Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-11-11

farms OF their own accord. In this sw am
py forest, bears, wolves, deer, and .othcr'
wild animals aoound~; and stories (for'
which, perhaps, there is no foundation) are
1 told of children having been lost, who
! have been seen after many years, IN Wild
I state OF nature. Some parts are so dry ss
to bear horse, while some are overilow-.
ed, and others so miry that "A man wcud
sink ap to the neck A canal has been led
through il; and even in the dry parts wa-.
ter OF the coor of the brandy, as is stis,,-
posed from the roots OF jumpers, gush..
ed IN the dcIsth OF three feet IN the nor.i
them part the timber supplies an articls
OF trade, while IN the southern rice is found
to prosper and in the neighborhood none
of those diseases are known which haaDo
other marshy situations LIE
y. georgia presents 4 singular marsh. of
in the wet season a lake, called Ekansanokn..
by others Onsquafenoga, in the south -l-ass3
extremity OF the state. This marshy lake
is about three hundred miles in circumfer.s
ence, and contains several large and fertile
isles, one of which is represented by the
, Creek Indians IS a kind OF Paradise, inha.s.
bited by peculiar race, whose women are,
incomparably beautiful, and are called by
them daughters of the sun. These islarri
ders are said 20 he a remnant of an anci.s
Creeks
With regard to deserts, understanding.
by the term tracts OF country incapable of
cultivation, there are few, if any, within the
United States. There are tracts in yhich
few productions viii flourish, or even in.
demnify the labor expended in their pro-.
ouction but these very tracts are invari.S
ably covered with large and hourishiag.
timber, already valuable, and every dayri-.
sing in value. with the increasing wealth oS
the country, and The progressive improve
ment of our roads and rivers If then these,
tracts shall Dc eternally destined to growts
ct timber, SO far from being causes OF seq
parating, they will serve to unite the peo-s
PIE ot tine different states who will find a.
supply OF their wants in them. None OF
these tracts are, however, SO large as to-
cut Oft the inhabitants Of one state from a.
mother, or SO difficult of passage as to PREF
vent the laying out Of good roads at an ex4
pense incommensurate with the benefits lie.x
rivabie from them. There do not appear
to exist, on the wRoe continent of Ameri.s
ca, says Pinkerton, "any Of those sandy
deserts which are SO remarkable in Asia
and AFRICA. There is on the contrary, an
eNuberancc OF water even in some OF The
most torrid regions. Even the volcanoes
In >. America o ten pour down torrents %
water and mud, and no where occur the
sandy ruins of PLAINS after the fertile SOIL
has been totally lost, or the rocky skeletons
or ancient mountains"
Butwe have a chain of high and wide
mountains, that interpose between the Eas>
Tern and Western country.
That these VIII, III 4 degree, be barriers
TO intercourse, viii not be denied. But q
dispassionate consideration Of all the ci>.
rs., net. ,,-l, IL.
that this effect will probably be produced
but in an inconsidcrable degree. Pinkerton
observes that "the mountains of n. Amert.
ca are far from rivalling the Andes in the
south. Some irregular ranges pervade the
lstamus, but 1t seems mere theory to consb-
der them as connected with the Andes. as
they have neither the same character nor
direction. In the Isthmus there are also
several volcanoes but the natural history
of Spanish America is extremely imper>.
fect.
"The centre Of North America seems to
present vast fertile plain, watered by the
Missouri and Its auxiliary streams
This vast and fertile plain will undoubs.
ediy be the great seat of manufacturers. 1t
is here that the manners and mode of i've.
ing of the inhabitants will be most friendly
to this occupation. In proportion to their
Instance from the ocean they VIII be free
from the colroptions and dissipation pro-.
duced by trade. The fertility o. the soil
and nature Of the climate will supply them
with the most important raw materials,
and particularly cotton and wool mt the,
same time that they will enable them to
raise with little labor and small expense
the grain and meat which constitute the
chief maintenance OF people ofp!ain habits
u life. The numerous and extensive ria
ycrs, which take thcir sources m this plain,.
viii command a vast tract Of country on
either side, which depending on it for n
supply OF manufactured articles win thus
have common centre.
In the second place, the soil Of adjacent
countries may te SO different, as not on,y 20
produce little in common, but likewise 50
uissimilar that one country shall produce.
little which IS wanted by the other.
However this Eiay be the case In othen
portions of the earth, 1t isnot so here.
The productions Of the northern states
arc fish, oil, lumber, naval stores, SKINS
aud iurq, grain OF various kinds, potatoes,
sc.
These Of the middle states are potatoes,
Hour, grain C. various sorts, ginseng. beef
and pork, &c.
Those Of thc southern states are lumber,
nava' stores, pitch, rosin, turpentinc, rice,
indi~1- cotton schac~0 s.