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part, has the following obfervation :-"The country on the Ohio is every where pleasant, with large level fpots of rich land; and remarkably healthy. One general remark of this nature will ferve for the whole tract of the globe comprehended between the western skirts of the Allegany mountains; thence running fouth-westwardly to the distance of 500 miles to the Ohio falls; then croffing them northerly to the heads of the rivers that empty themselves into the Ohio; thence eaft along the ridge that separates the lakes and Ohio's streams, to French creek.-This country may, from a proper knowledge, be affirmed to be the most healthy, the most pleasant, the most commodious and most fertile spot of earth, known to the European people."

The lands that feed the various ftreams above-mentioned, which fall into the Ohio, are now more accurately known, and may be described with confidence and precifion. They are interfperfed with all the variety of foil which conduces to pleasantnefs of fituation, and lays the foundation for the wealth of an agricultural and manufacturing people. Large level bottoms, or natural meadows, from 20 to 50 miles in circuit, are every where found bordering the rivers, and variegating the country in the interior parts. These afford as rich a foil as can be imagined, and may be reduced to proper cultivation with very little labour. It is faid, that in many of these bottoms a man may clear an acre a day, fit for planting with Indian corn; there being no under wood; and the trees, growing, very high and large, but not thick together, need nothing but girdling.

The prevailing growth of timber and the more useful trees are, maple or fugar tree, fycamore, black and white mulberry, black and white walnut, butternut, chefnut, white, black, Spanish and chefnut oaks, hiccory, cherry, buckwood, honey, locuft, elm, horfe-chefnut, cucumber tree, lynn tree, gum tree, iron wood, afh, afpin, faffafras, crab-apple tree, paupaw or custard apple, a variety of plum trees, nine bark spice, and leather wood bushes. General Parfons measured a black walnut tree near the Muskingum, whofe circumference, at five feet from the ground, was 22 feet. A fycamore, near the fame place, meatures 44 feet in circumference, at some distance from the ground. White and black oak, and chefnut, with most of the above-mentioned timbers, grow large and plenty upon the high grounds. Both the high and low lands produce vast quantities of natural grapes of various kinds, of which the fettlers univerfally make a fufficiency for their own confumption of rich red wine. It is afferted in the old fettlement of St. Vincent's, where they have had opportunity to try it, that age will render this wine preferable to moft of the European wines. Cotton is the natural production of this country, and grows in great perfection.

The fugar maple is a most valuable tree for an inland country. Any number of inhabitants may be for ever supplied with a fufficiency of fugar, by preferving a few trees for the ufe of each family. A tree will yield about ten pounds of fugar a year, and the labour is very trifling: The fap is extracted in the months of February and March, and granulated, by the fimple operation of boiling, to a fugar equal in flavour and whitenefs to the best Muscovado.

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Springs of excellent water abound in every part of this territory: and fmall and large ftreams, for mills and other purpofts, are actually in

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terperfed, as if by art, that there be no deficiency in any of the conve niencies of life.

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Very little wafte land is to be found in any part of this tract of country. There are no fwamps; and though the hills are frequent, they are gently and fwelling, no where high, nor incapable of tillage. They are of a deep, rich foii, covered with a heavy growth of timber and, well adapted to the production of wheat, rye, indigo, tobacco, &c.

The conimunications between this country and the fea will be princi pally in the four following directions.

1. The rout through the Sioto and Muskingum to Lake Erie, and fo to the river Hudson: which has been already defcribed.

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2. The paffage up the Ohio and Monongahela to the portage abovementioned, which leads to the navigable waters of the Potowmac. portage is 30 miles, and will probably be rendered much lefs by the execution of the plans now on foot for opening the navigation of those

waters.

3. The great Kanhaway, which falls into the Ohio from the Virginia fhore between the Hockhocking and Sioto, opens an extenfive navigation from the fouth-eaft, and leaves but 18 miles portage from the navigable waters of Jame's river, in Virginia. This communication, for the country between Muskingum and Sioto, will probably be more used than any other, for the exportation of manufactures, and other light and valuable articles; and, efpecially for the importation of foreign commodities, which may be brought from the Chefapeek to the Ohio much cheaper than they are now carried from Philadelphia toCarlisle, and the other thick fettled back countries of Pennfylvania.

· 4. But the current down the Ohio and the Miflifippi, for heavy articles that fuit the Florida and Weft-India markets, fuch as corn, flour, bcef, lumber, &c. will be more frequently loaded than any ftreams on earth The distance from the Sioto to the Miffifippi is 800 miles; from thence to the fea is 900. This whole course is easily run in 15 days; and the paffage up thofe rivers is not fo difficult as has ufually been reprefented. It is found, by late experiments, that fails are used to great advantage against the current of Ohio: And it is worthy of obfervation, that in all probability fteam boats will be found to do infinite fervice in all our extensive river navigation.

