensils of husbandry, arms, and tools, to beenormously dear; and forms a great check to the progress of agriculture, and to improvements in manufactures. The _ancient Mexicans_ preserved the memory of events by figures paintedon skins, cloth, or the bark of trees. These hieroglyphical andsymbolical characters, being considered by the ignorant and bigotedSpaniards to be monuments of idolatry, the first bishop of Mexicodestroyed as many of them as could be collected. In consequence of thisbarbarous procedure, the knowledge of remote events was lost, exceptwhat could be derived from tradition, and from some fragments of thosepaintings which eluded the search of the monks. With regard to the _public edifices_ of the Mexicans: their temples weremerely mounds of earth faced with stone; and it is probable that theirother public buildings were equally rude. The ancient natives bestowedlittle attention on agriculture, and were strangers to the use of money;but their ornaments of gold and silver indicated considerable ingenuity. They were acquainted with the manufacture of paper, of coarsecotton-cloth, glass, and earthenware; and they possessed the arts ofcasting metals, of making mosaic work with shells and feathers, ofspinning and weaving the hair of animals, and of dying with indeliblecolours. The _religion_ of the ancient Mexicans, like that of all unenlightenednations, seems to have been founded chiefly on fear; and consisted of asystem of gloomy rites and practices, the object of which was to avertthe evils that they suffered or dreaded. They had some notion of aninvisible supreme Being; but their chief anxiety was to deprecate thewrath of certain imaginary malignant spirits, whom they regarded as theenemies of mankind. They worshipped idols, formed of wood and stone; anddecorated their temples with the figures of serpents, tigers, and otherdestructive animals. They believed in the immortality of the soul; buttheir notions of a future state may be collected from their funeralrites: the bodies, or the ashes of the deceased, were generally buriedwith whatever was judged necessary for their accommodation or comfort inthe other world, where it was believed they would experience the samedesires, and be engaged in the same occupations, as in this. Thereligion established by the Spaniards is the Roman Catholic; and it iscomputed that one-fifth part of the Spanish inhabitants areecclesiastics, monks, and nuns. The _Spanish government_ in America is vested in officers calledviceroys, who represent the person of their sovereign; and who possesshis royal prerogatives, within the precincts of their own territories. In its present state, New Spain is divided into twelve intendancies, andthree districts, which are called provinces[2]. FOOTNOTES: [2] For particulars respecting the conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards, see "Biographical Conversations on Eminent Voyagers, " p. 59 to 73. Twentieth Day's Instruction. MEXICO CONTINUED. _Narrative of Mr. PIKE'S Journey from Santa Fé to Montelovez. _ Mr. Pike and his men were escorted from Santa Fé by a Spanish officer, and a troop of soldiers. On Thursday, the 5th of March, they arrived ata village called _St. Domingo_. The inhabitants of this place were abouta thousand in number; and the chiefs were distinguished by canes, withsilver heads and black tassels. Mr. Pike was permitted to visit thechurch; and he was much astonished to find, enclosed in mud-brick walls, many rich paintings, and a statue of the patron saint, as large as life, and elegantly ornamented with gold and silver. On the ensuing day, the party marched down the eastern side of the Riodel Norte, the snow being still a foot deep. Near the village of_Albuquerque_, they observed that the inhabitants were beginning to openthe canals, for the purpose of letting in the water of the river, tofertilize the lands. They saw men, women, and children engaged in thejoyful labour, which was to crown, with rich abundance, their futureharvest, and to ensure them plenty for the ensuing year. A little belowAlbuquerque, the Rio del Norte was four hundred yards wide, but not morethan three feet deep. In their journey southward, they passed through several villages. One ofthese, called _Sibilleta_, was in the form of a regular square, appearing, on the outside, like an immense mud-wall. All the doors andwindows faced the interior of the square; and it was the neatest andmost regular village Mr. Pike had ever seen. Beyond this village, the party met a caravan, consisting of threehundred men, escorted by an officer and thirty-five or forty troops, whowere proceeding, with about fifteen thousand sheep, to the differentprovinces. They afterwards met a caravan of fifty men, and about twohundred horses, laden with traffic, for New Mexico. On the 21st of Marchthey arrived at the _Passo del Norte_: the road now led them through arough and mountainous country; and passing through _Carracal_, and someother villages, they reached _Chihuahua_ on the 2d of April. They were conducted into the presence of the commanding-officer of theplace, before whom Mr. Pike underwent an examination, as he hadpreviously done at Santa Fé. He was treated with great apparent respect, and was offered both assistance and money. He afterwards visited in thehouses of some of the principal inhabitants. At the house of thegovernor, when wine was put on the table, after dinner, the company wasentertained with songs in the French, Italian, Spanish, and Englishlanguages. There are, at Chihuahua, and in its vicinity, fifteen mines; thirteen ofsilver, one of gold, and one of copper; the furnaces for all of whichare in the suburbs of the town, and present, except on Sundays, volumesof smoke, rising in every direction. Chihuahua is surrounded by piles ofcinders, from ten to fifteen feet in height. In the public square, standthe church, the royal treasury, the town-house, and the richest shops;and, at the western extremity of the town, are two other churches, anhospital, and the military academy. About a mile south of the town, is alarge aqueduct. The principal church of Chihuahua is a most superbedifice: its whole front is covered with statues of saints; figures ofdifferent saints are set in niches of the wall; and the windows, doors, &c. Are ornamented with sculpture. The decorations in the interior aresaid to be immensely rich. On the south of the town is a public walk, formed by three rows of trees, the branches of which nearly form ajunction over the heads of the passengers below. At different distances, there are seats for persons to repose themselves upon; and at each endof the walks, are circular seats, on, which, in the evenings, theinhabitants amuse themselves in singing to the music of guitars. Thiscity contains about eleven thousand inhabitants. After a residence, in Chihuahua, of somewhat more than three weeks, Mr. Pike received an intimation that he and his men would be escorted out ofthe country. Accordingly, on the 28th of April, he was accompanied, towards the frontier, by a Spanish officer. Near Chihuahua they passed asmall ridge of mountains, and then encamped in a hollow. At the distanceof about fifty miles they reached the river _Florida_; on the banks ofwhich are many important settlements, and well-timbered lands. One ofthe plantations on this river, extended thirty leagues; and had beenvalued at three hundred thousand dollars. The country through which they now passed was mountainous. On the 11thof May, they reached _Mauperne_, a village situated at the foot of themountains, and near which eight or nine valuable copper-mines wereworked; but the mass of the people were in a starving and wretchedstate. The proprietor of the mines, however, gave the travellers anelegant repast. They pursued their march three miles further, to a station, on a littlestream, which flowed through gardens, and formed a terrestrial paradise. Here they remained all day, and at night slept under the shade of thefig-trees. In the morning, Mr. Pike was awakened by the singing of thebirds, and the perfume of the trees around. This place, however, was nodoubt rendered the more interesting to the travellers, in consequence oftheir having previously suffered much inconvenience from want of water. On the 20th, they arrived at the _Hacienda of Polloss_, a handsomeplace, at which the Marquis de San Miguel, a wealthy nobleman, whopossessed extensive property in this part of New Spain, usually passedthe summer. The Hacienda of Polloss is a square enclosure of about threehundred feet: the building is no more than one story high; but some ofthe apartments are very elegantly furnished. In the centre of the squareis a fountain, which throws out water from eight spouts. There is also, at this place, a handsome church, which, with its ornaments, is said tohave cost at least twenty thousand dollars. The inhabitants are abouttwo thousand in number. _Montelovez_, situated on the banks of a small stream, is about a milein length. It has two public squares, seven churches, somepowder-magazines, mills, a royal hospital, and barracks. The number ofinhabitants is about three thousand five hundred. This city isornamented with public walks, columns, and fountains; and is one of thehandsomest places in New Spain[3]. South-west from Montelovez stands _Durango_, the chief city of theprovince of Biscay. In the vicinity of this place are many rich andvaluable mines; and the soil is so fertile as to produce abundant cropsof wheat, maize, and fruit. The climate is mild and healthy. Durangocontains about twelve thousand inhabitants; and has four convents andthree churches. _A Description of the City of Mexico. _ This magnificent city is the capital of New Spain, and the residence ofthe viceroy. In its _situation_ it possesses many important advantages. Standing on an isthmus, which is washed on one side by the AtlanticOcean, and on the other by the South-sea, it might possess a powerfulinfluence over the political events which agitate the world. A king ofSpain, resident at this capital, might, in six weeks, transmit hisorders to Europe, and, in three weeks, to the Philippine islands inAsia. There are, however, difficulties to be encountered, arising fromthe unfavourable state of the coasts, and the want of secure harbours. During several months in the year, these coasts are visited by tempests. The hurricanes, also, which occur in the months of September, October, and March, and which sometimes last for three or four successive days, are very tremendous. Mexico was originally founded in the lake of Tezcuco; and, at the timewhen the Spaniards first invaded America, it was a magnificent capital. Cortez, describing it in the year 1520, says, that it was in the midstof a salt-water lake, which had its tides, like the ocean; and that, from the city to the continent, there was a distance of two leagues. Four dikes or embankments, each two lances broad, led to the city. Theprincipal streets were narrow: some of them had navigable canals runningalong them, furnished with bridges, wide enough for ten men onhorseback, to pass at the same time. The market-place was surroundedwith an immense portico, under which were sold all sorts of merchandise, eatables, ornaments made of gold, silver, lead, pewter, precious stones, bones, shells, and feathers; earthenware, leather, and spun cotton. Insome places were exposed to sale hewn stone, tiles, and timber forbuilding; in others game; and, in others, roots, garden-stuff, andfruit. There were houses where barbers shaved the head, with razors madeof obsidian, a volcanic substance not much unlike bottle-glass; andthere were others, resembling our apothecary-shops, where preparedmedicines, unguents, and plasters were sold. The market abounded with somany things, that Cortez was unable to name them all. To avoidconfusion, every species of merchandise was sold in a separate place. Inthe middle of the great square was a house, which he calls_L'Audiencia_; and in which ten or twelve persons sate every day, todetermine any disputes which might arise respecting the sale of goods. The city was divided into four _quarters_: this division is stillpreserved, in the limits assigned to the quarters of St. Paul, St. Sebastian, St. John, and St. Mary; and the present streets have, for themost part, the same direction as the old ones. But what gives to thiscity a peculiar and distinctive character is, that it is entirely on thecontinent, between the extremities of the two lakes of Tezcuco andChalco. This has been occasioned by the gradual draining of the greatlake, and the consequent drying up of the waters around the city. HenceMexico is now two miles and half from the banks of the former, and fivemiles and half from those of the latter. Adorned with numerous _teocallis_, (or temples, ) like so many Mahometansteeples, surrounded with water and embankments, founded on islandscovered with verdure, and receiving, hourly, in its streets, thousandsof boats, which vivified the lake, the ancient Mexico, according to theaccounts of the first conquerors, must have resembled some of the citiesof Holland, China, or the Delta of Lower Egypt. As reconstructed by the Spaniards, it exhibits, at the present day, perhaps a less vivid, though a more august and majestic appearance, thanthe ancient city. With the exception of Petersburg, Berlin, Philadelphia, and some quarters of Westminster, there does not exist aplace of the same extent, which can be compared to the capital of NewSpain, for the uniform level of the ground on which it stands, for theregularity and breadth of the streets, and the extent of its publicplaces. The architecture is, for the most part, in a pure style; andmany of the edifices are of a very beautiful structure. The exterior ofthe houses is not loaded with ornaments. Two sorts of hewn stone, giveto the Mexican buildings an air of solidity, and sometimes even ofmagnificence. There are none of those wooden balconies and galleries tobe seen, which so much disfigure all the European cities in both theIndies. The balustrades and gates are all of iron, ornamented withbronze; and the houses, instead of roofs, have terraces, like those inItaly, and other southern countries of the old continent. Mexico has, of late, received many additional embellishments. Anedifice, for the School of Mines, which was built at an expence of morethan £. 120, 000 sterling, would adorn the principal places of Paris orLondon. Two great palaces have been constructed by Mexican artists, pupils of the Academy of Fine Arts. One of these has a beautifulinterior, ornamented with columns. But, notwithstanding the progress of the arts, within the last thirtyyears, it is much less from the grandeur and beauty of the monuments, than from the breadth and straightness of the streets; and much lessfrom its edifices, than from its uniform regularity, its extent andposition, that the capital of New Spain attracts the admiration ofEuropeans. M. De Humboldt had successively visited, within a very shortspace of time, Lima, Mexico, Philadelphia, Washington, Paris, Rome, Naples, and the largest cities of Germany; and notwithstandingunavoidable comparisons, of which several might be supposeddisadvantageous to the capital of Mexico, there was left on his mind, arecollection of grandeur, which he principally attributed to themajestic character of its situation, and the beauty of the surroundingscenery. In fact, nothing can present a more rich and varied appearance than the_valley of Mexico_, when, in a fine summer morning, a person ascends oneof the towers of the cathedral, or the adjacent hill of Chapoltepec. Abeautiful vegetation surrounds this hill. From its summit, the eyewanders over a vast plain of richly-cultivated fields, which extend tothe very feet of colossal mountains, that are covered with perpetualsnow, The city appears as if washed by the waters of the lake ofTezcuco, whose basin, surrounded by villages and hamlets, brings to mindthe most beautiful lakes of the mountains of Switzerland. Large avenuesof elms and poplars lead, in every direction, to the capital; and twoaqueducts, constructed over arches of great elevation, cross the plain, and exhibit an appearance equally agreeable and interesting. Mexico is remarkable for its excellent police. Most of the _streets_have broad pavements; and they are clean, and well lighted. Water is, every where, to be had; but it is brackish, like the water of the lake. There are, however, two _aqueducts_, by which the city receivesfresh-water, from distant springs. Some remains of the _dikes_ or_embankments_, are still to be seen: they, at present, form great pavedcauseys, across marshy ground; and, as they are considerably elevated, they possess the double advantage, of admitting the passage ofcarriages, and restraining the overflowings of the lake. This city hassix principal _gates_; and is surrounded by a ditch, but is withoutwalls. The objects which chiefly attract the attention of strangers, are 1. The_Cathedral_, which is partly in the Gothic style of architecture, andhas two towers, ornamented with pilasters and statues, of very beautifulsymmetry. 2. The _Treasury_, which adjoins to the palace of theviceroys: from this building, since the beginning of the 16th century, more than 270 millions sterling, in gold and silver coin, have beenissued. 3. The _Convents_. 4. The _Hospital_, or rather the two unitedhospitals, of which one maintains six hundred, and the other eighthundred children and old people. 5. The _Acordada_, a fine edifice, ofwhich the prisons are spacious and well aired. 6. The _School of Mines_. 7. The _Botanical Garden_, in one of the courts of the viceroy's palace. 8. The edifices of the _University_ and the _Public Library_, which, however, are very unworthy of so great and ancient an establishment. 9. The _Academy of Fine Arts_. Mexico is the see of an archbishop, and contains twenty-three conventsfor monks, and fifteen for nuns. Its whole population is estimated atone hundred and forty thousand persons. On the north-side of the city, near the suburbs, is a _public walk_, which forms a large square, having a basin in the middle, and whereeight walks terminate. The _markets_ of Mexico are well supplied with eatables; particularlywith roots and fruit. It is an interesting spectacle, which may beenjoyed every morning at sunrise, to see these provisions, and a greatquantity of flowers, brought by Indians, in boats, along the canals. Most of the roots are cultivated on what are called _chinampas_, or"floating gardens. " These are of two sorts: one moveable, and drivenabout by the winds, and the other fixed and attached to the shore. Thefirst alone merit the denomination of floating-gardens. Simple lumps of earth, in lakes or rivers, carried away from the banks, have given rise to the invention of chinampas. The floating-gardens, ofwhich very many were found by the Spaniards, when they first invadedMexico, and of which many still exist in the lake of Chalco, were raftsformed of reeds, rushes, roots, and branches of underwood. The Indianscover these light and well connected materials with a black mould, whichbecomes extremely fertile. The chinampas sometimes contain the cottageof the Indian, who acts as guard for a group of floating gardens. Whenremoved from one side of the banks to the other, they are either towedor are pushed with long poles. Every chinampa forms an oblong squareabout three hundred feet in length, and eighteen or nineteen feet broad. Narrow ditches, communicating symmetrically between them, separate thesesquares. The mould fit for cultivation rises about three feet above thesurface of the surrounding water. On these chinampas are cultivatedbeans, peas, pimento, potatoes, artichokes, cauliflowers, and a greatvariety of other vegetables. Their sides are generally ornamented withflowers, and sometimes with hedges of rose-bushes. The promenade inboats, around the chinampas of the river Istracalco, is one of the mostagreeable amusements that can be enjoyed in the environs of Mexico. Thevegetation is extremely vigorous, on a soil which is continuallyrefreshed with water. The _Hill of Chapoltepec_, near Mexico, was chosen by the young viceroyGalvez, as the site of a villa for himself and his successors. Thecastle has been finished externally, but the apartments were notcompleted when M. De Humboldt was here. This building cost the king ofSpain more than £. 62, 000 sterling. With respect to the two great _lakes_, Tezcuco and Chalco, which aresituated in the valley of Mexico, one is of fresh water, and the othersalt. They are separated by a narrow range of mountains, which rise inthe middle of the plain; and their waters mingle together, in a straitbetween the hills. On both these lakes there are numerous towns andvillages, which carry on their commerce with each other in canoes, without touching the continent. FOOTNOTES: [3] From this place, Mr. Pike was conducted, through St. Antonio, in anorth-westerly direction, to the territories of the United States; andhe terminates the account of his travels at _Natchitoches_, on thesouthern bank of the Red river. Twenty-first Day's Instruction. MEXICO CONCLUDED. _A Description of some of the most important Places in Mexico. _ In an easterly direction from the city of Mexico lies _Tlascala_, atown, which, two hundred years ago, at the time of the Spanish invasion, had a numerous population, and was in a wealthy and flourishing state. The inhabitants of this place were implacable enemies of the Mexicans, and aided the Spaniards in the conquest of their country. It is now, however, little more than a village, containing about three thousandinhabitants. Some parts of the ancient walls still remain, and arecomposed of alternate strata of brick and clay. Six leagues south-west from Tlascala, and in the midst of a delightfulvalley, watered by a river which runs south-west to the Pacific Ocean, stands _Puebla_, the capital of an intendancy, and the see of a bishop. It is a large and regularly built manufacturing town, notorious for theprofligacy of its inhabitants. _Cholula_, once a sacred Indian town, to which pilgrimages werefrequent, but now a mean village, is not far from Puebla. This place is, at present, remarkable only for a curious monument of antiquity, apyramid which consists of four stages, and is about one hundred andseventy-seven feet in perpendicular height, and one thousand fourhundred and twenty-three feet at the base. Its structure appears toconsist of alternate strata of bricks and clay. In the midst of thispyramid there is a church, where mass is, every morning, celebrated byan ecclesiastic of Indian extraction, whose residence is on the summit. Eastward of the intendancy of Puebla is that of _Vera Cruz_. Thisdistrict is enriched with various natural productions, extremelyvaluable both in a commercial and economical view. The sugar-cane growshere in great luxuriance: chocolate, tobacco, cotton, sarsaparilla, areall abundant; but the indolence of the inhabitants is so great, and alltheir wants are so easily supplied, by the natural fertility of thesoil, that the country does not produce one half of what, under goodmanagement, it might be made to produce. The sugar and cottonplantations are chiefly attended to; but the progress made in these isnot great. The chief city of the province is _Vera Cruz_; a sea-port, the residenceof the governor, and the centre of the Spanish West Indian and Americancommerce. This city is beautifully and regularly built; but on an aridplain, destitute of water, and covered with hills of moving sand, thatare formed by the north winds, which blow; with impetuosity, every year, from October till April. These hills are incessantly changing theirform and situation: they are from twenty to thirty feet in height; and, by the reflection of the sun's rays upon them, and the high temperaturewhich they acquire during the summer months, they contribute much toincrease the suffocating heat of the atmosphere. The houses in Vera Cruz are chiefly built of wood; for no stone whateveris found in the vicinity of the place. The public edifices areconstructed of materials obtained from the bottom of the ocean: thestony habitations of a kind of marine animals called madrepores. Thetown is of great extent; and is surrounded by a wall, and defended by akind of citadel, which stands on an adjacent rocky island. The harbouris well protected; but the entrance into it is so narrowed by rocks, that only one ship can pass at a time. On the annual arrival of the flota, or fleet of