zie's river, and that of the Mississippi. Only the first and last of these have as yet become the abode of civilized man.

The Valley of the Mississippi, according to our author, is to be regarded as bounded on the east by the Alleghany range of mountains, with its continuations from the southern point of Florida into the State of New York; thence the boundary bends its course westward, until it nearly reaches the shores of Lake Erie, thence southward for some distance, then westward through Ohio and Indiana, and in Illinois, to the northward, it takes another direction to the west, and strikes the Rocky mountains in latitude 49°. These mountains constitute the western boundary down to 41°, whence the line passes down the highest table land between the Arkansas and Red rivers on the east, and the Rio Bravo on the south-west to the Gulf of Mexico. As described thus, it extends through more than 20 degrees of latitude, and 36 of longitude, and contains about 1,300,000 square miles.

After this accurate outline of the "Valley," the writer gives a more detailed account of its different parts, with some of their most striking physical features, with which we presume our readers to be sufficiently well acquainted, and advance at once to his Fifth Chapter, in which he considers:

"1. Climate considered in relation to the productions, &c. -We may number four distinct climates between the sources and the outlet of the Mississippi. The first commencing at its sources, and terminating at Prairie du Chien, in lat. 43°, includes the northern half of Michigan Territory, almost the whole of Huron and Sioux districts, and all of Mandan, and corresponds pretty accurately with the climate between Boston and Quebec; with this difference, that the amount of snow falling in the former is much less than in the latter region; and its winters are not as severe, and its summers are more equal in temperature. Five months in the year may be said to belong to the dominion of winter. The Irish potato, wheat, and the cultivated grains, succeed well in this climate; but the apple, peach, pear, and the species of corn called the gourd seed, require a more southern climate to bring them to perfection. Abundance of wild rice grows in the numerous lakes at the head of the Mississippi, which constitute an important article of food for the natives. On ac. count of the vast body of frozen water still further to the north, spring opens late; but the autumn continues longer than in the same parallels on the Atlantic. A species of corn called the Mandan, cultivated by the Mandan and other tribes, flourishes in this climate.

"The next climate includes the belt of country between 43° and 36° 30'. In this climate lie Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, the southern part of Michigan territory, Western Pennsylvania, Western Virginia, and Kentucky. The severity of winter commences with January and ends with the second week of February. Wheat is at home in this climate. The Irish potato flourishes well in the northern, and the sweet potato in the southern part. It is the favoured region of the apple, the pear, and the peach tree. The persimmon is found throughout, and the pawpaw with its luscious fruit, abounds in the southern part. Throughout the southern half of this climate, cotton is cultivated for home consumption, and some for exportation, but not much. Tobacco and Hemp find a congenial soil, and temperature, in the same part of this climate.

"The next climate extends from 36° 30′ to 31°. Below 35°, in the rich alluvial soil, the apple tree begins to fail in bringing its fruit to perfection. Between 36° and 33° cotton is in general a certain crop; but below 33° is perhaps its best climate, and there it becomes a first rate staple article. Wheat is not cultivated much in the southern part, but corn grows luxuriantly throughout this climate. I have never seen finer orchards than in the northern part. Tennessee, Arkansas, and almost the whole of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia, lie within this climate. Wheat is not cultivated in the southern part, and does not flourish in any part as well as in the one preceding. The long moss is here seen on the trees along the swamps. The palmetto abounds, and the fig tree and orange flourish in its southern parallels. Sugar cane will grow also in that part of this climate, but is not a profitable crop generally, as the season is too short for its full maturity.

"Below 31°, to the Gulf of Mexico, is the region of the sugar cane and the sweet orange tree. It would be, if it were cultivated, the region of the olive. On the Florida projection, almost every species of tropical fruits, including the banana, cocoa, almond, &c. find an agreeable climate, and in many places a suitable soil.

"Snow is seldom seen here, and the streams are not often frozen. Winter is only marked by nights of white frost, and days of north-west winds, and these do not last longer than three days at once, and are succeeded by south winds and warm days. Cotton and corn are planted from February to July. The trees are generally in leaf by the middle of February, and always by the 1st of March. Early in March the forests are in blossom. Fireflies are seen by the middle of February. In these regions the summers are uniformly hot, although there are days when the mercury rises as high in New England as in Louisiana. The

heat, however, is here more uniform and sustained, commences earlier and continues later. From February to September, thunder storms are common, accompanied sometimes with gales and tornadoes of tremendous violence."

"2. Minerals. Many parts of the West abound in valuable minerals. The eastern slope of the Ohio Valley abounds in iron ore, coal, and salt. These valuable minerals are also found in almost all the States. Vast quantities of iron are manufactured in Pittsburg, and its vicinity. Immense veins of coal are found in the same region, and also in Ohio and on the Missouri, in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama, and will be sources of great wealth to the inhabitants in this Valley, as there is reason to believe that this valuable species of fuel will be found in almost every State. Salt water is found in many places throughout this region, and is often discovered in springs, or licks," as they are called, to which the wild deer and buffaloes resort, in the uninhabited country, in vast numbers. Salt is manufactured in great abundance, on the Kiskiminitas, a branch of the Alleghany river; at Yellow Creek, near its junction with the Ohio above Steubenville; on the Kanawha, sixty-five miles above its mouth; on the Saline river thirty miles from Shawneetown, in Illinois; as well as in many other places.