• As far as observations in paffing the rivers, and the transitory remarks of travellers will justify an opinion, the lands farther down, and in other parts of the unappropriated country, are not equal in point of foil and other local advantages, to the tract which is here defcribed. This, however, cannot be accurately determined, as the prefent fituation of these countries will not admit of that minute infpection which has been bestowed on the one under confideration.

It is a happy circumftance, that the Ohio Company are about to commence the settlement of this country in fo regular and judicious a manner. It will ferve as a wife model for the future fettlement of all the federal lands; at the fame time that, by beginning fo near the western limit of Pennsylvania, it will be a continuation of the old fettlements, leaving vacant no lands expofed to by fuch lawless banditti as ufual infest the frontiers of countries diftant from the feat of government.

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The defign of Congress and of the settlers is, that the fettlements shall proceed regularly down the Ohio; and northward to Lake Erie. And it is probable that not many years will elapfe, before the whole country above Miami will be brought to that degree of cultivation, which will exhibit all its latent beauties, and justify thofe defcriptions of travellers which have so often made it the garden of the world, the feat of wealth, and the centre of a great empire.'

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Animals, &c.] No country is better stocked with wild game of ever kind: Innumerable herds of deer, elk, buffalo, and bear, are fheltered in the groves, and fed in the extensive bottoms that every where abound; an unquestionable proof of the great fertility of the foil. Turkies, geefe, ducks, fwans, teal, pheafants, partridges, &c. are, from obfervation, believed to be in greater plenty here, than the tame poultry are in any part of the old fettlements in America.

The rivers are well stored with fish of various kinds, and many of them of an excellent quality. They are generally large, though of different fizes: The cat-fifh, which is the largest, and of a delicious flavour, weighs from 30 to 80 pounds.'

Antiquities and Curiofities.] The number of old forts found in the Kensucky country are the admiration of the curious, and a matter of much fpeculation. They are mostly of a circular form, fituated on strong, well chofen ground, and contiguous to water. When-by whom-and for what purpose, these were thrown up, is uncertain. They are certainly very ancient, as there is not the least visible difference in the age or fize of the timber growing on or within these forts, and that which grows without, and the oldest natives have lost all tradition refpecting them. They must have been the efforts of a people much more devoted to labour than our present race of Indians; and it is difficult to conceive how they could be conftructed without the ufe of iron tools. At a convenient distance from these always ftands a small mount of earth, thrown up in the form of a pyramid, and feems in fome measure proportioned to the fize of its adjacent fortification. On examination, they have been found to contain a chalky fubstance, supposed to be bones, and of the human kind.

On an extenfive plain, or, as the French term it parara*, between Post St. Vincent and Cufcufco river, is what is called the Battle Ground, where the Siack and Cufcufco Indians fought a desperate battle, in which about 800 were killed on each fide. On this fpot, the ground for two miles is covered with fkulls and other human bones.

Forts.] The ftations occupied by the troops of the United States on the frontiers, are the following.

FORT FRANKLIN-On the French creek, near to the poft formerly called Venango, is a small ftrong fort with one cannon, was erected in 1787, and

* A parara, which anfwers to what in the fouthern ftates is called a favannah, is an extenfive rich plain, without trees, and covered with grass. Some of thefe pararas, between Poft St. Vencent and the Miffippi are 30 or 40 miles broad, and feveral hundred miles in length. In paffing them, as far as the eye can reach, there is not a tree to be feen; but there is plenty of buffaloes, deer, elks, bears, and wolves, and innumerable flocks of turkies; thefe, with the green grass, form a rich and beautiful profpect.

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garrifoned with one company. The excellent conftruction and execution of this work reflects honor on the abilities and industry of Captain Hart, who garrifons it with his company, and who was his own engineer.

This poft was established for the purpose of defending the frontiers of Pennfylvania, which are much exposed by the facility with which the Indians can crofs from Lake Erie, either to French creek or the Jadagghue Lake and the Conneawango branch, and thence defcend the rapid river Allegany.

FORT PITT-Has only an officer, and a few men to receive the supplies and dispatches forwarded to the troops by the Secretary at War. FORT MINTOSH-Is ordered to be demolished, and a block-house to be erected in lieu thereof, a few miles up the Big Beaver creek to protect the communication the fame, and also to cover the country.

