OHIO. Climate. The winters in Ohio are md. Snow never falls deep, and seldom remains more than 3 or 4 days on the ground. Fever and ague and bilious remitting fevers are prevalent diseases on some of the low, wet lands; otherwise the State is healthy. Face of the Country, Soil and Productions. This State is agreeably diversified with swelling eminences and fertile plains. There are no elevations which deserve the name of mountains. The hills, though frequent, swell gently, are of a deep, rich soil, and well adapted for the production of grain. The upper or northern part is the most uneven. From the Scioto westward, it is mostly a level country. In several parts are e extensive plains, called prairies, or natural meadows, covered with wild grass and cane, but destitute of trees or shrubbery. These are pastures for large herds of buffaloes, which fatten on the herbage. The flat or bottom lands, as they are called, on the Ohio and other rivers, are remarkably fertile. Those on the Ohio, in many places, are of small extent; but on some of the other rivers they spread out into extensive meadows from 20 to 50 miles in circuit. productions are wheat, oats, barley, rye, Indian corn, hemp and flax. Fruit trees, such as apples and peaches, thrive surprisingly well. Hops are found growing spontaneously on most of the lands. Native grapes abound every where. A root growing here colours a most beautiful yellow, and another colours red. The country in its natural state is covered with vast and majestic forests. A sycamore tree in the neighbourhood of Marietta is said to measure 60 feet in circumference, and being hollow will contain 18 or 20 men. Bears, deer, and turkies are the principal game, and the rivers are well stored with fish. The Minerals. Inexhaustible mines of pit coal are found from Pittsburg many miles down the river, and in other parts of the State. Free stone and iron ore are abundant on the banks of the Hock hocking. There are also valuable salt springs on the Scioto and near the Muskingum, which are the property of the State. Rivers. The Ohio is the boundary of this State on the south. In common winter and spring floods this river affords from 40 to 50 feet of water. The only serious obstruction to its navigation are the rapids at Louisville, where the river descends 22 feet in the distance of two miles. Large vessels pass down these rapids in high spring-tides in safety, but cannot reascend.. A canal is here contemplated, which when completed will render this noble river navigable its whole extent. The freshets sometimes rise in this river to the astonishing height of 40 feet. Various kinds of boats are used in its navigation; some are boarded up at the sides and roofed something like a rope-walk. It may be proper in this place to notice the floating-mills for grinding grain, which are frequently seen upon this river. The mill is supported by two large canoes, with the wheel between them; this is moored wherever they can find the strongest current, nearest to the shore, by the force of which alone the mill is put into operation. In this manner the mill is floated up and down the river wherever a customer calls. The Muskingum is a gentle river, confined by high banks. It is 250 yards wide at its confluence with the Ohio, 180 miles below Pittsburg. It is navigable for small batteaux to its source, from thence by a portage of 7 miles a communication is opened to lake Erie, through the Cayahoga, which is navigable its whole length, without any obstruction from falls. The Scioto is a large river, navigable 200 miles, with a portage of only 4 miles to the Sandusky, another navigable river, which falls into lake Erie. The Great Miami has a very stony channel, a swift stream, but no falls. It is 300 yards wide at its mouth. This river interlocks with the Scioto; it has several boatable branches, one of which approaches within 4 miles of a branch of the Miami of the Lakes, while another branch by a portage of 7 miles communicates with the Sandusky. Commerce. The exports from this State, consisting of flour, corn, hemp, flax, beef, pork, smoked hams of venison, whiskey, peach brandy, and lumber, are mostly sent down the Ohio and Missisippi, to New Orleans; but the foreign goods imported into the State are brought chiefly from Philadelphia and Baltimore, over the mountains; for although the descent down these rivers is easy and expeditions, yet the ascent is difficult and tedious. Those boats therefore which descend with the produce of the country rarely return, but, on arriving at New Orleans, are taken to pieces and sold for lumber. Lately the building of ships has been commenced in this State for the purpose of carrying its produce to market. These are laden at spring flood, and descend the rivers in perfect safety to the Atlantic, whence they proceed to the West Indies, or other parts, where they are disposed of, both vessel and cargo. The first ships built here were in 1802, at Marietta. Their frames were almost wholly of black walnut, which is said to be as durable as the live oak. All the materials for shipbuilding abound in this country-timber, hemp, and iron. Of black walnut, white oak, and locust, there are almost inexhaustible quantities, besides yellow pine for masts and spars; and there is no country which can produce the article of hemp in greater abundance, or at a more moderate price. Towns. Columbus, situated on the east bank of the Scioto, is the capital of the State, and contains about 2000 inhabitants. Marietta is the oldest town in the State, and delightfully situated at the confluence of the Muskingum with the Ohio. The streets are