"In Washington county, and the adjacent region in Missouri, there are lead mines of great extent and value. The principal diggings," are included in an extent of fifteen miles in one direction by thirty in the other. This district is 70 miles southwest from St. Louis. About 3,000,000 pounds of lead are smelted in a year, giving employment to about 1200 men. The ore is principally of that class called galena, and is very rich, yielding from seventy-five to eighty per cent. There are also very rich mines of the same mineral at Galena, in the north-west corner of the state of Illinois, and on the Ouisconsin, in Huron district. In 1829, it is said that about 12,000 people were employed in the neighbourhood of Galena, and it is probable that from nine to ten millions of pounds were made that year. A larger quantity, it is believed, is now made annually. A few years ago this place was in the possession of the Winnebagoes.

"Ores of copper, antimony and manganese, have been discovered, but they are not yet wrought. It is probable that mines of gold and silver will be found in this region, as they are abundant in the neighbouring country of Mexico. I may add that gold has recently been found in Tennessee and Alabama. And I have little doubt that it will be found in Missouri, and the Ozark mountains, which stretch south-westward from that State."

The remainder of this chapter contains a view, necessarily

general, of the soil, natural productions, animals, &c. of the valley. Chapter VI. contains an interesting historical sketch of the western country in general, without, however, entering into any detail. The numerous and dreadful "Indian wars" which that country witnessed in the early times of its settlement by the whites, are mentioned in the notices of the individual States.

In Chapter VII. the author remarks upon the future increase of population in the west. Among the reasons which he gives to authorize the expectation of a very rapid increase, besides the fact that during forty years past it has arisen from 150,000 to 4,231,950, are :

1. The perfect security now enjoyed, both as regards person and property.

2. There is in the Valley of the Mississippi an immense extent of country, still unoccupied, composed of the finest land in the world, which may be obtained at a very low rate.

"There are probably, at a reasonable calculation, one million of square miles, or 640,000,000 acres of land fit for cultivation in the Valley of the Mississippi-equal to 4,000,000 farms, or plantations, of 160 acres each; or 8,000,000 of farms, of eighty acres each, a quantity of land which, in New England, would be considered very ample for one family. It is, indeed, probable, or rather it is certain, that it will not all be needed for agricultural purposes for a century or two. I have said that there are 1,000,000 of square miles which may be cultivated. The whole valley, however, contains more than 1,350,000 square miles, so that I allow more than 350,000 square miles for mountainous regions, for marshes and swamps, and for sterile plains, and prairies, towards the Rocky Mountains. But I would remark, that excepting the skirts of the Alleghany and Rocky Mountains, there is scarcely any thing which deserves the name of a mountain in the whole valley; and as to the swamps and marshes, the day will come when many of them will be drained, either by the State or Gene-ral Governments. And even the prairies, excepting the very sterile, which are less extensive than most suppose, will be turned to good account. And it ought to be remembered, that forests are as necessary for a dense population, as cultivated ground is. There must be large tracts of uncultivated land, to afford fuel, and timber, and pasturage.

Four millions, or rather eight millions, of families may have farms in the West of no mean size. Besides, thousands, or rather hundreds of thousands of families will be engaged in the navigation of the rivers; in the various arts, and trades, and manufactur

ing processes, which even now employ and support a large population; in merchandise and commerce; and in the learned profes sions of law, medicine, divinity, and the instruction of youth in thousands of common schools, hundreds of academies, and colleges, and universities. The facilities for supporting a family in the Valley of the Mississippi, not indeed equal in all places, are such as would astonish an eastern resident, who knows little or nothing about this region. It has been correctly said, that "nature has been almost too profuse in her gifts to this great valley." Such is the fertility of soil, and other natural advantages, that too little industry is required, for the proper development and strengthening of the valuable traits of human character. It is true, indeed, that industry, and perseverance, and frugality are needed, especially by the emigrant upon his arrival; but he will, by a few years of toil and energy, acquire the means of living, without a very constant application of his powers of body and mind. A little effort, comparatively, will enable him to support his family, and live in comfort."

4. Another reason is to be found in the increased facilities for trade and intercourse between the different sections of the west.

Probably no country on the globe, of equal extent, has so many advantages for internal intercourse, as the valley of the Mississippi. Noble rivers open on the view of the western traveller in almost every direction, navigable during many months in the year, almost to their source. The proportion of them that admits steamboats of large size, is great, and so prodigious has been the increase of this kind of navigation in those waters, and the improvement too, that now, New Orleans and Pittsburg are nearer together, in point of communication, than were Cincinnati and Louisville, fifteen years ago. The number of these boats now running, is estimated at something less than three hundred, and their tonnage not far from 60,000! Nearly every stream, tributary to the Ohio and Mississippi, has several suited to its size, and in addition to these, hundreds of flat bottomed and keel boats are constantly bearing the fruits of the valley to its great outlet in New Orleans.

5. The fifth reason mentioned, is the increased confidence in the general salubrity of the climate of that country.

6. The increased and increasing religious and literary advantages and privileges which emigrants to the west may now and henceforth enjoy.