Savannah, the former capital of Georgia, is situated on the south side of the river of the same name, and stands on a high sandy bank or bluff, seventeen miles from the sea, in N. lat. 32° 3'. The city is regularly laid out on a handsome plan, and is about a mile in length from east to west, and a quarter of a mile in breadth. It consists of thirty streets, sixteen squares, and six lanes, containing about 1,000 houses, and upwards of 5,000 inhabitants, above one half of whom are slaves. The public buildings are a court-house, jail, academy, bank, and five places for worship, belonging to episcopalians, German Lutherans, presbyterians, methodists, and Jews. There has lately been built a very handsome exchange, with a spire and observatory, from whence vessels may be seen out at sea ten or twelve miles. The situation of Savannah is favourable both for health and commerce. The bluff upon which it is built is from fifty to seventy feet high, so that there is a fine descent to the river; this bluff is a bed of very fine sand, and by digging wells about sixty feet deep, a supply of excellent water is procured, probably a filtration from the river. The streets are broad and airy, and the city being only a short distance from the sea, frequently enjoys a sea breeze, which is cool and refreshing in the summer season. The trade of this city is rather extensive with Great Britain and the West Indies; there is also a considerable number of vessels employed to New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Boston, and Charleston. Besides these there are a number of vessels that come from the northward annually, to take freight for Britain, and the continent of Europe. Savannah is 658 miles distant from the city of Washington, 114 from Charleston, and 800 from Philadelphia.

Augusta, which was also at one time the capital of this state, is situated on a handsome plain, on the south side of Savannah river, where it is 500 yards wide, 565 miles from Washington, 123 from Sayannah, and about 134 from

the sea; it contains nearly 2,500 inhabitants, more than one half of whom are in a state of slavery. The public buildings are two churches, an academy, a court-house, jail, a market-house, and several public warehouses. The town is at the head of farge boat navigation, and carries on a very extensive and profitable trade with Savannah and the back country. Many of the merchants are wealthy, and import their goods; the greater part of the others purchase in New York. The town was originally settled by emigrants from Scotland, but the society is now very mixed, and probably these of Irish extraction are the most numerous. The inhabitants are in general well informed, and have a considerable taste for literature. They are affable in their deportment, and polite and hospitable to strangers. The country round Augusta is agreeably diversified, and well cultivated; the whole plain on which it stands being remarkably fertile, and towards the southwest the country rises into considerable hills, interspersed with fertile plains, extremely favourable for the culture of cotton, the plantations of which are in a very thriving state. This is reckoned the boundary between the high and low country. The falls on the river are three miles above Augusta, and immediately on leaving the town for the westward, the great and pleasing contrast between this and the low country is seen in place of swamps, marshes, and sandy deserts, the senses are gratified by high rising grounds, rich verdure in the woods, and clear streams of water.

Milledgeville, the chief town of Baldwin county, is the present seat of government for the state of Georgia. It is situated on the Altamaha river, 158 miles from Savannah, aud 675 from Washington city, and is yet a small place, but promises to rise into great importance.

Louisville, which was the seat of government for Georgia immediately before Milledgeville, is situated on the north-east bank of the Great Ogeeche river, seventy miles from its mouth, 100 from Savannah, and fifty from Augusta. It consists of about 100 dwelling-houses, and above 500 inhabitants, above 250 of whom are slaves. This town is laid out on an elevated situation, and there is a pretty extensive view to the westward; but considerable marsh vapour is generated on the banks of the river, which renders the place unhealthy. The country in the neighbourhood is well cultivated, and Louisville contains a civil and well bred society. Large quantities of tobacco are inspected here, and boated down to Savannah; there are dry goods and grocery stores in the town, and the

inhabitants have a considerable inland trade. A college, with liberal endowments, is established in its vicinity.

Sunbury is beautifully situated in Liberty county, at the head of St. Catharine's sound, about fifteen miles south of Great Ogeeche river; the harbour is capacious and safe, and has water enough for ships of great burden. It is a very pleasant healthy town, and is the resort of the planters from the adjacent country, during the sickly months. It was burnt down during the revolutionary war, but has since been rebuilt. An academy was established here about thirty years ago, which has been under able instructors, and has proved a very useful institution.-Forty miles south of Savannah.

There are no other towns in this state that merit a particular description. Besides Savannah and Augusta, there is on the Savannah river, a little town called Petersburgh, and in the interior, between the Savannah and Ogeeche, is Washington: both these are thriving places. On the Great Ogeeche, there are, besides Louisville, Sparta and Greensburgh. On the Altamaha and its waters, besides Milledgeville, Darien, a new sea-port, fifty-nine miles from Savannah; and Athens, the seat of a college, 197 miles from Savannah and 89 from Augusta. On St. Mary's river is the town of St. Mary's, at the southern extremity of the state.

