ministry. There are interfperfed fome fettlements of Germans, both Lutherans and Calvinits, but they have very few ministers.

The Moravians have feveral flourishing fettlements in this ftate. In 1751, they purchafed of Lord Granville one hundred thousand acres of land, between Dan and Yadkin rivers, about 10 miles fouth of Pilot mountain, in Surry county, and called it Wachovia, after an eftate of Count Zinzendorf, in Auftria. In 1755, this tract, by an act of affembly, was made a feparate parish by the name of Dobb's parish. The first fettlement, called Bethabara, was begun in 1753, by a number of the brethren from Pennfylvania, in a very wild, uninhabited country, which, from that time, began to be rapidly fettled by farmers from the middle ftates.

In 1759, Bethany, a regular village, was laid out and fettled. In 1766, Salem, which is now the principal fettlement, and nearly in the centre of Wachovia, was fettled by a collection of tradefmen. The fame conftitution and regulations are established here, as in other regular fettlements of the united brethren. Befides, there are in Wachovia three churches, one in Friedland, one in Friedberg, and another at Hope, each of which has a minifter of the Brethren's church. Thefe people, by their industry and attention to various branches of manufacture, are very ufeful to the country around them.

The Friends, or Quakers, have a fettlement in New-Garden, in Guilford county, and feveral congregations at Perquimins and Pafquetank. The Methodists and Baptists are numerous and increafing. Befides the denominations already mentioned, there is a very numerous body of people in this, and in all the southern ftates, who cannot properly be claffed with any fect of christians, having never made any profeffion of christianity, and are literally, as te religion, NOTHINGARIANS.

The inhabitants of Wilmington, Newbern, Edenton, and Halifax diftricts, making about three-fifths of the fate, one profeffed themselves of the Epifcopal church. The clergy, in thefe diftricts, were chiefly miffionaries; and in forming their political attachments, at the commencement of the late war, perfonal fafety, or real intereft, or perhaps a thorough conviction of the injuftice and impolicy of oppofing Great-Britain from whence they received their falaries, induced them almoft univerfally to declare themselves in favour of the British government, and to emigrate. There may be one or two of the original clergy remaining, but at prefent they have no particular paftoral charge. Indeed the inhabitants in the diftricts above-mentioned, feem now to be making the experiment, whether christianity can exist long in a country where there is no vifible chriftian church. Thirteen years experience has proved that it probably cannot; for there is very little external appearance of religion among the people in general. The Baptifts and Methodists have fent a number of miffionary preachers into thefe diftricts; and fome of them have pretty large congregations. It is not improbable that one or the other of the denominations, and perhaps both, may acquire confiftency and establish permanent

churches.

College and Academies.] There is no univerfity or college in the ftate. In the original conftitution it is declared, that There shall be one or more feminaries of learning maintained at the public expence.' But the legif

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ture, hitherto, have not confidered that claufe as binding. Probably they do not like it. Academies are established at Newbern, Salisbury, and Hillsborough. The latter has been already mentioned and described. The one at Salisbury had, in 1786, about fity fcholars, under the tuition of a worthy clergyman. It is fituated in a rich, healthy country, and is flourishing.

Population, Character, Manners, and Customs.] The inhabitants of this state are reckoned at 270,000, of which 60,000 are negroes. The NorthCarolinians are mostly planters, and live from half a mile to 3 or 4 miles from each other, on their plantations. They have a plentiful country→→→ no ready market for their produce-little intercourse with ftrangers, and a natural fondness for fociety, which induce them to be hofpitable to travellers. In the lower districts the inhabitants have very few places for public and weekly worship of any kind; and these few, being deftitute of minifters, are fuffered to ftand neglected. The fabbath of course, which, in moft civilized countries, is profeffionally and externally, at leaft, regarded as holy time, and which, confidered merely in a civil view, is an excellent establishment for the promotion of cleanliness, friendship, harmony, and all the focial virtues, is here generally difregarded, or diftinguished by the convivial vifitings of the white inhabitants, and the noify diverfions of the negroes. The women, except in fome of the populous towns, have very little intercourfe with each other, and are almost entirely deftitute of the bloom and vivacity of the north: yet they poffefs a great deal of kindness, and, except that they fuffer their infant babes to fuck the breafts of their black nurfes, are good mothers, and obedient wives.