merchant-vessels fromOld Spain, Vera Cruz is crowded, from all parts of the adjacent country;and a kind of fair is opened, which lasts many weeks. The principalinhabitants are merchants, but very few of them reside wholly in thetown; for the heat of the climate, the stagnant water in the vicinity ofthe place, and the bad quality of the water used for drinking, are thecause of yellow fever and numerous other diseases. The churches of Vera Cruz are much decorated with silver ornaments. Inthe dwelling houses, the chief luxury consists of porcelain and otherChinese articles. The whole number of inhabitants is estimated at aboutthirteen thousand. They are, in general, proud and indolent. The women, few of whom are handsome, live much in retirement. During the rainy season, the marshes south of the town are haunted byalligators. Sea-fowl of various kinds are here innumerable; and themusquitoes, at certain seasons of the year, are very troublesome. Earthquakes are not unfrequent. The north winds are so tremendous asoften to drive vessels on shore: these gales sometimes load the wallswith sand; and so much inconvenience is occasioned by them, that, during their continuance, ladies are excused by the priests from goingto mass. The richest merchants of this place have country-houses at _Xalapa_, atown, in a romantic situation, about twenty leagues distant. Here theyenjoy a cool and agreeable retreat from the arid climate and noxiousexhalations of Vera Cruz. In the vicinity of Xalapa, thick forests ofstyrax, piper, melastomata, and ferns resembling trees, afford the mostdelightful promenades imaginable. The intendancy of Vera Cruz contains, within its limits, two colossalsummits; one of which, the _volcano of Orizaba_, is of great height, andhas its top inclined towards the south-east, by which the crater isvisible to a considerable distance. The other summit, the _Coffre dePerote_, according to M. De Humboldt's measurement, is one thousandthree hundred feet higher than the Pic of Tenerife. It serves as aland-mark to vessels approaching Vera Cruz. A thick bed of pumice-stoneenvirons this mountain. Nothing at the summit announces a crater; andthe currents of lava observable between some adjacent villages, appearto be the effects of an ancient explosion. The small _volcano of Tuxtla_ is about four leagues from the coast, andnear an Indian village, called Saint Jago di Tuxtla. The last eruptionof this volcano took place on the 2d of March, 1793; and, during itscontinuance, the roofs of houses at Oaxaca, Vera Cruz, and Perote, werecovered with volcanic ashes. At Perote, fifty-seven leagues distant, thesubterraneous noises resembled heavy discharges of artillery. In the northern part of the intendancy of Vera Cruz, and two leaguesfrom the village of _Papantla_, there is a _pyramidal edifice_ of greatantiquity. It is in the midst of a forest; and the Indians, for morethan two centuries, succeeded in concealing, from the knowledge of theSpaniards, this object of ancient veneration. It was accidentallydiscovered, by a party of hunters, about thirty years ago. Thematerials that have been employed in its construction are immense stonescemented with mortar; and it is remarkable for its general symmetry, forthe polish of its stones, and the great regularity of their form. Itsbase is an exact square, each side being eighty-two feet in length. Theperpendicular height is about sixty feet. This monument, like all theMexican teocallis or temples, is composed of several stages. Six arestill distinguishable, and a seventh appears to be concealed by thevegetation, with which the sides are covered. A great stair offifty-seven steps, conducts to the top, where human victims wereformerly sacrificed; and, on each side of the great stair, is a smallone. The facing of the stories is adorned with hieroglyphics, in whichserpents and alligators, carved in relief, are still discernible. Eachstory contains a great number of square niches, symmetricallydistributed. On the coast of the Pacific Ocean, and at the distance of about threehundred miles south-west from Vera Cruz, stands _Acapulco_, the greatwestern sea-port of Mexico. This place is the principal emporium for theIndian trade over the Pacific Ocean. The harbour is commodious, capableof containing several hundred ships, and defended by a strong castle. The town itself is mean and ill-built, but extremely populous. Earthquakes are here of such frequent occurrence, that the houses areall very slightly constructed; and the climate, also, is extremelyunhealthy. These circumstances occasion most of the principal merchantsto reside in the adjacent country, at all times except when businessdemands their attention in the town. Several vessels, called "galleons, " laden with the precious metals, andwith merchandise of other kinds, are every year sent, from this port, toManila, in the Philippine islands; and others return, laden with thevaluable productions of the East Indies. On the arrival of the latter, the town becomes populous and gay; and is then filled with thewealthiest merchants of Mexico and Peru. Such, however, is the generaldread of its unhealthiness, that these do not sleep within the walls, but reside chiefly in tents in its vicinity. At some distance east of Acapulco, in a beautiful and populous valley, stands the town of _Guaxaca_ or _Oaxaca_; distinguished by themagnificence of its situation, the temperature and salubrity of itsclimate, the excellence of its soil, and its general majesticappearance. The streets are wide, straight, and well paved; and thehouses are chiefly built of stone. The churches and monasteries arenumerous, and richly decorated. On one side of the great square is thetown-house, which is constructed with stone of a sea-green colour. Thebishop's palace and the cathedral form two other sides of the samesquare: they are surrounded by arcades, as a shelter against both thesun and the rain. In the suburbs of Guaxaca are gardens, and plantationsof cactus or prickly pear-trees, on which great numbers of cochinealinsects feed. Guaxaca is not only watered by a beautiful river, but isabundantly supplied, by aqueducts, with pure water from the adjacentmountains. Its population, including Indians, mulattoes, and negroes, amounts to about twenty-four thousand persons. The _intendancy of Yucatan_ forms a peninsula, about a hundred leaguesin length, between the bays of Campeachy and Honduras. A ridge of lowhills extends along it, from south-west to north-east; and, between thisridge and the _Bay of Campeachy_, the dry and parched soil produceslogwood in great abundance and of excellent quality. For nearly fivemonths, during the rainy season, the low grounds are partiallyinundated: in February the waters are dried up; and, throughout theremainder of the year, there is scarcely any stream to be found. Hencethe inhabitants can only be supplied with fresh water by pits and wells. The eastern coast of Yucatan is so shallow and muddy, that large vesselscannot approach within four leagues of the shore. The chief productionsof this peninsula are maize, cotton, indigo, and logwood. The governor resides at a small inland town called _Merida_, situated onan arid plain, and containing about six thousand inhabitants. Theprincipal sea-port is _Campeachy_, near the north-west extremity of thepeninsula. This town has a good dock, and a fort which protects both theplace and the harbour. The houses are chiefly built of stone. Campeachyhas some cotton manufactories, and a trade in wax and salt; but itschief trade is in logwood. _Honduras_ is an important province, south of Yucatan. Its climate issuperior to that of most other parts of America, within the torrid zone. With the exception of a few months in the year, it is refreshed byregular sea-breezes. The periodical rains are here excessively heavy. The dry season is usually comprehended within the months of April, May, and June; and the sun, during this time, is excessively powerful. Thisprovince is about three hundred and ninety miles in length, from east towest, and consists of mountains, valleys, and plains, watered by manyrivers. Honduras abounds in honey, wax, cotton, corn, fruit, and dyeingwoods. It has some gold and silver mines; and its pastures feed greatnumbers of sheep and cattle. Its vineyards yield grapes twice in theyear; but, from indolence and want of cultivation, many parts of it havebecome desert. There is a British settlement at a place called _Balize_, near the mouthof a river of the same name. This town is immediately open to the sea;and, though in a low situation, the groups of lofty cocoa-nut trees, andthe thickly-interspersed and lively foliage of the tamarind trees, contribute to give a picturesque and pleasing effect to the dwellings ofthe inhabitants. The number of houses, of all descriptions, is about twohundred; and many of them, particularly such as are the property of themost opulent merchants, are spacious, commodious, and well finished. They are built of wood, and are generally raised eight or ten feet fromthe ground, on pillars of mahogany. The stores and offices are always onthe lower, and the dining and sleeping apartments on the upper story. Every habitation, likewise, has its upper and lower piazzas, which areindispensably necessary in hot climates. Balize stands at the edge of aswamp many miles in extent, which prevents nearly all intercourse withthe interior of the country. The principal articles at present imported from Europe into Honduras, are linens, printed cottons, muslins of the most costly manufacture, negro clothing, broadcloths, hosiery, hats, shoes, boots, earthen andglass wares, silver and plated goods, hardware, and cutlery: saltedprovisions, from Britain or America, are also in continual demand forthe food of the slaves. Few countries possess greater commercial advantages, in an agriculturalview, than this. The productions of the West Indian islands, might allunquestionably be cultivated here, as well as most others which aregrown within the tropics. But the cutting of logwood and mahogany is thechief occupation of the British settlers. The banks of the river Balizehave long been occupied by mahogany-cutters, even to the distance of twohundred miles from its mouth. About thirty miles up the Balize, on its banks, are found what aredenominated the Indian hills. These are small eminences, which aresupposed to have been raised by Indians over their dead; human bones, and fragments of a coarse kind of earthenware, being frequently dug upfrom them. _Nicaragua_ is a Spanish province, between Honduras and the isthmus ofDarien. It is about eighty leagues in length and fifty in breadth; andconsists, for the most part, of high and wooded mountains, some of whichare volcanic. The valleys are watered by many streams, but only one ofthese is of any importance. This is the river _Yare_, which runs, fromwest to east, through the northern part of the province. The mostimportant productions of Nicaragua are timber, cotton, sugar, honey, and wax. The chief town is _Leon de Nicaragua_, a place of considerabletrade, situated near the north-west border of the lake of Nicaragua; andin a sandy plain, at the foot of a volcanic mountain, several leaguesfrom the sea. * * * * * From New Spain we must return northward, for the purpose of describingthe British dominions of Nova Scotia and Canada. Twenty-second Day's Instruction. BRITISH AMERICAN DOMINIONS. NOVA SCOTIA, Is a province bounded on the east by the _Gulf of St. Lawrence_, on thesouth by the Atlantic, and on the west by the United States. It issomewhat more than two hundred miles long, and one hundred and seventymiles broad. The southern division is a peninsula of triangular form, having an isthmus not more than thirty miles in breadth. Nova Scotia isdivided into counties, and subdivided into townships; and, in the whole, contains somewhat more than fifty thousand inhabitants. The climate is unhealthy. During a considerable part of the year, themaritime and lower districts are enveloped in fog. The cold of winter isintense, and the heat of summer excessive. The soil is various. In manyparts it is thin, barren, gravelly, and covered with forests: in others, especially on the borders of the rivers, it is fertile and agreeable. Some of the tracts yield hemp and flax; but the inhabitants have nothitherto made much progress in agriculture. Nova Scotia has many baysand harbours; but much of the coast is bordered with dangerous rocks. Great numbers of cod-fish are caught in some of the bays, and in manyparts of the sea adjacent to the coast. _Halifax_, the capital of Nova Scotia, was built about the year 1749. Itis now a flourishing town on the sea-coast, and has an excellentharbour, accessible at all seasons of the year, and with depth of waterand anchorage sufficient for the largest vessels. The town is about twomiles in length, and a quarter of a mile in width; and is laid out inoblong squares, and in streets that run parallel or at right angles toeach other. It is defended by forts of timber, and contains aboutfifteen thousand inhabitants. At its northern extremity is the royalarsenal, which is well built, and amply supplied with naval stores. CANADA, Is an extensive but thinly-peopled district, lying between the sameparallels of latitude as France and England, but in a climate infinitelymore severe. During winter the frost is intense, and the surface of theground is covered with snow to the depth of several feet. In many partsof the country, however, the summers are hot and pleasant. The _boundaries_ of Canada are, the United States on the south; theAtlantic Ocean, Labrador, and Hudson's Bay, on the east and north; and awild and undescribed region on the west. This country is divided intotwo provinces of Upper and Lower Canada: the executive power in eachprovince is vested in a _governor_; and a legislative council and anassembly are appointed for each, having power, with the consent of thegovernor, to make laws. In the legislative council of Lower Canada, there are fifteen members; and in that of Upper Canada seven; and theappointments are for life. In the assembly of Lower Canada there arefifty members; and in that of Upper Canada sixteen: these are chosen bythe freeholders and do not continue in office longer than four years. Canada was originally discovered by Sebastian Cabot, a navigator sentout by the English about the year 1497; but in the beginning of theseventeenth century, it was colonized by the French, who kept possessionof it till the year 1763, when it fell into the hands of the British, towhom it still belongs. The long possession of this country by theFrench, has occasioned the _French language_ to be chiefly spoken: ithas also occasioned the prevailing _religion_ to be Roman Catholic. TheBritish government permits a toleration of all religions; but by far thegreatest number of inhabitants are catholics. The clergy of the churchof England, in both provinces, are only twelve in number, including thebishop of Quebec; whereas, those of the church of Rome amount to onehundred and twenty, including a bishop, and three vicars-general. The whole number of _inhabitants_ is considered to be about two hundredthousand, of whom fifty thousand are Indians. "Essentially a Frenchman, (says Mr. Hall, ) the Canadian is gay, courteous, and contented. If therigours of the climate have somewhat chilled the overflowing vivacityderived from his parent stock, he has still a sufficient portion of goodspirits and loquacity. To strangers and travellers he is invariablycivil; and he seems to value their good word beyond their money. He isconsidered parsimonious, because all his gains arise from his savings, and he is satisfied with the humblest fare. " The Canadians have a greatantipathy to the inhabitants of the United States. At this day, manyeven of the better informed among them believe that the Americangovernment is constantly plotting the ruin of Canada. Whilst Canada was in the hands of the French, the _commerce_ of thecountry was chiefly confined to the fisheries and fur-trade: agriculturewas neglected, and extensive tracts of fertile soil lay uncultivated. But the English have both peopled and improved a very considerableportion of territory; and the trade is now of much importance. TheCanadians export to Britain and to different British establishments, wheat and other grain, biscuit, beef, pork, butter, salmon, oil, timber, hemp, and various other articles. In many parts of both Canadas the_soil_ is well adapted for the production of grain. Tobacco also thriveswell in it; and culinary vegetables arrive at great perfection. Theforests produce beech-trees, oaks, elms, ash, pine, sycamore, chesnut, and walnut; and a species of maple-tree, from the juice of which sugaris made, abounds throughout the country. Many extensive tracts in Canada are covered with lakes and marshes; andthe country is intersected by numerous rivers, some of which arenavigable to considerable distances. Of the _lakes_, the most importantare lake Superior, lake Huron, lake Michigan, lake Ontario, and lakeErie. These are adjacent to the territory of the United States. LakeWinipic is an expanse of water, more than two hundred and fifty miles inlength, situated about the 53d degree of north latitude. The largest andnoblest _river_ in Canada is the St. Lawrence, which flows from lakeOntario, past the two towns of Montreal and Quebec, and falls into theGulf of St. Lawrence. This river meets the tide four miles from the sea;and to this place it is navigable for large vessels. _A Description of Quebec. _ This city, the capital of Canada, stands at the northern extremity of astrip of high land, which follows the course of the river St. Lawrence, as far as the mouth of the Charles. The basis of these heights is a darkslate rock, of which most of the buildings in the town are constructed. _Cape Diamond_ terminates the promontory, with a bold precipice towardsthe river. This rock derives its name from numerous transparentcrystals, which are found upon it; and which are so abundant that, after a shower of rain, the ground glitters with them. The Lower Town of Quebec is built at the foot of the heights; and theUpper Town occupies their crest. The former, snug and dirty, is theabode of persons engaged in trade, and of most of the lower classes: thelatter, lofty and cold, is the seat of government, and the principalresidence of the military. With few exceptions, the _houses_ in Quebec are built of stone. Theroofs of the better sort are covered with sheets of iron or tin, andthose of an inferior description, with boards. On the roofs ladders areusually placed, near the garret-windows, for the purpose of thechimney-sweepers ascending, on the outside, to clean the chimneys: for, in this country boys do not go up the chimneys, as in England; but twomen, one at the top and the other at the bottom, sweep them, by pullingup and down a bundle of twigs or furze, tied to a rope. The _streets_ of the Lower Town are, for the most part, narrow andirregular. St. Peter's street is the best paved, and the widest of thewhole. It contains several good and substantial _houses_, which arechiefly occupied by merchants and traders; but, from the colour of thestone of which the houses are constructed, and of the iron roofs, allthe streets of Quebec have a heavy and gloomy appearance. A street, called _Mountain Street_, which leads to the Upper Town, winds, in a serpentine direction, from the market-place up the hill, andterminates near the Upper Town market-place. This street, in winter, isextremely dangerous. The quantity of snow and ice, which here accumulatein large masses, renders it necessary for the inhabitants to wear outershoes, that are shod with iron spikes. The boys of Quebec have afavourite amusement, in lying at full length with their breast upon asmall kind of sledge, and sliding along the snow, from the top of thehill to the bottom: they glide down with astonishing velocity; yet, with their feet, they can guide or stop themselves, at pleasure. The _shops_ or stores of the traders in the Lower Town, do not exhibitany of that diversified and pleasing appearance which is so remarkablein London. Here the stranger sees nothing but heavy stone buildings, gloomy casements, and iron-cased shutters, painted red. If any show ismade at the window, it is with paltry articles of cooking, earthen andhardware: there is, however, a tolerable display of bear-skins, seal-skins, foxes-tails, and buffalo-robes. The _taverns_ in Quebec are numerous; yet a stranger is much surprisedto find only two houses which deserve that high-sounding appellation. This arises from the vanity that possesses all our trans-Atlanticbrethren, to designate their paltry public-houses or spirit-shops, bythe more dignified title of "tavern;" for through the whole of America, every dirty hole, where a few glasses of rum, gin, or whisky, are sold, is so called. Of the _public buildings_ in Quebec, the most important is thegovernment-house, or castle of St. Louis, a large, plain, stone edifice, which forms one side of an open place or square, called the parade. Itsfront resembles that of a country gentleman's house in England; and theinterior contains comfortable family apartments. The furniture isinherited and paid for by the successive owners. Opposite to thegovernment-house stand the English cathedral church, and thecourt-house, both handsome buildings of modern construction. The othersides of the parade are formed by the Union Hotel, and a row ofbuildings which form the commencement of St. Louis Street. The _Upper Town_ is by far the most agreeable part of Quebec: itsstreets are not, indeed, remarkable for width, but many of them are wellpaved. In the Upper Town the heat, during summer, is not so intense asin the Lower Town; nor, in winter, though the cold is much severer, isit, as a residence, so dreary and uncomfortable. There are, in Quebec, several catholic _charitable institutions_. Ofthese, the principal is the "Hotel Dieu, " founded in 1637, for theaccommodation and relief of poor sick people: it is under the managementof a superior and thirty-six nuns. The "General Hospital, " which standsat a little distance from the town, is a somewhat similar institution;and is governed by a superior and forty-three nuns. In the admission ofpatients into each of these establishments, no distinction is made, asto catholics or protestants. The Ursuline convent, founded in 1639, forthe education of female children, stands within the city, and has aconsiderable appearance of wealth. Among the ornaments of the chapel arethe skull and bones of a missionary, who had been murdered by theIndians for attempting their conversion. About two miles from the town is a break in the line of cliffs, whichforms a little recess, called _Wolf's Cove_. A steep pathway leadsthence to the heights of the plains of Abram. On these plains are stillto be seen, in the turf, traces of field-works, which were thrown up bythe British army, in the celebrated siege of Quebec; and a stone ispointed out as that on which General Wolf expired. The _markets_ of Quebec are well supplied with every thing that thecountry affords; and, in general, at a very cheap rate. In the autumn, as soon as the river betwixt the town and the island of Orleans, isfrozen over, an abundance of provisions is received from that island. The Canadians, at the commencement of winter, kill the greatest part oftheir stock, and carry it to market in a frozen state. The inhabitantsof the towns supply themselves, at this season, with butcher's meat, poultry, and vegetables, to serve them till spring. These are kept ingarrets or cellars; and, so long as they continue frozen, their goodnessis preserved. Before they are prepared for the table, they are laid forsome hours in cold water, to be thawed. In wintertime, milk is broughtto market in large frozen cakes. Great quantities of maple-sugar are sold, in Quebec, at about half theprice of West India sugar. The manufacturing of this article takes placein the spring. The sap or juice, after it has been drawn from the trees, is boiled, and then poured into shallow dishes, where it takes the formof a thick and hard cake. Maple-sugar is very hard; and, when used, isscraped with a knife, as, otherwise, it would be a long time indissolving. The fruit of Canada is not remarkable either for excellence orcheapness. Strawberries and raspberries are, however, brought to marketin great abundance: they are gathered on the plains, at the back ofQuebec, and in the neighbouring