five region, bathed by their waters, and enriched by the many streams they receive, communicate with the fea, and may truly be confidered as the great paffage made by the Hand of Nature for a variety of valuable purposes, and principally to promote the happiness and benefit of mankind; among which, the conveyance of the produce of that immenfe and fertile country lying weftward of the United States is not the leaft. A few obfervations on these rivers, and fome others flowing into them, are objects fubmitted to the reader's attention, in order to form a juft idea of the favourable commercial circumftances of this important country.

The Ohio river begins at Pittsburgh, three hundred and twenty miles weft of Philadelphia, being there formed by the junction of the Allegany and Monangahela rivers, and, running a winding courfe of fouth 60° weft, falls into the Miffifippi one thousand and feventyfour miles, by the meanders of the river, below Pittsburgh. The only obftruction to navigation on this river are the rapids, as defcribed before under the defcription of the Kentucky rivers; but they are paffed in fafety when the ftream is high.

The most remarkable branches compofing the head waters of Ohio are Red-ftone creek, Cheat river and Yohogania. Thefe waters are navigable to a confiderable diftance above Pittsburgh, from November until June, and the Ohio a month longer; but from Great Kanhawa, which is one hundred and ninety-fix miles and a half below Pittsburgh, the ftream is navigable most parts of the year. Down this river quantities of goods are brought, and fome are conveyed up the Kentucky rivers, others on horseback or in waggons to the fettled part, and fold on an average at one hundred pounds per cent. advance.

The current of the Ohio defcends about two miles an hour in autumn, and when the waters are high about four miles. Thofe of the Kentucky rivers are much the fame, and without rapids, and are of immenfe value to the country, affording fish and fowl, and transportation of the produce of the country to the best market. These rivers increase the Ohio more in depth than breadth. At its mouth it is not more than one and a half mile in width, and enters the Miffiffippi in a fouth-west direction with a flow current, and a fine channel. This great river, at the junction with the Ohio, runs in a fouth-east direction, and afterwards in a fouth-west, having been a little before joined by a greater river called Miffouri, which, as before obferved, runs in an eastward direction through Louisiana,

and

and afterwards communicates to the Miffiffippi its own muddy and majeftic appearance. The depth is, in common, eight or ten fathoms, until you approach its mouth, which empties itself by feveral channels into the gulph of Mexico. Here the navigation is dange rous, on account of the many islands, fand-bars and logs, interspersed in its mouth, which is about twenty miles wide. This disadvantage may be remedied almost in the fame manner that the ftream was difconcerted. The conflict between the fea and this mighty river, which brings down with its ftream great numbers of trees, mud, leaves, &c. caufes them to fubfide and form fhoals. One of these trees, stopped by its roots or branches, will foon be joined by thou fands more, and fo fixed, that no human force is able to remove them. In time they are confolidated, every flood adds another layer to their height, forming iflands, which at length are covered with fhrubs, grass and cane, and forcibly shift the bed of the river. In this manner we suppose most of the country on each side of the Miffiffippi, below the Iberville, to have been formed, by iflands uniting to iflands, which, in a fucceffion of time, have greatly encroached on the fea, and produced an extenfive tract of country. If fome of the floating timber at the mouths of this river were moved into fome of the channels, numbers more would incorporate with them; and the current being impeded in thefe, the whole force of the river uniting, one important channel would forcibly be opened, and fufficiently cleared to admit of the most excellent navigation.

About ninety-nine miles above Orleans is a fort, now called Mantchac by the Spaniards; formerly Fort Bute by the English, who built it. Near this is a large gut, formed by the Miffiflippi, on the eaft fide, called Iberville; fome have dignified it with the name of river, when the Miffiffippi, its fource, is high. This is navigable, at moft, not above four months in the year for the first ten miles; for three miles farther it is from two to fix feet in autumn, and from two to four fathoms the remaining part of the way to lake Maurepas, receiving in its courfe the river Amit, which is navigable for batteaux to a confiderable distance.

Lake Maurepas is about ten miles in length and feven in breadth; and there is a paffage of feven miles between this and lake Pontchartrain.

Lake Pontchartrain is about forty miles long, twenty-four broad, and eighteen feet deep. From this lake to the fea the channel is ten miles long, and three hundred yards wide: and the water deep enough

enough to admit large veffels through thefe lakes and their communications. This place, if attended to, might be of confequence to all the western country, and to the commerce of Weft-Florida; for it may reasonably be fuppofed, that the inhabitants and traders of the western country would rather trade at this place than at NewOrleans, if they could have as good returns for their peltry, and the produce of their foil; as it makes a confiderable difference in their voyage, and faves labour, money and time. Experience will doubtlefs produce confiderable improvements, and render the navigation of the Miffiffippi, either by thefe lakes, or New-Orleans, nearly as cheap as any other. That the Miffiffippi can answer every valuable purpose of trade and commerce, is proved already to a demonstration by experience.

There is reafon to believe that the time is not far diftant when New-Orleans will be a great trading city, and perhaps another be built near Mantchac, at Iberville, that may in time rival its glory.

A prodigious number of iflands, fome of which are of great extent, are interfperfed in this mighty river; and the difficulty in afcending it in the spring, when the floods are high, is greatly leffened by eddies or counter currents, which mostly run in the bends near the banks of the river with nearly equal velocity against the stream, and affift the afcending boats.