The general topics of converfation among the men, when cards. the bottle, and occurrences of the day do not intervene, are negroes, the prices of indigo, rice, tobacco, &c. They appear to have as little tafte for the sciences as for religion. Political enquiries, and philofophical difquifitions are attended to but by a few men of genius and industry, and are too laborious for the indolent minds of the people at large. Lefs attention and respect are paid to the women here, than in those parts of the United States where the inhabitants have made greater progrefs in the arts of civilized life. Indeed, it is a truth, confirmed by obfervation, that in proportion to the advancement of civilization, in the fame proportion will refpect for the women be increased; fo that the progrefs of civilization in countries, in ftates, in towns, and in families, may be marked by the degree of attention which is paid by husbands to their wives, and by the young men to the young women.

Temperance and industry are not to be reckoned among the virtues of the North-Carolinians. The time which they wafte in drinking, idling, and gambling, leaves them very little opportunity to improve their plantations to their minds. The improvement of the former is left to their overfeers and negroes; the improvement of the latter is too often neglected. Were the time, which is thus wafted, spent in cultivating the foil, and in treasuring up knowledge, they might be both wealthy and learned; for they have a productive country, and are by no means deftitute of genius.

Time that is not employed in ftudy or ufeful labour, in every country, is generally spent in hurtful or innocent exercises, according to the cuftom of the place, or the taste of the parties. The citizens of NorthCarolina, who are not better employed, spend their time in drinking, or gaming at cards or dice, in cock-fighting, or horfe-racing. Many of the interludes are filled up with a boxing match; and these matches frequently become memorable by feats of gouging*.

In a country that pretends to any degree of civilization, one would hardly expect to find a prevailing custom of putting out the eyes of each other. Yet this more than barbarous cuftom is prevalent in both the Carolinas, and in Georgia, among the lower clafs of people. Of the origin of this custom we are not informed. We prefume there are few competitors for the honour of having originated it; and equally as few who are envious of the pleasure of those who have the bonour to continue it.

North-Carolina has had a rapid growth. In the year 1710, it con-tained but about 1200 fencible men. It is now, in point of numbers, the fourth state in the union. During this amazing progrefs in popula-tion, which has been greatly aided by emigrations from Pennfylvania, Virginia, and other states, while each has been endeavouring to increase his fortune, the human mind, like an unweeded garden, has been fuffered to fhoot up in wild diforder. But when we confider that, during the late revolution, this ftate produced many diftinguished patriots and politicians, that the fent her thousands to the defence of Georgia and South-Carolina, and gave occafional fuccours to Virginia-when we confider too the difficulties fhe has had to encounter from a mixture of inhabitants, collected from different parts, ftrangers to each other, and intent upon gain, we shall find many things worthy of praise in her general character.

Conftitution.] By the conftitution of this ftate, which was ratified in December, 1776, all legislative authority is vefted in two diftinct branches, both dependent on the people, viz. A Senate and House of Commons, which, when convened for bufinefs, are ftyled the General Affembly.

The Senate is compofed of reprefentatives, one for each country, chofen annually by ballot.

The House of Commons confifts of reprefentatives chofen in the fame way, two for each county, and one for each of the towns of Edenton, Newbern, Wilmington, Salisbury, Hillsborough, and Halifax.

The qualifications for a fenator, are one year's refidence, immediately preceding his election, in the county in which he is chofen, and 300 acres of land in fee.

* The delicate and entertaining diverfion, with propriety called gouging, is thus performed. When two boxers are worried with fighting and bruifing each other, they come, as it is called, to clofe quarters, and each endeavours to twist his forefingers in the ear-locks of his antagonist. When these are faft clenched, the thumbs are extended each way to the nofe, and the eyes gently turned out of their fockets. The victor, for his expertness, receives fhouts of applause from the fportive throng, while his poor eyeless antagonist is laughed at for his misfortune.

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A member of the Houfe of Commons must have ufually refided in the county in which he is elected, one year immediately preceding his election, and for fix months fhall have poffeffed, and continue to poffefs, in the county which he reprefents, not lefs than 100 acres of land in fee, or for the term of his own life.

A freeman of 21 years of age, who has been an inhabitant in the state twelve months immediately preceding the day of any election, and who had poffeffed a freehold of fifty acres of land within the county for fix months next before, and at the day of election, is entitled to vote for a member of the fenate.

All freemen, of 21 years of age, who have been inhabitants of the ftate the year next before the election, and have paid public taxes, may vote for members of the Houfe of Commons.