woods, where they grow wild, in theutmost luxuriance. Apples and pears are chiefly procured from thevicinity of Montreal. Walnuts and filberts are by no means common; buthickory-nuts and hazel-nuts are to be obtained in all the woods. The _climate_ of Lower Canada is subject to violent extremes of heat andcold. At Quebec, the thermometer, in summer, is sometimes as high as 103degrees of Fahrenheit's thermometer; and, in winter, is at 36 degreesbelow 0. The average of summer heat is, in general, from 75 to 80degrees; and the mean of the cold, in winter, is about 0. From Christmas to Lady-day the weather is remarkably clear and fine; thesky is of an azure blue colour, and seldom obscured by fogs or clouds;and the frost is not often interrupted by falls of snow or rain. Theseadvantages render a Canadian winter so agreeable, that the inhabitants, from sudden alterations of the weather, are never under the necessity ofchanging their style of dress, unless it be to discard their greatcoatsand fur-caps, which, in consequence of the powerful warmth of the sun, is sometimes necessary. In the early part of the winter there is alwaysmuch snow. The spring, summer, and autumn of Canada, are all comprised within thefive months of May, June, July, August, and September. The rest of theyear may be considered as winter. During the month of October, theweather is sometimes pleasant, but nature has then put on her gloomymantle; and the chilling blasts, from the north-west, remind theCanadians of the approach of snow and ice. November and April are thetwo most disagreeable months of the year: in one of these the snow isbeginning to fall, and in the other it is going away. MR. HALL'S _Journey from Quebec to Montreal_. MR. HALL was in Canada during the summer of 1816; and, on the28th of July, he left Quebec, on a journey to Montreal. He deviatedsomewhat from the usual road, that he might pass by the _Jacques Cartierbridge_, six or seven miles above the ferry. Here the river falls wildlydown, betwixt its wooded shores; and, after forming several cascades, foams through a narrow channel, which seems cut out of the solid rock, to receive it. The rock, which constitutes its bed, is formed intoregular platforms, descending, by natural steps, to the edge of thetorrent. The Jacques Cartier is a river famous for its salmon, which arecaught of large size, and in great abundance, below the bridge. At thefoot of this bridge stands a little inn, where the angler may have hisgame cooked for supper, and where he may sleep in the lull of thetorrent, below his chamber-window. After quitting this neighbourhood, the scenery of the St. Lawrence becomes flat and uniform. The roadfollows the direction of the river, sometimes running along the cliff, which once embanked it, and sometimes descending to the water's edge. From Quebec to Montreal, the country may be considered as one longvillage. On each shore there is a stripe of land, seldom exceeding amile in breadth, which is bounded by forests, and thickly studded withfarm-houses, white-washed from top to bottom: to these, log-barns andstables are attached, and commonly a neat plot of garden-ground. Mr. Hall preferred the travelling in Lower Canada to that in every otherpart of the American continent. You arrive (he says) at the post-house, (as the words "_maison de poste_, " scrawled over the door, give younotice;) "Have you horses, Madame?" "_Oui, Monsieur, tout de suite. _" Aloud cry of "_Oh! bon homme_, " forwards the intelligence to her husband, at work, perhaps, in an adjacent field. "_Mais, asseyez vous, Monsieur_;" and, if you have patience to do this quietly, for a fewminutes, you will see crebillion, papillon, or some other _on_ arrive, at a full canter, from pasture, mounted by honest _Jean_, in his bluenightcap, with all his habiliments shaking in the wind. The preliminaryof splicing and compounding the broken harness having been adjusted, thewhip cracks, and you start to the exhilarating cry of "_marche donc_, "at the rate of six, and often seven miles an hour. The village of "_Trois Rivieres_" stands at the three mouths of the_River St. Maurice_. It contains an Ursuline convent, which marks it fora place of some note, in a catholic country; but it is still more worthyof distinction, as being the residence of the amiable Abbé de laColonne, brother to the unfortunate French minister of that name. Having engaged two experienced boatmen, and a bark canoe, Mr. Hallascended the St. Maurice, to visit the _falls of Shawinne Gamme_, distant somewhat more than twenty miles. At his return, he left the St. Maurice, and, having been ferried from _Berthier_ to _Contrecoeur_, heproceeded, "_en caleche_, " with two crebillions, towards _St. Ours_, inthe direction of the _Beloeil Mountain_, which was seen before him inthe misty horizon. The meadows were profusely decorated with orangelilies; and the banks and dingles with the crimson cones of the sumac, and a variety of flowering shrubs. Several brigs and merchants' shipswere dropping down with the tide, their crowded sails scarcely swellingin the languid summer breeze. The Canadian summer, observes Mr. Hall, is hot in proportion to theseverity of the winter; and the heat is sufficient to enable thecultivator to raise Indian corn, water-melons, gourds, capsicums, andsuch vegetables as require a short and intense heat. Hence the countryassumes the aspect of a Portuguese summer, by way of appendix to aRussian winter. Mr. Hall passed through the village of _Beloeil_; again crossed theriver, and proceeded towards the mountain, which towered, like animmense wall of rock, above the flat surrounding country. Scattered atits base were a few wretched houses, the inhabitants of which subsistedby the produce of their apple-orchards. The weather was excessively hot; and volumes of smoke, from the casual, or intentional burning of the woods, every where clouded the horizon, and seemed to give additional heat to the glowing landscape. The basis of the _Montreal Mountain_ is freestone; the ascent isconsequently less steep, and the surface less broken, than that ofBeloeil: it is thickly wooded, and, from the river, forms an elegantback-ground to the city. _A Description of Montreal. _ When approached from the water, the town of _Montreal_, which issituated on an island in the River St. Lawrence, has a very singularappearance. This is occasioned by the grey stone of the buildings, andtheir tin-covered roofs; the latter of which emit a strong glare, whenthe sun shines. The shore is steep, and forms a kind of natural wharf, upon which the vessels discharge their cargoes: hence the shipping whichfrequent the harbour of Montreal are often anchored close to the shore. Many English vessels visit this place; but the navigation of the St. Lawrence, above Quebec, is so hazardous, that few captains are willingto make the voyage a second time. The interior of the town of Montreal is extremely gloomy. The _streets_are regularly built, but the buildings are ponderous masses of stone, erected with little taste, and less judgment. Including the garrets, they have seldom more than two stories above the ground-floor. The doorsand window-shutters are covered with large sheets of tin, painted red orlead-colour, and corresponding with the gloomy colour of the stone, withwhich most of the houses have been built; hence a heavy sameness ofappearance pervades all the streets. The only _open places_ in the town, are the two markets, and a square, called the Place d'Armes, in which, under the French government, thetroops of the garrison are accustomed to parade. The French catholicchurch occupies the whole east side of the square; and, on the southside, is a tavern, called the Montreal Hotel. Every thing, in thistavern, is neat, cleanly, well conducted, and perfectly agreeable to anEnglishman's taste. Montreal is divided into the _Upper_ and _Lower towns_, though thesehave very little difference in elevation. The principal street of thelatter, extends, from north to south, through the whole length of theplace. This street contains the wholesale and retail stores of themerchants and traders, the lower market-place, the post-office, theHotel Dieu, a large tavern, and several smaller ones. It is narrow, butit presents a scene of greater bustle than any other part of the town;and is the chief mart of the trade carried on in Montreal. Most of the streets are well paved; and the improvements which are goingon throughout the town, will, in a few years, render it much morecommodious and agreeable than it is at present. The four streets or_suburbs_ occupy a considerable space of ground, and the number ofinhabitants is computed at twelve thousand. The _religious_ and_charitable institutions_ of this place, are counterparts to those atQuebec. There are a general hospital, and an Hotel Dieu, for the reliefof sick poor. The principal catholic church is rich and handsome. Thecollege or seminary, is a capacious stone building, and has lately beenrepaired and enlarged. It was originally endowed as a branch of theseminary at Paris; but, since the French Revolution, it has afforded anasylum to several members of the latter, whose learning and talents havebeen employed in its advancement. Among other _public edifices_ must bereckoned the English church, an unfinished building; the old monasteryof Franciscan Friars, now converted into barracks; the court-house, andthe government-house. The court-house is a neat and spacious building. In front of it, a column has been erected in honour of Lord Nelson, andis crowned with a statue of him. Near the court-house a gaol has beenbuilt, upon the site of the old college of Jesuits. There seems to be a greater spirit of municipal improvement in Montrealthan in Quebec. It is also, probably, a richer place; for, being theemporium of the fur-trade, its merchants carry on a considerable trafficwith the United States, and particularly with Vermont and New York. At the back of the town, and behind the court-house, is a _parade_, where the troops are exercised. The ground, along this part, isconsiderably elevated, and forms a steep bank, several hundred yards inlength. Here the inhabitants walk in an evening, and enjoy a beautifulview of the suburbs of St. Lawrence and St. Antoine; and of numerousgardens, orchards, and plantations, adorned with neat, and, in manyinstances, even handsome villas. Green fields are interspersed amidstthis rich variety of objects, which are concentrated in an extensivevalley, that gradually rises towards a lofty mountain, about two milesand a half distant; and covered, towards its upper part, with trees andshrubs. It is from this mountain that the town obtained its name ofMontreal, or "Royal Mount. " All the principal north-west merchants reside in this town; which is theemporium of their trade, and the grand mart of the commerce carried onbetween Canada and the United States: they live in a splendid style, andkeep expensive tables. The _markets_ of Montreal are plentifully supplied with provisions, which are much cheaper here than in Quebec. Large supplies are broughtin, every winter, from the United States; particularly cod-fish, whichis packed in ice, and conveyed in sledges from Boston. Two weeklynewspapers, called the Gazette and the Canadian Courant, are publishedhere. At Montreal, the winter is considered to be two months shorter than itis at Quebec; and the heat of summer is more oppressive. Twenty-third Day's Instruction. NORTH WESTERN TERRITORY. _The Route, from Montreal to Fort Chepewyan, pursued by a company oftraders, called the North-west Company_. The requisite number of canoes being purchased, the goods being formedinto packages, and the lakes and rivers being free from ice, which theyusually are in the beginning of May, the persons employed by theNorth-west Company set out from _La Chine_, eight miles above Montreal. Each canoe carries eight or ten men, and a luggage consisting ofsixty-five packages of goods, about six hundred weight of biscuit, twohundred weight of pork, and three bushels of peas, for the men'sprovisions: two oil-cloths to cover the goods, a sail, and an axe, atowing-line, a kettle, and a sponge to bail out the water; together witha quantity of gum, bark, and watape, to repair the canoe. An European, on seeing these slender vessels, thus laden, heaped up, and their sidesnot more than six inches out of the water, would imagine it impossiblethat they should perform a long and perilous voyage; but the Canadiansare so expert in the management of them, that few accidents happen. Leaving La Chine, they proceed to _St. Ann's_, within two miles of thewestern extremity of the island of Montreal. At the rapid of St. Ann, the navigators are obliged to take out part, if not the whole of thelading; and to replace it when they have passed the cataract. The _Lakeof the two Mountains_, which they next reach, is about twenty mileslong, but not more than three miles wide, and is, nearly surrounded bycultivated fields. At the end of the lake, the water contracts into the _Utawas river_;which, after a course of fifteen miles, is interrupted by a successionof rapids and cascades for upwards of ten miles: at the foot of thesethe Canadian Seignories terminate. Here the voyagers are frequentlyobliged to unload their canoes, and carry the goods upon their backs, orrather suspended in slings from their heads. Each man's ordinary load istwo packages, though some of the men carry three. In some places, theground will not admit of their carrying the whole at once: in this case, they make two trips; that is, the men leave half their lading, land itat the distance required, and then return for that which was left. Thereare three carrying places; and, near the last of them, the river is amile and a half wide, and has a regular current, for about sixty miles, to the first _portage de Chaudiere_. The whole body of water is hereprecipitated, twenty-five feet, down, craggy and excavated rocks, and ina most wild and romantic manner. Over this portage, it is requisite to carry the canoe and all itslading; but the rock is so steep, that the canoe cannot be taken out ofthe water by fewer than twelve men, and it is carried by six men. The next remarkable object which the traders approach, is a lake called_Nepisingui_, about twelve leagues long, and fifteen miles wide, in thewidest part. The inhabitants of the country adjacent to this lake, consist of the remainder of a numerous tribe called _Nepisinguis_, ofthe Algonquin nation. Out of the lake flows the _Riviere de François_, over rocks ofconsiderable height. This river is very irregular, both as to itsbreadth and form; and it is so interspersed with islands, that, in itswhole course, its banks are seldom visible. Of its various channels, that which is generally followed by the canoes is obstructed by fiveportages. The distance hence to Lake Huron is about twenty-five leagues. There is scarcely a foot of soil to be seen from one end of the river tothe other; for its banks consist entirely of rock. The coast of _Lake Huron_ is similar to this; but it is lower, andbacked, at some distance, by high lands. The canoes pass along thenorthern bank of this lake, into _Lake Superior_, the largest and mostmagnificent body of fresh water in the world. It is clear, of greatdepth, and abounds in fish of various kinds. Sturgeon are caught here, and trout, some of which weigh from forty to fifty pounds each. Theadjacent country is bleak, rocky, and desolate: it contains no largeanimals, except a few moose and fallow deer; and the little timber thatis to be seen, is extremely stunted in its growth. The inhabitants ofthe coast of Lake Superior are all of the _Algonquin nation_, whosubsist chiefly on fish. They do not, at present, exceed one hundred andfifty families; though, a century ago, the whole adjacent country issaid to have been inhabited by them. Near the north-western shore of Lake Superior, and beneath a hill, three or four hundred feet in height, is a fort, containing severalhouses, erected for the accommodation of the North-west Company andtheir clerks. This place is called the _Grande Portage_. The traders, who leave Montreal in the beginning of May, usually arrive here aboutthe middle of June. They are met by men who had spent the winter in theestablishments; towards the north, and from whom they receive the furswhich had been collected in the course of their winter traffic. Upwardsof twelve hundred men are thus assembled, every summer, in this remotewilderness; and live together, for several days, in a comfortable andconvivial manner. After their accounts are settled, the furs areembarked for Montreal; and the rest of the men proceed to the differentposts and establishments in the Indian country. The canoes which areused from the Grande Portage, upwards, are but half the size of thosefrom Montreal. They are each navigated by four, five, or six men, according to the distance which they have to go. Having embarked on the river _Au Tourt_; and, having overcome numerousobstacles, in cataracts, and other impediments to their course, thepersons proceeding on this voyage, reach a trading establishment, on thenorth side of the river, in 48 degrees 37 minutes, north latitude. Herethey are met by people from the Athabasca country, and exchange ladingwith them. This place also is the residence of the grand chief of the_Algonquin Indians_; and here the elders of these Indians meet incouncil, to treat of peace or war. The Au Tourt is one of the finest rivers in the north-western parts ofAmerica. Its banks are covered with a rich soil, and, in many parts, areclothed with groves of oak, maple, and cedar-trees. The southern bank islow, and displays the maple, the white birch, and cedar; with thespruce, the alder, and various kinds of underwood. Its waters abound infish, particularly in sturgeons. In the low grounds, betwixt LakeSuperior and this river, are seen vast quantities of rice, which thenatives collect, in the month of August, for their winter stores. _Lake Winipic_, which the traders next approach, is the great reservoirof several large rivers. It is bounded, on the north, by banks of blackand grey rock; and, on the south, by a low and level country, occasionally interrupted with ridges or banks of limestone, from twentyto forty feet in height, bearing timber, but only of moderate growth. From its peculiar situation, this lake seems calculated to become agrand depôt of traffic. It communicates, in a direct and short channel, with the southern shores of Hudson's Bay, by the rivers Severn andNelson; and it is connected with the countries at the head of theMississippi and Missouri, by the Assiniboin and Red rivers. The Indians, who inhabit its banks, are of the Knisteneaux and Algonquin tribes. Beyond lake Winipic, the canoes have to pass along many rapids, andthrough several small lakes, called _Cedar lake_, _Mud lake_, and_Sturgeon lake_. This part of the country is frequented by beavers, andnumerous animals, valuable on account of their furs; and the plains areinhabited by buffaloes, wolves, and foxes. On the banks of the rivers, there are factories for the convenience oftrade with the natives; and near each of these are tents of differentnations of Indians; some of whom are hunters, and others deal inprovisions, wolf, buffalo, and fox-skins. From the mouth of the _Saskatchiwine river_, the canoes proceed, in anortherly direction, through _Sturgeon lake_, and _Beaver lake_. Thebanks of the river are high, and clothed with cypress-trees; and theinhabitants of the adjacent districts are chiefly Knisteneaux Indians. This description of country, with some variation, prevails as far as thetrading establishment of Fort Chepewyan, on the south-eastern bank ofthe _Lake of the Hills_. _Fort Chepewyan_ is the residence of a considerable number of persons, who are employed by the North-west Company. Except during a short timein the spring and autumn, when thousands of wild-fowl frequent thevicinity of the lake, these persons subsist almost wholly on fish. Thisthey eat without the variety of any farinaceous grain for bread, anyroot, or vegetable; and without even salt to quicken its flavour. Every year, in the autumn, the Indians meet the traders, at this andother forts, where they barter such furs, or provisions, as they haveprocured. They are here fitted out, by the traders, with such articlesas they may want, after which they proceed to hunt beavers; and theyreturn about the end of March or the beginning of April, when they areagain fitted out as before. During the summer, most of these Indiansretire to the barren grounds, and live there, with their relations andfriends. _Account of the Knisteneaux and Chepewyan Indians_. When, in the year 1777, the Europeans first penetrated into thenorth-western regions of America, these two tribes of Indians were verynumerous; but the small-pox, introduced among them by the strangers, proved so fatal, that, at the end of fifteen years, not more thanseventy families were left. The _Knisteneaux_, though at present few in number, occupy a greatextent of country. They are of moderate stature, well-proportioned, andextremely active. Their complexion is of a copper-colour, and their hairblack. In some of the tribes, the hair is cut into various forms, according to their fancy; and, by others, it is left in the long andlank flow of nature. These Indians, in general, pluck out their beards. Their eyes are black, keen, and penetrating; and their countenance isopen and agreeable. Fond of decoration, they paint their bodies withdifferent colours of red, blue, brown, white, and black. Their dress is, at once, simple and commodious. It consists of tightleggings or leather-gaiters, which reach nearly to the hip; a strip ofcloth or leather, about a foot wide, and five feet long, the ends ofwhich are drawn inward, and hang behind and before, over a belt, tiedround the waist for that purpose; a close vest or shirt, reaching downto the former garment, and bound at the waist by a broad strip ofparchment, fastened with thongs behind; and a cap for the head, consisting of a piece of fur, or a small skin, with the tail of theanimal, as a suspended ornament. A kind of robe is occasionally thrownover the whole of this dress, and serves them to wear by day, and tosleep in at night. These articles, with the addition of shoes andmittens, constitute their chief apparel. The materials vary, accordingto the season, and consist of dressed moose-skin, beaver-skins, preparedwith the fur, or European woollens. The leather is neatly painted, and, in some parts, is fancifully worked with porcupine-quills and moose-deerhair. The shirts and leggings are adorned with fringe and tassels; andthe shoes and mittens have somewhat of appropriate decoration, and areworked with a considerable degree of skill and taste. Their head-dressesare composed of the feathers of the swan, the eagle, and other birds. The teeth, horns, and claws of different animals, are also theoccasional ornaments of their head and neck. The female dress is composed of materials similar to those used by themen; but it is of a somewhat different form and arrangement. Several ofthe women have the skin of their faces tatooed or marked with threeperpendicular lines: one from the centre of the chin to the under lip, and one on each side parallel to the corner of the mouth. The Knisteneaux women are very comely. Their figure is generally wellproportioned, and the regularity of their features would be acknowledgedeven by the civilized nations of Europe. This people are naturally mild and affable. They are just in theirdealings, not only among themselves, but with strangers. They are alsogenerous and hospitable; and good-natured in the extreme, except whenunder the influence of spirituous liquors. Towards their children theyare indulgent to a fault. The father, however, though he assumes nocommand over them, anxiously instructs them, in all the preparatoryqualifications, for war and hunting; while the mother is equallyattentive to her daughters, in teaching them every thing that isconsidered necessary to their character and situation. The Knisteneaux have frequent feasts; and, at some of these, they offerdogs as sacrifices, and make large offerings of their property. Thescene of their most important ceremonies is usually an enclosure on thebank of some river or lake, and in a conspicuous situation. Onparticular occasions they have private sacrifices in their houses. Theceremony of smoking precedes every affair of importance. When a feast isproposed to be