Front matter (continued 5)

The shoreless ocean, seen day after day, affords but a dull and barren prospect to a landsman. The only variety seems to be, when a storm arises; and then it puts on such a terrific form, that the sublimity of the scene cannot be fully enjoyed. We had a severe blow off the coast of Florida; but the shivering of sails, and the mountains of foam dashing over our frail bark, caused fear to predominate over every other sensation.

The complete and rapid change of the scene at sea, is sometimes very striking. We would be quietly sailing along with a gentle breeze, just enough to fill the sails, and keep the vessel in motion on her course; when all at once a violent squall arises, suddenly strikes the ship, whizzes through the rigging, fills the sails to bursting, and drives her rapidly on, through billows of foam. The captain stands upon the quarter-deck, gives his orders through the speaking trumpet—the sailors run aloft, cling to the yards and take in sail. The contrast is indeed great. One moment, all is calm and quiet; the next, all is uproar and confusion; and could one feel entirely at ease, it would be a great source of amusement, during a long voyage.

But a sailor's life is one of care, hardship, watchfulness and anxiety. Our captain would walk the deck for hours, anxiously watching the whole circle of the horizon—the appearance of the clouds and the direction of the wind. Of a sudden, he would stop short, call all hands, order the light sails taken in, and close-reefed those that remained; when to my unpractised eye, there was no cause of alarm, or appearance of a change of weather. But the result would invariably show the correctness of his opinion. In no one instance, did he prematurely take in sail, nor did the squall ever come and "catch him napping."

The third day out, from the mouth of the river, we saw the highlands of Cuba. On the fifth, the Sand Key lighthouse, on the Florida shore. We saw no other land on the voyage, except a small island on the Little Bahama Banks, until we came in full view of the village of Chatham, fifty miles south of Boston. The wind became fair, the weather thick and rainy. The next day, twenty miles out, the pilot came aboard, and we run safely into Boston harbor. We had been just twenty-five days from New-Orleans—a distance of twenty-five hundred miles. We had experienced all the varieties of a sea voyage—light winds, calms, strong breezes and storms—and now, with no small degree of pleasure, I again set my foot on terra firma.

The following day, I took the stage and arrived home at Exeter; having been absent about five months, and having travelled by land and water the distance of eight thousand miles. I passed over the whole route without arms, and at no time did I feel the need of any. I was uniformly well treated; and often received kind attentions, and formed many acquaintances whom I left with regret, and shall remember with gratitude.

The weather had generally been mild and pleasant. The greatest indication of cold weather I found on the whole trip, was a slight frost. On returning at once to the region of severe cold weather, I found it exceedingly oppressive. Our northern winters are indeed long, severe and crabbed; and were the people as crabbed as the climate, life would become altogether intolerable. But the southern and western climate is far more bland and mild, and much more grateful to the feelings, than ours; and this, together with the facility of obtaining all the necessaries and conveniences of life, induces me to believe that a much greater amount of comfort and happiness may there be enjoyed.

CHAPTER XXIX.

And now, from this spot, I may be allowed to take a hasty, retrospective glance at the great Western Country. It stretches from the Gulf of Mexico to the northern limits of the United States; and from the Alleghany, to the Rocky mountains—a distance of three thousand miles; showing a broad surface of earth, equal in extent to the Atlantic ocean itself. Between these bold and primitive barriers, a country is exhibited, every where bearing the marks of a secondary formation. The valleys, bluffs and hills—the regular lamina of stone, strata of marine shells,—and, indeed, all the physical aspects of the country, wear the appearance of once having been the bed of a vast lake, or an inland sea.

From this circumstance of its recent formation, and the large quantities of decomposed lime stone mixed with the soil, result another attribute of this valley—its character of uncommon fertility. It is not indeed every where alike fertile. There are here, as else where, infinite varieties of soil, from the richest alluvions, to the most sterile flint knobs—from the impervious cane brakes, to the sandy pine hills. There are, too, towards the Rocky mountains, large tracts that have a surface of sterile sands, or covered only with a scanty vegetation of weeds and coarse grass. But of the country in general, the most cursory observer must have remarked, that, compared with lands in other regions apparently of the same character, these show marks of singular fertility. The most ordinary oak lands, will bring successive crops of Indian corn and wheat, without manuring, and with but little care of cultivation. The pine lands, which appear so sterile to the eye, have in many places, produced good crops for years, without the aid of manure.

There is another remarkable trait in the soil of this valley—its power to support vegetation under the severest drought. It is a fact so notorious that it has become proverbial, that if there be moisture enough to make the corn germinate and come up, there will be a good crop, if no rain fall until harvest. The eastern emigrant witnesses with astonishment, the steady advance of his crop to vigorous maturity, under a pressure of drought, and a cloudless ardor of sun, that must have parched up the fields, and destroyed vegetation at the East.

The Alleghany mountains, which form the eastern boundary of this great valley, are composed of many ridges, which run parallel to each other with remarkable regularity. The middle ridge is generally the most elevated, and separates the waters of the Atlantic, from those that flow into the Mississippi. Soon after passing the summit of the principal mountains, the waters of the Ohio begin to be heard, as they dash along over a precipitous and rocky channel, seeking a spot to escape from the craggy hills, to the plains below.

After descending the last mountain ridge towards the valley, the country is still a succession of high hills, generally rounded smoothly down their sides, having more or less table land on their summits.—Those portions of Pennsylvania and Virginia, which belong to the Mississippi Valley; the eastern parts of Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee, are generally hilly, and sometimes even mountainous. In Alabama, the hills begin to subside. The features of the country too, begin, manifestly to change. The landscape wears a different aspect. Instead of the oaks, whitewood and sycamore, we begin to hear the breeze among the tops of long leaved pines.—A long succession of pine hills and fertile valleys succeed each other; the timber becoming less and less, until we meet the extensive prairies, or savannas of Florida.

Approaching the lakes, the country becomes quite level. At the northern sections of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, near the borders of the lakes, the surface, in some places, becomes so marshy and low, as to be covered, in winter and spring, with water from three or four inches to a foot in depth. The eastern part of Ohio is hilly, but the western portion sensibly becomes more and more level. The Ohio river originally rolled on in its whole course, through an unbroken forest; but as we approach the eastern boundary of Indiana, we begin to discover the first indications of prairie. In the western part of the State of Ohio, small and detached prairies are only found. In Indiana, the proportion of prairie is far greater, and in Illinois it far exceeds the timbered land. North of the State of Illinois, pine hills, ponds, marshes, woodland and prairie, alternate to the head waters of the Mississippi.

The surface of the country west of the Mississippi, is generally much more level than the valley east of it. There are bluffs to be sure, often high and precipitous, near the courses of the large rivers; and some portion of the country, near the Mississippi, is covered with flint knobs—singular hills of a conical shape, which, with a base of not more than a third of a mile in diameter, sometimes rise to the height of four or five hundred feet; and are covered with coarse gravel and flint stones. There are also, as in the country between the St. Francis and White rivers, high hills, which might well be called mountains. A spur of the Alleghany mountains, seems to come in to the Mississippi at the Chickasaw bluffs, and to be continued to the west of the river, in the St. Francis hills. But between the Mississippi and the Rocky mountains, a distance of twenty-five hundred miles, the general surface of the country is one vast plain, probably the largest on the face of the globe. Except the bluffs of the rivers, and flint knobs, the whole surface is entirely free from stones. On the lower courses of the Missouri, St. Francis, White, Arkansas and Red rivers, we find extensive bottoms of inexhaustible fertility covered with a dense forest; and occasionally a rich prairie, teeming with vegetation. But as we ascend these rivers, the timber becomes less and less, until, at last, we find the prairies coming in to the river banks. As the traveller recedes from the narrow and fertile belt on the streams, he finds the prairies becoming more and more dry and sterile—destitute of wood and water, and, sometimes, of all vegetation. He finds himself on a boundless waste of prairies; stretching out before him, far beyond the reach of vision; and here, he may wander for days, without finding either wood or water, and whichever way he may turn his eyes, he beholds an ocean of grass bounding the horizon. In advancing westward, he, at length, catches a glimpse of the Rocky mountains, pencilled like clouds on the blue arch of the sky. These mountains rise in lofty grandeur, twelve thousand feet above the grassy plains at their base; and some of the peaks, are supposed to be eighteen thousand feet above the level of the sea. They appear at a distance, to present an unbroken front, and to form an insuperable barrier between the Mississippi valley, and the shores of the Pacific ocean. On a nearer inspection, they are found to be, like the Alleghany mountains composed of a number of parallel ridges; and following up the streams, as they escape from the mountains, tolerable paths are found to cross them. A late traveller crossed these mountains, by following up the river Platte to its source; and from thence, down the stream that falls into Lake Bueneventura, on the western side. He states that the ascent was no where any greater than on the National road, over the Cumberland mountains. He even asserts, that the ascent was not more than three degrees; and that nature has provided a practical and good road, quite down to the plains of the Columbia.

