waters are strongly impregnated with sulphur and iron, The reed cane grows on the flats.

Charleston, the seat of justice for Clark county, is situ ated in the centre of a rich and thriving settlement, thirtytwo miles south-west from Madison, two miles from the Ohio river, and fourteen from the falls. This village, like many others in the western country, has sprung up suddenly by the magical influence of American enterprise, excited into action by a concurrence of favourable cir cumstances.

Jeffersonville stands on the bank of the Ohio, nearly opposite Louisville, and a little above the falls. It contains about 130 houses, brick, frame, and hewn logs. The bank of the river is high, which affords a fine view of Louisville, the falls, and the opposite hills. Just below the town is a fine eddy for boats. A post-office and a landoffice, for the sale of the United States' lands, are established, and it promises to become a place of wealth, elegance, and extensive business.

HARRISON COUNTY is bounded east by Clark county, south by the Ohio, west by the new county of Perry, and north by Washington. Its principal stream is Blue river, which is navigable for boats about forty miles. About eight miles from its mouth, a grist and saw-mill are erected. On both sides of this river are large quantities of oak and locust timber.

Corydon, the seat of justice for Harrison county, is situated twenty-five miles nearly west from Jeffersonville, and ten miles from the Ohio river. It was commenced in 1809, and is the seat of government for the state. The selection of this place by the legislature, as the seat of government for the period of eight years, has excited great dissatisfaction in other parts of the state. It has rapidly increased since the meeting of the state convention, in July, 1816. The "Indiana Gazette" is printed in this place.

WASHINGTON COUNTY is bounded on the east by Clark county, on the south by the county of Harrison, on the west by the county of Orange, and on the north by the county of Jackson. It is watered by the south fork of Whiteriver; is moderately hilly, and was established in the year 1814.

Salem is the only village deserving notice; and is situated thirty-four miles north of Corydon, and twenty-five nearly west from Jeffersonville, on the Vincennes road.

JACKSON COUNTY lies west of Clark and Jefferson counties, north of Washington, east of Orange, and south

of the Indian country. It is watered by Whiteriver and its tributary creeks.

Brownstown is the seat of justice, and is situated twentyfive miles east of north from Salem.

ORANGE COUNTY is bounded by the counties of Washington and Jackson on the east; by Harrison and Perry on the south; by the county of Knox on the west; and by Indian lands on the north. It has a rich soil, and is well watered by Whiteriver and Petoka. This county is equal to any in the state, in point of fertility of soil, and excellence of water. The surface is agreeably undulating. The timber on the hills consist of black walnut, oak, hickory, ash, sugar maple; on the low grounds, basswood, pawpaw, honey locust, buckeye, and spicewood; besides, grape vines, and a variety of shrubs. The most common game are deer and bear. There is a coal-mine a little below the forks of Whiteriver; the bottoms of which are nearly as wide as those of the Wabash, and contain evidence of having been formerly inhabited by Indians, as the remains of their cabins and corn-hills are yet visible. Puoli is the county seat. It is forty miles nearly east of Vincennes, and thirty north of west from Salem.

KNOX COUNTY is bounded by Orange on the east; by the county of Gibson on the south; by the Wabash river on the west; and by Indian lands on the north. This is the oldest and most populous county in the state. It is watered by the Deche, Whiteriver, Wabash, Little river, St. Marie, Busseron, Raccoon, and Ambush creeks. It has upwards of 200,000 acres of the best prairie and bottom land, and is rapidly increasing in inhabitants and improvements.

Vincennes, the seat of justice for Knox county, stands on the east bank of the Wabash, 100 miles from its junction with the Ohio, in a direct line, but nearly 200 by the courses of the river; and 120 west of the falls of Õhio. It contains about 100 houses, most of which are small and scattering; some have a neat and handsome aspect, while others are built in an uncouth manner, having a frame skeleton filled up with mud and stick walls, similar to some of the old German houses on the Hudson and Mohawk rivers. The best buildings are a brick tavern, jail, and academy. The meeting-house, a plain building, stands on the prairie, one mile from the town. The plan of the town is handsomely designed; the streets are wide and cross each other at right angles. Almost every house has a garden in its rear, with high substantial picket fences to prevent the thefts of the Indians. The common field near

the town contains nearly 5,000 acres, of excellent prairie soil, which has been cultivated for more than half a century, and yet retains its pristine fertility. The United States have a land office for the disposal of public lands; and formerly kept a small garrison, in a little stockade near the bank of the river, for the protection of the inhabitants. The governor of the territory resided, and the territorial legislature convened here. The place has possessed many political advantages. The Bank of Vincennes enjoys a good character, having recently become a state bank. There is also a printing-office, which issues a newspaper, called the "Western Sun." The country

around Vincennes in every direction, is well adapted to sett ements and cultivation. Building lots sell at from fifty to 1,000 dollars a lot. There are two roads leading to the Ohio; one to fort Harrison; one to Princeton; and one to Kaskaskia.

Congress lands, after the auction sales are closed, sell invariably for 9s. an acre. For a quarter section, or 160 acres, £18 (English money) are to be paid down; the same sum in two years; and the remainder in annual payments, without interest, if punctually made. Those who pay in advance, are entitled to a discount of eight per

cent.