given, the chief sends quills or small pieces of wood, astokens of invitation, to such persons as he wishes to partake of it. Atthe appointed time the guests arrive, each bringing with him a dish orplatter, and a knife; and they take their seats on each side of thechief. The pipe is then lighted, and the chief makes an equal divisionof every thing that is provided for the occasion. During the eating thechief sings, and accompanies his song with a tambourine. The guest whohas first eaten his share of provision is considered as the mostdistinguished person. At all these feasts a small quantity of meat ordrink is sacrificed, by throwing it into the fire or on the earth, before the guests begin to eat. It is expected that each person shoulddevour the whole food that is allotted to him, how great soever thequantity may be; and those who are unable to do this, endeavour toprevail with their friends to assist them. Care is always taken that thebones are burned, as it would be considered a profanation, if the dogswere to touch them. The medicinal virtues of many herbs are known to the Knisteneaux; andthey apply the roots of plants and the bark of trees in the cure ofvarious diseases. But there is among them a class of men, calledconjurers, who monopolize the medical science; and who, blending mysterywith their art, do not choose to communicate their knowledge. Like all their other solemn ceremonials, the funeral rites of theKnisteneaux begin with smoking, and are concluded by a feast. The bodyis dressed in the best habiliments of the deceased, or his relatives, and is then deposited in a grave lined with branches: some domesticutensils are placed on it, and a kind of canopy is erected over it. During this ceremony, great lamentations are made; and, if the deceasedis much regretted, the near relations cut off their hair, pierce thefleshy part of their thighs and arms with arrows, knives, &c. Andblacken their faces with charcoal. The whole property belonging to himis destroyed, and the relations take, in exchange for the wearingapparel, any rags that will cover their nakedness. * * * * * The _Chepewyans_ are a sober, timorous, and vagrant people, and of adisposition so selfish as sometimes to have excited suspicions of theirintegrity. Their complexion is swarthy; their features are coarse, andtheir hair is lank, but not always of a black colour; nor have they, universally, the piercing eye, which generally animates the Indiancountenance. The women have a more agreeable aspect than the men; but, in consequence of their being accustomed, nine months in the year, totravel on snow-shoes, and to drag heavy sledges, their gait is awkward. They are very submissive to their husbands, who sometimes treat themwith great cruelty. The men, in general, extract their beards; thoughsome of them are seen to prefer a bushy beard to a smooth chin. They cuttheir hair in various forms, or leave it in a long, natural flow, according as caprice or fancy suggests. The women always have theirhair of great length, and some of them are very attentive to itsarrangement. Both sexes have blue or black marks, or from one to fourstraight lines on their cheeks or forehead, to distinguish the tribe towhich they belong. These marks are either tatooed, or are made bydrawing a thread, dipped in colour, beneath the skin. Few people are more attentive to the comforts of dress than these. Inwinter they wear the skins of deer or fawns, prepared with the hair on, and rendered as fine and soft as chamois leather. In summer theirapparel is of similar skins, but prepared without the hair. A ruff ortippet surrounds the neck; and the skin of the head of a deer forms acurious kind of cap. Plurality of wives is allowed among the Chepewyans; and the ceremony ofmarriage is very simple. At a very early period, the girls are betrothedto such persons as the parents consider best able to support them. Thedesires of the women are never considered; and whenever a separationtakes place, which sometimes happens, it depends entirely on the will ofthe husband. These Indians are not remarkable for activity as hunters: this is owingto the ease with which they snare deer, and spear fish. They are notaddicted to the use of spirituous liquors; and are, on the whole, anextremely peaceful tribe. Their weapons and domestic apparatus, inaddition to articles procured from Europeans, are spears, bows andarrows, fishing-nets, and lines made of deer-skin thongs. Theiramusements are but few. Their music is so inharmonious, and theirdancing so awkward, that they might be supposed to be ashamed of both, as they seldom practise either. They shoot at marks, and play atdifferent games; but they prefer sleeping to any of these: and thegreatest part of their time is passed in procuring food, and restingafter the toil of obtaining it. The notion which these people entertain of the creation of the world isa very singular one. They believe that the globe was originally one vastocean, inhabited by no living creature, except an immense bird, whoseeyes were of fire, whose glances were lightning, and the clapping ofwhose wings was thunder. On the descent of this bird to the ocean, andat the instant of touching it, they say that the earth arose, andremained on the surface of the waters. This omnipotent bird then calledforth all the variety of animals from the earth, except the Chepewyans, who were produced from a dog; and to this circumstance they attributetheir aversion to dog's-flesh. The tradition proceeds to relate, thatthe great bird, having finished his work, made an arrow, which was to bepreserved with great care, and to remain untouched; but that theChepewyans were so devoid of understanding, as to carry it away; andthis sacrilege so enraged the bird, that he has never since appeared. They believe also, that, in ancient times, their ancestors lived tilltheir feet were worn out with walking, and their throats with eating;and they describe a deluge, in which the waters spread over the wholeearth, except the highest mountains, on the tops of which the Chepewyanspreserved themselves. They are superstitious in an extreme; and almost every action of theirlives, however trivial, is more or less influenced by some superstitiousnotion. They believe in a good and evil spirit; and in a future state ofrewards and punishments. They assert that the souls of persons deceasedpass into another world, where they arrive at a large river, on whichthey embark, in a stone canoe, and that a gentle current bears them onto an extensive lake, in the centre of which is a beautiful island. Within view of this island they receive that judgment for their conductduring life, which terminates their state. If their good actionspredominate, they are landed upon the island, where there is to be noend of their happiness. But if their bad actions prevail, the stonecanoe sinks, and leaves them up to their chins in the water, to beholdand regret the reward which is enjoyed by the good; and eternally tostruggle, but with unavailing endeavours, to reach the bliss from whichthey are for ever excluded. Twenty-fourth Day's Instruction. NORTH-WESTERN TERRITORY CONCLUDED. Fort Chepewyan was, for eight years, the head quarters of Mr. (now Sir Alexander) Mackenzie, who held an official situation under theNorth-west Company; and who, from this place, made two important andlaborious excursions, one northward, to the Frozen Sea; and the otherwestward, to the Pacific Ocean. _Narrative of a Voyage from Fort Chepewyan, along the Rivers to thenorth Frozen Ocean. From Voyages through the Continent of North America, by_ ALEXANDER MACKENZIE. In the first of his excursions, Mr Mackenzie embarked at _FortChepewyan_, about nine o'clock in the morning of the 3d of June, 1789. His vessel was a canoe formed of birch-bark, and his crew consisted ofone German and four Canadians, two of whom were attended by their wives. He was also accompanied, in a small canoe, by an Indian chief and histwo wives. The men were engaged to serve in the twofold capacity ofinterpreters and hunters. Mr. Mackenzie had also with him a canoe which he had equipped for thepurpose of trade, and had given in charge to M. Le Roux, one of theCompany's clerks. In this canoe was shipped part of his provision, theclothing necessary on the voyage, a requisite assortment of articles ofmerchandise as presents, to ensure them a friendly reception among theIndians; and such arms and ammunition as were considered necessary fordefence, as well as for the use of the hunters. Crossing the south-western extremity of the _Lake of the Hills_, theyentered the _Slave river_, and steered, along that river, in a northerlydirection. On the ensuing day they arrived at the foot of a successionof rapids; and, in the course of twelve miles, were obliged five timesto unload the canoes, and carry the luggage considerable distancesoverland. One of the Indian canoes was borne, by the fury of thecurrent, down the last of the cataracts, and was dashed to pieces. Thehunters here killed seven geese, four ducks, and a beaver. The progressof the boats was much impeded by ice. The banks of the river, both above and below the rapids, were coveredwith wood. This was more particularly the case on the western side, where the land was low, and had a black and rich soil. The eastern bankswere somewhat elevated; and the soil was a yellow clay, mixed withgravel. At a little distance from the banks were extensive plains, frequented by numerous herds of buffaloes; and the woods, adjacent tothe river, were inhabited by elks and rein-deer. The habitations ofbeavers were seen in all the small lakes and rivers; and the swampsadjacent to the Slave-river, were sometimes covered with wild-fowl. In the morning of the 9th the voyagers arrived at the _Great SlaveLake_. Here they experienced a most uncomfortable change in the weather, which became extremely cold. The lake was still frozen; and they wereobliged to delay their progress for several days, until they couldeffect a passage across it. In the mean while they occupied themselvesin fishing and hunting, for the purpose of adding to their stock ofprovisions. They had more or less rain almost every day. On the 20th the ice had somewhat given way, and they recommenced theirvoyage, in a north-westerly direction. A few days after this, theylanded on the main land, at three lodges of _Red-knife Indians_, socalled from the copper knives which they use. M. Le Roux purchased, ofthese Indians, some packs of beaver and marten-skins; and Mr. Mackenziehad several consultations with them concerning the country he was aboutto traverse; but he could obtain from them no information that wasimportant to the objects of his expedition. He, however, engaged one ofthem, as a guide, in navigating the bays of the lake. The musquitoes were now so troublesome as to occasion the voyagers muchinconvenience. After having, with considerable difficulty, navigated thenorthern side of the lake, they entered the mouth of a river, which layin a westerly direction. On the 2d of July, they perceived, at adistance before them, a high mountain, or rather a cluster of mountains, which stretched southward, as far as the view could reach, and had theirtops lost in the clouds. The declivities of these mountains were coveredwith wood; and they were sprinkled with glistening patches of snow, which, at first, Mr. Mackenzie mistook for white stones. During their progress the voyagers saw several Indian encampments. Thecurrent, in some places, was so rapid as to produce a hissing noise, somewhat like the boiling of a kettle. Though it was now the month ofJuly, the weather was extremely cold. The sun set at seven minutesbefore ten, and rose at seven minutes before two in the morning. Having passed several islands, and, not long afterwards having seen, onthe northern shore, the smoke of several fires, the voyagers made everyexertion to approach the spot; and, as they drew near, they observed aparty of Indians, running about in great apparent confusion. Some ofthem were endeavouring to escape into the woods, and others werehurrying to their canoes. The hunters landed, and, in the Chepewyanlanguage, addressed the few who had not escaped; but, so great was theirterror, that they did not appear to understand it. When, however, theyfound it was impossible to conceal themselves, they made signs to thestrangers to keep at a distance. With these the latter complied, and notonly unloaded their canoe, but pitched their tents, before the Indiansmade any attempt to approach them. After considerable difficulty theybecame reconciled; and, as soon as their fears were dissipated, theycalled their fugitive companions from the woods. The inhabitants of this place were five families of _Slave_ and _Dog-ribIndians_. They were unacquainted with the use of tobacco and ardentspirits; but were delighted to receive, as presents, knives, beads, awls, rings, fire-steels, flints, and hatchets; and, after a littlewhile, they became so familiar, that it was difficult to keep them outof the tents. These Indians seemed totally ignorant respecting the distant parts ofthe river, for they believed its course to be so long that it wouldoccupy the voyagers several years to reach the sea. They also describedthe intervening regions to be inhabited by monsters of the most horridshapes and destructive powers. One of them, however, by the bribe of asmall kettle, an axe, a knife; and some other articles, was induced toaccompany the voyagers as a guide. They amused the strangers by dancing and singing; but neither the dancenor the song had much variety. The men and women arranged themselvespromiscuously in a ring. The former had each a bone-dagger, or a pieceof stick, between the fingers of his right hand, which he kept extendedabove his head, in continual motion; while he held his left in anhorizontal direction. They leaped about, and threw themselves intovarious antic postures, to the measure of their music, bringing theirheels close together at every pause. Sometimes the men howled, like wildbeasts; and he who continued to howl the longest, appeared to beconsidered the best performer. The women suffered their arms to hangdown, as if they were without the power of motion. These people are of middle stature, thin, ugly, and ill made, particularly about the legs. Many of them appeared to be in a veryunhealthy state, owing, probably, to their filthiness. As far as couldbe discerned, through the grease and dirt that covered them, they wereof fairer complexion than the generality of Indians. The women have twodouble lines of black or blue colour upon each cheek, from the ear tothe nose; and the gristle of the nose is perforated, so as to admit agoose-quill, or a small piece of wood to be passed through it. Theclothing of these Indians is made of the dressed skins of the rein ormoose-deer. Some of them, says Mr. Mackenzie, were decorated with a neatembroidery of porcupine-quills and hair, coloured red, black, yellow, and white; and they had bracelets for their wrists and arms, made ofwood, horn, or bone. Round their head they had a kind of band, embroidered with porcupine quills, and ornamented with the claws ofbears and wild-fowl. Their huts or lodges are very simple. A few poles, supported by forks, and forming a semicircle, with some branches or pieces of bark as acovering, constitute the whole of the architecture. Two of these hutsare constructed facing each other, and a fire is made between them. Among the furniture are dishes of wood, bark, or horn; and vessels inwhich they cook their food, narrow at the top, and wide at the bottom. The latter are formed of roots of the spruce fir-tree, so closelyinterwoven as to hold water. This people have also small leather bags, to hold their embroidered work, their lines, and fishing-nets. Theytwist the fibres of willow-bark, and the sinews of rein-deer, intofishing-lines; and they make fishing-hooks of horn, wood, or bone. Theirweapons for hunting are bows and arrows, spears, daggers, and clubs. They kindle fire, by striking together a piece of white or yellowpyrites and a flint-stone, over a piece of touchwood. Their canoes are small, pointed at both ends, flat-bottomed, and coveredin the fore part. They are made of the bark of the birch-tree, and offir-wood; but are so light, that the man whom one of these vessels bearson the water, is able to carry it overland, without any difficulty. On the 9th of July the voyagers had an interview with a party ofIndians, who were more pleasing, both in appearance and manners, thanany they had hitherto seen. They were stout, healthy, and clean in theirpersons; and their utensils and weapons resembled those of the Slave andDog-rib Indians. They obtained iron, in small pieces, from theEsquimaux. Their garments were bordered with a kind of fringe; and theirshirts tapered to a point, from the belt downward. One of the men whomMr. Mackenzie saw, was clad in a shirt made of the skins of musk-rats. These Indians tie their hair in a very singular manner. That which growson the temples, or on the fore part of the head, is formed into twoqueues, which hang down before the ears: and that on the crown of thehead, is fashioned, in the same manner, towards the back of the neck, and is tied, with the rest of the hair, at some distance from the head. The women, and indeed some of the men, suffer their hair to hang looseon their shoulders. Mr. Mackenzie prevailed with one of these Indians to accompany him onhis voyage; and this man, who was one of the most intelligent Indians hehad seen, stated that it would be requisite to sleep ten nights beforethey could reach the sea; and that, after three nights, the voyagerswould reach a settlement of Esquimaux, with whom his nation had formerlymade war. He accompanied Mr. Mackenzie in a canoe; and two of his companionsfollowed in two other canoes. The latter sung their native songs; andthis new guide was so much enlivened by these, that the antics heperformed, in keeping time to the singing, excited continual alarm lesthe should overset his boat. He afterwards went on board Mr. Mackenzie'scanoe, where he began to perform an Esquimaux dance, to the no smallalarm of the voyagers. Lower down the river, Mr. Mackenzie had an interview with a party ofIndians called _Quarrellers_. They consisted of about forty men, women, and children, and, at first, seemed inclined to offer resistance; butthey were soon pacified by presents, of which blue beads were the mostacceptable articles. These Indians represented the distance, over land, to the northern sea, as not very great; and the distance to the sea, westward, (the PacificOcean, ) to be still shorter. The river here flowed between high rocks. Indeed, in this part of thecountry, the banks were, in general, lofty. In some places they werenearly naked, and in others thickly clad with small trees, particularlyfir-trees and birch. The tops of the mountains, towards the north, werecovered with snow. The channels of the river were so various, that thevoyagers were at a loss which to take. They, however, directed theircourse chiefly towards the north-west. In this part of the voyage, Mr. Mackenzie was induced to sit up allnight, for the purpose of observing the sun: which, at half-past twelveo'clock, was considerably above the horizon. At four in the morning he landed at three Indian huts. These were of anoval form, each about fifteen feet long, and ten feet wide; and in themiddle, only, they were high enough for a person to stand upright. Inone part of each the ground was strewed with willow branches, probablyas a bed for the family. The door or entrance was about two feet and ahalf high, and had a covered way or porch, five feet in length; so thatit was necessary to creep on all fours, in order to get into or out ofthese curious habitations. In the top of each hut there was a hole, about eighteen inches square, which served the threefold purpose of awindow, a chimney, and occasionally a door. These edifices were formedof wood, covered with branches and grass. On each side of the huts werea few square holes in the ground, probably contrived for thepreservation of the winter stock of provisions. On the 12th of July, the voyagers had reached what they imagined to bean immense lake; and, shortly after they had retired to rest, at night, the man on watch called them up, to remove the baggage, on account ofthe sudden rising of the water. Some fish were afterwards caught, aboutthe size of a herring, and resembling a species of fish which abounds inHudson's Bay. On the ensuing day, Mr. Mackenzie ascended an adjacenthill, and saw much ice; and, towards the north-west, two small islandsin the ice. On the 14th, many animals were seen in the water, which, atfirst, were supposed to be pieces of floating-ice, but which wereafterwards ascertained to be whales. Hence it became evident that thisapparent lake was a part of the _Northern Ocean_. Mr. Mackenzie sailedupon it, to some distance from the shore, and landed at the easternextremity of an island, which he called _Whale Island_, and which wasabout seven leagues in length, but not more than a mile broad. Theebbing and flowing of the tide were here observed. He subsequentlylanded on another island, where an Indian burying-place was observed. The latitude of the shore of this northern ocean, was ascertained to be69 degrees 14 minutes, north; and the longitude 135 degrees, west. _Narrative of the Return of_ MR. MACKENZIE _from the FrozenOcean to Fort Chepewyan. _ This gentlemen embarked, on his return, at half-past one o'clock, of the21st of July, the weather being extremely cold and unpleasant. At ten, the canoes re-entered the river; but the opposing current was so strong, that the men were obliged, for a considerable distance, to tow themalong. The land on both sides was elevated, and almost perpendicular. Much rain fell. Mr. Mackenzie subsequently encamped near an Indian village, theinhabitants of which were at first considerably alarmed. Theyafterwards, however, became familiar. Some of them, having kindled afire, laid themselves round it, to sleep; and, notwithstanding theexcessive coldness of the climate, they had neither skins nor garmentsto cover them. The people of this nation are continually at variance with theEsquimaux, who are said to take every opportunity of attacking them, when not in a state to defend themselves. From their account it appearedthat a strong party of Esquimaux occasionally ascended the river, inlarge canoes, to search for flint-stones, which they used as points fortheir spears and arrows. These Esquimaux were said to wear their hairshort; and to have a hole perforated on each side of their mouth, in aline with the under lip, and to place beads in the holes, by way ofornament. Their weapons were bows, arrows, and spears; but they alsoused slings, from which they threw stones with great dexterity. The weather was now fine; and Mr. Mackenzie and his men renewed theirvoyage on the 27th of July. At seven o'clock they once more reached therapids. Here they found three families of Indians, from whom theyobtained some information respecting the adjacent country, andparticularly respecting a river which was stated to run on the oppositeside of the mountains, in a westerly direction; and which, from thedescription given of it, Mr. Mackenzie conjectured to be that called_Cook's River_. At a subsequent interview, with another party of Indians, amisunderstanding took place, in which the Indians seized one of Mr. Mackenzie's boats, and dragged it on shore. Peace, however, beingrestored, Mr. Mackenzie endeavoured to obtain some further intelligenceconcerning the river to the westward. His enquiries, however, were tolittle purpose. The account given by these Indians was very vague; andtheir description of the inhabitants of the country adjacent to it, wasextremely absurd. These, it was stated, were of gigantic stature, andfurnished with wings; which, however, they never employed in flying:that they fed on large birds, which they killed with the greatest ease;though common men would be the certain victims of the voracity of suchbirds. The Indians also described the people who inhabited the mouth ofthe river, as possessing the extraordinary power of killing with theireyes; and as each being able to devour a large beaver at a single meal. They added that canoes, or vessels of immense size, visited that place. They did not, however, pretend to relate these particulars from theirown observation, but from the report of other Indians; for they hadthemselves never ventured beyond