dollars per acre; from five to twenty miles distant, from fifteen to fifty dollars. Wheat sells for a dollar a bushel, and Indian corn for 3-4ths of a dollar A good cart horse is worth thirty dollars, a gig horse, eighty; a saddle ditto, 120; a farmers waggon, 100 dollars; a market ditto, seventy; a cart, fifty. Sheep are from one to three dollars each; live hogs, from 3d. to 4d. per lb.; a good roasting pig, 48. 6d. Rents vary much according to situation; houses in the best stands for business are from 400 to 800 dollars per annum ; others are from 150 to 350; house rent for a mechanic, from fifty to eighty dollars.

The situation of Pittsburgh is as advantageous as can well be imagined; it is the key to the western country, and, excepting New Orleans, is in every respect the first town, not only of the Ohio valley, but of the whole waters of the Mississippi. It was created a city by the legislature of Pennsylvania, at the session of 1816. The principal cause which has contributed most, after its fine position, to ensure the prosperity of Pittsburgh, is the exhaustless mass of mineral coal that exists in its neighbourhood. The beds are 340 feet above low water level, and about 290 above the level of the town; consequently the coal is a falling body, from the moment it issues from the mouth of the mine, until placed in the cellar of the consumer. The great abundance of this valuable material has converted Pittsburgh into a vast workshop, and a warehouse for the immense country below, upon the Ohio and many other rivers. It is a fact which has been obtained from the merchants on the spot, that in the space of seven months, in the year 1815, merchandise passed through this infant city to the full amount of twenty millions of dollars! It may not be irrevelant here to notice, that the first steam-boat that ever floated on the western waters was the New Orleans, launched at Pittsburgh, in March, 1811; the number now on the confluent waters of the Mississippi amounts to upwards of twenty, and they are annually increasing.

As the river Ohio will be described with the states through which it passes, it will only be necessary in this place to notice, that from Pittsburgh, where it is 980 yards in breadth, it flows within the state of Pennsylvania to Georgetown, thirty-two miles distant; from thence it forms the boundary between the states of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, and those of Virginia and Kentucky, until it falls into the Mississippi, 945 miles below Pittsburgh, and 990 above New Orleans. At the distance of 252 miles from Pittsburgh, it is 500 yards wide; at Louisville, 300

miles further, it is 1,200 yards, and at the Rapids, half a mile; but its general breadth does not exceed 600 yards. In some places its width is not 400, and in one place particularly, far below the Rapids, it is less than 300. Its breadth in no one place, (except at the Rapids,) exceeds 1,200 yards; and at its junction with the Mississippi, neither river is more than 900 yards wide. The banks of the Ohio are high and solid, and persons may travel all night, even in one of the barges, without the smallest danger; instead of which, on the Mississippi, before the adoption of steam-boats, prudence required passengers, to stop every evening, particularly from the mouth of the Ohio to Natchez, a distance of 686 miles.

The inhabitants of Pittsburgh being a collection from all nations, kindreds, and languages, it must naturally be supposed that they will exhibit a considerable variety of manners. They are principally Americans; a good many Irish, some English, Scotch, French, Dutch, and Swiss, and a few Welsh and Italians. But as they are mostly mechanics, having no separate interest to keep them at variance, they are generally friendly and sociable with one another; and will at no distant day lose all their distinctions in the general name of Americans. This event will be facilitated by an act which has passed the state legislature, for the erection of two bridges over the Monongahela and Allegany rivers, in places best calculated to promote intercourse with the adjacent country, and to unite together the scattered and detached fragments of the same commercial community. Pittsburgh has been very justly considered as a common centre to a great part of the western country; but it is much more,-from the very extensive mercantile connections of this city, the traveller or emigrant can receive more accurate intelligence here than in any other place west of the Allegany mountains, upon almost every subject of inquiry.

The situation of religion and religious rights and liberty in Pennsylvania, is a matter that deserves the attention of all sober and well-disposed people, who may have any thoughts of seeking the enjoyment of civil and religious liberty in America. This state always afforded an asylum to the persecuted sects of Europe; and no church has ever been established here, nor can tithes or tenths be demanded. The half-way doctrine of toleration has been entirely rejected, and all denominations of religious men are placed upon firm and perfectly equal ground. By the provisions of the law, a protestant, a Roman catholic, and a Jew, may elect or be elected to any office in the

state, and pursue any lawful calling, occupation, or profession.

The people throughout this state are for the most part descendants of English, Irish, and Germans, with some Scotch, Welsh, Swedes, and a few Dutch. There are also many of the Irish and Germans who emigrated when young or middle aged. The quakers and episcopalians are chiefly of English extraction, and compose about onethird of the inhabitants. They live principally in Philadelphia, and in the counties of Chester, Bucks, and Montgomery. Some of the Irish are Roman catholics; but they are mostly presbyterians, whose ancestors came from the north of Ireland, where the people are nearly all of that religious denomination. They inhabit the western and frontier counties, and are numerous. The Germans compose about one quarter of the population, and chiefly reside in the counties of Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Dauphin, Lancaster, York, and Northampton. They consist of Lutherans, Calvinists, Moravians, Roman catholics, Mennonists, Tunkers, and quakers: these are all distinguished for their temperance, industry, and economy. The baptists, who are not Germans, are descended of emigrants from Wales; but they are not numerous. A proportionate assemblage of the national prejudices, the manners, customs, religious, and political sentiments of all these, will form the character of the Pennsylvanians. From the preceding observations the state of society may be inferred with tolerable precision. The inhabitants have every external appearance of ease and affluence, and they are affable, obliging, and hospitable. There are no beggars to be seen, nor any person bearing the semblance of want; which is a remarkable and happy contrast to the wretched state of Europe, and bears undeniable testimony to the prosperity of the country.

