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Chowan river is formed by the confluence of three rivers, viz. the Mehirren, Nottaway, and Black river; all of which rise in Virginia. It falls into the north-west corner of Albemarle sound, and is three miles wide at its mouth, but narrows fast as you ascend it. Cushai is a small river which also falls into the same sound, between Chowan and Roanoke.

There are several other rivers of less note, among which are the Pasquetank, Perquemins, Little river, Alligator, &c. which discharge themselves into Albemarle All the rivers in North Carolina, and, it may be added, in South Carolina, Georgia, and the Floridas, which empty into the Atlantic ocean, are navigable by any vessel that can pass the bar at their mouths.

Pamlico sound is a kind of a lake or inland sea, from ten to twenty miles broad, and nearly 100 miles in length. It is separated from the Atlantic ocean, in its whole length, by a beach of sand hardly a mile wide, generally covered with small trees or bushes. Through this bank are several small inlets, by which boats may pass; but Ocrecock inlet is the only one that will admit vessels of burden into the districts of Edenton and Newbern. This inlet is in lat. 35° 10′ N. and communicates with Albemarle sound, which is also a kind of inland sea, sixty miles in length, and from eight to twelve in breadth, lying north of Pamlico sound. Core sound lies south of Pamlico, and has a communication with it. These sounds are so large, when compared with their inlets from the sea, that no tide can be perceived in any of the rivers which empty into them, nor is the water salt, even in the mouths of these rivers.

Cape Hatteras, the most remarkable and dangerous cape on the coast of North America, is situated in lat. 35° 15', and has occasioned the destruction of many a fine vessel, and the loss of hundreds of valuable lives. The water is very shoal at a great distance from the cape, which is remarkable for sudden and violent squalls of wind, and for the most severe storms of thunder, lightning, and rain, which happen almost every day for one half the year. The shoals lie about fourteen miles south-west of the cape, and are nearly five or six acres in extent, with about ten feet water. Here, at times, the ocean breaks in a tremendous manner, spouting as it were to the clouds, from the violent agitation of the Gulf stream, which touches the edge of the banks.

Cape Lookout lies north-east of Cape Fear, and south of Cape Hatteras, opposite to Core sound; its north point

forming the south side of Ocrecock inlet, which leads to Pamlico sound. It once had an excellent harbour, which has been filled up with sand since the year 1777. Cape Fear is remarkable for a dangerous shoal, called, from its form, the Frying-pan. This shoal lies at the entrance of Cape Fear river.

Face of the country, climate, soil, and productions.— The face of the country is very greatly diversified. To the east and south-east, there is a sea-coast of nearly 300 miles, indented with a great number of bays or sounds, the principal of which have been already described. The whole country below the head of tide-water, nearly 100 miles into the interior, is low and sandy, abounding in swamps, and presents an evident appearance of having been at one period overflowed by the sea. In all this flat

open district, marine productions are found by digging about twenty feet below the surface of the ground. A great proportion of this tract lies in forest, and is entirely barren. On the banks of some of the rivers, particularly the Roanoke, the land is fertile and good. Interspersed through the other parts are many openings of rich swamp, and ridges of oak land, of a fine fertile soil. The country from the head of tide-waters, towards the mountains, is agreeably uneven, and much improved in value. Proceeding still farther in that direction, it rises into hills and mountains, and amongst them the seasons are delightful. There are two remarkable swamps in this state; one on the line which separates it from Virginia; for a part of the Great Dismal, already described, lies in North Carolina; and the other in Currituck county, containing 350,000 acres, supposed to contain one of the most valuable rice estates in America. In the midst of this swamp is a lake eleven miles long and seven broad, the waters of which is connected with Skuppernong river by a navigable canal.

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The climate in the low country is subject to great and sudden changes, and is often unhealthy in the fall: generally the winters are mild, but very changeable, and the spring is early, but liable to occasional frosts. The summers are hot and sultry, and the autumns are serene and beautiful; but the exhalations from the decaying vegetable matter in the marshes and swamps are very injurious to health. In those seasons, the inhabitants are subject to intermittent fevers, which often prove fatal; particularly in the flat country near the sea coast. In the upper

country, the weather is more settled, and, being free from swamps, is healthy and agreeable. Among the mountains, the climate is remarkably pleasant.

The soil of North Carolina is very little different from that of Virginia. The low part of the state, which is a considerable portion of it, is sandy and barren, abounding in pine trees; and the swamps, which are very large, produce bay trees and cedars. On the contrary, in the mountainous parts the soil is perpetually moist, and very fertile, This is demonstrated by the vegetable strength of the trees; among which are the red and black oak, the sugar maple, the ash, and particularly the chesnut, which grows to a prodigious height. The sides of these mountains facing the north is sometimes covered exclusively with the calico tree, from twelve to fifteen feet high. They frequently occupy spaces of 300 acres, which at a distance appear like a charming meadow. It is well known that this shrub excels every other in point of blossom.

In the great woods the surface of the soil is covered with a species of wild peas, that rises about three feet from the earth, and serves as excellent fodder for the cattle. They prefer this pasturage to any other, and whenever they are driven from it they pine away, or make their escape to get to it again. These mountains begin to be populated rapidly. The salubrity of the air, the excellence of the water, and more especially the pasturage of these wild peas for the cattle, are so many causes that induce new inhabitants to settle here. Estates of the first class are sold at from two to five dollars an acrè, and the whole of the taxes do not amount to a penny an acre more. Indian corn, wheat, rye, oats, and peach trees, are the sole objects of culture. In the other parts of the state, not of a swampy nature, the soil in general is very indifferent; the woods are in a great measure composed of various kinds of oaks, the surface of the ground is covered with a coarse 'grass, intermixed with plants, and the plantations straggling five or six miles from each other, present a dreary and uncomfortable appearance.

Civil divisions, towns, population, religion, and character.-North Carolina is divided into eight districts and sixty-two counties, containing by the last general census 555,000 inhabitants, including 168,824 slaves; but by the returns of the state census, in 1817, the population amounts to 701,224, of whom 50,387 are enrolled in the militia. The districts are classed in three divisions, viz.

the eastern districts, Edenton, Newbern, and Wilmington; the middle districts, Fayetteville, Hillsborough, and Halifax ; and the western districts, Morgan and Salisbury: the names of the counties are as follow:

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Raleigh, the seat of government of North Carolina, is situated in N. lat. 35° 56', and is nearly in the centre of the state, being 160 miles from the sea-coast. In 1791 the legislature appropriated £10,000 towards erecting the public buildings, and named the town after sir Walter Raleigh, under whose direction the first settlement in America was made. The state-house, a large handsome building, cost £6,000; but there are no other public buildings of importance, and a great part of the houses being of wood, the place exhibits no very flattering appearance. The plan is regular, the streets intersecting each other at right angles; but the remoteness of the town from navigation is a great disadvantage. Raleigh is 287 miles from Washington, 164 from Richmond, 388 from Milledgeville, the capital of Georgia, and 932 from New Orleans.

Wilmington, the chief town of Wilmington district, is situated on the east side of Cape Fear or Clarendon river, thirty-four miles from the sea and 100 southward of Newbern. The town is regularly built, and contains about 2,000 inhabitants, of whom nearly 1,000 are in slavery.

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