the first range of mountains, fromtheir own dwellings. It, however, appeared to Mr. Mackenzie that, eitherthe Indians knew more of this country than they chose to communicate, orthat his interpreter, who had long been tired of the voyage, gave himpurposely a wrong account, in order that he might not be induced toextend his excursions. As soon as the conference was ended, the Indians began to dance; and, inthis pastime, old and young, male and female, continued their exertions, till their strength was exhausted. Their actions were accompanied byvarious noises, in imitation of the rein-deer, the bear, and the wolf. When the dancing was ended, Mr. Mackenzie assumed an angry tone, expressed his suspicions that information had been purposely withheldfrom him; and concluded with a threat, that if they did not give him amore satisfactory account, he would compel one of them to accompany him, for the purpose of pointing out the road to the other river. No soonerdid they hear this declaration, than they all, in a moment, became sick;and answered, in a faint tone, that they knew no more than what they hadalready communicated. Finding it useless to persevere in his enquiries, he ceased them; and having purchased a few beaver-skins, and obtained aplentiful supply of food, he continued his voyage. On the 1st of August, the weather was clear and cold. This was the firstnight, for many weeks, that the stars had been visible. Nine daysafterwards, they arrived in the vicinity of a range of lofty mountains. Accompanied by a young Indian, Mr. Mackenzie landed, for the purpose ofascending one of them. They passed through a wood, chiefly ofspruce-firs, so thick that it was with difficulty they could penetrateit. After they had walked more than an hour, the underwood decreased;and was succeeded by birch and poplar trees, the largest and tallestthat Mr. Mackenzie had ever seen. The mountains, which had beenconcealed, by the woods, from their view, were again visible, but, apparently, at as great a distance as when they were first seen from theriver. This was a very mortifying circumstance, for Mr. Mackenzie andhis companion had been walking nearly three hours. The Indian expressedgreat anxiety to return; for his shoes and leggings had been torn topieces, and he was alarmed at the idea of having to proceed all night, through this trackless country. Mr. Mackenzie was, however, determinedto proceed, and to return the next day. As they approached themountains, the ground became marshy; and they waded, in water and grass, up to their knees, till they came within a mile of them; when, suddenly, Mr. Mackenzie sank, up to his armpits, in mud and water. Having, withconsiderable difficulty, extricated himself, he found it impossible toproceed any further. To cross this unexpected morass was impracticable;and it extended so far, both to the right and left, that he could notattempt to make the circuit of either extremity. He therefore determinedto return; and, about midnight, he again reached the river, excessivelyfatigued with his fruitless expedition. In the afternoon of the 13th, the voyagers continued their route, andwith very favourable weather. They passed several places, where fireshad recently been made; and beyond these, they observed a party ofIndians, drawing their canoes on the beach, and endeavouring to escapeinto the woods. These had been so much terrified, by the appearance ofthe strangers, and the report of their guns, in shooting wild-geese, that they left, on the beach, several weapons and articles of dress. Mr. Mackenzie directed his men to go into the woods, in search of them, butin vain; for they had fled too rapidly to be overtaken. The voyagers had, for some time, subsisted chiefly on fish, which theyhad caught in their nets, and on deer and other game, which the huntershad killed. On Saturday, the 12th of September, at three o'clock in the afternoon, they again arrived at _Fort Chepewyan_; and thus concluded an arduousvoyage, which, in the whole, had occupied the space of one hundred andtwo days. _The Western Coast of America, from California to Behring's Strait. _ On the western coast of North America, and lying between thetwenty-second and thirty-second degrees of latitude, is a very singularpromontory, near seven hundred miles in length, called _California_. Itis at present subject to Spain; and is separated from New Mexico, by the_Gulf of California_, an arm of the sea, which is navigable by vesselsof the largest size. The general surface of the country is barren, rugged, overrun with hills, rocks, and sand-banks, and unfit foragriculture. But, in a few places, where the Spanish missionaries haveestablished settlements, the lands are fertile, and singularlyproductive of maize, barley, and peas. The plains, in the interior, arenoted for the production of rock-salt. The Indians of California are very expert in the use of the bow, andsubsist chiefly by hunting and fishing. Their skin is dark, and theypaint their bodies, by way of ornament: they also pierce their ears, andwear in them trinkets of various kinds. The wealthiest of them wearcloaks made of sea-otter skins, which cover the loins, and reach belowtheir middle. Others, however, have only a piece of cloth round theirwaist, and a little cloak, formed of rabbit-skin, which covers theirshoulders, and is tied beneath the chin. The huts of these Indians arethe most miserable that can be imagined. Their form is circular; andabout six feet wide and four feet high. In the construction of them, stakes, eight or ten feet long, are driven into the ground, and arebrought together so as to form an arch at the top; and trusses of straw, badly arranged upon these stakes, defend the inhabitants from the windand rain. Near the Spanish settlement of _Monterey_, in north latitude 30 degrees35 minutes, M. De la Perouse, the French navigator, states that the soilis tolerably fertile and productive; and the climate is mild, thoughfoggy. This part of California produces, in abundance, olives, figs, pomegranates, grapes, and peaches; the trees of which have all beenplanted by the missionaries. Beyond Monterey, the interior of thecountry is covered with immense forests of pines and other trees. North of California is _New Albion_, a country so called by Sir FrancisDrake, who originally discovered it in the year 1578. It was visitedabout two hundred years afterwards, by Captain Cook. The country ismountainous; and, during the winter and spring, the mountains arecovered with snow. The valleys and the grounds along the sea-coast, areclad with trees, and appear like a vast forest. Captain Cook sailed northward along the coast of New Albion, andanchored his vessels in an inlet called _Nootka Sound_. The inhabitantsof the adjacent country approached his ships, and offered for sale theskins of various animals; garments of different kinds, some of fur, andothers formed of the bark of trees. But, of all the articles brought tomarket, the most extraordinary, were human skulls, and hands not quitestripped of their flesh, some of which had evident marks of having beenupon the fire. The articles which the natives took, in exchange fortheir commodities, were knives, chisels, pieces of iron and tin, nails, looking-glasses, buttons, or any kind of metal. Though the commerce was, in general, carried on with mutual honesty, there were some among thesepeople who were much inclined to theft. And they were extremelydangerous thieves; for, possessing sharp iron instruments, they couldcut a hook from a tackle, or any other piece of iron from a rope, themoment that the backs of the English were turned; and the dexterity withwhich they conducted their operations of this nature, frequently eludedthe most cautious vigilance. In the progress of the commerce, they woulddeal for nothing but metal; and, at length, brass was so eagerly soughtfor, in preference to iron, that, before the navigators quitted theplace, scarcely a bit of brass was left in the ships, except whatbelonged to the different instruments. Whole suits of clothes werestripped of every button; bureaus were deprived of their furniture;copper-kettles, tin-canisters, candlesticks, and whatever of the likekind could be found, all were seized and carried off. On Captain Cook's first arrival in this inlet, he had honoured it withthe name of _King George's Sound_; but as it was called _Nootka_, by thenatives, the latter appellation has since been generally adopted. Theclimate appeared to be much milder than that on the east coast ofAmerica, in the same parallel of latitude. With regard to trees, thoseof which the woods are chiefly composed, are the Canadian pine and whitecypress; of the land animals, the most common were bears, deer, foxes, and wolves. The sea animals, which were seen off the coast, were whales, porpoises, seals, and sea-otters. Birds, in general, were not only rareas to the different species, but few in number. With respect to the inhabitants, their persons are generally under thecommon stature; but they are usually full or plump, though without beingmuscular. From their bringing to sale human skulls and bones, it may beinferred that they treat their enemies with a degree of brutal cruelty. To the navigators, however, they appeared to be a docile, courteous, andgood-natured people. The chief employments of the men, were those offishing, and of killing land or sea animals for the sustenance ofthemselves and their families; while the women were occupied inmanufacturing flaxen or woollen garments, and in other domestic offices. North of Nootka Sound is _Port St. François_, which was visited by M. Dela Perouse. There is, at this place, a deep bay which affords a safeanchorage. During three or four months of the year, vegetation near PortSt. François is vigorous. In the interior of the country are forests ofstately trees; and mountains of granite rise from the sea, and to suchan elevation that their summits are capped with snow. Some of thehighest mountains were computed by M. De la Perouse, to be ten thousandfeet in perpendicular height. The inhabitants of this part of America are more robust, and betterproportioned, than the Californians. The faces of the women are, however, disfigured by having, through the under lip, a piece of wood, by way of ornament. They paint their body and face, tatoo themselves, and pierce their ears and the cartilage of their nose, for the purposeof placing ornaments in them. Their food consists chiefly of game andfish. Their huts, or cabins, are constructed of rushes, or the branchesof trees, and are covered with bark. The weapons of the men are bows, javelins, and daggers. The women are chiefly employed in domesticconcerns: their dress consists of a leathern shirt, and a mantle ofskins; and their feet are generally naked. The inhabitants of the country, adjacent to an inlet which Captain Cooknamed _Prince William's Sound_, appeared to have a strong resemblance tothe Esquimaux and Greenlanders. Their canoes, their weapons, and theirimplements for fishing and hunting, are exactly similar, in materialsand construction, to those used in Greenland; and the animals are, ingeneral, similar to those that are found at Nootka. Humming-birdsfrequently flew about the ships while at anchor. Waterfowl were inconsiderable abundance: but torsk and holibut were almost the only kindsof fish that were caught. Vegetables were few in number; and the treeswere chiefly the Canadian and spruce pine. North of Prince William's Sound, Captain Cook entered an inlet, which, it was hoped, would be found to communicate either with Baffin's orHudson's Bay to the east; but, after an examination of it, to thedistance of seventy leagues from the sea, it was proved to be a river. It is now called _Cook's River_. The inhabitants who were seen during the examinations of this river, appeared to resemble those of Prince William's Sound. They essentiallydiffered from those of Nootka Sound, both in their persons and language. The only articles seen among them, which were not their own manufacture, were a few glass beads, the iron points of their spears, and theirknives of the same metal. A very beneficial fur-trade, might be carriedon with the inhabitants of this vast coast; but, without a practicalnorthern passage, the situation is too remote to render such a trade ofany advantage to Great Britain. A long peninsula, called _Alyaska_, extends, from the mouth of Cook'sRiver, in a westerly direction; and, from its extremity a chain ofislands stretches almost to the coast of Asia. The main land wasobserved, by Captain Cook, to be mountainous; and some of the mountainstowered above the clouds. One of them, of conical shape, was discoveredto be a volcano: smoke issued from its summit. Northward of Alyaska is a promontory to which Captain Cook gave the nameof _Cape Newenham_. At this place he directed one of his lieutenants toland: this gentleman ascended the highest hill within sight, but fromits summit he could not see a tree or shrub of any description. Thelower grounds, however, were not destitute of grass and herbage. At the entrance of _Behring's Strait_, is a point of land which CaptainCook called _Cape Prince of Wales_, and which is remarkable as being themost westerly extremity of America hitherto explored. It is not fortymiles distant from the coast of Siberia. From near this place, CaptainCook crossed to the opposite shore of Asia; and he continued to traversethe Frozen Sea, in various directions, and through innumerabledifficulties, till, at length, the increase of the ice prevented hisfurther progress northward, and he returned into the Pacific Ocean. Twenty-fifth Day's Instruction. DAVIS'S STRAIT AND BAFFIN'S BAY. Several expeditions have, at different times, been fitted out, for thepurpose of ascertaining whether there exists a north-west passage, ornavigable communication, between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Thesupposed points of communication are the north-western side of Baffin'sBay, on the east, and Behring's Strait on the west. Within the last fouryears the attention of the public has been more particularly called tothis subject, by the fitting out, and progress, of two successiveexpeditions into Baffin's Bay. To the commander of each, instructionswere given that he should, if possible, effect a passage thence, westward, into the Pacific. The first of these expeditions, under thecommand of Captain Ross, sailed from England in the month of April, 1818: the other, under Captain Parry, who, in the previous expedition, had accompanied Captain Ross as the second in command, sailed on the10th of May, 1819. Some of the most interesting adventures which theyeach experienced, and of the most important discoveries which theyeffected, will now require our attention. _A Narrative of_ CAPTAIN ROSS'S _Voyage of Discovery, for thepurpose of exploring Baffin's Bay, and enquiring into the probability ofa North-west Passage. _ The Isabella and Alexander, commanded by Captain Ross and LieutenantParry, passed _Cape Farewell_, the south-eastern extremity of Greenland, on the 26th of May, 1818. The voyagers had previously seen a greatnumber of icebergs, or islands of ice, of various shape and size, and ofsingular and grotesque figure. The height of one of them was estimatedat three hundred and twenty-five feet; and a torrent of water waspouring down its side. On another, to which the ships were, for a while, made fast, a stratum of gravel, and stones of various kinds wasobserved. Whilst the vessels were near this iceberg, which was in latitude 68degrees, 22 minutes, they were visited by some Esquimaux, inhabitants ofthe adjacent country. From these persons they learnt that it hadremained aground since the preceding year; and that there was ice allthe way thence to _Disco Island_. In the evening of the 12th of June, the weather being clear and serene, the sky and the water presented one of the most beautiful scenes thatcan be imagined. The former, near the horizon, was interspersed withlight and fleecy clouds, which decreased gradually in colour anddensity, according to their height; until, in the zenith, theydisappeared entirely, and there the sky assumed a rich cerulean blue. The water, on the other hand, presented a spectacle superbly grand. Letany one fancy himself (says Captain Ross) in the midst of an immenseplain, extending further than the eye can penetrate, and filled withmasses of ice, which present a greater variety of form than the mostfertile imagination can conceive; and as various in size as in shape, from the minutest fragments, to stupendous islands, more than onehundred feet in perpendicular height above the surface of the ocean. In the afternoon of the 14th of June, being near the Danish settlement, on _Kron Prins Island_, in latitude 63 degrees, 54 minutes, the governorof the settlement came on board the Isabella. This person stated thatthe weather of the preceding winter had been unusually severe; and that, during his residence of eleven years, in Greenland, the intensity of thecold had gradually continued to increase. The whole population of theisland consisted of himself and family, six Danes, and one hundredEsquimaux, whose occupation consisted chiefly in the capture of whalesand seals. The vessels proceeded northward, along the edge of the ice, through acrooked and narrow channel, in the midst of a firm field of ice, and atremendous ridge of icebergs. At _Wayat's_ or _Hare Island_, the astronomical instruments were landed, and some important errors, both of latitude and longitude, werediscovered and corrected. Thirty or forty whale-ships were seen fastenedto the icebergs along the shore of this island. The only four-footedanimals observed on it were white hares and a fox: the birds wereptarmigans, snipes, snow-buntings, and larks. Beyond Wayat's Island the ships were surrounded by ice of various andextensive forms; and much skill, ardour, and perseverance, weremanifested by the navigators working through the narrow channels andfloes. On the 23d, and at the distance of ten miles north of Wayat, theyreached _Four Island Point_, where they found several whalers which hadbeen stopped by the ice. A sort of Danish factory was established at this spot, and some Indianhuts were seen; but they were in ruins and apparently deserted. CaptainRoss sent to the shore one of his crew, an Esquimaux, named JohnSacheuse. This man, who had been resident nearly two years in England, and had acquired some knowledge of the English language, had been takenon board the Isabella as an interpreter. He found a village, consisting of a few huts, formed of seal-skins, andsufficient for the residence of about fifty persons. Being desirous ofobtaining from these persons a sledge and dogs, in exchange for arifle-musket, he conducted seven of them, in their canoes, to the ship. As soon as the bargain was made, they went on shore, and returned, withthe sledge and dogs, in a larger canoe, rowed by five women in astanding posture, and all dressed in deer-skins. These people werehighly pleased with the treatment they received; and, having partaken ofsome refreshment in the cabin, they danced on the deck with the sailors, to the animating strains of a Shetland fiddler. Two of the women weredaughters of a Danish resident, by an Esquimaux woman: one of the menwas the son of a Dane; and they were all of the colour of Mulattoes. After the dance, coffee was served; and, at eight o'clock, the partyreturned to land. The progress of the vessels had hitherto been much impeded by the stateof the ice. This, however, now began to separate, and they once moreproceeded on their voyage; passing among hundreds of icebergs, ofextraordinary colours, and the most fantastical shapes. In latitude 74 degrees 30 minutes, the Isabella was jammed in by theice, and sustained a severe pressure; being lifted several feet out ofthe water, but she did not receive any material injury. On the 31st ofJuly, whales were seen in great numbers; and, the boats being sent inpursuit of them, one was killed: it measured forty-six feet in length, and yielded thirteen tons of blubber. On the 6th and 7th of August, the two ships were again in great dangerfrom the ice. Whilst they were in the midst of the icebergs, they weredriven, by a gale of wind, so forcibly against each other, that theirsterns came violently in contact, and crushed to pieces a boat thatcould not be removed in time; and, had not the vessels themselves beenexcessively strong, they must have been totally destroyed. Attempts weremade to liberate them by sawing through the ice: not long after thecommencement of the operation, two immense masses of ice came violentlyin contact, and one of them, fifty feet in height, suddenly broke. Itselevated part fell back with a terrible crash; and overwhelmed, with itsruins, the very spot which the officers had marked out as a place ofsafety for the ships. Soon afterwards the ice opened, and they were oncemore out of danger. The gale having abated, and the weather, which of late had been snowy, having cleared up, land was seen in latitude 75 degrees 54 minutes; andon the 9th of August, the voyagers beheld, at a distance, upon the ice, some people who seemed to be hallooing to the ships. At first they weresupposed to be shipwrecked sailors, whose vessel had perished in thelate gale; the ships, therefore, were steered nearer to the ice, and thecolours were hoisted. It was, however, now discovered, that they werenatives of the country, drawn by dogs on sledges, and with wonderfulvelocity. When they had approached near enough to the ships, for Sacheuse to beheard, he hailed them in his own language, and they answered him; butneither party seemed to be intelligible. For some time the strangersremained silent; but, on the ships' tacking, they set up a shout, andwheeled off, with amazing swiftness, towards the land. On the ensuing day eight sledges were seen to approach the ships. Sacheuse volunteered his services to go on the ice, with presents: thiswas done in the hope of bringing the people to a parley. They halted atsome distance from the ships, and by the edge of a canal or chasm in theice, which prevented any fear or danger of attack from either party. Sacheuse soon discovered that these Indians spoke a dialect of his ownlanguage; and he invited them to approach nearer, but they replied, "No, no, go you away;" and one of them, drawing a knife out of his boot, exclaimed: "Go away; I can kill you. " Sacheuse told them that he wishedto be their friend; and, as a proof of it, he threw them, across thecanal, some strings of beads, and a checked shirt. These were beheldwith great distrust, and Sacheuse threw them a knife. They approachedwith caution, took up the knife, and then shouted and pulled theirnoses. These actions were imitated by Sacheuse, who, in return, calledout, "Heigh-yaw!" pulling his nose, with the same gesture. They thenpointed to the shirt, and asked him of what skin it was made; but sometime elapsed before they would venture to touch it. After this theypointed to the ships, and eagerly enquired, "What are those greatcreatures? Do they come from the sun or the moon? Do they give us lightby night or by day?" Sacheuse said that they were houses made of wood;but this, they replied, could not be the case, for the creatures werealive: they had been seen to flap their wings. Sacheuse again assuredthem of the truth of all he had told them, and that he was a man likethemselves; then pointing towards the south, he said he came, in thosehouses, from a distant country in that direction. To this they replied, "No, that cannot be: there is nothing but ice there. " On Sacheuse asking these Indians who they were, they replied that theywere men, and that they lived in a country towards which they pointed(in the north:) that they had there plenty of water; and that they hadcome to the present spot, to catch seals and sea-unicorns. Sacheuse, wishing to become better acquainted with them, returned to theship, for a plank, to enable him to cross over the chasm. He crossed it;but, on approaching them, they entreated that he would not touch them, as, in that case, they should certainly die. One of them, however, morecourageous than the rest, ventured to touch his hand; then, pulling hisown nose, he set up a loud shout, in which he was joined by Sacheuse andthe other three. The whole of the natives, eight in number, now came forward, and weremet by the commanders of the vessels, and the other officers; but theywere, evidently, in a state of great alarm, until the ceremony ofpulling