These ranges of mountains cover a wide extent of country; and here, the principal rivers that fall into the Mississippi, have their sources. Some of these rivers wind three or four hundred miles among the mountains, before they find a passage to the plains below. The ranges at the sources of the Arkansas, and extending southward towards the Gulf of Mexico, bear the name of the Masserne mountains. A single peak of this ridge, seen at immense distances over the adjacent plains, rising into the blue atmosphere above the region of clouds, is called mount Pike. Near this mountain, the Colorado of the Pacific, the Rio del Norte of the Gulf of Mexico, the Yellow Stone of the Missouri, and the Arkansas and Red rivers of the Mississippi, have their sources. Mount Pike must therefore, be the highest point of land of this part of North America.

The Rocky mountains are at present too little known to be accurately and particularly described. They are hundreds of miles beyond the limits of cultivation, and the usual haunts of civilized man. They will for ages only attract the gaze and astonishment of wandering hunters, and adventurous travellers, who will thread the mazes of their deep gullies, as they pursue their journey to the western sea. Many of the ranges, and peaks are black, ragged and precipitous; and around their bases are strewn huge fragments of rock, detached by earthquakes and the hand of time. From this iron bound and precipitous character, they probably received the appellation of "Rocky mountains."

The general surface of the Mississippi Valley may be classed under three distinct heads—the dense forest, the barrens, or oak openings, and the prairies. In the first division, every traveller must have remarked, as soon as he descends to this valley, a grandeur in the form and size of the trees, a depth of verdure in the foliage, and a magnificent prodigality of growth, that distinguishes this, from every other country. The trees are large and straight, and rise aloft in stately columns, free from branches, to a great height. In the rich bottoms, they are generally wreathed with a drapery of ivy and grape vines; and these vines have sometimes trunks as large as the human body. Frequently, these forests are as free from any undergrowth as an orchard of apple trees. Sometimes the only shrub seen among the tall trees, is the beautiful pawpaw, with its splendid foliage and graceful stems. In the rich alluvions of the southern section, impenetrable cane brakes, tangles of brambles, and a rank growth of weeds, are often found beneath the forest trees; and their lofty branches are hung with large festoons of Spanish moss. These are the safe retreats of the bears, panthers, and other wild beasts of the forest.

Such forest trees only will be noted, as are not found in our northern climate. It may be proper to remark, that the white pine of New-England is only found in the upper section of the Mississippi valley—the pitch pine is found in various places on the high lands, throughout its whole extent; although not on the banks of the streams of water.

The cypress is seen on overflowed and swampy land from the mouth of the Ohio to the gulf of Mexico. It is strikingly singular in its appearance. Under its deep shade, arise a multitude of cone shaped posts, called 'cypress knees.' They are of various sizes and heights. The largest generally seen are about a foot in diameter at the bottom, two or three inches at the top, and six feet in height. The bark is smooth, and grows over the top end the same as at the sides. The ground, in a cypress swamp, looks as though tapering posts of all imaginable sizes had been set there at random; and are sometimes so thick that it is difficult to ride among them. It has been supposed that these knees are but the commencement of large trees, and there is some reason for this belief; for the tree itself has a buttress that looks exactly like an enlarged cypress knee. A full sized cypress is ten feet in diameter at the ground, but it tapers so rapidly that in ascending eight feet, it is not more than about two feet in diameter; from thence, it rises in a straight smooth column, eighty feet, without any apparent diminution of its size; it then branches off at once in all directions, and forms a level surface of foliage at the top. A forest of cypress looks like a scaffolding of deep green verdure suspended in the air.—The timber is clear of knots, easily wrought, durable, and is the most valuable timber tree in all the southern country.

The live oak is only found near the sea coast. It does not grow tall, but runs out into long lateral branches, looking like an immense spread umbrella. The leaf is small and evergreen. It bears an abundance of acorns, which are small, long and a good deal tapering at each end. Its timber is hard to cut, and will immediately sink in water.

The peccan is of beautiful form and appearance, and makes excellent timber for building and rails. It bears a round nut about an inch and a half long and half an inch in diameter. It excels all other nuts in the delicacy of its flavor.

The black locust is an excellent timber tree, and is much used in the building of steamboats. Its blossoms yield an exquisite perfume. The white locust is similar to that of the north.

The black walnut is a splendid tree and grows to a great size. It is much used in finishing houses and in cabinet furniture. It produces a nut very similar to the northern butternut; but the meat is not very palatable. The white walnut is also plenty, as are the various kinds of hickory.

The sycamore is the largest tree of the western forest. One of these trees near Marietta measures fifteen feet in diameter. Judge Tucker of Missouri fitted up a hollow section of a sycamore for an office.

The yellow poplar is a splendid tree and next in size to the sycamore. Its timber is very useful for building and rails. Its blossoms are gaudy bell-shaped cups, and the leaves are of beautiful forms. The cotton-wood is universally found in all the southern country below the mouth of the Ohio. It is a tree of the poplar class, and somewhat resembles the whitewood of the more northern regions. It is a large stately tree and sometimes measures twelve feet in diameter. One tree has been known to make more than a thousand rails. It derives its name from the circumstance, that when its blossoms fall, it scatters on the ground something much resembling, in feeling and appearance, short ginned cotton.

The catalpa is found in the region of the cotton-wood. It is remarkable for the great size of its deep green leaves, and its rounded tuft of beautiful blossoms of unequalled fragrance. Its seed is contained in a pod about two feet in length, much resembling a bean pod. As an ornamental tree it is unrivalled. In gracefulness of form, grandeur of its foliage, and rich, ambrosial fragrance of its blossom, it is incomparably superior to all the trees of the western world.

The magnolia has been much overrated, both as to the size of the tree and blossom also. It grows up tall and slim; the largest, about two feet in diameter; smooth whitish bark; and slightly resembling the northern beech. Its leaves are of a deep green, small and evergreen. Its blossom is of a pure white, much resembling, although twice the size, of a northern pond lilly. The fragrance is indeed powerful, but rather disagreeable.

There are half a dozen species of laurels; the most beautiful of which, is the laurel almond. It grows to the size of the pear tree; the leaves resemble those of the peach; its blossoms yield a most delicious perfume; and its foliage continues green all the year. It is found in the valley of the Red River.

There is a striking and beautiful tree found on the head waters of the Washita and in the interior of Arkansas, called bow-wood, from the circumstance that the Indians use it for bows. It bears a large fruit of most inviting appearance, much resembling a very large orange. But although beautiful to the eye, it is bitter to the taste. It has large and beautiful leaves, in form and appearance much like those of the orange, but much larger. The wood is yellow like fustic, and it produces a similar dye. It is hard, heavy and durable, and is supposed to be more incorruptible than live oak, mulberry, cypress, or cedar. Above the raft on Red River, the hulk of a steamboat has been built entirely of its timber.

The China tree is not a native of this country, but is much cultivated in the southern regions of the valley for ornament and shade. It has fine long spiked leaves, eight or ten inches in length, set in pairs on each side of a stem two feet long. In the flowering season, the tree is completely covered with blossoms. It bears a small reddish berry, which continues on the tree a long time after the leaves have fallen, and gives it, even then, an interesting appearance. It is a tree of more rapid growth than any known in this country.

The pawpaw is not only the most graceful and pleasing in appearance of all the wild fruit-bearing shrubs, but throws into the shade those cultivated by the hand of man. The leaves are long, of a rich green color, and much resemble the leaves of the tobacco plant. The stem is straight, white, and of unrivalled beauty. The fruit resembles the cucumber, but smoother and more pointed at the ends.—There are from two to five in a cluster; and when ripe are of a rich beautiful yellow. The fruit contains from two to six seeds, double the size of the tamarind. The pulp resembles egg custard. It has precisely the same feeling in the mouth, and unites the taste of eggs, cream, sugar, and spice. It is a natural custard; but too rich and highly seasoned to be much relished by most people. So many whimsical and unexpected tastes are compounded in the fruit, that a person of the most sober face, when he first tastes of it, unconsciously relaxes into a smile.

The persimon is found in Missouri, and in the region to the south of it. Its leaves resemble those of the wild cherry, and it grows about the size of the pear tree. The fruit is of the size of a common grape, in which are similar small seeds. It ripens about the middle of autumn. The fruit is of a yellowish purple color, and it is too sweet to be agreeable to many people.

In the middle regions, on some of the prairies, large tracts are covered with the crab-apple tree.—Their appearance is like the cultivated apple tree, although the fruit and the tree are much smaller.—It makes good cider and preserves, but is too tart to be eaten in its natural state.

The white and black mulberry are both found in the Mississippi valley, but the black is by far the most common. It has been satisfactorily proved, however, that the silk worm will thrive and produce well, upon the black mulberry.

Cane brake is seen on the banks of the Mississippi soon after you leave the mouth of the Ohio. It generally grows from fifteen to twenty feet in height; but in the rich bottoms near Natchez it sometimes attains the height of thirty feet. It is five years coming to maturity, and then produces an abundant crop of seed, on heads much resembling broom corn. It is an evergreen. The leaves are three or four inches long, but narrow and sharp pointed. It is much used for reeds and fishing rods. They grow so very thick that it is difficult for a man to make head way among them. When they are cut down and become dry, they burn freely.—The negroes have fine sport in burning them. The heat rarifies the air in the hollow between the joints and causes them to burst with a noise like a gun; so that when a large quantity of them are set on fire, the noise is like a continued discharge of musketry.

