Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-08-09
New York, August 2.
DISCOVERIES ON THE CANAL.

The operations IN the eastern section OF
The Grand Canal have advanced to Schenec.
tady a,,s, within about two miles from the
CITY. The work is progressing with remark
able spirit and promises completion much
sooner than 5 w4rmest friends had orslnai'
ly expe ..
At a point IL miles est of Schenectady
in the town of Florida, several curious things
have neen disinterred; partly aboriginal, &
party European. TO the former, belong the
following articles:
1. Human Skeletons, consisting especially
of the teeth, skulls and bones Of the extre-
mites.
9. Teeth of carpivorous animals, apparent
ly of dogs.
8. Arrow heads, made OF Hnty stone.
a. Fragments of pottery or earthen ware.
5. Ashes, and pieces OF charcoal.
Under the latter he al may be classed GER
tain other things recs ntly found; such as
1. The blade ola large knife.
9. A stout nail, whose point is bent up as
ii driven against hard and resisting body.
5. Several plates OF brass, which probably
beEnged TO cartouch boxes.
But perhap, tn, most curious OF all are the
shells of the large fresh water muscles, that
produce pearls These lie bedded in the
soil. about l2 ieet below the surface; and
show a, they are hove out, their bivalve
forms. and their peariy lustre.
All these relics were collected by Mr.. joel
Garfield and are now IN the POSSESSION OF
A.onya Potter. Esq of Union College.
These di closures of the materials that are
concealed under ground, furnish the antigua
riau aud naturalist interesting matter tor
speculation as to the operations OF art and OF
nature ID past times.
The Boston Daily Advertiser has publish
ed extracts of letter dated Cd January
from the celebrated Mrs. Anne Grant, TO a
friend in the vicinity OF Boston; of which the
following is part:
"Your country is like Virgii'| fame, en-
lareing while we look at it, till we are over
whelmed by its magnitude. While we,
bound in our watery girdle, and sinking un-
der the debts in which our valor and gene
rosity have involved rs have no other sour
ces from which to support our consequence
but our intellectual weailh-the legacies
,eft us by the glorious bards and sages OF the
olden time. and the new crop of poetic lau-
rels that are springing daily up with une-
qualled vigoi and freshness. OF these we
have been perhaps too vain, and too ready
10 wonder that the Bellies Lettres has not
been suddenly aud successfully cultivated "a
mong the stumps and Indian corn'heids OF
recent settlements. or amidst all the etferves-
cenre of politics and legislation in new
born empire. THIS ground of superiority
seems fast receding, and we are now by a.
bunCant canllor atoui7g for our past AFRO
gance. Could you believe that il is now the
universal fashion to admire American genius,
and with the exception Of SCOTS iacnmpa.
rab,e novels, there is nothing so much read,
p,,issd aud admired. as the Sketch Book
AMI Knickerbocker, which all reading people
here have now discovered TO be treasure OF
wit. hunor, and sound reasoning, and keen,
vet good humored satire. The style too is
allowed 70 be al aIltless excellence; totally
free of the gsllicisms and meretriclous orna-
r,ents which occurred too frequently in fer
p,er Tons atlantic productions. The purity