noses had been gone through by both parties, shouting, at thesame time, _heigh-yaw_! With this people the pulling of noses is a modeof friendly salutation; and their interjection of "heigh-yaw!" is anexpression of surprise and pleasure. The officers gave to the foremost of the natives a looking-glass and aknife; and presented similar articles to the others, as they came up insuccession. On seeing their faces in the glasses, their astonishmentappeared extreme. They looked round in silence, for a moment, at eachother, and at their visitors, and immediately afterwards set up ageneral shout: this was succeeded by a loud laugh, expressive of delightand surprise. Having, at length, acquired some degree of confidence, they advanced, and, in return for knives, glasses, and beads, gave theirown knives, sea-unicorn's horns, and sea-horse teeth. On approaching the ship, they halted, and were evidently much terrified;and one of the party, after surveying the Isabella, and examining everypart of her with his eyes, thus addressed her, in a loud tone: "Who areyou? Where do you come from? Is it from the sun or the moon?" pausingbetween every question, and pulling his nose with the greatestsolemnity. This ceremony was repeated, in succession, by all the rest. Sacheuse again assured them that the ships were only wooden houses; andhe showed them the boat, which had been hauled on the ice, for thepurpose of being repaired, explaining to them, that it was a smallervessel of the same kind. This immediately arrested their attention:they advanced to the boat, and examined her, and the carpenter's toolsand the oars, very minutely; each object, in its turn, exciting the mostludicrous ejaculations of surprise. The boat was then ordered to belaunched into the sea, with a man in it, and hauled up again; at thesight of this operation there seemed no bounds to their clamour. Thecable and the ice-anchor, the latter a heavy piece of iron, shaped likethe letter S, excited much interest. They tried in vain to remove it;and they eagerly enquired of what skins the cable was made. By this time the officers of both the ships had surrounded the Indians;while the bow of the Isabella, which was close to the ice, was crowdedwith sailors; and a more ludicrous, yet more interesting scene, was, perhaps, never beheld, than that which took place whilst the Indianswere viewing the ship. Nor is it possible to convey to the imaginationany thing like a just representation of the wild amazement, joy, andfear, by which they were successively agitated. The circumstance, however, which chiefly excited their admiration, was a sailor goingaloft; for they kept their eyes intently fixed upon him, till he hadreached the summit of the mast. The sails, which hung loose, theysupposed to be skins. After this, they were conducted to the foot of a rope-ladder suspendedfrom the deck of the ship; and the mode of ascending it was shown tothem; but a considerable time elapsed before they could be prevailedwith to ascend. At length one of them went up, and he was followed bythe rest. The wonders with which they were now surrounded, excitedadditional astonishment. The knowledge which these Indians had of wood seemed to be confined tosome kinds of heath, which had stems not thicker than the finger: hencethey knew not what to think of the timber with which the ships wereconstructed. Not being aware of its weight, two or three of them, successively, seized hold of the spare topmast, and evidently with anintention of carrying it off. The only object on board which theyseemed to view with contempt, was a little terrier dog; judging, nodoubt, that it was too small for drawing a sledge: but they shrunk back, in terror, from a pig, whose pricked ears, and ferocious countenance, presented a somewhat formidable appearance. This animal happening togrunt, one of them was so much terrified, that he became, from thatmoment, uneasy, and impatient to get out of the ship. In carrying hispurpose into effect, however, he did not lose his propensity tothieving, for he seized hold of, and endeavoured to carry off, thesmith's anvil: but, finding it infinitely too heavy for his strength, helaid hold of the large hammer, threw it on the ice; and, following ithimself, deliberately laid it on his sledge, and drove off. As this wasan article that could not be spared, Captain Ross sent a man from theship, who pursued the depredator, and, with some difficulty, recoveredit. The officers and men on board were much amused by putting into the handsof these Indians a magnifying mirror. On beholding themselves in it, their grimaces were highly entertaining. They first looked into, andthen behind it, in hopes of finding the monster which was exaggeratingtheir hideous gestures. A watch was held to the ear of one of them; andhe, supposing it alive, asked if it was good to eat. On being shown theglass of the skylight and binnacle, they touched it, and desired to knowwhat kind of ice it was. Three of the men who remained on board were handed down into thecaptain's cabin, and shown the use of the chairs: this, however, theydid not comprehend; for they appeared to have no notion of any otherseat than the ground. They were shown paper, books, drawings, andvarious mathematical instruments, but these produced in them only theusual effect of astonishment. On being conducted to the gun-room, andafterwards round the ship, they did not appear to notice any thingparticularly, except the wood that had been used in her construction. They stamped upon the deck, as if in surprise at the great quantity ofthis valuable material which they beheld. By the direction of theofficers, Sacheuse enquired of these people, whether their country hadas many inhabitants as there were pieces of ice, floating round theship: they replied, "Many more;" and it was supposed that at least athousand fragments could be distinguished. The men were now loaded with presents of various kinds, consisting ofarticles of clothing, biscuit, and pieces of wood; in addition to whichthe plank that had been used in crossing the chasm, was given to them. They then departed, promising to return as soon as they had eaten andslept. The parting was attended, on each side, by the ceremony ofpulling noses. It has been remarked that these Indians were in possession of knives;and the iron of which their knives were made, was stated to have beenprocured from a mountain near the sea-shore. They informed Sacheuse thatthere was a rock, or great quantity of it; and that they cut off fromthis rock, with a sharp stone, such pieces as they wanted. In the course of the three following days, the Isabella changed herstation some miles westward. At length she was again moored near theice; and, shortly afterwards, three of the natives appeared at adistance. Sacheuse, who had been furnished with presents, and sent tospeak with them, induced them to drive, on their sledges, close to thevessel. The dogs attached to each sledge were six in number. Each doghad a collar of seal-skin, two inches wide, to which one end of a thong, made of strong hide, and about three yards in length, was fastened: theother end was tied to the front of the sledge: thus the dogs were rangednearly abreast, each dog drawing by a single trace, and without reins. No sooner did they hear the crack of the driver's whip, than they setoff at full speed, while he managed them with the greatest apparentease, guiding them partly by his voice, and partly by the sound of hiswhip. One of these men pointed out to Captain Ross his house, which wasabout three miles distant, and could be discerned with a telescope. A party of ten natives approached the ship, on the ensuing day. Thesehaving with them a seal-skin bag filled with air, they began to kick itat each other and at the strangers: in this play the Englishmen joined, to the great amusement of both parties. The inflated skin was what themen had been using as the buoy to a harpoon, in the killing of asea-unicorn. They gave to Captain Ross a piece of dried sea-unicorn'sflesh, which appeared to have been half roasted. This gentleman hadalready seen them eat dried flesh; and he now had an opportunity ofascertaining that they did not scruple to eat flesh in any state; for, one of them who had a bag full of marine-birds, took out one anddevoured it raw. The officers, desirous of ascertaining whether these Indians had anyamusements of music or dancing, prevailed with two of them to give aspecimen of their dancing. One of them began to distort his features andturn up his eyes. He then proceeded to execute, in succession, a varietyof strange gestures and attitudes, accompanied by hideous distortions ofcountenance. His body was generally in a stooping posture; and his handsrested on his knees. After a few minutes, he began to sing; and, in alittle while, the second performer, who, hitherto, had been looking on, in silence, began to imitate his comrade. They then sang, in chorus, theword, "_hejaw! hejaw!_" After this had continued, with increasingenergy, for several minutes, the tune was suddenly changed to one ofshrill notes, in which the words "_weehee! weehee!_" were uttered withgreat rapidity. They then approached each other, by slipping their feetforward: they grinned, and, in great agitation, advanced until theirnoses touched, when a loud and savage laugh terminated the extraordinaryperformance. While this performance was going on, one of the Indians, seeing that theattention of every person was engaged, seized the opportunity ofdescending into the state-room, and of purloining Captain Ross's besttelescope, a case of razors, and a pair of scissors, which he artfullyconcealed in his tunic, rejoining the party and the amusements, as ifnothing had happened. He did not, however, escape detection, for theship's steward had witnessed the theft, and, now charging him with it, made him return all the articles he had stolen. Captain Ross gave the name of _Arctic Highlands_ to the countryinhabited by these Indians, and that of _Prince Regent's Bay_, to theplace where the vessels had anchored. It is situated in the north-eastcorner of Baffin's Bay, between the latitudes of 76 and 79 degreesnorth; and is bounded, towards the south, by an immense barrier ofmountains covered with ice. The interior of the country presents anirregular group of mountainous land, declining gradually towards thesea, which it reaches in an irregular manner, the cliffs ranging fromfive hundred to one thousand feet in height. This tract was almostcovered with ice, and appeared to be impassable. On the surface of the land, above the cliffs, a scanty appearance ofvegetation, of a yellowish green colour, and, in some places, of aheathy brown, was to be seen; and, at the foot of the cliffs, similartraces of a wretched verdure were also apparent. Among the cliffs wereseen deep ravines filled with snow, through which the marks of torrentswere perceptible. These cliffs run out, in many places, into capes, andare skirted by islands, which, at this time, were clear of ice, andconsequently were washed by the waves. Many species of wild-fowl wereseen. The vegetable productions of this country may be said to consist ofheath, moss, and coarse grass. There is nothing like cultivation, nordid it appear that the natives used any kind of vegetable food. The mossis in great abundance: it is six or eight inches in length, and, whendried and immersed in oil or blubber, it serves for a wick, andproduces a comfortable fire for cooking and warmth, as well as forlight. The whale-fishery might, undoubtedly, be pursued with great success, inthis bay and its vicinity. The whales are here not only large andnumerous, but, probably from their having been undisturbed, they aretame, and easy to be approached. The dress of the Arctic Highlanders, as Captain Ross has denominated thepeople of this country, consists of three pieces, which are allcomprised in the name of _tunic_. The upper piece is made of seal-skin, with the hair outside; and is open near the top, so as to admit thewearer's face. The hood part is neatly trimmed with fox's-skin, and ismade to fall back on the shoulders, or to cover the head, as may berequired. The next piece of dress, which scarcely reaches to the knee, is made of bear's or dog's skin. The boots are of seal-skin, with thehair inward. In the winter this people have a garment of bear-skin, which they put on as a cloak. The Arctic Highlanders are of a dirty copper colour. Their stature isabout five feet: their bodies are corpulent, and their features muchresemble those of the Esquimaux. Their cheeks are full and round. Theirlips are thick, their eyes are small, and their hair is black, coarse, long, and lank. These people appear to be filthy in the extreme. Thefaces, hands, and bodies of such as were seen by the voyagers, werecovered with oil and dirt; and they seemed never to have washedthemselves since they were born: even their hair was matted with filth. Some attempts were made to ascertain the religious notions of the ArcticHighlanders, but these seem to have proved unsatisfactory; and, perhaps, from the inability of Sacheuse to question them on such a subject. Theyhad a king, whom they represented to be a strong man, very good, andgreatly beloved. His house was described to be of stone, and nearly aslarge as the ship; and they said that every man paid to him a portion ofall which they caught or found. They could not be made to understandwhat was meant by war, nor did the voyagers see, among them, any warlikeweapons. It is peculiarly deserving of remark, that these Indians, whoderive much of their subsistence from the water, have no canoes orvessels of any description, in which they can go afloat; nor do theyappear to have any names by which boats or canoes are designated. It istrue that they have no wood for the construction of floating vessels;but such might, without difficulty, be constructed of bone covered withskins. On the 16th of August, the ice had become sufficiently open, to permitthe passage of the vessels to the northward; and they consequentlyproceeded on their voyage. In these high latitudes, a kind of marine birds, called Little Awks(_alca alle_) were observed in countless multitudes, and afforded to thesailors, a grateful supply of fresh food. With three muskets, no fewerthan one thousand two hundred and sixty-three of them were killed in oneday; and, of this number, ninety-three were brought down by onedischarge of the muskets. When the ships were in latitude 75 degrees 54 minutes, the snow on theface of the cliffs was observed to be stained of a deep crimson colour. Some of this snow being collected in buckets, it was found to resemble, in appearance, raspberry ice-cream: when dissolved, the liquor seemednot unlike muddy port-wine; and the sediment appeared, through amicroscope, to be composed of dark-red globules. Some of this sedimentwas brought to England, and it is generally supposed to have been avegetable substance, the seed, probably, of some species of fungus; or, perhaps, to have been itself a minute kind of fungus. On the 18th of August, the ships passed _Cape Dudley Digges_, six milesnorthward of which a majestic glacier, or mass of ice, was remarked tooccupy a space of four miles square, extending one mile into the sea, and rising to the height of at least a hundred feet. On the same daythe vessels passed _Wolstenholme_ and _Whale Sounds_. About midnight of the 19th, _Sir Thomas Smith's Sound_ was distinctlyseen. Captain Ross considered the bottom of this sound to have beeneighteen leagues distant; but its entrance, he says, was completelyblocked up by ice. On the 21st, the ships stood over to explore anopening, supposed to have been that called _Alderman Jones's Sound_; butCaptain Ross says that the ice and fog prevented a near approach. The night of the 24th of August was remarkable for having been the firston which the sun had been observed to set, since the 7th of June. Theland was now seen to take a southerly direction; and the ships proceededalong it, as near as they could conveniently approach for the floatingmasses of ice. On the 30th they entered a wide opening in the land, the _Sir JamesLancaster's Sound_ of Baffin. On each side of this opening was a chainof high mountains. The sea was perfectly free from ice, and the vesselsproceeded on a westward course for several leagues. The weather had, forsome time, been hazy; but, on its clearing up, Captain Ross states thata range of mountains about twenty-four miles distant, were seen tooccupy the centre of the inlet. To these he gave the name of _CrokerMountains_, and, imagining that no passage existed through them, hereturned into the open sea, and, not long afterwards, sailed forEngland. Twenty-sixth Day's Instruction. DAVIS'S STRAIT AND BAFFIN'S BAY CONCLUDED. The accounts that had been given by Captain Ross, particularlyrespecting the apparent mountains, named by him _Croker Mountains_, across Sir James Lancaster's Sound, not proving either conclusive orsatisfactory, the Lords of the Admiralty ordered two ships, the Heclaand Griper, to be prepared for a further voyage of discovery in Baffin'sBay. The command of these vessels, as already stated, was given toCaptain Parry, who, in the previous expedition, had been second incommand under Captain Ross. It was one important part of hisinstructions, that he should advance to the northward, as far as theopening into Lancaster's Sound; that he should explore the bottom ofthat Sound, and, if possible, pass through it to Behring's Strait. Thenumber of men in both the vessels was ninety-four; and many of them werethose who had accompanied Captain Ross. _Narrative of_ CAPTAIN PARRY'S _Voyage for the Discovery of aNorth-West Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. _ Captain Parry arrived at the entrance into _Lancaster's Sound_, on the30th of July, 1819; and, this day, saw no fewer than eighty-two whales. Some of the officers and men landed at _Possession Bay_, and recognizedmany objects which they had seen there, when with Captain Ross. Thetracks of human feet were observed upon the banks of a stream. These atfirst excited much surprise; but, on examination, they were discoveredto have been made by the shoes of some of the same party, eleven monthsbefore. In sailing, westward, up the Sound, Captain Parry says that it is moreeasy to imagine than to describe the almost breathless anxiety which wasvisible in every countenance, as the breeze, which had hitherto impelledthe vessels, increased to a fresh gale. The mast-heads were crowded bythe officers and men looking out; and an unconcerned observer, if, onsuch an occasion, any could be unconcerned, would have been amused bythe eagerness with which the various reports from those stations werereceived. After the vessels had proceeded a considerable distance, they passedsome bold headlands, and high mountains. They also passed an inlet, towhich Captain Parry gave the name of _Croker's Bay_, and which he is ofopinion may, hereafter, be found a passage from Lancaster's Sound intothe Northern Sea. They were thence carried along briskly for three days. On the 4th of August, there was, from the mast-head, an exclamation of"land!" and that sound, which, on ordinary occasions, is of all othersthe most joyful to a seaman's ears, was, on this, the signal fordisappointment and mortification. The land, however, proved to be anisland. The vessels continued their progress, and several bays, capes, andheadlands, were successively discovered. On the 22d there was a clearand extensive view to the northward; the water was free from ice, andthe voyagers now felt that they had entered the Polar Sea. Themagnificent opening through which their passage had been effected, fromBaffin's Bay, to a channel dignified with the name of _Wellington_, wascalled, by Captain Parry, _Barron's Straits_. In latitude 75 degrees 3 minutes, and longitude 103 degrees 44 minutes, an island was discovered; and Captain Sabine, with two other officers, landed on it. They found, in four different places, the remains ofEsquimaux habitations. These were from seven to ten feet in diameter;and to each was attached a circle four or five feet in diameter, whichhad probably been the fire-place. The whole encampment appeared to havebeen deserted for several years; but recent footsteps of rein-deer andmusk-oxen were seen in many places. The circumstances under which the voyagers were now sailing were, perhaps, such as had never occurred since the early days of navigation. There was land towards the north; ice, it was supposed, was towards thesouth; the compasses by which the vessels had been steered, now variedso much, that they had become useless; and all the surrounding objectswere obscured by a dense fog: consequently, there was now no other modeof regulating the course of the ships, than by trusting to thesteadiness of the wind. On the 2d of September a star was seen; the first that had been visiblefor more than two months. Two days afterwards, at a quarter past nine inthe evening, the ships, in latitude 74 degrees 44 minutes, crossed themeridian of 110 degrees from Greenwich, by which they became entitled to£. 