The "barrens" have a distinct and peculiar configuration. The surface is generally undulating with gentle hills—sometimes of a conical form, but generally, running in parallel ridges. The soil is of a clayey texture, of a reddish or greyish color, and is covered with tall coarse grass. The trees are neither large nor very small; and are scattered over the surface, at the distance of two or three rods from each other. They are chiefly of the different kinds of oaks, and from this circumstance, these barrens are, in many places, called "oak openings." The soil never exceeds second rate, and is often only third rate; but it will produce good crops of corn and wheat for many years, without the aid of manure. There are large tracts of this kind of land in Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama. They are common in Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas; and, indeed, they are seen with more or less frequency over a large portion of the Mississippi valley.

The 'pine barrens' are covered with a beautiful growth of long leaved pines. They run up tall, in a straight shaft, generally about two feet in diameter, and are excellent for timber. The surface is gently undulating; sometimes, approaching a dead level, and is covered with a scanty growth of weeds and grass. The soil is sandy, but sometimes slightly tinged with reddish clay. It is supposed to be weak and unproductive; but some of these 'barrens' have produced two or three good crops of grain, without being enriched by manure. Large districts of this kind of land are found in Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas; and they are common in Florida, and in some sections of Louisiana and Texas.

The remaining, and by far the most extensive surface of the valley, is that of the prairies. Although they have not much diversity of aspect, yet they may be classed under three general heads—the alluvial, or wet, the bushy, and the dry prairies. The bushy prairies seem to be of an intermediate character between the alluvial prairies and the barrens. They have springs of water, covered with hazel and furzy bushes, small sassafras shrubs and grape vines. Acres of this shrubbery are sometimes found covered with the common hop vine. Prairies of this description are very common in Indiana, Illinois and Missouri; and they alternate among the other prairies, for some distance towards the Rocky mountains.

The wet prairies form the smallest division. They are generally found on the margin of streams; but sometimes, they occur, with all their distinctive features, far from the spot where waters now run. They are generally basins, as it regards the adjacent regions, and possess a deep, black soil of exhaustless fertility. They are the best soils for wheat and Indian corn; but, ordinarily, too tender and loamy for the cultivated grasses. In a native state, they are covered with grass and weeds of astonishing height and luxuriance. They are often higher than a man's head, when mounted on horse back. An exact account of the size and rankness of the weeds, flowering plants, and wild grass on the rich alluvial prairies of Illinois and Missouri, would appear to those who have never seen them, like an idle tale. Still more than the rolling prairies, they strike the eye as a dead level, but they generally have a slight inclination, sufficient to carry off the water.

The dry prairies are generally destitute of springs and bushes, but are covered with weeds, flowering plants and wild grass. The roundings of their undulations are so gentle, that to the eye, taking in a large surface at a single view, they appear as a dead level; but in travelling over them their undulations fully appear. The ravines and gullies occasionally found, fully indicate, that they have a sufficient inclination to communicate a quick motion to the waters, which fall upon them. This is by far the largest class of prairies in the western country. Prairies of this description are frequently found in Illinois; the largest of which, called "grand prairie," is a hundred miles in length, by fifty in breadth. They are often found in Indiana, Missouri and Texas; but they appear displayed on a magnificent scale, between the western border of the State of Missouri, and the Rocky mountains. Here, are the appropriate ranges for the buffalo, wild cattle and horses. Here are the plains, without wood or water, where the traveller may wander for days, and see the sun rise and set in an ocean of grass. Here he may travel, day after day, under a cloudless ardor of the sun, and not find a stream of water to slake his thirst, or a solitary tree for shelter and shade.

The general aspect of the Mississippi valley, in regard to woodland and prairies, may in a summary manner, be thus stated:—The surface, in a state of nature, from the Alleghany mountains to the western border of Ohio, is covered with a dense forest. Here, are the first indications of prairies. Proceeding westward through Indiana, Illinois and Missouri, the prairies become larger and more frequent, until at last, it becomes all prairie to the base of the Rocky mountains. It is a fact, beyond all question, that more than half of the great Mississippi valley is smooth prairie, entirely destitute of timber. Large portions of the valley will support a dense population, and become inhabited; but the larger prairies will remain uncultivated for ages. They are fit haunts only for the adventurous hunter, or the wandering shepherd.

During the season of vegetation, no adequate idea can be conveyed by description, of the number, forms, varieties, scents and hues of the flowering plants on the western prairies. The violet, and the more humble and modest kinds of flowers, which show their blossoms in early spring, not being able to compete with the rank grass and weeds around them, soon become choked and lost to the view; but the taller and more hardy kinds, successfully struggle for display, and rear their heads high enough to be seen. They have tall and arrowy stems, spiked or tassellated heads, and the blossoms are of great size, grandeur and splendor, but not much delicacy of fragrance. As the season advances, distinct successions of dominant hues prevail. In spring, the prevalent color of the prairie flowers, is bluish purple—in midsummer, red, slightly tinged with yellow—in autumn, yellow. At this season of the year, the flowers are very large, generally, of the sunflower form, and they are so profusely scattered over the prairies, as to present to the imagination an immense surface of gilding.

And this country of dense forests and rich prairies, is intersected with large and navigable rivers. These, alive as they are with their steamboats, keel and flat boats, afford great facilities for travelling, and for the transportation of merchandize and produce. The prairies and woodland also, present great facilities for travelling, and the transportation of goods. They are often, in a state of nature, so smooth, so gently undulating, and of such an unbroken surface, that carriages may run over them without interruption or delay.

Such are the general outlines and features of the great Mississippi valley; but a complete description would require volumes. Nature has laid off her work here, upon a magnificent scale, and finished it with a liberal hand. Its natural productions are rich and abundant. Its waters abound with fish—its soil teems with an exuberance of trees, plants and blossoms—rich mines lie emboweled beneath the surface—and wild game are profusely scattered over its prairies, woodland and rivers. To the husbandman, it presents itself in a more attractive aspect, than the granite hills and rocky soil of New-England. It has increased in population and wealth, incomparably greater than any other section of the world; and ere long, it will contain a majority of the population of the United States.

And now, it only remains, most respectfully to take leave of my readers. Those who have traced the TRIP TO THE WEST AND TEXAS through the foregoing pages, I hope, may have enjoyed all its pleasures, without incurring its attendant hardships and fatigue.

APPENDIX.

Territory of Michigan.

This Territory is bounded by the national boundary line on the east and north, by the Mississippi river on the west, and by the States of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio on the south. These boundaries include a vast extent of territory; but as that portion of it which lies to the north and west of Lake Michigan and the State of Illinois is for the most part a wilderness, having only some small settlements on Green Bay, the Milwake and Mississippi, my remarks will be confined to that part of it commonly called the peninsula, lying between lakes Erie and Michigan.

Population.—This territory is estimated by good judges to contain between thirty-five and forty thousand inhabitants. The rapid and increasing tide of emigration into it, induces the belief that it will soon be admitted as a State into the Union. Its present and increasing importance may be in a great measure attributed to the enterprising, active and energetic talents of its late governor, Lewis Cass, the present Secretary of War. His personal exertions and enlightened policy, not only facilitated its settlement, but developed its vast and various resources. A large portion of its inhabitants are from New-York and the Eastern States, and are as active and industrious as those are in the sections of country from which they came. They make rapid improvements; and in a few years, the country will not be behind the flourishing State of Ohio, in farms and villages.

Face of the Country.—That part immediately bordering on lakes Erie, St. Clair and Huron, and their connecting waters, is generally rather level and heavily timbered, but somewhat deficient in good water. In the interior, it becomes gently undulating, occasionally well timbered, and interspersed with oak openings, plains and prairies. The plains are frequently covered with such a regular, beautiful and thrifty growth of timber, so free from underbrush, as to wear the aspect of a cultivated forest. They are more easily improved than the heavy timbered land, and produce full as well. The openings are often rather deficient in timber, though they are not unfrequently skirted with plains, or contain patches of woodland, from which an ample supply may be obtained, not only for fuel, but for building, fencing and all other fanning purposes, if used with economy. They usually require but little, and sometimes no labor to prepare them for the plough; three or four yoke of cattle are found to be amply sufficient to break them up the first time, after which they are cultivated with nearly as much ease as old improved lands. They are found to be excellent for wheat, to improve by cultivation, and usually to produce a good crop of corn the first season.

The prairies generally support a heavy growth of grass—are free from timber, and may be divided into two classes. One is called dry, and the other is denominated wet prairies. The former possess a rich soil, are easily cultivated, and generally yield in rich abundance almost every kind of produce which might be expected to flourish in forty-two degrees north latitude, especially those on St. Joseph's river. And the latter often prove serviceable, not only in affording early pasture, but in supplying the emigrant with the means of wintering his cattle; and may with a little labor, frequently be made to yield an abundant supply of excellent hay. The interior of the territory is well watered with rivers, creeks and small lakes; many of which contain an unusual quantity of fish. There are several salt springs, which have not yet been tried nor improved, situated in different parts of the territory, all of which have been reserved by the United States; but it is not certain that any of them will prove very valuable. By boring a number of feet, the water would improve, and might, in some cases at least, not only justify the erection of extensive works for the manufacture of salt, but prove also a source of revenue to the United States, as well as afford to the manufacturer the means of accumulating wealth.