From New-Orleans to the falls of Ohio, batteaux, carrying about forty tons, have been rowed by eighteen or twenty men in eight or ten weeks, which, at the extent, will not amount to more than five hundred pounds expenfe, which experience has proved to be about onethird of that from Philadelphia. It is highly probable that in time the distance will be exceedingly fhortened by cutting across bends of the river.

Charlevoix relates, that at Coupee, or Cut point, the river formerly made a great turn, and fome Canadians, by deepening the channel of a small brook, diverted the waters of the river into it. The impetuofity of the ftream was fo violent, and the foil of fo rich and loose a quality, that in a fhort time the point was entirely cut through, and the old channel left dry, except in inundations, by which travellers fave fourteen leagues of their voyage. The new channel has been founded with a line of thirty fathoms, without finding bottom. When the distance is fhortened, which we believe may readily be done; the expenfes of a voyage from New-Orleans to the falls of VOL. III. Ohio

X

Ohio will be very inconfiderable. It is known by experience that forty tons of goods cannot be taken to the falls of Ohio from Philadelphia, under fixteen hundred pounds expenfe; but by improvements on the Miffiffippi, with the conveniences of the mechanical boats, goods can be brought from New-Orleans to the falls for the tenth part of that expense; and if they are fold at one hundred pounds per cent. now, when brought from Philadelphia at expenfes fo great, what may the merchant afford to fell his goods at, who brings them fo much cheaper? Befides, the great advantages arifing from the exporting of peltry, and country produce, which never can be conveyed to the eastern ports to any advantage. It is evident alfo that the market from which they receive imports, muft confequently receive their exports, which is the only return they can poffibly make.

By ftating the commerce of Kentucky in its proper terms, we find the expenfes fuch, that we conclude with propriety, that that country will ultimately be supplied with goods as cheap as if fituated but forty miles from Philadelphia.

But perhaps it will he replied, New-Orleans is in the poffeffion of the Spaniards, who, whenever they please, may make use of that fort, and fome others they have on the Miffiffippi, to prevent the naviga tion and ruin the trade. The paffage through Iberville is alfo fubje& to the Spaniards, and, befides, inconvenient; that stream continu ing so short a time, and in the most disadvantageous feason.

It will certainly be abfurd to expect a free navigation of the Miffiffippi, whilst the Spaniards are in poffeffion of New-Orleans; to fuppofe it, is an idea calculated to impofe only upon the weak. They may perhaps trade with the Americans upon their own terms, while they think it confiftent with their intereft, but no friendship in trade exifts when intereft expires; therefore, when the western country becomes populous and ripe for trade, found policy tells us, the Floridas muft belong to the Americans. According to the article of the definitive treaty, they are to have a free and unmolested navigation of the Miffiffippi; but experience teaches mankind that treaties are not always to be depended upon, the most folemn being broken.* Hence we learn, not to put much faith in treaties with any of the old go vernments of Europe.

Article 8th of the late definitive treaty, fays, The navigation of the Miffiffippi tiver, from its fource to the ocean, fhall for ever remain free and open to the subjects of Great-Britain and the citizens of the United States.

Although

Although the Iberville only admits of a fhort and inconvenient na vigation, yet if a commercial town were built there, it would be the center of the western trade; and a land carriage of ten or twelve miles would be counted no difadvantage to the merchant. Nay, in time, a canal may be broke through the gut of Iberville, which may divert the water of the Miffiffippi that way, and render it a place of the greatest confequence in America; but this important period is referved for futurity. The trade of Kentucky is already improving; we have mentioned that tobacco has been exported to France and Spain in great quantities through New-Orleans. They have alfo erected a paper mill, an oil mill, fulling mills, faw mills, and a great number of valuable grift mills. Their falt works are more than fufficient to fupply all their inhabitants, at a low price. They make confide rable quantities of fugar from the fugar trees. They have a printingoffice, and publifh a Weekly Gazette. Labourers, particularly tradefmen, are exceedingly wanted here.

LITERATURE,

The legislature of Virginia, while Kentucky made a part of that State, made provifion for a college in it, and endowed it with very confiderable landed funds; and a library for its ufe was forwarded thither by the Rev. Mr. John Todd of Virginia, (after obtaining the confent of the Rev. Dr. Gordon) while an inhabitant of the Maffachufetts State. This library was mostly formed in the following manner: An epiftolary acquaintance having commenced between Mr. Todd and Dr. Gordon, through the influence of their common friend, the Rev. Mr. Samuel Davis, long fince deceased; a letter was received about the end of 1764, or beginning of 1765, from Mr. Todd, in which he expreffed a defire of obtaining a library and fome philofophical apparatus, to improve the education of fome young perfons, who were defigned for the miniftry. Dr. Gordon being then settled at London, upon application obtained a few annual fubfcriptions, with feveral donations of money, and of books, which were not closed till after March 1769. During that period he received in cafli, including his own fubfcription, eighty pounds two fhillings and fix-pence. The late worthy John Thornton, Efq. contributed fifty pounds of it, by the hand of the Rev. Mr. (afterwards Dr.) Wilfon, who alfo gave in books ten pounds. Among the contribu fors ftill living, befide Dr. Gordon himself, are the Rev. Mr. Towle,