5000; a reward offered by the British government to the first vesselswhich should cross that longitude, to the north of America. In order tocommemorate the event, a lofty headland that they had just passed, wascalled _Bounty Cape_. On the following day the ships, for the first timesince they had quitted the English coast, dropped anchor in a roadstead, which was called the _Bay of the Hecla and Griper_; and the crews landedon the largest of a group of islands, which Captain Parry named_Melville Island_. The ensigns and pendants were hoisted, as soon as thevessels had anchored; and it excited, in the voyagers, no ordinarysensations of pleasure, to see the British flag waving, for the firsttime, in regions, which, hitherto, had been considered beyond the limitsof the habitable world. The wind now became unfavourable to their progress; and a rapidaccumulation of the ice, exposed the vessels to the greatest danger, andthe crews to incessant fatigue. For several days they were unable toproceed further than along the coast of the island. This was the moremortifying, as Captain Parry had looked forward to the month ofSeptember, as the period, of all others, favourable to the rapidprosecution of his voyage. To add to his anxiety, a party of seamen, whohad been sent on shore, to hunt deer, lost their way, and, for threenights, were exposed to the inclemency of the weather. The mostdistressing apprehensions were entertained respecting the fate of thesemen; nor, were they finally recovered, without considerable danger tothose who were sent in search of them, and who, had their recovery beendelayed one day longer, must themselves have perished. In gratitude forthis preservation, the nearest headland was named _Cape Providence_. The increasing dangers and difficulties attendant on continuing thenavigation westward, prevented the vessels from proceeding further thanto some distance along the coast of Melville Island. And, at length, Captain Parry, finding that no hope could be entertained, during thepresent season, of penetrating beyond this island, he was induced toreturn to Hecla and Griper Bay, for the purpose of passing there thewinter. It was now, however, requisite to cut a canal through the ice, which, since their departure, had extended a considerable distance into thesea; and to draw the ships up it into the harbour. In this operation, two parallel lines were cut, distant from each other, little more thanthe breadth of the ships; and the ice was divided into square pieces, which were subdivided diagonally, and were either floated out of thecanal, or sunk beneath the adjacent ice. The labour of cutting thiscanal may be imagined, when it is stated that the length was more thanfour thousand yards, and that the average thickness of the ice was seveninches. At three o'clock of September the 26th, the third day spent inthis operation, the vessels reached their winter quarters; an eventwhich was hailed with three hearty cheers, by the united ships' crews. The group of islands which had been discovered, were called the _NorthGeorgian Islands_. As the ships had now attained that station where, in all probability, they were destined to remain for eight or nine months, every precautionwas taken for their security, and for the preservation of the variousstores which they contained. A regular system also was adopted, for themaintenance of good order, cleanliness, and the health of the crews, during the approaching long, dark, and dreary winter. All the masts, except the lower ones, were dismantled; and the boats, spars, ropes, andsails, were removed on shore, in order to give as much room as possibleon the deck. The ropes and sails were all hard frozen, and it wasrequisite to keep them in that state, till the return of spring. Ahousing of planks, covered with wadding-tilt, such as is used forstage-waggons, was formed upon the deck of each of the vessels; and thusconstituted a comfortable shelter from the snow and the wind. The crews were in excellent health, and every care was taken to preserveit. Regulations were made, in the allowances both of bread and meat: asa preservative against scurvy, the men were allowed a quantity ofvinegar with their meat, and they, every day, took a portion oflime-juice and sugar. The next care was for the minds of the men, thehealth of which Captain Parry wisely considered to have no smallinfluence on that of the body. This excellent officer, anxious for theiramusement during the long and tedious interval of winter, proposed, thata play should occasionally be got up on board the Hecla. He consideredthis to be the readiest means of preserving, among the crews, thatcheerfulness and good-humour which had hitherto subsisted. The proposalwas readily seconded by the officers of both ships: Lieutenant Beecheywas consequently elected stage-manager, and the first performance wasfixed for the 5th of November. In order still further to promotegood-humour, and to furnish amusing occupation, a weekly newspaper wasset on foot, called the "North Georgia Gazette, and Winter Chronicle, "of which Captain Sabine undertook to be the editor, under a promisethat it should be supported by original contributions from the officersof the two ships. On the 4th of November the sun sank beneath the horizon, not to appearagain above it for the space of ninety-six days. On the 5th the theatrewas opened, with the farce of "Miss in her Teens;" and Captain Parryfound so much benefit accrue to his men, from the amusement which thiskind of spectacle afforded them, and with the occupation of fitting upthe theatre and taking it down again, that the dramatic representationswere continued through the whole winter, and were performed andwitnessed with equal pleasure, even when the cold upon the stage wasintense. The sinking of the sun below the horizon, for so long a period, seemedto occasion a painful sensation to the animals, inhabitants of theisland, as well as to the human beings who had sought a temporary asylumon it: for, from that time, the wolves began to approach the ships, asif drawn thither by a melancholy sympathy; and they often howled, mostpiteously, for many successive hours. They, however, seldom appeared ingreater numbers than two or three together; and it was somewhatextraordinary, that although the crews of both vessels were, for manyweeks, intent on killing or catching some of them, they never couldsucceed. Only one bear was seen during the whole winter: it was of thewhite kind, and had tracked Captain Sabine's servant quite to the ships;but, being there saluted by a volley of balls, it ran off and escaped. The circumstances under which the crews of these vessels were situated, being such as had never before occurred, it cannot be uninteresting toknow in what manner they passed their time during three months of nearlytotal darkness, and in the midst of a severe winter. The officers and quarter-masters were divided into four watches, whichwere regularly kept, as at sea; while the remainder of the ship'scompany were allowed to enjoy their night's rest undisturbed. The handswere turned up at a quarter before six in the morning; and both thedecks were well rubbed with stones and warm sand, before eight o'clock, at which time both officers and men went to breakfast. Three quarters ofan hour being allowed, after breakfast, for the men to preparethemselves for muster, they were all assembled on the deck at a quarterpast nine; and a strict inspection took place, as to their personalcleanliness, and the good condition, as well as sufficient warmth, oftheir clothing. The reports of the officers having been made to CaptainParry, the men were then allowed to walk about, or, more usually, to runround the upper deck; whilst he went down to examine the state of thedeck below, accompanied by Lieutenant Beechey and Mr. Edwards thesurgeon. The state of this deck may be said, indeed, to have constituted thechief source of anxiety; and, at this period, to have occupied by farthe greatest share of attention. Whenever any dampness appeared, or, what more frequently happened, any accumulation of ice had taken placeduring the preceding night, the necessary means were immediately adoptedfor removing it: in the former case, usually by rubbing the wood withcloths, and then directing hot air to the place; and, in the latter, byscraping off the ice, so as to prevent its wetting the deck, by anyaccidental increase of temperature. In this respect the bed-places werepeculiarly troublesome; the inner partition, or that next the ship'sside, being, almost invariably, covered with more or less dampness orice, according to the temperature of the deck during the precedingnight. All the requisite examinations being finished, the men, when the weatherwould permit, were sent out to walk on shore till noon; but, when theday was too inclement to admit of this exercise, they were ordered torun round and round the deck, keeping step to the tune of an organ, orto a song of their own singing. A few of the men did not, at first, quite like this systematic mode of taking exercise; but, when theyfound that no plea, except that of illness, was admitted as an excuse, they not only willingly and cheerfully complied, but they made it theoccasion of much humour and frolic among themselves. The officers, who dined at two o'clock, were also in the habit ofoccupying one or two hours, of the middle of the day, in rambling onshore, even in the darkest period; except when a fresh wind or a heavysnow-drift confined them within the housing of the ships. It may well beimagined, that, at this period, there was but little to be met with intheir walks on shore, which could either amuse or interest them. Thenecessity of not exceeding the limited distance of one or two miles, lest a snow-drift, which often arose very suddenly, should prevent theirreturn, added considerably to the dull and tedious monotony which, dayafter day, presented itself. Towards the south was the sea, covered withone unbroken surface of ice, uniform in its dazzling whiteness, exceptthat, in some parts, a few hummocks were seen thrown up somewhat abovethe general level. Nor did the land offer much greater variety: it wascovered with snow, except here and there a brown patch of bare ground insome exposed situations, where the wind had not allowed the snow toremain. When viewed from the summit of the neighbouring hills, on one ofthose calm, clear days, which not unfrequently occurred during thewinter, the scene was such as to induce contemplations, that had, perhaps, more of melancholy than of any other feeling. Not an object wasto be seen on which the eye could long rest with pleasure, unless whendirected to the spot where the ships lay. The smoke which there issuedfrom the several fires, affording a certain indication of the presenceof man, gave a partial cheerfulness to this part of the prospect; andthe sound of voices, which, during the cold weather, could be heard at amuch greater distance than usual, served, now and then, to break thesilence which reigned around, --a silence far different from thatpeaceable composure which characterizes the landscape of a cultivatedcountry: it was the death-like stillness of the most dreary desolation, the total absence of animated existence. The weather became intensely severe; and, during the latter part ofNovember, and the first half of December, Captain Parry's journalpresents little more than observations on it; and oh the meteoricappearances and fantastic illusions of light and colour, with which thevoyagers were often amused. At one time, the moon appeared to becuriously deformed by refraction; the lower edges of it seeming to beindented with deep notches, and afterwards to be cut off square at thebottom; whilst a single ray or column of light, of the same diameter asthe moon, was observed to descend from it to the top of a hill. Atanother time, several transparent clouds were seen to emit, upward, columns of light, resembling the aurora borealis. The aurora borealisitself appears to have been seldom witnessed, in the splendour withwhich it occasionally illuminates even the northern parts of Scotland;still it was both frequent and vivid enough to give variety and beautyto the long nights which the voyagers had to endure. The new year was ushered in by weather comparatively mild; but it soonregained its former severity. Captain Parry and his crews did not, however, experience those effects from the cold, even when 49 degreesbelow 0, which preceding voyagers have stated; such as a dreadfulsensation on the lungs, when the air is inhaled at a very lowtemperature; or the vapour with which an inhabited room is charged, condensing into a shower of snow, immediately on the opening of a dooror window. What they did observe was this: on the opening of the doors, at the top and bottom of the hatch-way ladders, the vapour wascondensed, by the sudden admission of the cold air, into a visible form, exactly resembling a very thick smoke. This apparent smoke settled onthe pannels of the doors and on the bulk-heads, and immediately froze, by which the latter were covered with a thick coating of ice, which itwas necessary frequently to scrape off. The extreme severity of the cold, which was sometimes prevalent, may beimagined from the following fact:--A house, erected on the shore, forscientific purposes, caught fire; and a servant of Captain Sabine, inhis endeavours to extinguish it, exposed his hands, in the firstinstance, to the operation of considerable heat; and he afterwards, forsome time, remained without gloves, in the open air. When taken on boardthe ship, his hands presented a strange appearance. They were perfectlyhard, inflexible, and colourless; possessing a degree of translucency, and exhibiting more the external character of pieces of sculpturedmarble, than of animated matter. They were immediately plunged into thecold bath, where they were continued more than two hours, before theirflexibility could be restored. The abstraction of heat had been sogreat, that the water, in contact with the fingers, congealed upon them, even half an hour after they had been immersed. During the coldapplication, the man suffered acute pain, by which he became so faintand exhausted, that it was requisite to put him to bed. In less thanthree hours, an inflammation came on, which extended high up the arm;and, soon afterwards, each hand, from the wrist downward, was enclosedin a kind of bladder, containing nearly a pint of viscid serous fluid. There were, however, three fingers of one hand, and two of the other, inwhich this vesication did not form. These fingers continued cold andinsensible, nor could the circulation in them be restored; and, eventually, the amputation of them became necessary. The distance at which sounds were heard in the open air, during thecontinuance of intense cold, seems almost incredible. Captain Parry saysthat his people were distinctly heard, conversing in a common tone ofvoice, at the distance of a mile; and that he heard a man singing tohimself, at even a still greater distance. Another circumstanceoccurred, scarcely less curious than this: the smell of smoke was sostrong, two miles leeward of the ships, that it impeded the breathing. This shows to what a distance the smoke was carried horizontally, owingto the difficulty with which it rises, at a very low temperature of theatmosphere. In the severest weather, the officers sometimes amused themselves byfreezing quicksilver, and beating it out on an anvil, so great was theseverity of the cold; yet, not the slightest inconvenience was suffered, from exposure to the open air, by persons well clothed, so long as theweather was perfectly calm; but, in walking against even a very lightwind, a smarting sensation was experienced all over the face, accompanied by a pain in the middle of the forehead, which soon becamesevere. As a specimen of the average proportion of ice formed in the harbour, itis stated that, where the depth of the water was twenty-five feet, theice was found to be six feet and a half thick; and the snow on thesurface was eight inches deep. Towards the end of January, some of the port-holes of one of the vesselswere opened, in order to admit the carpenters and armorers to repair themain-top-sail-yard. On the 3d of February the sun was seen from themain-top of the Hecla, for the first time since the 11th of November. Bythe 7th, there was sufficient day-light, from eight o'clock till four, to enable the men to perform, with facility, any work on the outside ofthe ships. On the 15th, Captain Parry was induced, by the cheering presence of thesun, for several hours above the horizon, to open the dead-lights, orshutters, of his stern-windows, in order to admit the day-light, after aprivation of it, for four months, in that part of the ship. The baizecurtains, which had been nailed close to the windows, in the beginningof the winter, were, however, so firmly frozen to them, that it wasnecessary to cut them away; and twelve large buckets full of ice orfrozen vapour, were taken from between the double sashes, before theycould be got clear. This premature uncovering of the windows, however, caused such a change in the temperature of the Hecla, that, for severalweeks afterwards, those on board were sensible of a more intense degreeof cold, than they had felt during all the preceding part of the winter. The months of March and April seem to have passed tediously on, inwatching the state of the weather. The crew of the Griper becamesomewhat sickly, in consequence of the extreme moisture, which it wasfound impossible to exclude from their bed-places. In May, Captain Parrylaid out a small garden, planting it with radishes, onions, mustard, andcress; but the experiment failed, though some common ship-peas, plantedby the men, throve extremely well. On the 12th of May, some ptarmigans were seen. These were hailed as asure omen of returning summer. Several of the men went out on shootingexcursions; and, being exposed, for several hours, to the glare of thesun and snow, became affected with that painful inflammation in theeyes, called "snow-blindness. " As a preventive of this complaint, apiece of black crape was given to each man, to be worn as a kind ofshort veil, attached to the hat. This was found to be sufficientlyefficacious. But a more convenient mode was adopted by some of theofficers: they took out the glasses from spectacles, and substitutedblack or green crape in their place. In the beginning of May, the men cut the ice round the Hecla. This wasdone by means of axes and saws, and with astonishing labour; for the icewas still more than six feet thick. On the 17th, the operation wascompleted, and the ships were once more afloat. Captain Parry and Captain Sabine, accompanied by ten other persons, officers and men, set off, on the 1st of June, to make a tour throughthe island. They took with them tents, fuel, and provisions; andcarried their luggage in a small, light cart, to which the sailorsoccasionally fastened their blankets, by way of sails. They travelled bynight, as well to have the benefit which any warmth of the sun mightgive during their hours of rest, as to avoid the glare of its light uponthe snow. The vegetable productions which they observed, were chieflythe dwarf willow, sorrel, poppy, saxifrage, and ranunculus. The animalswere mice, deer, a musk ox, a pair of swallows, ducks, geese, plovers, and ptarmigans; with some of which they occasionally varied their fare. The tracks, both of deer and musk oxen, were numerous; and one deerfollowed the party for some time, and gambolled round them, at adistance of only thirty yards. The soil of the island was, in general, barren; but, in some places, it was rich, and abounded with the finestmoss. On one part of the beach, the travellers found a point of landeighty feet above the sea: this they named _Point Nias_, after one ofthe officers of the party; and they had the patience to raise on it, asa memorial of their exertions, a monument of ice, of conical form, twelve feet broad at the base, and as many in height. They enclosedwithin the mass, in a tin cylinder, an account of the party who haderected it, with a few silver and copper English coins; and Mr. Fisher, the assistant surgeon, constructed it with a solidity which may make itlast, for many years, as a land-mark; for it is visible at the distanceof several miles, both by sea and land. In one place, within a hundredyards of the sea, the remains of six Esquimaux huts were discovered. After a fortnight's absence, the party returned to the ships. The approach of summer now began to be apparent, from the state ofvegetation on the island; and, during the warm weather, a great quantityof sorrel was daily gathered. The hunting parties also brought in anabundance of animal food. The total quantity obtained, during thecontinuance of the vessels at Melville island, was 3 musk oxen, 68hares, 53 geese, 59 ducks, and 144 ptarmigans; affording, in the whole, 3766 pounds of meat. On the 22d of June, the men were delighted to observe that the ice hadbegun to be in motion; and, on the 16th of July, the snow had entirelydisappeared, except along the sides of caverns, and in other hollows, where it had formed considerable drifts. The appearance of the land was, consequently, much the same as it had been when the ships first reachedthe island. The walks which the men were now enabled to take, and theluxurious living afforded by the hunting-parties, together with theabundant supply of sorrel, which was always at command, were the meansof completely eradicating the scurvy; and the whole of the ships'companies were now in as good health, and certainly in as good spirits, as when the expedition left England. After having made an accurate survey of Winter Harbour, where thevessels had been frozen up nearly eleven months, Captain Parry resolvedto quit it. Accordingly, on the 1st of August, the vessels weighedanchor, and stood out to sea. Towards the west, the direction in whichthey were proceeding, the sea, at first, presented a very flatteringappearance, being more clear of ice than it had been a month later inthe preceding year, and presenting a fine navigable channel, two milesand a half in width, which, from the mast-head, appeared to continue asfar as the eye could reach. They had not, however, proceeded many leagues westward of their winterquarters, when the wind blew directly against them, and their course wasfurther opposed by a strong current, which set towards the east. Tothese difficulties, great danger was soon added, from the drifting andpressure of the ice, which threatened the Griper, in particular, withtotal destruction. They penetrated to the longitude of 113 degrees 48minutes, being the westernmost meridian hitherto reached, in the PolarSea, to the north of America. But they had made so little progress, andwere in such incessant danger; and the officers had so little hope ofbeing able to effect any further discoveries of importance, during thepresent season, that Captain Parry at length determined to return. On a consultation with his officers, respecting the best course to bepursued, it was resolved that, in their voyage homeward, they should runalong the edge of the ice, with the intention of availing themselves ofany opening that might lead towards the coast of America. It was nottill the 26th, that the ships got clear of _Cape Providence_; but, afterthat, they had an open channel, and sailed before the wind, with suchrapidity, and so little interruption, that, in six days, they cleared_Sir James Lancaster's Sound_, and were once more in _Baffin's Bay_. They now stood along the western shore of this bay, which they foundindented with several deep bays or inlets. On the 3d of September, they passed some icebergs, which were a hundredand fifty or two hundred feet above the surface of the water; and, soonafterwards, in an inlet, which Captain Ross had named the _River Clyde_, the voyagers saw four canoes, each of which contained an _Esquimaux_. These approached the ships; and the men, at their own desire, were takenon board. Three of them were young, and the fourth about sixty years ofage. They appeared to be much pleased; and expressed their delight byjumping, and by loud and repeated ejaculations. Although there was nointerpreter, they bartered several articles, in a manner that showedthey were no strangers to traffic. Some of the officers landed, and went to visit two Esquimaux tents, which were situated within a low point of land, that formed the easternside of the entrance to a considerable branch of the inlet. Theinhabitants, men, women, and children, on beholding them, came runningout, with loud and continued shouting. Two of the women had infantsslung, in a kind of bag, at their back, much in the same manner asgypsies are accustomed to carry their children. There were seven otherchildren, from twelve to three years of age, besides two infants inarms. The officers purchased whatever things these people had to dispose of, and, in exchange for them, gave knives, axes, brass kettles, needles, and other articles; and then added such presents as they consideredmight be further serviceable to them. Though they appeared anxious topossess whatever the visitors had to give they did not exhibit anydisposition to pilfer. And, in some of the bargains, particularly for asledge and a dog, the articles, though previously paid for, were allpunctually delivered. In stature these Indians, like the Esquimaux in general, are much belowthe usual standard. The height of the men is from four feet and a halfto five feet and a half, and of the women about four feet ten inches. Their faces, in the younger individuals, are round and plump: their skinis smooth, and their complexion not very dark: their teeth are verywhite, and their eyes small; their nose is small, and their hair black, straight, and glossy. All the women, except one, had their facestatooed; and two of them had their hands tatooed also. The childrenwere, in general, good-looking; and one of them, a boy about twelveyears of age, was a remarkably fine, and even handsome lad. The dress of the men consists of a seal-skin jacket, with a hood, whichis occasionally drawn over the head. The breeches are also, generally, of seal-skin; and the boots, which are formed so as to meet thebreeches, are of the same material. In the dress of the women, thedrawers cover the middle part of the body, from the hips to one-thirddown the thighs; the rest of which, as far as the knees, is naked. Thechildren are all remarkably well clad; their dress, both in the malesand females, being, in every respect, similar to that of the men. The tents which constitute the summer habitations of these Esquimaux, are principally supported by a pole of whalebone, about fourteen feethigh. This pole stands perpendicularly, and has four or five feet of itprojecting above the skins which form the roof and sides. The length ofthe tent is about seventeen feet, and the breadth from seven to nine;and the bed occupies nearly one-third of the whole apartment. Thecovering of the tent is fastened to the ground by curved pieces of bone. Captain Parry, after taking leave of these his new acquaintance, directed his course towards England; and arrived in the river Thamesabout the middle of November. * * * * * With regard to the probable existence and accomplishment of a north-westpassage into the Pacific Ocean, this indefatigable and accomplishedofficer remarks, that, as to the existence of such a passage, he doesnot entertain a doubt; but that he is not sanguine as to its ever beingaccomplished. The difficulties that are presented by the increasingbreadth and thickness of the ice to the westward, after passing Barrow'sStrait, added to the excessive severity of the climate, and theshortness of the season in which the Polar Sea can be navigated; theseare circumstances which render almost hopeless any attempt to pass fromthe Atlantic westward. Captain Parry