The surveyed part of the territory is laid out by the United States into townships of six miles square, which are divided into thirty-six sections or square miles, containing each six hundred and forty acres. These are subdivided, by imaginary lines, into quarter and half quarter sections; the latter of which contain each eighty acres, is the smallest quantity sold by the United States, and may, as well as the larger tracts, be selected by the purchaser. Though there is a small tract of land which proves rather unhealthy at the mouth of Huron, Saginaw and Rouge rivers, as well as at the mouth of Brownstown and Swan creeks, owing to the sluggishness of the water at the outlet of these streams, yet the climate of the surveyed part of the territory is mild, lying between forty-one degrees thirty-nine minutes, and forty-two degrees thirty-four minutes north latitude. The air is salubrious, and the water generally clear. The soil, which produces in rich abundance wheat rye, barley, oats, peas, beans, Indian corn, and potatoes, as well as all kinds of vegetables usually cultivated in the same latitude, consists of such a variety, that it cannot fail to suit the choice of almost every person in the pursuit of agriculture. Fruit, of course, has not yet been tested in the interior, for the want of time, except peaches, which do exceedingly well; but if I may be permitted to draw an inference, from the quality of the various kinds which grow in great abundance on the French plantations, along the margin of Detroit river, as well as on other parts of the great chain of navigable waters, then I presume I shall be allowed to say, that the soil of Michigan is equal, for the production of fruit, to that of any State in the Union. The pear trees along this river, which were planted in the early settlement by the French, are remarkably large, very tall, and extremely thrifty and beautiful, and bear a most delicious fruit, which generally sells from two to four shillings per bushel. Apples, at Detroit, vary from twelve to fifty cents, and may generally be procured by the bushel, for the latter price, even in winter. Cider, in the fall, is from one and a half to two dollars per barrel, for the juice. Currants, blackberries, black and red raspberries and cherries bring from three to four cents per quart; though the earliest of these, as well as whortle berries and strawberries, command sixpence. Plumbs are scarce, because they have not been generally cultivated, though they are likewise found to do well.

The price of unsold wild land is fixed and uniform, being one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre, the terms ready money, and the title indisputable, as it comes direct from the United States, under the seal of the President. The richest, most fertile, and perhaps more beautiful part of the territory, is generally thought to be adjacent to the St. Joseph's river and its various branches; which, from present appearances, bids fair to become speedily settled; settlements began to form on it a year before it was offered for sale. It only came in market in May, 1834, and such has been the influx of emigration to this part of the territory, that the Legislature in October last, formed twelve new counties, mostly thereon, and organized two of that number. This part of the territory possesses several copious mill streams, particularly Hog-creek, the Dowagiake, Christianna, Pigeon, Crooked and Portage rivers, a few of which have already been improved, by the erection of saw and grist mills. The climate of this part of the territory, though mild, is apparently more subject to wind than the valley of the Ohio river. The prevailing wind is the southwest; and as it crosses a large tract of prairie country in Illinois and Indiana, comes here with much force, and in winter is somewhat piercing. Considerable snow falls; nevertheless it is very favorable to wheat, rye, potatoes and turnips, and though not very adverse, yet not so congenial as the valley of the Ohio river, to southern corn and the more tender grains and esculents. Fruits, of course, have not yet been cultivated here, except a few apples and peaches, by the French which appear to do well.

The prairies in this quarter are of the richest soil, and may be ploughed in two days after the frost leaves the ground in the spring. They usually produce thirty or forty bushels of wheat to the acre; and from thirty to eighty of corn have been raised from the same quantity of ground, in all the prairies that have as yet been occupied: four hundred acres of corn were cultivated on Beardsley's prairie last year, which having been improved the year before averaged fifty bushels to the acre. These prairies not unfrequently produce thirty or forty bushels of corn to the acre, the first season, without being ploughed or hoed after planting.

The surveyed part of the territory is divided into three United States land districts, containing each one land office; one of which is at Detroit, one at Monroe and one at Bronson, in the county of Kalamazoo.

The rivers Grand, St. Joseph, Raisin, Huron, Clinton, Rouge, Kalamazoo and Shiawassee, interlocking in different parts of the territory, not only irrigate the country in a beautiful manner, but offer unparalleled inducements for canaling, and with comparatively but little expense, as there would be no mountains, nor probably rock strata to cut through. It is already in contemplation, by means of the Grand river and Clinton, or the St. Joseph's and Raisin, to open a water communication across the peninsula, by means of a canal, which would terminate at Detroit or Monroe; and probably at no distant period, it will not only be undertaken, but will be accomplished in such a manner as to accommodate both these places in this respect. A company was incorporated, by an act of the Legislature, last fall, under the title of the "Summit Portage Canal and Road Company," with a capital of ten thousand dollars, to be divided into one thousand shares of ten dollars each, for the purpose of cutting a canal west of Lake Michigan, to connect the Fox and Ouisconsin rivers at what is usually termed the Portage of the Ouisconsin, and to construct a turnpike road on said Portage, parallel to said canal; and also to construct another turnpike road from the lower extremity of the rapids of the Kaukauin, on the east side of the Fox river, on the most direct and eligible route to Winnebago lake, and for the erection of piers, wharves, warehouses and other public buildings and improvements, in and about said canal and turnpike, for commercial purposes.—Michigan extends at present west to the Mississippi river; but it is expected the territory will shortly be divided, and a new territory set off west of Lake Michigan; and organized by the name of Ouisconsin or Huron. The territory was originally owned and occupied by emigrants from France; consequently the old inhabitants or first settlers are mostly French.

Wayne County—contains about seven thousand inhabitants, many of whom are French. Its seat of justice is Detroit. Hamtranck, Detroit and Springwells. These towns, which lie in the northeast part of the country, border on Detroit river, and are rather level, and but poorly supplied with water. The northern part of the two latter is somewhat broken by marsh and wet prairie; but near the centre of Springwells is a tract, containing some excellent arable land not yet entered, lying within from six to ten miles of Detroit, where a new settlement has recently been formed, and through which a road has lately been opened, leading from Detroit to Farmington. The towns of Pekin, Nankin and Plymouth are well supplied with water by the river Rouge and its various branches, which afford several eligible mill sites, and which have already been advantageously improved by the erection thereon of saw and grist mills. Pekin is heavily timbered with white and black ash, white and black oak, beech, maple and sugar tree. The land is rolling, and the soil rich and fertile, consisting of sand, loam and some clay. The northern and southern part of the town of Nankin has much the same appearance as Pekin, though the soil is more sandy, and requires less labor to cultivate it; yet it yields quite as well; but the middle is plains and openings, of an inferior quality and soil. Plymouth has likewise a similar appearance to Pekin, though the northern part is more rolling, yet even here the timber is the same, with the addition of black walnut; but the soil is generally of a superior quality.

Huron.—This town is watered by a delightsome river, of the same name, whose waters are very transparent and abound with fish. It runs through the town diagonally, exhibiting in many places rich bottom lands, often bounded on one or both sides, by high sloping banks, and not unfrequently skirted with beautiful plains. Though a great proportion of this town is rather destitute of running streams, yet the soil in general is fertile, and for the most part easily cultivated. The eastern part is oak openings and plains of a good quality, interspersed with groves of heavy timber which often contain a small black ash swamp, and sometimes a wet or dry prairie; but the south part is heavily timbered with white and black ash, white oak, beech and maple, with occasionally a whitewood. The southwest corner is low land, and contains a large wet prairie.

Brownstown is watered by the Huron river, Muddy and Brownstown creeks. The north-western part of this town is but poorly watered, and exhibits alternately oak openings, plains and prairies, occasionally interspersed with groves of heavy timber. The southeastern part is rather level and heavily timbered, except small tracts at the mouths of Huron river and Brownstown creek, which consist of prairies that are more or less inundated with water.

Montguagon embraces Gross' Isle, and is situate on Detroit river. It is gently undulating, possesses a fine quarry of limestone, and a rich soil, supporting a thrifty and heavy growth of white oak, hickory, beech, maple, white and black ash.

Monroe County—contains a population of about four thousand, many of whom are French. There are three villages in this county, namely, Monroe, Frenchtown and Port Lawrence. The first of these, which is the seat of justice for the county, is a flourishing village, situate on the river Raisin, about six miles from lake Erie, and thirty-six from Detroit. The United States' turnpike, from the latter place to the Ohio State line, passes through it, and here was situated the bank of Monroe. It possesses an ample supply of water power for propelling hydraulic machinery, a part of which has already been converted to the use of saw and grist mills, as well as to the use of machines for carding and dressing cloth.

The United States have made a survey of Plaisance Bay harbor, at the mouth of the river, with a view of improving the same. Monroe is now the second village in the peninsula, as it regards population; and should they succeed in forming a good harbor at the mouth of the river, as it possesses water power, it may yet equal, if not rival Detroit. The county is generally well watered; the north-eastern part is rather level and heavily timbered; but the western and southern part is rolling land, alternately abounding in prairies, openings, or heavy groves of timber. The soil of this county is uniformly rich, and of a very superior quality.

