I told him that a medium between extreme shade and exposure, appeared the thing to be desired. He said he believed so too. The argument was pursued: I hurried him to my encampment, where I found prepared an excellent dinner, or rather a supper, for the sun but faintly glimmered on the tops of the highest trees of the opposite mountain, and the silent serenity of the evening reigned in the place of the glare of day. My new acquaintance was much pleased with his treatment and repast. I gave him a good glass of grog, and sent him home with a small present for his wife, of tea and sugar; articles on which people, in proportion to their distance from such business, set an increased value. I never asked him why he himself looked so poorly, or why his wife and children were so af. Alicted with indisposition? The reasons were too evident to make it necessary to touch a string which could vibrate nothing but discord. Excessive perspiration from continual labour, and exposure to rain and nightly dews, before the completion of the house, hurt the constitution of this poor couple, and the regular periodical fevers which visit them are hastening them and their children to an early dissolution.-Were it not for this, who would not envy them the monarchy of their little island; the tranquility of their lives; and the i.nocence of their pursuits!

The night advanced rapidly, and with it a pleasing impression of seriousness, unknown to any but those who are exposed to dangerous events, and who like me are used to live and sleep under the open air. Cuff seemed determined to augment this disposition by reciting various stories of accidents happening on the waters; of, mur.lers committed; robberies perpetrated; of whirlpools, cataracts, and rapid falls, &c. &c. These dismal narrations had the good effect of awaking in our minds a remembrance of obligation to heaven; a desire to merit a continuance of mercy and a disposition to cast ourselves on the bounty of a Providence which had hitherto accorded' so many kind interpositions. If such sentiments as these.

have been found favourable to happiness in the bosom of society, and in the midst of safety and ease, you may judge how much more useful and necessary they are when exposed to danger on the surface of waters, or in the depth and borders of gloomy woods. This effect on me was a perfect composure, and an uninterrupted night's rest. laid a bear-skin on the sand, put my saddle bags under my

head, and placing my feet to the fire, there remained till the morning; when the clamour of rooks, and melody of birds of various kinds, rebuked my sluggishness. Cheerful and refreshed, we cast off our fastening; jumped into our boat; in ten minutes gained the strongest stream, and in ten more arrived at Georgetown.

Georgetown is a small but flourishing place, just above: the mouth of Millcreek. It is pleasantly situated on a very high bank. A post-office has been lately established there.

Nearly opposite to Georgetown, and a few yards from the shore, a spring rises from the bottom of the river, which produces an oil nearly similar to Seneca oil. I conjecture that this must proceed from a large bed of mineral coal in the vicinity of the spring. On first hearing of this, from an intelligent Scotchman, the post-master at Georgetown, whom I questioned as to the curiosities of his neighbourhood, I immediately crossed over in my canoe to examine the well, and search for grounds on which to establish some, particular conclusions. I found none perfectly satisfactory.. The surface, about four feet in diameter, was covered over. with an olive-coloured slime, here and there rising in lobes filled, but not agitated with confined air. On a more minute inspection however, I perceived these globules burst and subside in gentle undulations, enclosing in a circle a matter whose colour was less deep than that prevailing on the general face of the well. On discovering other globules to rise in succession, I gently dipt up a gourd-full of water and globules, while in the act of rising through the surface. I spilt the whole on the blade of the paddle, and could distinguish, very plainly, the oil which had been exposed to the air from the oil which just rose in search of it. On sounding, I found the well to be sixty-five feet, deep; that is as deep as the bed of the adjacent river. On examining the neighbourhood it was plain that coal abounded; but I could not take upon me to assert that the well or its sources had any communication with that or any other mineral. As a last act, I skimmed off a gourd-full of oil, and again crossing the river, went to the house of a doctor whom I supposed capable of analizing the subjectfor me. On seeing my gourd full of oil, and the interest I took in the investigation of its properties, he very handsomely told me, that "he had but just turned doctor ; and had not as yet given his time to such things." My admiration of his candour covered him from contempt, and I re

turned to my Scotch friend more full of the dangerous idea of a man but "just turned doctor," and let loose on a sickly world, than I was of my gourd of oil, or the consequence of the discovery of its virtues to mankind. I did not however abandon the pursuit. Assisted by the highlander's

wife, I exposed the oil to slow fusion, a quick boil, and finally set it on fire. Its emotion while over the fire was uncommonly great, and when, entirely separated from watery particles, it caught fire, it consumed in a blaze more lively and sudden than that which hovers over spirits, of ordinary proof, when inflamed. During the progressive stages of this operation, I kept the noses of all the obliging family -occupied over the fume. Owing to a difference in the construction of that organ, as a variation in the sensibility of the olfactory nerve, no two of them gave the same opinion as to their notion of the effluviæ. Indeed their opinions were wide and discordant, agreeing but in this essential point, that there was no smell of sulphur. This accorded with my idea, though it traverses that which I first gave, "that the oil proceeded from a bed of mineral coal." The effluviæ to me not only appeared divested of sulphur, but to be impregnated with a vegetable aromatic smell. Though by no means content with the result of my researches, I still draw from these their deductions.

