MICHIGAN TERRITORY.

THIS territory is bounded S. by the state of Ohio and the Indiana territory; W. by the Illinois territory; N. and E. by Upper Canada, from which it is separated by a small part of lake Superior, St. Mary's river, Huron lake and river, lake St. Clair and Detroit river. The greatest length from S. E. to N. W. is 500 miles; from N. E. to S. W. it is 300. The number of square miles, both of land and water, is estimated at 150,000.

The territory is at present divided into four districts. In the south is that of Erie; next lies the district of Detroit; next that of Huron; and in the north, the district of Michilimakinae.

In 1667, Louis XIV. sent a party of soldiers to this territory to protect the French fur traders. The soldiers, between that time and 1688, built a fort at Detroit, and another at Michilimakinac, and soon extended their com merce west of lake Michigan to the Indians on the Mississippi. The war in 1756 dispossessed the French of this territory. It remained in the hands of the British, till the peace of 1783 gave it to the United States, and a governor was appointed in July, 1787, for all the territory N. W. of the Ohio. In 1796, the fort of Detroit was ceded by the English to the United States, agreeably to treaty; and this fine peninsula was formed into a county, called the county of Wayne. In 1805, it received the name of the Michigan territory, was formed into a distinct government, and a governor appointed over it. The country is improving, and when the lands are put on sale, it is thought the population will rapidly increase.

The greater part of the inhabitants of this country are Catholics. The Protestants have no settled minister. The missionaries of the Methodists have made many converts among the lower orders of the people.

According to the census of 1810, the population was as follows:

Erie district

Detroit do.

580

1,340 Huron do.

2,227 Michilimakinac do.

615

Total 4,762

DETROIT stands on Detroit river, 18 miles N. of lake Erie, and 10 S. of lake St. Clair. The old town was wholly destroyed by fire in 1805. The new town is well laid out; the streets cross each other at right angles, and the situation is pleasant. It contained in 1810, including the garrison, 770 inhabitants, and 80 dwelling houses. The fort is of an oblong figure, built with stockades, and completely commands the garrison.

Detroit and Michilimakinae are both ports of entry in this territory. The exports from the former, in 1810, amounted to 36 15 dollars, of which only 44 dollars were of foreign produce. No returns were received from the port of Michilimakinac. The state of Ohio furnishes this country with beef, pork, whiskey, cheese and butter.

The climate is cold and healthy. Winter sets in about the middle of November, and lasts till the middle of March, without much variation. The general face of the country is flat. Nothing like a mountain is known. It is estimated that upwards of 20,000,000 acres of this territory are excellent. The agricultural productions, in 1810, were 20,000 bushels of apples, 10,000 of maize, 12,000 of wheat, 8000 of oats, 100 of barley, 1308 of buckwheat, 12,540 of potatoes, 3024 of turnips, 1000 of peas, and 1500 barrels of cider.

St. Mary's river, Huron or St. Clair river, and Detroit river, flow on the northern and eastern borders of the territory. Detroit river is 28 miles long, and runs in a S. W. direction 12 miles, and thence due S. 15 to lake Erie. It is navigable for the largest ships, and is generally from a mile to a mile and a half, and in some places three miles, broad. Huron river, in the country west of lake St. Clair, and running eastwardly 60 or 70 miles, falls into that lake, 30 miles N. from Detroit.

More than half of lake Michigan, half of Huron and St. Clair, a part of Superior, and probably a part of Erie, belong to this territory.

Islands. The island of Michilimakinac lies between Michigan and Huron, and is seven miles in circumference. The ground on which the fort stands is 150 feet above the level of the lake, and 100 yards from the shore. The fort is neatly built, and exhibits a beautiful appearance from the water. The village is on the shore at the right of the fort, and consists of about 30 houses. The harbor

is deep and safe. On the N. E. side of the island, near the shore, and 80 feet above the lake, is an arched rock. The arch is 20 feet in diameter at the top, and thirty at the base Near the centre of the island, on a plain, stands an isolated conical rock, in the form of a sugar loaf, 50 feet in height. It is perforated in various places, and the holes are filled with human bones. The skull-rock in another part of the island exhibits the same appearances. The island is one mass of limestone, and the soil is very rich. The climate is cold, but healthy. The winter lasts for five months with unabated rigor. This island is still a place of rendezvous for the N. W. traders, their clerks and servants. They generally assemble here in Juve and July, often to the number of 800. There are numerous other islands in the lakes and rivers.