Washtenaw County—contains about four thousand inhabitants, who are, with a few exceptions, Americans. Its seat of justice is Ann Arbor, a village of five years' growth, situate on the river Huron, forty miles west of Detroit, containing about ninety dwelling houses. Ypsilanti, the second village in the county as to population, is likewise situate on the Huron, about ten miles below Ann Arbor, at the place where the United States' turnpike, from Detroit to Chicago, crosses it.

This county contains twelve mercantile establishments, three distilleries, one fanning mill factory, one oil factory, one gunsmith, one wagon maker, five flouring mills, thirteen saw mills, and two machines for carding and dressing cloth. It abounds in select and common schools, and contains many mechanics. Its surface is gently undulating and beautiful; and its soil prolific, consisting of a deep black sand, loam and some clay. It exhibits in succession, beautiful prairies, oak openings, and heavy groves of timber, consisting of white, red and black oak, beech, walnut, whitewood, bass, elm, maple and butternut, with almost all other kinds that usually grow in forty-two degrees north latitude, evergreen excepted. The river Huron, of lake Erie, meanders through the centre of it north and south; is navigable for boats and rafts to the lake, and with its several branches water the middle; the head waters of the Shiawassee the north, and the rivers Raisin and Saline and their branches, the south part of said county. It has numerous and extensive water privileges for facilitating manufactures.

Macomb County—contains about two thousand five hundred inhabitants, a considerable number of whom are French. The north-eastern and eastern part of this county is in general rather level, and for the most part heavily timbered; yet it is sufficiently uneven to drain off and leave no stagnant waters; but the western part is rolling land, somewhat broken, being very hilly and uneven, and consisting of oak openings, plains, and some prairie land.

The plains are remarkably free from underbrush, and are, as well as the prairies and openings, very rich and fertile, producing not only wheat, but every other kind of grain in rich abundance. The Clinton river, together with its numerous tributaries, irrigate this county in a beautiful manner. It possesses advantages over many of the peninsular counties, on account of its proximity to the great chain of navigable waters. It fronts on lake St. Clair; and the river Clinton, which runs through the entire county, nearly in the centre, may easily be rendered navigable for batteaux, as high up as Rochester. And for the accomplishment of which a company has already been formed and were incorporated last fall by an act of the Legislature. This river is now navigable to Mt. Clemens, for vessels of considerable burthen; and when the obstructions at the mouth of the river are removed, for which object an application has been made to Congress for an appropriation, then any vessels or steamboats on the lake may come up to the village, a distance of six miles, by water.

This county is very well supplied with water power, it has now in operation seven saw mills, and two grist mills, and embraces four stores, three distilleries, two asheries, and six blacksmith shops. Its seat of justice is Mt. Clemens, a flourishing village situate on the Clinton river, at the place where the United States' road from Detroit to fort Gratiot crosses it. It lies four and a half miles from the lake, by land, and twenty northeastwardly from Detroit.

Washington lies in the northwest corner of the county, and consists principally of oak openings and plains, though it has some prairie land. The openings and plains are extremely free from underbrush and prove to be excellent for the cultivation of wheat. The south part of the town is rolling land, exhibiting a rich, and for the most part a sandy soil, though it is sometimes composed of sand and loam intermixed; but the north part is what is commonly called broken land, being very hilly and uneven, and not unfrequently exhibits granitic boulders in great plenty.

Shelby and Ray consist principally of gentle undulating and heavy timbered land, interspersed occasionally with oak openings. They are well watered and possess a very productive soil.

Harrison is in general rather level, and the north part though somewhat swampy is susceptible of being converted into excellent meadow.

Clinton possesses generally a rich soil, is heavily timbered and embraces a marsh or wet prairie of considerable extent on its eastern border adjacent to the lake shore, the greater part of which, however, if properly ditched, would prove to be good natural meadow. The northern part of the town is gently undulating and well supplied with water, of which the southern part is too deficient, being rather level.

Oakland County—contains about six thousand inhabitants, all Americans. It has three villages, each with a mill on its border, namely, Pontiac, Auburn and Rochester; the first of which is the seat of justice for the county, and is situated twenty-eight miles northwest of Detroit, on the Clinton river, where the United States' road from Detroit to Saginaw crosses it. This county presents a great variety of soil, and upon examination will be found to suit the choice of almost every person in the pursuit of agriculture. The rivers Clinton, Rouge and Huron, interlocking in different parts extend their many branches, and irrigate the county in a beautiful manner.

Troy embraces townships one and two south in range eleven east, is situate in the southeast quarter of the county, and is principally timbered land; township two in this town is entirely of this description, is heavily wooded with black and white walnut, linden, white, red and black oak, and the westerly half is of that description usually denominated rolling timbered land, and in quality of soil, is not surpassed by any in the territory; but township one of that description called plains, interspersed with marshes, and is of an inferior quality.

Bloomfield presents a variety of soil, which may be divided into three classes, oak openings, plains and timbered land. The country in the neighborhood of the lakes is oak openings, not so good for grass, but producing wheat in rich abundance—I would mention that two farmers in the vicinity of Wing lake, harvested one hundred and thirty acres of excellent wheat the last season. The north of Bloomfield is of this description, but the south part is timbered land.

Pontiac is generally oak openings of a good quality, but inferior to the lands of Bloomfield.

Oakland.—The south part of this town is timbered land with a rich soil, and the north part plains and openings of a good quality.

The town of Troy is watered by a branch of the Rouge, and the branches of Red river which empty into the Clinton. Bloomfield is watered by three branches of the Rouge, which, meandering through the county, enable every farmer to partake of their privileges. The towns of Pontiac and Oakland are watered by the Clinton river, Paint and Stony creeks and the extreme branches of the Huron. All these streams possess great privileges for hydraulic machinery. The towns of Pontiac and Oakland now contain twelve saw mills, four flouring mills, three fulling mills, three carding machines and one woollen factory. In Bloomfield are four saw mills and one grist mill. In Farmington two saw mills and one grist mill. Perhaps no country of like extent so level possesses more water power.

St. Clair County—possesses great commercial advantages, as it lies on the great chain of navigable waters. It is bounded east by lake Huron and the river St. Clair, which separates it from Canada; south by lake St. Clair and the county of Macomb, west by the counties of Macomb and Lapeer, and north by Sanilac. Black, Pine and Belle rivers, Mill creek and their branches, as well as several smaller streams water this country. The first of these streams is navigable for vessels of considerable burthen, as far up as Mill creek; but Belle and Pine rivers are ascended only a very short distance in batteaux. This country is generally rather level, the eastern and southern part is gently undulating, rich, fertile and most heavily timbered, though there is occasionally some prairie land on the border of lake St. Clair, and along the southern margin of St. Clair river. The northern and western part of this country is comparatively of a light, and for the most part sandy soil, though tolerably productive, and interspersed with swamps and lowland. A great proportion of the timber in this quarter is pine, though it is often intermixed with hard wood and not unfrequently interspersed with groves of tamerack, in some instances with spruce, and often on the shore of lake Huron, with red and white cedar.

There are now in operation in this county, several of the most extensive saw mills in the territory, which are constantly engaged in manufacturing pine boards, planks, &c. and which, together with shingles, constitute at present the principal article of trade in the country. And as lumber may be conveyed from this county by water to any port, not only on the great lakes, but on their connecting waters, therefore the pine timber must ultimately become very valuable. Almost all the pine now used at Detroit for building, comes from this county, as it is the only one in the surveyed part of the territory that is well supplied with this valuable building material. The United States' road from Detroit to fort Gratiot runs through the centre of this county, and about twelve miles west of the village of Palmer, which is the seat of justice for the county; and which is situate at the junction of Pine and St. Clair rivers, about twelve miles south of fort Gratiot, and sixty by water northeast of Detroit.

St. Joseph's County—is perhaps the best in the territory, both as to water privileges and the fertility of its soil. It is watered by the St. Joseph's river and its various branches, many of which afford numerous water privileges, particularly Hog creek, Pigeon, Portage and Crooked rivers, which may be considered copious and excellent mill streams. A saw mill has already been put in operation on Crooked river, and several others have been commenced on the same creek and about Pigeon prairie. The water in this county is uniformly pure and healthy, the climate mild, and the face of the country moderately undulating; consisting principally of oak openings and prairies. There is however a sufficiency of timber in it generally, and from the Grand Traverse on the northwest side of the river St. Joseph's, as high up I believe as Portage river, is a belt of excellent timbered land which is well supplied with water. The principal prairies in this county are Sturges, Nottawa Sapee and White Pigeon. The first of these, Sturges prairie, has a beautiful appearance, and is exuberant in fertility, but is not convenient for water and but tolerably so to good timber—a few families are located on it. Nottawa Sapee, part of which is embraced within the Indian reserve, is an excellent prairie, and settlements have commenced on it. But Pigeon prairie is the most valuable one in the St. Joseph's country, as well as the most densely peopled, and perhaps it will not be deemed invidious to say it is the best settlement in the St. Joseph's country, whether we regard the number of its inhabitants or their intelligence and wealth. The soil of these prairies may be considered equal to that of any land in the United States. The usual mode of cultivating these, as well as all other prairies in the vicinity of the river St. Joseph's, is to break up the soil immediately with the plough at the same time dropping the corn on the edge of the furrow in such a manner that it may be covered by the succeeding one; in this manner without any other cultivation, they often produce thirty to fifty bushels of corn to the acre the first season, though sometimes it becomes necessary to go through and cut down some of the rankest weeds. The counties of Branch, Barry and Eaton, and all the country north of township four, north; west of the principal meridian, south of the county of Michilimackinac, and east of the line between ranges twelve and thirteen west, and of lake Michigan is attached to St. Joseph's.