Trade, manufactures, and agriculture.-The exports of this state consist chiefly of grain, flour, iron utensils, cordage, bark, skins, hosiery, gunpowder, ashes, cider, flaxseed, soap and candles, lumber, beef, pork, &c. and in the year 1817 amounted to 8,735,592 dollars, of which 5,538,003 dollars were domestic produce. The principal articles of export to Britain are grain and flour, and some cotton, brought from the southern states; much of the trade with which arises from the superiority of Pennsylvania in manufactures and commerce. Hats, saddlery,

shoes, Windsor chairs, carriages, hewn stones, iron castings, spades, hoes, axes, paper, books, tin ware, and brushes, constitute a great proportion of the exports to the southward. The trade with New York depends chiefly on the fluctuation of the market: American and foreign goods, of the same kinds, are carried between the two great commercial cities as their prices fall and rise. The commerce of Pennsylvania in the west, is by the river Ohio with the immense and fertile regions on the Mississippi, and by the lakes with the British provinces. Nearly the whole foreign trade of the state is carried on by the port. of Philadelphia.

The imports consist of East and West India and China goods; wine, brandy, gin, &c. from the continent of Europe; and manufactures from Great Britain, of which the quantity imported is immense. Whale oil and bone, spermaceti, seal-skins, mackarel, cod-fish, and salmon, are brought from the eastern states, in exchange for wheat flour and bar iron. Live oak, cedar, cotton, rice, indigo, tar, pitch, and lumber, are procured from the Carolinas and Georgia; and from the back country, great quanti-ties of deer-skins, with those of otters, racoons, foxes, musk-rats, and beavers. Virginia furnishes a great deal of wheat, and tobacco, also coal, lead, and peach brandy; and in return receives clothing, furniture, farming utensils, and equipage; with some East India and European goods, and even West India produce. New Jersey and Dela-. ware states have, as neighbours, much intercourse with Pennsylvania: the first supports in a great measure the markets of Philadelphia, furnishes rye meal, much Indian corn, lumber, and some iron goods; the latter sends great quantities of excellent flour, lumber, and fat cattle.

Manufacturing is carried on to a greater extent in Pennsylvania than in any other state of the Union. Domestic manufactures are general throughout the country; but there are many establishments on a large scale, some of which are here enumerated. Of iron, there are several works of long standing, and their products increase in quantity and improve in quality. Not less than fifty furnaces, besides numerous forges, slitting-mills, and triphammers are now in active operation. Of wood, all sorts of furniture, implements of husbandry, pleasure carriages, machinery for carding and spinning cotton, woollen, &c. and ship-building to a considerable extent. Of leather, boots, shoes, saddles, bridles, harness, &c. Of wool, a great variety of cloths, stockings, and hats; wool is worked up in families for domestic use.

and much Together

with many other articles in large quantity, such as malt liquors, spirits, glass, ashes, maple sugar, muskets, powder, paper to a great amount, shot, balls, cannon, bells, earthen ware, copper lead, tin wares, gunpowder, tobacco, molasses, &c.

The agriculture of this state has improved rapidly, and is in an advanced state; the country about Philadelphia in particular is well cultivated, and abounds with neat country houses. Farms within a few miles of the city, on the road leading to Pittsburgh are managed in a very superior manner; they consist of from fifty to 200 acres, and are worth £45 sterling an acre. The farmers are chiefly Dutch and Germans, and their descendants, who are a quiet, sober, and industrious set of people, and are most valuable citizens. They are almost all wealthy, and have fine dwellings, substantial barns, and an excellent breed of cattle. There are good farms in other dis tricts within twenty miles of Philadelphia, which can be purchased from eighty to 100 dollars an aere, buildings included; limestone land sells for 200 dollars. In a farm of 200 acres, the proportion may be estimated at ninety acres of ploughing, fifty of meadow, ten of orchard, and fifty of wood land: the latter, near the city, is worth from three to 400 dollars an acre, the country being almost totally stripped of the trees, which have been cut down without mercy for firing, and to make way for the plough. A farm of the above description is worth, if within five miles of the capital, 20,000 dollars; at from twenty to forty miles, 10,000 dollars. Uncleared lands, in remote parts of the state, vary in price from half a dollar to twenty dollars an acre.

The country near the eastern branches of the Allegany river has been already mentioned (page 406) as particularly adapted to cultivation, and highly capable of improvement. In Venango county, on French creek, are many inducements to encourage new settlers. Much of the land is still on sale, and at a low price, the necessaries of life uncommonly cheap, and game so plentiful, that one tolerable marksman may supply the largest family with fresh provisions. A hunter rarely fails to kill from five to ten deer in a week, and the quarters may be purchased at three dollars a cwt.: the meat is very fine, and much better covered than the generality of mutton. Wheat flour is plenty and good, at three dollars for 120lb.; beef, in the quarter, four dollars a cwt.; butter, thirteen dollars ditto; maple sugar the same; Indian corn meal, 3s. 4d. sterling a bushel. In the summer of 1818 mechanics were