INDIANA.

(ERECTED INTO A STATE, MARCH, 1816.)

THIS state lies between lat. 37 45 and 41 50 N. and between 7 33 and 10 36 W. longitude. Its length is about 270 miles, and its breadth about 130. The number of square miles is not far from 35,000. It is bounded E. by the state of Ohio; S. by the Ohio river; W. by the Illinois territory; N. by the Michigan territory.

This state in 1810 was divided into four counties and 27 townships.

This state, till January, 1801, formed a part of what was called the Northwestern territory. At this period, it was erected by Congress into a territorial government, with usual powers and privileges.

It has a fine soil, adapted to corn, wheat, rye, oats, ootton, hemp, tobacco, and other articles mentioned in the

account of the state of Ohio. Its natural productions are also similar to those of Ohio. It is watered by several fine rivers. The Wabash empties into the Ohio, by a mouth 270 yards wide, 1020 miles below Fort Pitt. It is passable with batteaux 412 miles to Ouiatonon, and for large canoes 197 miles further. The Delaware Indians inhabit on this river and its branches.

VINCENNES is the capital of this state, the seat of government, and the centre of commerce; it stands on the bank of the Wabash, 150 miles from its mouth. It had, in 1810, 893 inhabitants. The fort stands on the east side of the Wabash river.

ILLINOIS TERRITORY.

THIS territory is the western half of what was formerly called the territory N. W. of the Ohio, and embraces the whole of it, except what is included in the states of Ohio and Indiana, and the territory of Michigan. It lies between lat. 37° and 49 37 N. and between lon. 10° 36 and 19° 40 W. Its length from the Ohio to the northern line is 870 miles; its breadth is very unequal. The whole tract contains about 200,000 square miles, exclusive of the waters of lakes Superior and Michigan, large sections of which are included in this territory. It is bounded by Upper Canada on the N.; on the E. it has lake Michigan and Indiana; on the S. Ohio river; on the S. W. and W. the Mississippi, which separates it from Louisiana. This territory derives its name from the river Illinois, an Indian word, signifying a man of full age, in the vigor of his years. Illinois river is the river of men. It was a part of the Indiana territory till 1809, when it was erected into a separate government.

That part of this territory which is settled by white people, is divided into two counties, viz. St. Clair and Randolph, which are subdivided into 12 townships. The eivilized population of this territory in 1810, was 11,501. whites, 168 slaves, and 613 free blacks. Of the whites 6871 were males, and 5121 females. The vale between the Illinois and Kaskaskia rivers, is inhabited by French people, the descendants of the original settlers of this country.

KASKASKIA is the chief town in Randolph county, and the established capital of the whole territory. It stands on the southwest bank of the river, of the same name, 12 miles from the mouth of the river. It contains about 100 houses and 622 inhabitants. Cahokia, 65 miles north of Kaskaskia, on the southern side of Cahokia creek, has 711 inhabitants. Goshen, the capital of St. Clair county, has 1725 inhabitants.

Fort Massac is a port of entry, and from it was exported foreign articles in the 4th quarter of 1803, to the value of 17,320 dollars.

Between the Kaskaskia and Illinois rivers, which are 84 miles apart, is an extensive tract of level rich land, which terminates in a high ridge, about 15 miles before you reach the Illinois river. The Illinois river is bordered by fine meadows, which in some places extend as far as the eye can reach; and the soil of the country generally is of a very superior quality.

The principal rivers which water this territory are Mississippi, Illinois, Wabash, Fox, Ouisconsin, İron, Chepeway, St. Croix, St. Louis, Winnipec, Dove, Michilimakinac, Rainy Island, Vermillion, and Kaskaskia. The lakes which lie either partly or entirely in the territory, are Michigan, Superior, Rainy, Woods, White Bear, Red, Pepin, Peche, Winnebago and Illinois.

MARYLAND.

Situation and Extent. THE state of Maryland lies between 37 56 and 39 41 north latitude, and between the meridian of Philadelphia, and 4 30 west longitude. It is 134 miles long and 110 broad,, containing 14,000 square miles, one fourth of which is water.

Boundaries. Maryland is bounded on the north by Pennsylvania, east by the state of Delaware, and the Atlantic ocean; south and west by Virginia.

Divisions and Population. This state is divided into nineteen counties, eleven of which are on the western, and eight on the eastern shore of Chesapeak.