Cass County—-contains a population of two thousand, and is likewise watered by the St. Joseph's river and its branches, several of which afford good mill privileges, particularly the Dowagiake and Christianna, which are rapid and durable streams. A mill has already been erected and is now in operation on the Christianna, near Young's prairie.

The face of this county is similar to that of St. Joseph's county; though some parts are undulating, yet in general it is level, sufficiently uneven however to drain off and leave no stagnant waters. The timber is principally oak, ash, elm, sugar tree, cherry, black and white walnut and hickory, with a variety of other kinds intermixed. The country is generally open, and you can ride with a wheel carriage through the wood land with almost the same ease you can over the prairies, being not in the least interrupted with underbrush. In every part of the county the roads are good. Though some parts of it are but thinly timbered, yet along the Dowagiake from its source to its mouth there is a broad belt of excellent timbered and very rich land, from one to several miles wide, also along the upper portion of the Christianna, extending north of its source, and thence across to the Dowagiake is a fine belt of woodland. This county includes within its boundaries the following prairies, namely, Four Mile, Beardsley, Townsend's, McKenney's, La Grange, Pokagon and Young's, besides several small ones, not however known by any particular name. The prairies here are of the richest quality of soil; may be ploughed in two days after the frost leaves the ground in spring, and frequently produce thirty or forty bushels of corn to the acre the first season, without being ploughed or hoed after planting. The three last mentioned prairies are conveniently situate to mill streams, and principally surrounded with heavy timbered land, but they are nearly all taken up by purchasers. Four Mile prairie is not so happily situate with regard to mills or timbered land; but nevertheless is fast filling up. From thirty to eighty bushels of corn and forty of wheat are usually raised from an acre in all the prairies where the soil has been subdued by previous cultivation. Every other kind of grain as well as vegetables are produced in about the same proportion.

The only town yet laid out in this county is Edwardsburgh, which is the temporary county seat. It is situate on the border of Pleasant lake, and on the northeast corner of Beardsley's prairie. The United States' road from Detroit to Chicago passes through it, as well as the road from fort Wayne to Pokagon, to Niles', to Young's and to Townsend's prairies, and to Coquillard in Indiana. All these places except fort Wayne are situate within ten miles of it. From the town platte, or village, you have a view not only of the prairie, but also of Pleasant lake.—The prairie is four miles in extent and the lake covers about one hundred acres. Fish are abundant in all the streams and small lakes—forty three that would weigh from one to three pounds were caught with a hook and line in Pleasant lake by two persons in thirty minutes. The water in this lake is very pure, you can see the bottom where the depth of water is fifteen feet. The country is healthy, several large families who settled here before the land was offered for sale, and who have resided here for three years, have not had a case of fever nor any other kind of sickness, except what has resulted from accident.

The counties of Berrien and Van Buren and all the country north of the same to lake Michigan is attached at present to Cass county.

Berrien County, not organized, has in it a large proportion of superior timbered land, but has no prairies of much importance. The settlements in this county, though few, are scattered along the river, and the population does not exceed thirty-five families. But from the nature of the country, I am inclined to believe it will be the most populous county on the St. Joseph's.

The rich timbered land, though now avoided for the prairies, will ultimately be in demand, and will afford many dense and excellent settlements.—Through the timbered land in this county run several small creeks, which, with their numerous branches afford an additional convenience to the farmer which he cannot enjoy in the prairies nor in the barrens. Besides the heavy timbered and prairie land, there are large tracts of what are here called barrens, being of a light soil comparatively speaking, though very productive, and which are thinly covered with white and black oak, sometimes of stinted growth, but mostly of a handsome and useful size. The soil is generally a fine sand, mixed with decayed vegetables and sometimes gravelly, with here and there a granitic boulder. The soil of the timbered land is of a loose sandy nature, black with fertility, and eminently adapted to culture. That of the prairies is nearly of the same nature after the sod has been reduced by repeated ploughing. In the timbered land we find white and black walnut, several kinds of ash, also oak, poplar, lynn, beech, elm, hickory, sugar tree, &c. The southeast part of this county is well supplied with water, and possesses several mill sites, some of which have already been improved. Ford's saw and grist mill, on the Dowagiake, have been for some time in operation. There is also a saw mill just ready to commence operation at the mouth of the Dowagiake, and several others have been commenced on the same stream. There is but one village regularly laid out in this county, which is called Niles. It is situate on the St. Joseph's, a short distance above the confluence of the Dowagiake with that river. The first framed house in it was erected in December, 1833. Next summer it is expected there will be considerable building there. Last season, though there were no accommodations, yet by far the greatest portion of merchandize, &c. destined for the St. Joseph's country, when conveyed by water was landed there.—Next spring will be built two warehouses, there are now two stores and a post office. Post offices have been established at the mouth of the St. Joseph's called Saranac, at Pokagon, southwest corner of town six south in range sixteen west, at Lagrange in the middle of town six south of range fifteen west, at Pigeon prairie, at Sturgis' prairie, and at the Grand Traverse.

Lapeer, Shiawassee and Saginaw.—These counties are not yet organized, but attached to Oakland county. There are no inhabitants in Lapeer, and but few settlers at present in Saginaw and Shiawassee. The face of these two counties is very similar to Oakland.

Saginaw—is watered by the Shiawassee, Flint, Cass, Tittibawassee and Hare rivers. The most of these streams are navigable for boats; their junction forms the Saginaw river which is navigable for sloops twenty miles to the village which bears the same name, and which is to be the seat of justice for said county. The United States have established a cantonment here, and laid out a road from this place to Detroit, which is not yet finished. When this is completed, it is more than probable that it will settle as speedily as any county in the territory, as the soil is very favorable to agriculture.

Shiawassee.—The soil of this county is rich, and the face of the country gently undulating, in some instances rolling, exhibiting oak openings and heavy groves of timber. The Shiawassee river which is a beautiful, meandering stream, and navigable for boats and rafts to the lake, with its several branches, waters the middle and southeast part. The head branches of Grand and Looking Glass rivers, the southwest part, and Swartz's creek, the Flint and Mistegayock rivers, the northeast part of said county.

Calhoun.—This county has lately been organized and its seat of justice is the town of Marshall, pleasantly situated on the north bank of the Kalamazoo river. This river and its branches afford many fine mill privileges. The soil is rich and gently undulating, consisting principally of burr oak openings, which are frequently interspersed with prairies. In the southwest part of the county is a small tract of pine timber.

Jackson—has lately been organized and its seat of justice is the town of Jackson, situated near Grand river. The west half of it is undulating, and consists principally of burr and white oak openings, interspersed occasionally with prairies. It abounds in springs and possesses a fertile soil. The northeast part is heavily timbered and somewhat intersected with marshes and small lakes. The soil, however, of this part, is rich and well adapted for meadow. Grand river is an excellent stream of pure water, quick, yet navigable for canoes from its junction with its south branch, quite through the county and to lake Michigan.

Kalamazoo.—This is one of the newly organized counties. Its seat of justice is the town of Bronson, pleasantly situated on the south bank of the Kalamazoo river. The land office has lately been removed to this place from St. Joseph. The face of this county in general is moderately undulating, though sometimes rolling. It exhibits principally burr oak openings, interspersed with rich fertile and dry prairies, and not unfrequently intersected with groves of first rate timbered land. The character of the soil is in general either a black sand or a rich loam. In the southeast corner of this county is an excellent tract of woodland, covered with a heavy but beautiful grove of sugar maple. Gull and Round prairies are the two largest in this county, and are equal to any in the territory for beauty and fertility. The first of these, Gull prairie, is situate in the vicinity of a beautiful lake, as well as adjacent to the margin of a romantic creek, both of which bear the same name. This lake is about four miles long, and its waters which are very transparent are said to contain white fish. The creek is very rapid and affords hydraulic privileges equal to any in the territory. Prairie Round, which lies in the southwest part of the county, is about four miles broad, and is principally surrounded with woodland; near its centre there is a beautiful grove of timber of about a mile in diameter, consisting of sugar maple, black walnut and hickory. This county is well supplied with water. The Kalamazoo river which runs through it is a rapid meandering stream, yet navigable for boats. Its surface is frequently chequered with islands and its banks occasionally broken.

Branch.—This county is attached to St. Joseph's. A large portion of it, particularly the southern part, is heavily timbered land, consisting principally of black and white walnut, sugar maple, whitewood, lynn, and some other kinds in smaller quantities. The Chicago road which runs through the northern part of this county, passes principally through oak openings, which are occasionally intersected with prairies.