Harrison's Purchase, containing upwards of 3,000,000 acres, lying between Whiteriver, the Wabash, and Rocky river, was opened for sale by auction, at Jeffersonville, in 1817, and although the Canadian volunteers had previously selected their donation lots, which was given by the United States, for their valour and intrepidity on the Niagara frontier, numerous tracts were sold at from 188. to £6 158. an acre. A fractional section on the Wabash, below fort Harrison, sold for £7 48. 10d., and several others from £4 10s. to £6 15s.

On the hills two miles east of the town, are three large mounds; and others are frequently met with on the prairies and upland, from Whiteriver to the head of the Wabash. The French have a tradition, that an exterminating battle was fought in the beginning of the last century, on the ground where fort Harrison now stands, between the Indians living on the Mississippi, and those of the Wabash. The bone of contention was lands lying between those rivers which both parties claimed. There were about 1,000 warriors on each side. The condition of the fight was, that the victors should possess the lands in dispute. The grandeur of the prize was peculiarly calculated to inflame the ardour of savage minds. The contest commenced about sunrise. Both parties fought desperately.

The Wabash warriors came off conquerors, having seven men left alive at sunset, and their adversaries but five. The mounds are still to be seen where it is said the slain were buried.

GIBSON COUNTY is bounded by the counties of Warwick and Orange on the east, the county of Posey on the south, the Wabash river on the west, and the county of Knox on the north. It is watered by several creeks and runs, falling into the Petoka and Wabash. About one half of this county has a fertile and highly favourable soil; and the greater part of the other half would be pronounced good, any of the Atlantic states.

in

Princeton is the county seat; it lies thirty-five miles nearly south of Vincennes. It has a post-office; and has had a rapid growth, considering the newness of the surrounding settlements.

Harmony. This village is situated on the Wabash, half a day's ride below Princeton, and is settled by the Harmonists from Butler county, Pennsylvania. The Harmony society have, within a very few years, made extensive purchases of public lands, for which they paid two dollars an acre. Such has been the success of these people in agriculture, that in 1818, from a field of 150 acres, they reaped no less than 6,000 bushels of wheat; being at the rate of forty bushels an acre. In some countries, land is worth twenty or thirty years purchase; in Indiana, a single crop pays about twenty times the price of the land, They have a very extensive establishment for the manufacturing of wool, and their merino cloth is not surpassed by any in America. They also cultivate the vine.

POSEY COUNTY is situated south of Gibson, bounded on the east by the county of Warwick, on the south and west by the Ohio and Wabash rivers. It contains rich and extensive prairies; but the banks of the Wabash are in many places subject to inundation, both from its own floods, and those of the Ohio, which sets up the Wabash several miles.

WARWICK COUNTY is situated east of the county of Posey, bounded on the east by the county of Perry, on the south by the Ohio river, on the west by the county of Posey, and on the north by the counties of Orange and Knox. It is a level and rich county, watered by several large creeks running into the Ohio, such as Beaver, Pigeon, &c. It is nevertheless but indifferently watered, owing to the early drying up of the streams. The prairies are numerous, but the soil mostly inferior to those border ing the Wabash. The prevailing timber is oak,

PERRY COUNTY is bounded east by Harrison, north by Orange and Washington, west by Warwick, and south by the Ohio river. It is watered by the little river Anderson, and by creeks and runs falling into the Ohio. It was established in 1815.

The best proof of the excellence of the land on the Upper Wabash, is the circumstance of its being the scene of a numerous Indian population. These sagacious children of nature, are good judges of land. they are rarely, if ever, found on a barren soil.

Indeed,

The extent of navigable waters in this state is above 2,500 miles, without including those streams that are boatable less than thirty miles. The distance between Chicago and New Orleans by water, is 1,680 miles, to lake Erie, about 800.-The surplus products of three-fourths of the state will find their way to the New Orleans market. Taking the state of Indiana altogether, it is to be doubted whether any portion of the Union can present more advantages. Intersected or bounded in all directions by navigable rivers or lakes, enjoying a temperate climate, and an immense variety of soil, no country can present a fairer prospect to the industrious and enterprising emigrant, especially if bred to agriculture. Near two-thirds of its territorial surface is yet in the hands of the Indians, a temporary evil that a short time will remedy. When all the extent comprised within the legal limits of this state are brought into improvement, with one extremity upon the Ohio river, and the opposite upon lake Michigan, with intersecting navigable streams, Indiana will be the real link that will unite the southern and northern parts of the United States.

The price of improved lands in Indiana is from five to ten dollars an acre, for farms containing a log-house and fifteen or twenty acres. In some instances the necessities, but in more the rambling disposition of the inhabitants, induce them to dispose of their plantations at a trifling advance upon the original price.

Cotton, Spanish vines, and the silk-worm may be produced in this state; and there is every probability that rice and indigo will succeed between Blue river and the Wabash. Already cotton is raised in considerable quantities at Vincennes, Princeton, Harmony, and the settlements below the mouth of Anderson river; and at no distant period, the Wabash will serve as a canal to supply with cotton a part of the market on the northern lakes.

Deer, turkies, and water-fowls, are abundant; and nature has been very prolific in moles, squirrels, and