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FORT HARMAR-At the mouth of Muskingum, is a well constructed fort, with five bastions, and three cannons mounted.

It is at prefent garrifoned with four companies, and is confidered as head quarters, being conveniently fituated to reinforce any of the pofts either up or down the river Ohio.

FORT STEUBEN-At the rapids of the Ohio, on the west fide is a wellconstructed small fort, with one cannon, and is garrifoned with a major and two companies. This poft is established to cover the country from the incurfions of the Indians, and it also serves as a post of communication to Poft Vincennes on the Wabash.

POST VINCENNES-On the Wabash, is a work erected during the year 1787, and has four small brass cannon. It is garrifoned by a major and two companies.

It is established to curb the incurfions of the Wabash Indians into Kentucky country, and to prevent the ufurpation of the federal lands, the fertility of which have been too ftrong a temptation to the lawless people of the frontiers, who posted themselves there in force in the year 1786. Brigadier-General Harmar, by order of Congrefs, formed an expedition in Auguft, 1787, for the purpose of difpoffeffing them; but previous to his arrival, most of the intruders abandoned their fettlement.

Government, &c] By an ordinance of Congrefs, paffed on the 13th of July, 1787, this country, for the purpose of temporary government, was erected into one district, fubject, however to a divifion, when circumftances fhall make it expedient.

In the fame ordinance it is provided, that Congrefs fhall appoint a governor, whose commiffion shall continue in force three years, unless fooner revoked.

The governor must refide in the district, and have a freehold estate therein, in 1000 acres of land, while in the exercise of his office.

Congrefs, from time to time, are to appoint a fecretary, to continue in office four years, unless fooner removed, who must refide in the diftrict, and have an estate of 500 acres of land, while in office.

The business of the fecretary is, to keep and preferve the acts and laws of the legislature, and the public records of the diftrict, and the proceedings of the governor, in his executive department; and to tranfmit authentic copies of fuch acts and proceedings, every fix months, to the fecretary of Congress.

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The ordinance provides that Congrefs fhall appoint three judges, poffeffed each of 500 acres of land in the diftrict in which they are to refide, and to hold their commiffions during good behaviour, any two of whom, fhall form a court, which fhall have a common law jurifdiction. The governor and judges are authorized to adopt and publish in the district, fuch laws of the original states, criminal and civil, as may be neceffary and beft fuited to the circumstances of the district, and report them to Congress, and if approved they fhall continue in force, till the organization of the general affembly of the district, who fhall have authority to alter them. The governor is to command the militia, and appoint and commiffion their officers, except general officers, who are to be appointed and commiffioned by Congrefs.

Previous to the organization of the affembly, the governor is to appoint fuch magiftrates and civil officers, as fhall be deemed neceffary for the prefervation of peace and order.

So foon as there fhall be 5000 free male inhabitants of full age, in the diftrict, they fhall receive authority to ele reprefentatives, one for every 500 free male inhabitants, to represent them in the general affembly; the representation to increase progreffively with the number of free male inhabitants, till there be 25 reprefentatives; after which the number and proportion of the reprefentatives thall be regulated by the legislature. A reprefentative muft poffefs, in fee fimple, 200 acres of land, and be a refident in the diftrict—and must have been a citizen of the United States, or a refident in the district, three years preceding his election. An elector must have 50 acres of land in the district-must have been a citizen of one of the states—and must be a refident in the district-or must poseffs the fame freehold—and have been two years a refident in the district. The reprefentatives, when duly elected, are to continue in office two years.

The general affembly, or legiflature, fhall confift of the governor, legiflative council, and house of reprefentatives. The legislative council Thall confift of five members, to continue in office five years, unless fooner removed by Congrefs. Three make a quorum.-The council are to be thus appointed: "The governor and reprefentatives, when met, fhall nominate ten perfons, residents in the district, and each poffeffed of a freehold 500 acres of land, and return their names to Congrefs, who shall point and commiffion five of them to ferve as aforefaid.

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All bills paffed by a majority in the house, and in the council, fhall be referred to the governor for his affent; but no bill or legislative at whatever, fhall be of force without his affent. The governor fhall have power to convene, prorogue, and difolve the general affembly, when, in his opinion, it fhall be expedient.

The legiflature, when organized, fhall have authority, by joint ballot, to elect a delegate to Congrefs, who shall have a feat in Congrefs, with a right of debating, but not of voting, during this temporary govern

ment.

'And for extending the fundamental principles of civil and religio us liberty, which form the bafis whereon thefe republics, their laws and conftitutions are erected; to fix and establish thofe principles as the basis of all laws, conftitutions and governments, which for ever hereafter thall be forme

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