Hillsdale.—This county is attached to Lenawee. The north part of it is principally oak openings of a good quality, but the southern part is heavily wooded with sugar maple, whitewood, beech, black walnut, ash, &c. The face of this county is rather uneven and the soil in general consists of a rich black loam. The southern part is timbered land. This county is well supplied with water. The St. Joseph's of lake Michigan, as well as the St. Joseph's of Maumee, the Grand river, Tiffin's and the river Raisin all head in this county, and with their numerous branches water it in a beautiful manner.

Leanewee County—contains at present about fifteen hundred inhabitants. The northern part of this county has much the same appearance as Washtenaw, but the southern part is principally timbered land. It contains a tamerack swamp of considerable extent in the southeast corner, yet notwithstanding, the character of its soil and climate is, generally, very inviting. It is principally watered by the Ottawa creek, Tiffin's and Raisin rivers and their branches. It contains two villages each with a mill on their borders, namely, Tecumseh and Adrian—the former of which is the seat of justice for the county. It is situate at the junction of Landman's creek with the river Raisin, and lies about fifty-five miles southwest of Detroit.

Barry, Eaton and Ingham Counties—lie on Grand river and its tributaries. This is the largest river in the peninsula. It empties into lake Michigan, two hundred and forty-five miles south of Michilimackinac, and forty-five miles north of the mouth of St. Joseph, is sixty rods wide at its mouth, and has sufficient depth of water to admit vessels drawing eight feet. On its south bank, near its entrance into the lake, is a pleasant situation for a town, the land being excellent, and gently inclining to the north and west, giving at the same time a fine view of the river and lake; but the opposite shore at the same place has a sandy, sterile appearance.

For about sixty miles up this river, on the north side, the Ottawas hold possession. There are between eight and nine hundred of these people living along Grand river and its tributaries, but many of their most populous villages are on land now belonging to the United States.

This river is the largest stream that waters the west part of the peninsula of Michigan, being two hundred and seventy miles in length, its windings included, and navigable two hundred and forty miles for batteaux; receiving in its course a great number of tributary streams, among which are Portage, Red Cedar, Looking Glass, Soft Maple, Muscota, Flat, Rouge and Thorn Apple rivers. All of these, except the last named, put in on the right bank of the Grand river. Its south branch rises in the open country, near the source of the Raisin, and after pursuing a winding course of thirty miles, meets with the Portage river, which comes in from the east and intersects the above branch in town two south of range one west.

Portage river, which has its course through a chain of low marshy prairies, is a deep, muddy stream, about fifteen yards wide at its mouth. Its branches interlock with those of the Huron of lake Erie, and the Indians pass from the former into the latter, with their canoes, by crossing a portage of one mile and a half. It is probable that at no distant period, a canal will be constructed near the route of these two rivers, so as to afford a safe and easy inland communication between lakes Erie and Michigan. The distance from Detroit to the mouth of Grand river, by way of Michilimackinac, is five hundred and sixty miles. This route in the spring and fall is attended with much uncertainty; and, in case of a war with the English, the navigation of the straits of Detroit and St. Clair would be rendered doubly dangerous. These difficulties would be obviated by a communication by water, through the interior. The land at the Portage rises forty or fifty feet above the level of the streams on each side; but a level prairie two or three miles to the west of that place, is said to extend from one river to the other.

From the junction of the Portage and south branches, this river pursues a northwest course till it meets with Soft Maple river, in town seven north of range six west; receiving in that distance Red Cedar and Looking Glass rivers from the east, and Grindstone, Red and Sebewa creeks from the south and southwest.

Grindstone creek, so named from a sandstone ledge through which it runs, empties into the river about twenty miles below the mouth of the Portage branch. It is twenty miles long, affording several good sites for mills, and runs mostly through an open beautiful country; but is in some instances skirted with bottoms of heavy timbered land.

From the mouth of this creek to that of Looking Glass river, a distance of forty-five miles in a direct line, the Grand river runs through a tract of timbered land, which is several miles in extent on each side, abounding in creeks and springs of water, and bearing a growth of maple, basswood, cherry, oak, ash, whitewood, elm, black walnut, butternut, and some other kinds in lesser quantities. Below Looking Glass river, for forty or fifty miles, tracts of open land are found along the banks, but extensive forests immediately in the rear. The river bottoms are from a quarter of a mile to one mile in width, and the timbered lands are covered with a rank growth of rushes, (Equisetum hyemale) on which the Indians keep their horses during the winter. It is found that cattle and horses do better on these rushes, than when kept on hay; and it would seem from their abundance, that nature here intended them as a substitute for that article. The surface of the land after leaving the river bottoms is rolling; and it rises sufficiently high to give rapidity to the numerous creeks that so abundantly irrigate this part of the country.

Red Cedar river is thirty-five yards wide, and puts in about midway between Grindstone creek and Looking Glass river. It rises in Washtenaw and Shiawassee counties, and can be ascended in small boats twenty-five or thirty miles. A few miles below the mouth of this stream, is a ledge of sandstone, which forms a perpendicular wall of twenty-five or thirty feet in height, on each side of the river. This ledge consists of square blocks of stone, of a suitable size to be used in building, and which are rendered more valuable, from the circumstance of their being on the banks of a large navigable river, which with its tributaries, will facilitate its transportation to various sections of the territory.

A bed of iron ore has been discovered in the northeast bank of the river immediately below this ledge; and, indeed, many of the stones in the lower part of the ledge, have a great resemblance to blocks of cast iron—presenting a rusty surface, very dense, and when broken, have, in a striking degree, the color and appearance of iron itself.

Four miles above the mouth of the Looking Glass river, is the village of P'Shimnacon, (Apple land,) which is inhabited by eight or ten Ottawa families, who have a number of enclosed fields in which they raise corn, potatoes, and other vegetables usually cultivated by the Indians. The village receives its name from Pyrus Coronaria, (Crab Apple,) which grows in great abundance on the rich bottoms in its vicinity. Sebewa creek puts into the river on the southwest side, one mile above this village. It is about twenty miles long, sufficiently large for mills, and for the last four miles is very rapid, with a hard, stony bottom.

Looking Glass river which is about forty yards wide, rises in Shiawassee county, and can be ascended in canoes almost to its source. The country near this river, for fifteen miles above its mouth, is what may be termed first rate timbered land; but above that point it is of an inferior quality, more open, and abounding in tamerack swamps and wet prairies.

It is about eight miles by land from the mouth of Looking Glass to that of Soft Maple river, which is about sixty yards wide at its entrance into Grand river. It heads in Shiawassee and Saginaw counties, and runs nearly a due west course until it unites with Grand river, at the Indian village of Chigau-mish-kene. This village consists of twenty-five houses, and has a population of near two hundred souls under the noted chief Cocoose. Here is about one thousand acres of bottom land, of a deep, black soil, that has been cleared by the Indians; a part of which they still occupy as planting ground; but the land at this village, as well as that at P'Shimnacon, has been ceded to the United States, and will no doubt, in a short time, be occupied by an industrious white population. There is a large trail leading from this village, by way of Shiawassee to Detroit, a distance of one hundred and thirty miles.

The Grand river here changes its course; and with the exception of twelve miles in length, below Rouge river, runs nearly a west course to lake Michigan.

Two miles further down, is the entrance of Muscota river, (River of the Plains,) which comes in from the north, with a rapid current, and is about forty feet wide. The country through which it runs is but little known, as no lands have been surveyed north of Grand river, below Soft Maple.

It is eighteen miles by land from the mouth of Muscota to that of Co-cob-au-gwosh, or Flat river, with several considerable creeks putting into Grand river, on each side, in the intermediate distance. Ke-wa-goosh-cum's Indian village is situate immediately below the mouth of Flat river, and consists of sixteen lodges. It is supposed that the line between the United States and the Indian lands will intersect the Grand river near this place.

Flat river is a shallow stream, about eight rods wide; and in ascending has a general course of north by northeast. Of the country along this river, but little is at present known. It is reported, however, to be of a hilly, broken aspect; and many places near its source, to abound in lakes and swamps. There is a small lake that discharges its waters into this river, about sixty miles above its mouth, in which it is said by the Indians, that white fish are found in great numbers—a circumstance that is rendered more extraordinary, from the fact that this fish has never been seen near the mouth of Grand river, although it is often taken near the entrances of most of the other tributaries of lake Michigan.

It is ten miles from Flat to Thorn Apple river, which comes in from the south, and, with its numerous tributaries, waters a large extent of country. Its main branch rises in town two and three north of range three west, and after running a westerly course for more than forty miles, it takes a northward direction, in which it continues until it empties into Grand river, in the south part of town seven north of range two west.

There is a suitable proportion both of open and timber land along this stream, and a great part of each kind may be termed first rate. Two Indian villages are situated at the distance of twenty and twenty-six miles up this river, and another at its mouth, under the Ottawa chief Nong-gee. The last mentioned village is inhabited by twelve or fourteen families who are by far the most industrious and respectable band that reside in that part of the country.

Rouge river, is twenty miles, including the meanderings, northwest of Thorn Apple river. It is about forty miles long, rising near the sources of the Maskegon, and has its banks shaded by lofty forests of white pine. From this place to Muck-a-ta-sha's village, a distance of twelve miles, the Grand river pursues a south direction; after which it runs nearly a due west course to lake Michigan.