On the subject of religion, the constitution of Georgia declares, "that no person within the state shall, upon any pretence, be deprived of the inestimable privilege of worshipping God in a manner agreeably to his own conscience, nor be compelled to attend any place of worship, contrary to his own faith and judgment; nor shall he ever be obliged to pay tithes, taxes, or any other rates, for the building or repairing any place of worship, or for the maintenance of any minister, or ministry, contrary to what he believes to be right, or hath engaged to do. No religious society shall ever be established in this state in preference to any other; nor shall any person be denied the enjoyment of any civil right, merely on account of religious principle." The different sects are presbyterians, episcopalians, baptists, and methodists; the upper counties are supplied, pretty generally, with preachers of the latter description, and also with many baptist ministers; but the greater part of the state is not furnished with ministers of any denomination.

It seems to have been the design of the legislature, as far as possible, to unite their literary concerns, and provide for them in common, that the whole might feel the.

benefit, and no part be neglected or left a prey to party rage, private prejudices and contentions, and consequent ignorance, their inseparable attendant. For this purpose, the literature of this state, like its policy, appears to be considered as one object, and in the same manner subject to common and general regulation for the good of the whole. The charter containing their present system of education, passed in the year 1785. The institution, thus composed, is denominated the University of Georgia.'

That this body of literati, to whom is intrusted the direction of the general literature of the state, may not be so detached and independent, as not to possess the confidence of the state, and in order to secure the atteution and patronage of the principal officers of government, the governor and council, the speaker of the house of assembly, and the chief justice of the state, are associated with the board of trustees, in some of the great and more solemn duties of their office, such as making the laws, appointing the president, settling the property, and insti tating academies. Thus associated, they are denominated the Senate of the University,' and are to hold a stated, annual meeting, at which the governor of the state presides.

The senate appoint a board of commissioners in each county, for the particular management and direction of the academy, and the other schools in each county, who are to receive their instructions from, and are accountable to the senate. The rector of each academy is an officer of the university, to be appointed by the president, and the advice of the trustees, and commissioned under the public seal, and is to attend with the other officers at the annual meeting of the senate, to deliberate on the general interests of literature, and to determine on the course of instruction for the year, throughout the university. The president has the general charge and oversight of the whole, and is from time to time to visit them, to examine into their order and performances.

A great degree of attention has been paid in Georgia to education; and very considerable sums have been appropriated to the support of it. The college at Athens is amply endowed, and provision is made for establishing and keeping up an academy in every county in the state. In the towns there are very good common schools; but the establishment of these most useful seminaries throughout the country is yet very defective. It should be mentioned, however, that in this, and in all the southern states, the population is too thin to admit of

the establishment of schools upon the plan of the townships of the northern states, or the parishes in Great Britain.

No general character will apply to the inhabitants at large. Collected from different parts of the world, as interest, necessity, or inclination led them, their character and manners must of course partake of all the varieties which distinguish the several states and kingdoms from whence they came. There is so little uniformity, that it is difficult to trace any governing principles among them. An aversion to labour is too predominant, owing in part to the relaxing heat of the climate, and partly to the want of necessity to excite industry. An open and friendly hospitality, particularly to strangers, is an ornamental characteristic of a great part of this people.

Commerce, manufactures, agriculture.--Cotton and rice are the staple commodities of the state, and Savannah being the only shipping port in it, is, of course, the general mart for the disposal of these articles. But besides the two staples, there are likewise exported, tobacco, indigo, lumber, naval stores, leather, deer and other skins, furs, snake root, myrtle and bees-wax, sago, Indian corn, and live stock. The planters and farmers raise great numbers of cattle, from 1,000 to 1,500 head, and often more. The exports of Georgia in the year 1755, amounted to 69,973 dollars; in 1772, to 540,786; in 1793, to 501,383; in 1796, to 950,158; in 1801, to 1,854,951; and in 1817, 8,790,714; of which only to the amount of 259,883 dollars was foreign produce. In return for her exports this state receives West India goods, teas, wines, clothing, and dry goods of all kinds. From the northern states, cheese, fish, potatoes, apples, cider, boots, shoes, &c.

The manufactures of Georgia have hitherto been very inconsiderable, with the exception of indigo, silk, and sago. In the year 1766, upwards of 1,000 lb. of raw silk were exported; but so large a quantity has not been exported in any one year before or since. The culture of silk and the manufacture of sago is at present but little attended to. In the interior of the country nearly all the people are clothed in homespun. In almost every family a cotton manufactory is to be seen, and in several in◄ stances, they have introduced spinning, upon a pretty large scale, by jennies. Many of the females spin cotton all the year round, and get the yarn made into every