1st. The oil rising in a distinct intermittent globular from the bottom. to the surface proves that it does not issue in a continued stream from any rock or mineral strata, but that it is emitted drop by drop, in the manner of slow and reluctant distillation.

2dly. The oil is not therefore generated by the sun from particles rising in the water favorable to that liquid, though the sun changes its colour on exposure of its rays.

3dly. This change of colour from a light yellow to a dark olive betrays a sulphurous quality, yet the absence of the smell and taste of that mineral entirely discountenances the opinion that it exists in it. And

4thly. From the spirit residing in the oil, the aromatic flavor and smell, it is not unreasonable to presume that it possesses medicinal virtues, which under a judicious administration, might be productive of salutary effects.

This latter deduction is strengthened by the testimony of the Scotchman, who says, the well was much frequented by the Indians previously to their retreat to the back coun

tries, and that the neighbouring whites 'used the oil as a friction when suffering with rheumatism, and as an unction when afflicted with sores.

Much to the satisfaction of the good hostess and her family, who could not refrain from laughter at my zeal and earnestness, on a subject to them " signifying nothing," our gourd and nostrums were pitched out of doors, and they sat about preparing a repast to which I got a most hearty and welcome invitation. This gives you a most favorable respite, and me another opportunity of persuading you, how much I am, &c.

LETTER X.

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Course of the Ohio to Stubenville-Custard island-Stubenville-Congress lands-Indian honourable, confederacyInsidious means of ill disposed whites to possess the country, and exterminate its inhabitants-The Indians become undeceived, and resume the great federal tomahawk—They put to death many of their cruel invaders, who place themselves under protection of Congress, and receive its support-Events of an Indian war-Peace restored-its terms-Finesse of Congress to possess the Indian lands--Hence arose the north west territory, now the Ohio State -The subject of Congress lands continued-nature of their sales, and price of these lands—their great profit to landjobbers-increase of population of the State-a Dutch purchaser, his sentiments after experience.

Stubenville, State of Ohio, May, 1806.

I LEFT Georgetown on the evening of the day I informed you I was to dine with the hospitable post-master, and gained this place, nineteen miles, in four hours, but not without a good look out and some exertion at the oars, I should have told you that the Pennsylvania line crosses at the mouth of Mill creek, and a little below the mouth of another creek called Little Beaver. This line separates

that State from Virginia, on the left hand, and the Ohio State on the right, when descending the river, and gives Pennsylvania a length of territory from the Atlantic to this line of near five thousand miles! I passed this afternoon by five islands lying from two to three or four miles from each other; covered with wood and overrun with flowers and fine pasture. One was called Custard island, in consequence of its abounding with the papaw, which is vulgarly known by the name of the Custard tree. The fruit of the papaw when ripe, exactly resembles in taste the flavour, composition and colour, a custard of the best quality. It may be eaten in moderation without danger. There is one circumstance however attending this fruit of a very remarkable nature. Man, and many other animals, eat it with safety and pleasure, whilst a hog, the most ravenous and least circumspect of all creatures, turns from it with antipathy or a fear of danger. This is one of those subjects whose depth is too great to be fathomed by human intelligence.

Having arrived late at Stubenville I made secure my boat against a steep bank and clean shore, and went up to the town with the view of passing the night, and gaining some knowledge of the surrounding country.

The town is pleasantly situated on the right bank of the river and in the Ohio State. A land office is kept here for the sale of Congress lands, which brings a number of purchasers, and at times makes a considerable appearance of activity. I must explain the expression of "Congress Lands."

Little more than twenty years have elapsed since the whole of the right bank of the Ohio was called the Indian Country or the Indian Side. It was inhabited by the remains of several scattered aboriginal nations, who, driven from their former grounds were in hopes of being left in the peaceable possessions of this country. To this effect they buried the tomahawk of enmity which subsisted between each other; the calumut of peace was sent from camp to camp, and from tribe to tribe. A social compact was the immediate consequence and the world witnessed the new spectacle of a savage association formed on political principles, and organized with a wisdom and energy which would honour the first States of Europe. Individual

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