Six miles above the mouth of the last mentioned inlet, is a rapid of one mile in length, where the river, which is here fifty-two rods wide, is supposed to fall twenty-five feet. The banks at the head of the rapid, are not more than four feet above the level of the river, and they keep a horizontal level until you arrive at the foot of the rapid, where they are nearly thirty feet above the water; and consequently afford convenient opportunities for profitably appropriating a part of the river, by means of a canal or sluice, to the use of mills or machinery.

There is a missionary establishment, (the Thomas station) at this place, under the superintendence of the Rev. I. M'Coy. The mission family at present consists of a school teacher, a blacksmith, and two or three agriculturists. The school was open in the winter of 1827, and now has about thirty Indian children, who receive their board, clothing and tuition at the expense of the establishment.

There is a trail leading southwest from the rapids to the Kalamazoo river, and thence to the rivers Raisin and Huron. Another leads directly to the mouth of Thorn Apple river, a distance of only ten miles on the trail, but twenty-five round the curve of the river. The country within this bend, excepting immediately along the river, is of a rough, hilly character, a great part consisting of oak openings, of a barren appearance, with a few scattering groves of white pine. Most of the land, however, in the neighborhood of this tract, is of a good quality and timbered with all kinds that usually grow on rich alluvial soils.

There is a salt spring four miles below the rapids, which rises out of the ground about half a mile from the river on the east side. The water is said to be, both as to quantity and quality, sufficient to warrant the establishment of works for the manufacturing of that useful article. Near this place is also a bed of gypsum, of a fine quality, which will probably, in time, be of great importance to agriculturists in many of the western parts of Michigan.

Muck-a-ta-sha, or Blackskin's village, is six miles below the rapids, and is near the bend of the river, on an elevated prairie. There is also another village twenty miles lower down the river. From the rapids to the lake, a distance of thirty-six miles, the river is no where less than four feet deep. The current at the former place is too powerful to be ascended with loaded boats. The country along the river for the first fifteen or twenty miles above the lake is generally level, and in many instances swampy, with lofty forests, of various kinds of timber, and bearing an almost impenetrable thicket of undergrowth.

The country watered by the Grand river, consists of between six and seven thousand square miles; and considering its central position in the territory, the general fertility of the soil on the several branches of that stream, the convenience of a safe and good harbor at its mouth, together with its many other important natural advantages, we may be fully justified in the opinion, that it will, at no very distant period, become one of the most important sections of Michigan.

SKETCH

OF THE

TEXIAN REVOLUTION.

First Campaign.

As the inhabitants of Texas are chiefly emigrants from the United States, and have buckled on their armor in a contest for liberty and independence, it is natural that Americans should feel a strong sympathy in their behalf. The sons of freedom can never be indifferent and unconcerned, in a struggle between liberty and despotic power, however remote the theatre of action; but when such a war is waged by their neighbors and friends, and Freedom the prize to be lost or won, the deep feeling pervading American breasts, cannot be suppressed.

When Centralism was established, the State governments annihilated, and Santa Anna, by aid of the priests and the army, proclaimed himself monarch of Mexico, united Texas arose as one man, to oppose the usurpation. Although an infant of but yesterday, and but slightly armed for battle, yet she has a vigorous arm, and a heart that will never quail before the minions of despotic power. Relying upon the justice of her cause, and calling upon the friends of liberty for aid, she goes forth undismayed, to meet the giant strength of Mexico combined.—Her call for aid, has been heard throughout the Mississippi valley, and along the whole Atlantic coast, and has been fully answered. Soldiers, arms, ammunition and treasure have poured into Texas from all quarters; and in number and quantity, equal to the exigency of the case. Texas has gloriously triumphed. The invading foe has been completely routed—her first campaign is ended, and not a hostile band is found upon her soil.

In order to understand the situation of Texas, and the causes of the present civil war, it is necessary briefly to advert to the history of the Mexican Republic. It is well known, that the Province of Mexico had a long and severe struggle to throw off the Spanish yoke, and to become independent of Old Spain. At length, a constitution was formed, after the model of that of the United States, and a Republican government established. In 1824, Iturbide overthrew this Republican government, established an Empire, and placed himself at its head.—His reign was of but short duration. The army, under the lead and direction of three military chieftains, named Victoria, Bravo and Santa Anna, the very person who is now playing the game of Emperor, made a prisoner of Iturbide, banished him with an annuity of twenty-five thousand dollars, and restored the constitution. After passing a year in Europe, Iturbide returned to Mexico to recover his Empire, but was taken prisoner and shot.

The republic was continued with frequent commotions and revolutions. On one occasion Pedrassa, a civilian, was fairly elected President, in a contest with Gen. Guerrero. Guerrero denounced Pedrassa, placed himself at the head of the army, succeeded in expelling Pedrassa from the country, and was made President by the force of his bayonets. The people soon became discontented, insurrection spread over the country, Guerrero was in turn compelled to yield, and was finally taken prisoner, condemned and shot as a traitor. The succeeding faction of Bustamente was in turn put down, and after various commotions by contending factions, Santa Anna contrived, with the aid of the Army and Clergy to unite the interests of Church and State, and to place himself at the head of the government. The old constitution was annulled, and Santa Anna was acknowledged as Chief of a Central Government. The State Governments were merged in Centralism, and Santa Anna is to all intents and purposes Monarch of Mexico.

At this conjuncture of affairs, all the States and Territories submitted to the overwhelming power of the Dictator, but Texas. This province having been peopled by emigrants from the United States, by a people accustomed to free institutions,—revolted at the idea of despotism, and they nobly resolved not to come under the yoke, but to establish an independent Government of their own. This is a simple statement of the case, and their cause is one that is calculated to enlist the sympathies of the people of this country. Since the determination of the people of Texas has been known, it is understood that several other Mexican States have shown disaffection to the Central Government, and, judging from the vicissitudes of the past, it may be safely predicted, that in the course of another year or two, Santa Anna himself will be expelled, or shot, and the Constitution restored.

But lest the cause in which the Texians are now engaged, may not be fully understood, let us state a parallel case. Suppose that the President and Congress should abrogate the constitution of the United States, abolish all the State governments, and establish Romanism as the religion of the country: and if the governor of any State attempted to exercise any authority, send an armed force to arrest and imprison him. What would the people of the several States say to this? Would they tamely submit, as though they had no cause of complaint; or would they not rather, rise en masse, assert their rights, and put down these high-handed usurpers, at the point of the bayonet? Most assuredly they would.

Many of the States have been thrown into violent commotion, and even resorted to arms, for causes immeasurably less, than that of the Texians. The State of Maine were aroused to a man, because the British Government attempted to exercise jurisdiction over a strip of the wilderness and a few log houses, on her eastern border. The State of New-Hampshire called an army into the field, to support her doubtful title, to the unimportant settlement of Indian Stream. The State of Georgia rose to arms, because the Indians did not give up their lands, quite so soon as they expected. The States of Ohio and Michigan have long been in a feverish excitement, and have resorted to arms, on a simply legal question, which State shall exercise jurisdiction over a few thousand acres of land. And the people of the whole United States were thrown into a violent commotion, on the question, whether slavery should be tolerated in the State of Missouri.

And can it be thought strange by Americans, so jealous of their own rights, that the Texians are alarmed to see their constitution annulled, their State government subverted, and all the dearest rights which civilized man holds dear, put in jeopardy? Is it a matter of wonder, that they have appealed to arms, cast an anxious look to American freemen, and sent forth their spirit-stirring appeals for aid? To such an appeal, Americans cannot turn a deaf ear; nor will they stand with folded arms, and see the battle rage.

Under the constitution of 1824, Mexico was a confederated republic, after the model of the United States, having a President, Vice President, Senate and House of Representatives, as a central government, and separate governments for each State, and provincial governments for certain Territories, in all material respects similar to the institutions of this country.

Under this organization, Texas and Coahuila were formed into one State of the Mexican Confederacy; but as the one was settled by Americans, and the other by Spaniards, there never has been much harmony and good feeling between them. It has long been an object of strong desire among the people of Texas, to be disjoined from Coahuila, and formed into a separate State. To accomplish this desirable object, Col. Austin was appointed an agent to the Congress at Mexico, near the close of 1833. After spending some months at the seat of government, and making various efforts to have Texas formed into an integral State, separate from Coahuila, despairing of being able to accomplish it, in the then distracted state of affairs, he started to return home. He had not proceeded far, before he was arrested on a charge of high treason, carried back to Mexico, and imprisoned. For a time, he was kept in close confinement; and then, let out under bonds to keep within the limits of the city. He had been a prisoner more than a year, being unable to obtain either a trial or a release, when the government was subverted, and Centralism established.

Santa Anna, becoming alarmed at the public meetings, and show of opposition in Texas, concluded to release Col. Austin, and send him as a special messenger, to allay the excitement. He requested him to state to the Texians, that he felt deeply interested in their welfare; and that in the new organization of the government, he would use his influence to give to the people of Texas, such laws and regulations as were suited to their habits and situation.