millions of acres, rendered peculiarly interesting from the numerous recent emigrations from all parts of Europe.

Subjoined to all this, is an accurate account of the present state of the British possessions of Upper and Lower Canada.-Together with a Map of the whole of the United States and Territories; as also a complete Table or List of the Post and Cross Roads, of consequence, forming upon the whole, a complete fund of information, highly useful and necessary to the Emigrant, and interesting to the general reader.

With this brief notice of its contents, the Publisher lays this Work before the Public, containing a faithful compendium of all that has been written upon the country and people of the United States of America; as especial care has been taken not to omit any circumstance worthy of notice, and on every subject to observe the strictest adherence to truth and impartiality.

Liverpool, September, 1820.

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

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DISCOVERY AND FIRST SETTLEMENTS.

PREVIOUS to entering upon a detailed history of the origin, progress, and present state of the great American Commonwealth, it will be necessary to take a concise view of the first discoveries in North America, and its early settlement by various European colonies; the principal of which were composed of adventurers from Great Britain.

The glory acquired by the immortal Columbus on disCovering South America in the year 1492, spread rapidly throughout Europe, and inspired many persons of learning and genius with an ardent spirit of enterprize. As early as the year 1196, only four years after the first discovery of America, John Cabot, by birth a Venetian, but a subject of the King of England, having obtained a commission from Henry VII. to discover unknown lands, and annex them to the British crown, sailed for China, accompanied by his three sons. On this voyage he fell in with the coast of Labrador, along which he proceeded as far as 67 deg. N. latitude. The year following in company with his son Sebastian, he undertook a second Voyage, and on the 24th of June, 1497, discovered the Island of Newfoundland, and before his return traversed the Coast from Davis's Straits to Cape Florida.

In 1502, Sebastian Cabot again fell in with Newfoundland, and, on his return, carried three of the natives of that Island to England, and presented them to his patron, Henry VII. In the spring of 1513, John Ponce sailed from Port Rico in the West Indies, and discovered the Continent of America in 30 deg. N. lat. a short distance

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from where the town of Pensacola now stands.

Here he landed; and finding the country overspread with a delightful verdure, and the trees and herbs in full bloom, named it Florida; which for long after was the common name of both North and South America

It was not until the year 1524 that France attempted to make discoveries in America. For this purpose, John Verazanno, a native of Italy, was sent out by Francis I. and having traversed the coast from lat. 28 deg. to 50 deg. N. returned to Europe; in a second voyage some time after he was lost at sea. The next year, Stephen Gomez sailed from Spain to Cuba and Florida, and from thence as far as 46 deg. N. lat. in search of a north west passage to China.

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In 1534, a fleet was sent from France, under James Cartier, for the purpose of making discoveries in America. He arrived at Newfoundland in May, and on the 10th of August found himself in a broad gulf, which, with the river that falls into it, he named St. Lawrence, in honour of the day. In this voyage he coasted as far north as lat. 51 deg. expecting in vain to find a passage to China. The next year he sailed 200 leagues up the river St. Lawrence, named the country New France, where he built a fort, in which he resided during the winter, and in the ensuing spring returned to France.

In 1542, the French King sent three ships to Canada, carrying 200 men, women, and children. They built a fort, and wintered there, but returned home in the spring.

In 1540, Alverdo, à Spaniard, who had sailed from Cuba with a view to conquer Florida, on the 30th of May arrived at Spirito Santo, in South America, from whence he travelled 450 leagues from the sea. Here he discovered a river a quarter of a mile wide and nineteen fathoms deep, on the banks of which he built seven small vessels ; with these he proceeded down the river 400 leagues, and arrived in the gulf of Mexico. This river must be that which is now called Mississippi.

In 1562, St Mary's river in Georgia, which forms a

part of the southern boundary of the United States, was explored by John Ribalt, who was sent from France to pursue discoveries in America. To another river he gave the name of Port Royal, and built a fort, which he called Charles. Here he left a colony under Captain Albert; but the tyranny of Albert's conduct having occasioned a mutiny, the colony was ruined and the commander slain. Two years after, the French king sent three ships to Florida, under the command of Laudonier. In June he arrived at St. Mary's river, where he built a fort, and in honour of his master, Charles IX. called it Carolina. In August this year, Captain Ribalt arrived a second time at Florida, with a fleet of seven vessels to recruit the colony which he had left under the ill-fated Albert. But a few weeks afterwards Pedro Melandes, with six Spanish ships, pursued Ribalt up the river, overpowered him with numbers, and cruelly massacred him and his whole company.-Melandes now erected three forts, and garrisoned them with 1200 soldiers. The French commander on St. Mary's river, Laudonier, having heard of the fate of Ribalt, took the alarm, and escaped with his colony to France.

In 1576, Captain Martin Frobisher, a native of Doncaster in Yorkshire, was sent by Queen Elizabeth to find out a north-west passage to the East Indies. The first land he made on the American coast, was a cape; which, in honour to his mistress, he called Queen Elizabeth's Foreland. He afterwards discovered the Straits which bear his name, situated between Hudson's Bay and Davis's Straits; but being prevented by the ice from prosecuting his search for a passage to the East, he returned to England.

In 1579, Sir Humphry Gilbert obtained a patent from the Queen, for lands not yet possessed by any Christian Prince, provided he took possession within six years.— With this encouragement he sailed for America, and in August, 1583, anchored in Conception Bay. He afterwards discovered and took possession of St. John's harbour, in New Brunswick, and all the adjacent country;

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