seems inclined to think that thereis more probability of being able to effect the passage, by sailing fromBehring's Strait, eastward, than from Baffin's Bay towards the west. But, in this case, it would be an impracticable passage for Britishships. The great length of the voyage, the impossibility of taking out asufficiency of provisions and fuel, and the severe trial to which thehealth of the crews would be subjected, by suddenly passing from theheat of the torrid zone, into the intense cold of a long winter, seem torender hopeless all our efforts to effect the voyage in this direction. Twenty-seventh Day's Instruction. LABRADOR AND GREENLAND. On the south-western side of Davis's Strait is the wild, extensive, anduncivilized country of _Labrador_. Its coast was first discovered by thePortuguese navigators; but the frigidity of its climate is such, that nosettlements of any importance have ever been fixed upon its shores. Eventhe extent of the country has been but imperfectly ascertained; for allthe knowledge we have hitherto obtained respecting it, relates only tothe coast. The inland territory remains yet unexplored. Captain George Cartwright resided on the coast of Labrador, at differentintervals, for sixteen years. He states that the face of the country, asfar as he could discover it, was mountainous and desolate; and that someof the mountains were of considerable elevation. The soil, in some partsof the southern coast, appears, at first sight, to be fertile andcovered with verdure; but, on examination, it is found to be poor, andthe verdure is that of coarse plants, which would not serve as food forhorses, cattle, or sheep. Some attempts have been made to cultivate thiscoast, but the depredations of bears and wolves have proved a formidableimpediment; and such is the severity of the climate, that cattle must behoused for nine months in the year. The whole eastern coast of Labrador exhibits a very barren appearance:the mountains rise abruptly from the sea, and are composed of rocks, that are thinly covered with peat earth. This produces only stuntedspruce trees, and a few plants; but the adjacent sea, and the variousrivers and lakes, abound with fish, fowl, and amphibious animals. Springs are rare, and fresh water is chiefly supplied by melted snow. Inthe various bays of this coast, there are numerous islands, on whicheider-ducks, and multitudes of other sea-fowl breed. On some of thelarger islands there are deer, foxes, and hares. The fruits of Labradorconsist chiefly of currants, raspberries, cranberries, whortle-berries, apples, and pears. Among the mineral productions is a kind of felspar, which, when polished, exhibits a display of brilliant and beautifulcolours. The climate of this country, though severe, is healthy. There is littleappearance of summer till about the middle of July; and, in September, winter indicates its approach. During summer the heat is sometimesunpleasant; and the cold of winter is of long duration, and generallyintense. In Labrador, as in all other countries of northern climates, the quadrupeds are clothed with a longer and thicker fur during winter, than in summer; and many of the birds have a softer down, and feathersof a closer texture, than those of milder countries. Some of the animalsalso assume a white clothing at the commencement of winter. The native inhabitants of Labrador are _mountaineers_ and Esquimaux, between whom there subsists an invincible aversion. The former, whoinhabit the interior districts towards the north, are of dark colour, and robust constitution, though their limbs are small. They subsistchiefly on rein-deer, which they are very dexterous in killing: theyalso kill foxes, martens, and beavers. As these people live a wanderinglife, they never build houses; but they construct a kind of tents, andcover them with branches of trees, and with deer-skins. Their summerdress consists of skins freed from the hair; and their winter-dress isformed of beaver and deer-skins, with the hair on. During the summerthey traverse the country, in canoes, along the rivers and lakes. Thesecanoes are covered with the bark of the birch-tree; and, although theyare so light as to be easily carried, some of them are large enough tocontain a whole family, together with the materials of their traffic. Inwinter the mountaineers of Labrador pass over the snow, by means of whatare called snow-shoes. These mountaineers are esteemed an industrious people. They bear fatiguewith almost incredible resolution and patience; and will often traveltwo successive days without food. They, every year, come to the Canadamerchants, who have seal-fisheries on the southern coast, and bargaintheir furs, in exchange for blanketing, fire-arms, and ammunition; andthey are immoderately fond of spirits. Some of them profess to be RomanCatholics; but their whole religion seems to consist in reciting a fewprayers, and in counting their beads. It is customary with these Indians, to destroy such persons among themas become aged and decrepit. This practice they endeavour to vindicatefrom their mode of life: for they assert that those who are unable toprocure the necessaries requisite for their existence, ought not livemerely to consume them. The _Esquimaux_, who inhabit the northern parts of the country, are arace similar to the Greenlanders. They have a deep tawny or rathercopper-coloured complexion; and are inferior in size to the generalityof Europeans. Their faces are flat, and their noses short. Their hair isblack and coarse; and their hands and feet are remarkably small. Theirdress, like that of the mountaineers, is entirely of skins; and consistsof a sort of hooded shirt, of breeches, stockings, and boots. The dressof the different sexes is similar, except that the women wear largeboots, and have their upper garment ornamented with a kind of tail. Intheir boots they occasionally place their children; but the youngestchild is always carried at the back of its mother, in the hood of herjacket. The women ornament their heads with large strings of beads, which they fasten to the hair above their ears. The weapons of these Esquimaux are darts, bows, and arrows; and theirfood consists chiefly of the flesh of seals, deer, and birds; and offish. Some of their canoes are near twenty feet in length, and not morethan two feet wide. They each contain only one person; are formed of aframe-work, covered with skins; and are so extremely light, that theyare easily overset. Notwithstanding this, and the circumstance that fewof the Esquimaux are able to swim, these people are able to navigatethem, in safety, without a compass, and even in the thickest fogs. Whenthe ground is covered with snow, they traverse the country in sledges, drawn by dogs. During winter, they live in houses, or rather in a kind of cavern, whichthey sink in the earth; and, during summer, they occupy tents, madecircular with poles, and covered with skins. Their only beverage iswater. The men are extremely indolent; and all the laboriousoccupations, except that of procuring food, are performed by the women. They sew with the sinews of deer; and much of their needlework is veryneat. The Esquimaux cannot reckon, numerically, beyond six; and theircompound numbers reach no further than 21: all beyond this are called amultitude. The principal articles of export, obtained from the coast of Labrador, are cod-fish, salmon, oil, whalebone, and furs of various kinds. NEWFOUNDLAND. Near the south-eastern extremity of Labrador is the island of_Newfoundland_; which, at present, constitutes an important station, forthe British cod-fisheries. It is of triangular form, and about threehundred miles in circuit; and, though it lies between the same parallelsof latitude as the south of France, its climate is very severe. Inwinter the rivers are frozen to the thickness of several feet; and, during this season, the earth is covered with snow, and the cold is sointense that the power of vegetation is destroyed. The coasts abound increeks, roads, and harbours; and the interior of the island is full ofsteep rocks, woody hills, and sandy valleys; and of plains, interspersedwith rocks, lakes, and marshes. A very small portion of it is at presentcultivated; for neither the soil nor the climate is favourable toproductions necessary to the support of human life. _St. John's_, thechief town of the island, is a mean and ill-built place, with narrow anddirty streets. It is situated on the south-eastern part of the coast, and has a considerable harbour. This island formerly belonged to the French; but, in 1713, it was cededto the English, to whom it still belongs. Its chief importance isderived from its vicinity to an immense bank, beneath the surface of theocean, which is frequented by myriads of cod-fish. On this bank thereare annually employed more than two thousand fishing-vessels; and fourhundred merchant-ships, in conveying the fish to different parts of theworld. All the fish are caught by lines; and they are conveyed to theshores of Newfoundland, to be salted and dried, or otherwise preparedfor exportation. The Newfoundland fishery usually commences about themiddle of May, and continues till the end of September. GREENLAND, Is an extensive peninsula, or, as some geographers believe, an immenseisland, lying north of the 60th degree of latitude, and between the 48thand 70th degrees of west longitude. It is said to have been originallydiscovered, as early as the tenth century, by a party of exiledIcelanders, who gave to it the name of "Greenland, " from its exhibitinga much greater appearance of verdure than Iceland. _Cape Farewell_, itssouthernmost point, is a small island divided from the shore by a narrowinlet. The interior of the country is dreary and mountainous; and some of themountains are so lofty, that they are visible to the distance of morethan forty leagues. They are covered with perpetual snow; and ice andsnow, like the glaciers of Switzerland, fill the elevated plains, andeven many of the valleys. The lowlands, adjacent to the sea-coast, areclothed with verdure during the summer season. The coast is indentedwith many bays and creeks, which extend far into the land; but manyparts of it are altogether inaccessible by shipping, on account of theenormous masses of floating ice, which abound in the extreme northernseas. Christian Missionaries were settled in this country, by the Danes, manycenturies ago; and they formed churches and monasteries in differentparts, through an extent of country nearly two hundred miles in length. From authentic records it appears that Greenland was anciently dividedinto two districts, the westernmost of which contained four parishes andone hundred villages; and the other, twelve parishes, one hundred andtwenty villages, the see of a bishop, and two monasteries. The presentinhabitants of the western districts are, however, separated from thoseof the east by impassable deserts and mountains. This country is subject to Denmark; and the parts of it that are chieflyvisited by Danes and Norwegians, lie between the 64th and 68th degreesof north latitude; and, to this distance, the climate is said not to bevery severe. At one time there was a Danish factory as far north as the73d degree; but, beyond the 68th degree of latitude, the cold in winteris, in general, so intense, that even the rocks burst by the expansivepower of the frost. Thunder and lightning seldom occur in Greenland; butthe aurora borealis is frequently visible, particularly in the spring ofthe year; and is often so bright and vivid, as to afford sufficientlight for a person to read by it. Some of the southern parts of Greenland are fertile; but, in general, the soil resembles that of other mountainous countries; the hills beingbarren, and the valleys and low grounds being rich and fruitful. Theprincipal quadrupeds of this country are rein-deer, dogs resemblingwolves, Arctic foxes, and white or polar bears. The walrus and severalkinds of seals frequent the shores. Eagles and other birds of prey arenumerous. Whales and porpesses abound along the coasts; and theadjacent sea and bays yield an abundance of holibut, turbot, cod, haddocks, and other fish. The inhabitants of Greenland are supposed to have had their origin fromthe Esquimaux of Labrador, for they nearly resemble that people. Theyare short, and somewhat corpulent; and have broad faces, flat noses, thick lips, black hair, and a yellowish tawny complexion. The keennessof the wind and the glare of the snow, render them subject to painfuldisorders in the eyes: they are also afflicted with many diseases, whichtend to render them short lived. They are a quiet, orderly, andgood-humoured people; but of a cold, phlegmatic, and indolentdisposition. They never wash themselves with water, but lick theirhands, and then rub their faces with them; in the same manner as a catwashes herself with her paws. In most of their habits they are extremelyfilthy. When animal food can be procured, they prefer it to any other; but, intimes of scarcity, they are sometimes compelled to subsist on sea-weeds, and on roots dressed in train-oil and fat. The intestines of animals, and offals of various kinds, are accounted by them as dainties. Their clothes are chiefly made of the skins of rein-deer and seals. Themen wear their hair short; and commonly hanging down from the crown ofthe head on every side. The women, on the contrary, seldom cut theirhair. The Greenlanders all speak the same language, though different dialectsprevail in different parts of the country; and so numerous are the wordsof their language, that, like the Chinese, they are said to have aproper word for every object or art that requires distinction. These people have no traditions respecting the memorable actions oftheir ancestors; further than that, many winters ago, some Norwegiansettlers were slain by the population of the adjacent country, whounanimously rose in arms against them. Among other strange notionsentertained by the Greenlanders, they imagine that rain is occasioned bythe overflowing of reservoirs in the heavens; and they assert that, ifthe banks of these reservoirs should burst, the sky would fall down. Themedical practice in this country is confined to a set of men who havethe appellation of "Angekoks, " or conjurers. When a Greenlander is at the point of death, his friends and relativesarray him in his best clothes and boots. They silently bewail him for anhour, after which they prepare for his interment. The body, having beensewed up in his best seal or deer-skin, is laid in the burying-place, covered with a skin, and with green sods; and, over these, with heaps ofstones, to defend it from the attack of predaceous animals. Near theplace of interment, the survivors deposit the weapons of the deceased, and the tools he daily used. With the women are deposited their knivesand sewing implements. The intention in so doing is, that the persondeparted may not be without employment in the next world. The Greenlanders are said to worship the sun, and to offer sacrifices toan imaginary evil spirit, that he may not prevent their success inhunting and fishing. They have a confused notion respecting theimmortality of the soul, and the existence of a future state; and theybelieve that the spirits of deceased persons sometimes appear on theearth, and hold communication with the "Angekoks, " or conjurers, to whompeculiar privileges and honours belong. The traffic that is carried on among the Greenlanders is simple andconcise, and is wholly conducted by exchange or barter. These peoplevery rarely cheat or take undue advantage of one another; and it isconsidered infamous to be guilty of theft. But they are said to glory inover-reaching or robbing an European; as they consider this a proof ofsuperior talent and ingenuity. Wherever a great assembly or rendezvous of Greenlanders takes place, asat a dancing-match or any grand festival, there are always some personswho expose their wares to view, and who publicly announce what goodsthey want in exchange for them. The chief articles of traffic, withEuropeans, are fox and seal-skins, whale and seal-oil, whalebone, andthe horns of narwhals. For these, they receive, in exchange, iron pointsfor their spears, knives, saws, gimlets, chisels, needles, chests, boxes, clothing, and utensils of various kinds. The chief festival of the Greenlanders is that which they call thesun-feast; but this is merely held for the purpose of dancing and otheramusements, and not for any religious acts or ceremonies. It is heldabout the commencement of the new-year, and for the purpose of rejoicingat the return of the sun, and the renewal of weather for hunting andfishing. At this feast they assemble, in various parts of the country, and in large parties. After gorging themselves with food, they rise upto play and to dance. Their only musical instrument is a drum; and thesound of this they accompany with songs, in honour of seal-catching, andexploits in hunting. The Greenlanders do not, on these occasions, intoxicate themselves with ardent spirits, like some of the AmericanIndians; for their only beverage is water. There are otherdancing-meetings held in the course of the year; but these are allconducted in a similar manner. The Greenlanders occupy much of theirtime in hunting and fishing. On shore they hunt rein-deer and otheranimals; and at sea they pursue whales, seals, and walruses: they alsocatch great quantities of fish and sea-fowl. Their canoes are formed ofthin boards, fastened together by the sinews of animals, and coveredwith a dressed seal-skin, both above and below; so that only a circularhole is left in the middle, large enough to admit the body of one man. Into this hole he thrusts himself, up to the waist; after which hefastens the skin so tight round his body, that no water can enter. Thussecured, and armed with a paddle, which is broad at both ends, heventures out to sea, even in the most stormy weather; and, if he beunfortunate enough to have his canoe overset, he can easily raisehimself by means of his paddle. Besides this description of canoes, theGreenlanders have boats so large that they will contain fifty persons, with all their tackle, baggage, and provisions. These carry a mast and atriangular sail; the latter of which is made of the membranes andentrails of seals. The management of the larger boats is always given towomen; who also perform the whole drudgery of the household, even to thebuilding and repairing of the dwellings. During winter, the Greenlanders live in houses, and, during the summer, in tents. The houses are constructed of stones, with layers of earth andsods between them; and the rafters are covered with bushes and turf. Theentrance is through a hole in the roof, which serves also as a chimney. The walls are hung with skins, fastened on by pegs, made of the bones ofseals. These huts are divided, by skins, into several apartments, according to the number of families which inhabit them; and theinhabitants sleep on skins, upon the ground. The huts are well warmedwith fires; and are lighted by lamps, filled with train oil, andfurnished with moss instead of a wick. These lamps burn so bright as togive considerable heat as well as warmth. At the outside of the dwelling-house are separate buildings, forstore-houses, in which the inhabitants lay up their stock of provisions, train oil, and other useful articles. Near the store-houses they arrangetheir boats, with the bottoms upward; and they hang beneath these theirhunting and fishing-tackle, and their skins. The summer-tents of theGreenlanders are of a conical form, and are constructed of poles, covered, both inside and out, with skins. The seas in the vicinity of Greenland are, every year, frequented byboth European and American vessels, employed in the whale-fishery. Suchof these as enter Davis's Strait, generally resort to Disco Bay; and afew have penetrated even still further north than this. It is statedthat, in the year 1754, a whaler, under the command of a Captain Wilson, was conducted, on the eastern side of Greenland, as far north as to the83d degree of latitude: the sea was clear of ice, as far as thecommander of this ship could descry; but as he did not meet with anywhales, and began to apprehend some danger from proceeding onward, hereturned; and, in the same year, another whale-fisher sailed as farnorth as to 84-½ degrees. These are the highest northern latitudes whichany vessels have hitherto reached. FINIS. Harvey, Darton, and Co. Printers, Gracechurch-Street. +------------------------------------------------------+ | Transcriber's Note: | | | | Some inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in | | the original document have been preserved. | | | | The author used a period after the £ sign. | | | | Typographical errors corrected in the text: | | | | Title Pub^d. And Jan^y. , abbreviations for | | page Published and January, have been retained | | ToC Alachnas changed to Alachuas | | ToC Oconne changed to Ocone | | ToC Missisippi changed to Mississippi | | ToC Sata changed to Santa, under | | ToC Minetarree changed to Minnetaree | | ToC Skaneaetas changed to Skaneactas | | ToC Riviers changed to Rivieres | | Page 4 Alleghanies changed to Alleghanys | | Page 6 Massachusets changed to Massachusetts | | Page 6 Tenassee changed to Tenessee | | Page 10 stile changed to style | | Page 18 cotten changed to cotton | | Page 19 island changed to Island | | Page 29 Uttawa changed to Utawa | | Page 29 superintendance changed to superintendence | | Page 35 war changed to was | | Page 39 whirpool changed to whirlpool | | Page 56 Potowmac changed to Potomac | | Page 59 towns changed to town | | Page 61 headachs changed to headaches | | Page 61 Kenhaway changed to Kenaway | | Page 67 scite changed to site | | Page 71 "a" added between "and great" | | Page 72 Birkbeek changed to Birkbeck | | Page 73 mocassins changed to moccasins | | Page 78 pertinaceous changaed to pertinacious | | Page 87 Washingington changed to Washington | | Page 96 Appamatox changed to Appomattox | | Page 100 "the the" changed to "of the" | | Page 119 pallisadoed changed to palisadoed | | Page 122 quakers changed to Quakers | | Page 133 elegible changed to eligible | | Page 138 plaistered changed to plastered | | Page 141 plaistered changed to plastered | | Page 142 plaistered changed to plastered | | Page 142 Coolome changed to Coloome | | Page 144 plaistered changed to plastered | | Page 148 Oconne changed to Ocone | | Page 149 fragant changed to fragrant | | Page 162 Alachnas changed to Alachuas | | Page 162 barbacued changed to barbecued | | Page 171 hacberry changed to hackberry | | Page 172 recompence changed to recompense | | Page 173 perroques changed to pirogues | | Page 176 Sauteau changed to Sauteaux | | Page 188 Mahas changed to Mahars | | Page 188 phrenzy chaned to phrensy | | Page 194 numbers changed to number | | Page 194 "the the" changed to "the" | | Page 198 Ahanahaways changed to Ahanaways | | Page 200 perrioques changed to pirogues | | Page 204 captain changed to Captain | | Page 209 phenomenomenon changed to phenomenon | | Page 214 buffalos changed to buffaloes | | Page 217 leggins changed to leggings | | Page 217 mockasins changed to moccasins | | Page 221 principle changed to principal | | Page 231 Arkanshaw changed to Arkansas | | Page 237 govenor changed to governor | | Page 238 leggins changed to leggings | | Page 238 mockinsons changed to moccasins | | Page 240 Tustla changed to Tuxtla | | Page 242 Mulattos changed to Mulattoes | | Page 242 Mestozos changed to Mestizos | | Page 247 tassals changed to tassels | | Page 251 Cortes changed to Cortez | | Page 251 plaisters changed to plasters | | Page 255 groupe changed to group | | Page 259 Teneriffe changed to Tenerife | | Page 260 Manilla changed to Manila | | Page 263 earthern changed to earthen | | Page 264 NOVIA changed to NOVA | | Page 280 latitute changed to latitude | | Page 283 leggins changed to leggings | | Page 284 profananation changed to profanation | | Page 290 martin-skins changed to marten-skins | | Page 298 leggins changed to leggings | | Page 300 Monterrey changed to Monterey | | Page 300 rabbet changed to rabbit | | Page 306 in changed to on | | Page 311 in added between "man it" | | Page 323 "to this be" changed to "this to be" | | Page 323 lieutenant changed to Lieutenant | | Page 323 Beechy changed to Beechey | | Page 334 tattooed changed to tatooed | | Page 338 decrepid changed to decrepit | | Page 339 caverns changed to cavern | +------------------------------------------------------+