The Senate and Houfe of Commons, when convened, choose each their own speaker, and are judges of the qualifications and elections of their members. They jointly, by ballot at their first meeting after each annual election, choose a governor for one year, who is not eligible to that office longer than three years in fix fucceffive years; and who muft poffefs a freehold of more than £.1000, and have been an inhabitant of the fiate above five years. They, in the fame manner and at the fame time, elect feven perfons to be a council of ftate for one year, to advise the governor in the execution of his office. They appoint a treasurer or treafurers for the ftate. They triennially choose a state-fecretary. They jointly appoint judges of the fupreme courts of law and equity-judges of admiralty, and the attorney-general, who are commiffioned by the governor, and hold their offices during good behaviour. They prepare bills which must be read three times in each houfe, and be figned by the fpeaker of both houfes, before they pafs into laws.

Judges of the fupreme court-members of council-judges of admiralty -treasurers-secretaries-attorney-generals for the ftatc-clerks of record-clergymen-perfons denying the Being of a God-the truth of the proteftant religion, or the divine authority of the Old or New Teftament -receivers of public monies, whofe accounts are unfettled-military officers in actual fervice are all ineligible to a feat either in the Senate or House of Commons. Jullices of the peace, being recommended by the reprefentatives, are commiffioned by the governor, and hold their offices during good behaviour. The conftitution allows of no religious establishment. The legislature are authorized to regulate entails fo as to prevent perpetuities a majority of both houfes is neceifary to do bufinefs.

New Settlements, Roads, &c.] Davidfon county, in this ftate, is one of the most western fettlements in the United States. This county was established by the name of Davidson, in honour of Brigadier-general William Davidson, who fell oppofing the army under Lord Cornwallis, across the Yadkin river, in the year 1781, and begins where the river Tenneffee or Cherokee interfects the north boundary of the ftate; thence due east with the faid boundary to the fecond interfection of the faid boundary, by the Cumberland or Shawanee river, being 140 miles; thence fouth 55 geographical miles; thence weft to the Tenneffee; thence down the meanders thereof to the beginning. The Tennefiee croffes the north boundary of the ftate 58 miles, and the fouth boundary thereof about 80 miles east E e 2 of

of the Miffifippi.-In the year 1782, the legislature of North-Carolina appointed commiffioners to explore the western part of the ftate, (by which is meant, as well the lands at prefent included in Davidfon county, as those between the fouth boundary of the state and the fouth boundary of this county, and those between the rivers Miffifippi and Tenneffee) and report to the fucceeding legiflature, which part was best for the payment of the bounty promised to the officers and foldiers of the Continental Line of that state; and they accordingly did explore the before described tract of country, and reported to the legislature in the fpring of the year 1783.→→ Although this county was not established by law before the laft-mentioned period, yet a few families had fettled in the year 1780, principally under the guidance and direction of James Robertfon (at prefent colonel of that county) on Cumberland river, and called the place Nashville, in honour of Brigadier-general Francis Nash, who fell at German-town.in the year 1777; but he had but few followers until the year 1783, after the peace had taken place, and after an act had paffed directing the military or bounty warrants of the officers and foldiers to be located in this county. These circumstances induced many officers and foldiers to repair immediately thither, to fecure and fettle their lands; and fuch as did not choose to go fold their warrants to citizens who did go. Many people from almost every state in the Union became purchasers of thefe military warrants, and are fince become refidents of this county; and many valuable and opulent families have removed to it from the Natches.-Colonel Robertfon, when he fettled at Nashville, was upwards of 200 miles diftant (to the weftward) from any other fettlement in his own ftate, and was equally diftant from the settled parts of Kentucky. Hence it will readily be fuppofed that himfelf and party were in danger every hour of being cut off by the Indians, against whom his principal fecurity was, that he was nearly as diftant from them as from the white people; and flender as this fecurity may appear, his party never fuitained any damage from the Indians, but what was done by parties of hunters who happened to find out his fettlements.-The face of this country is in general level, and the foil very rich, equal to any other part of America, and produces in abundance every thing that can be expected from fo temperate a climate and fo rich a foil. It is common for the planter to gather from his fields, upon an average, 60 bushels of Indian corn per acre. This county is well watered by the rivers Tenneffee and Cumberland, and their branches. Both of thefe rivers empty into the Ohio fhortly after they pafs the north boundary of the state. As the waters of the Cumberland from Nashville, and of the Tenneffee from the Mufcle Shoals to the Ohio, are equally deep as the waters of the Ohio and Miffifippi, the people, of courfe, who live in this county, or the adjacent country, have the fame advantages of water conveyance for trade, as those who live on the Ohio or Missisippi, to NewOrleans, or elsewhere.

Befides, there is another probable avenue through which trade will be carried on with this county and the adjacent country, which is from Mobille, up the waters of the Mobille river as far as navigable, thence by a land carriage of about 50 miles (at moft) to Ocochappo creek, which empties into the Tenneffee at the lower end of the Muscle Shoals.-The

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