spacious, and cross each other at right angles. It has a gaol, court-house, academy, and 3 rope-walks, 850 feet in length. The number of inhabitants in 1810 was 1463. Chilicothe is situated in a fertile country on the Scioto, about 100 miles from its mouth. It is laid out on the plan of Philadelphia, and contains a gaol, state-house of hewn stone, and about 3,000 inhabitants. Cincinnati is a pleasant, flourishing town, 300 miles below Marietta. It contains about 10,000 inhabitants. In this town is fort Washington, which commences the chain of forts extending to the westward. Here are 10 houses of public worship. Galliopolis was built in 1792 by a colony of French emigrants, numbers of whom in 1796 fell victims to the yellow fever. Those who survived, being deceived in their purchase, and wasted with desolating sickness from the unhealthiness of the place, abandoned the town. Athens, the seat of the University, in this State, is delightfully situated in a healthy and fertile country, on the Hockhocking, 40 miles by water from the Ohio, and commands an extensive prospect of the river and the surrounding country. Its population is about 1000. Literature. Ohio University, at Athens, was incorporated in 1801. Miami University was incorporated in 1809. In Ohio are also 11 Academies ; and schools are general throughout this growing State. Government. The legislature is styled the General Assembly, and consists of a senate chosen for two years, and a house of representatives chosen annually. The governor is chosen for two years, and is eligible only 6 years in any term of 8 years. Antiquities and Curiosities. Vast mounds and walls of earth have been discovered in various parts of this State, particularly at Marietta, which have excited the astonishment of all who have seen or heard of them. When, and by whom they were constructed, and for what purpose, are matters wholly of conjecture. The present race of Indians have no tradition, which can lead to any discovery. They are however supposed to be the remains of ancient forts. Those at Marietta are in squares. One of these contains 40 acres, encompassed by a wall of earth from 6 to 10 feet high, with three openings on each side, resembling twelve gates. There is not the least visible difference in the age or size of the trees growing on or within these forts, and those growing without. Similar works have lately been discovered on one of the banks of the Muskingum, the ramparts of which, in some places, are 18 feet in perpendicular height. Near these forts there are ever discovered mounds of earth thrown up in the form of a sugar loaf, supposed to be Indian graves. One of these at Marietta is 115 feet in diameter, and 30 feet in perpendicular height. An opening being made into the top, it was found to contain human bones. A copper coin has been found on the bank of the Little Miami, 4 feet under ground. The characters on the coin are Old Persian. In digging a well at Cincinnati, the stump of a tree was discovered, 94 feet below the surface, which had evident marks of the axe. INDIANA. Neither the climate, face of the country, soil, or productions, of the State of Indiana, differ materially from those of the State of Ohio, already described. Pilkava prairie or plain, is a high level ground, in this State, 7 miles long and three broad, of a rich soil, on which there was never a tree since the memory of man. Two hundred acres of wheat were seen growing here at one time, a few years since, yielding 50 bushels on an acre. ILLINOIS.....MICHIGAN TERRITORY. 163 These prairies are covered naturally with grass, from 4 to 8 feet high. The maple affords a supply of sugar, and the salt springs an abundance of salt. have been discovered on the Wabash, 28 miles above A silver mine is said to Quiatanon. Coal is found in plenty on all the rivers emptying into the Ohio. Vincennes is the capital. It contains about 2500 inhabitants. Here most of the commerce of the State centres. The communication with Detroit is by the Wabash and Miami rivers, the carrying place between which is about 15 miles. Goods from Canada are brought down the Illinois; from New-Orleans up the Missisippi; and from the eastern States down the Ohio and up the Wabash. ILLINOIS. The The State of Illinois is mostly a level country. meadows on the river Illinois in some places extend as far as the eye can reach. This river is navigable 450 miles, with a gentle current, and is 400 yards wide at its mouth. The lands situated on the principal rivers, called bottoms, are of the first quality and of inexhaustible fertility, having been cultivated, in some places, for more than a century, without manure. of the forests. Oak is the most common tree Black walnut, sugar maple, beech, mulberry and white pine, are found in their proper soils. The military bounty lands granted to the soldiers, who enlisted into the army of the United States, in the late war, are situated in this State, on the peninsula formed by the Missisippi and Illinois rivers. More than 200,000 bushels of salt are said to be made on Saline river, which is sold at the works from 50 to 75 annually at the salt works belonging to the United States, cents a bushel. Buffaloes, elk, deer, turkies, ducks, and geese, are nu merous in Illinois. Kaskaskia, the capital, contains about 1000 inhänder the and is the seat of government, which was 1818. MICHIGAN TERRIT Michigan Territory is a level c cold and healthy. Very little s on the rivers and lakes is a through the winter. L J as f 700 killed, he American army rtrain and Maure Missisippi, called e embankment ed by the Missisippi pas, against the quimines, and extend |