Arkansas formed a part of Louisiana, and afterward of Missouri territory, till 1819, when it became a territorial government, and in 1836 an independent state. It is divided into 34 counties; and its capital, Little Rock, is a small town. The population is 95,642.

State of Michigan.-This state consists of two peninsulas, separated by the waters of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. The southern division has Lake Michigan on the west, and Lake Huron, the Detroit river, the river and Lake St. Clair, and Lake Erie on the east. It is 280 miles in length, and about 190 in breadth in the southern part, and has an area of 36,000 square miles. The southern peninsula is between lakes Michigan and Huron on the south, St. Mary's river on the east, and Lake Superior on the North-Montreal river on the west. It is 300 miles long, and varies in width from 100 to a few miles. Its area is about 20,000 square miles. In fertility the state is not surpassed perhaps in the world. The northern peninsula has been imperfectly explored, but seems to be far more hilly than the southern. Lake Michigan is 360 miles long and has an area of near 26,000 square miles. Some settlements were made here by the French in the 17th century; and Detroit was an important trading post at an early period Michigan passed into English hands in 1763, and was afterward part of the northwestern Territory. It was made a distinct Territory in 1805, and in 1836 was received into the Union. Population 212,267. In 1835 the population of Detroit was estimated at 8,000. It was be seiged in 1763 by Pontiac a celebrated Ottawa chief. In 1812 it was surrendered by Hull to the British.

Fort Gratiot is a military post of the United States, at the outlet of Lake Huron. There is another on the island of Michilimackinac.

Missouri Territory is nine hundred miles in length, and eight hundred in breadth. It is bounded north by the British possessions; east by the lowa territory, Illinois and Missouri; south and southwest by the territories of the Mexican republic; west by the Rocky mountains. It lies between thirty-four and forty-nine degrees north latitude; and ninety and one hundred and twelve degrees west longitude; its area is estimated at four hundred and seventy thousand square miles. The United States have two military posts in this territory. The mountains of this territory are ranges of the Rocky mountains. The rivers are the Missouri, Rivière de Corbeau, St. Peter's, Cannon, Ioway, Yellowstone, La Platte, Kansas, Osage, Runningwater, Arkansas, Negracka, and Grand Saline. This territory is inhabited by various Indian tribes, whose numbers are not known.

Oregon Territory is a vast country, whose southern boundary is on the forty-second parallel to the Pacific; our northwest boundary is in dispute with Russia; our division from the British possessions is in the forty-ninth parallel. The Pacific is its western limit; Indiana and Missouri territories form its eastern. It lies between forty-one and forty-nine degrees north latitude, and between one hundred and seven and one hundred and thirty west longitude; it contains about three hundred thousand square miles. The Rocky mountains, and the unnamed chain between this range and the Pacific, present great elevations. The chief rivers are the Oregon and its tributaries. This region is claimed by the United States on the ground of priority of discovery and occupation. A settlement called Astoria was formed in

1811 at the mouth of Oregon or Columbia river, by a number of Amer ican citizens. The number of Indian inhabitants is 140,000.

Florida Territory is bounded north by Georgia and Alabama; south and west by the gulf of Mexico, and east by the Atlantic. It extends from twenty-five to thirty-one degrees north latitude; and from eighty degrees thirty minutes to eighty-seven degrees twenty minutes west longitude; its length is three hundred and fifty, and its breadth one hundred and fifty miles. Its area includes about fifty thousand square miles. It is divided into fifteen counties. St. Augustine is the largest town; the other considerable places are Pensacola and Tallahassee. The rivers are the St. Mary's, St. John's, and Appalachicola. The population is fifty-four thousand two hundred and seven.

Wisconsin Territory. This tract stretches from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi river, and from the northern boundary of Illinois to British America. It is a lofty table land, and contains the richest lead deposites in the world. The land is rich and of easy cultivation. It was erected into a territory in 1836. It is a portion of the tract known as the Black Hawk purchase, ceded to the United States by the Sacs and Foxes in 1832.— Population, thirty thousand seven hundred and fifty-two.

Iowa Territory.-This is a tract situated between the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, and reaches from Missouri to British America. This territory, as to soil and surface, resembles that of Wisconsin. It also contains rich lead deposites, and was a part of the Black Hawk purchase. It was erected into a territory in 1837. Population, forty-three thousand and thirty-five.

The Western or Indian Territory.-This region, which has been denominated in official papers the Western Territory, extends from Red river on the south, to the Running Water river and the north fork of the Platte on the north. Its greatest width is 600 miles; and its greatest breadth the same; with an area of 200,000 square miles. It is an extensive region, set aside by the federal government as a permanent home for the Indian tribes. It is truly to be hoped that this original intention of the United States may be carried out in full, both for the honor of our country, and the improvement and happiness of the rude races that may thus pitch their tents in a land they may call their own.

It is a noble region, watered by noble rivers; of which the Arkansas is the chief. It appears by the report of the commissioners on Indian affairs in 1834, that a considerable portion of the land is as good as is found in any of the western states.

The District of Columbia is a territory ten miles square, under the immediate government of Congress. It is divided into two counties and three cities. The cities are Washington, Alexandria and Georgetown. This district lies on both sides of the Potomac, one hundred and twenty miles from its mouth, and was ceded to the general government in 1790, by Virginia and Maryland, within whose territory it was situated. The capital at Washington, from which American geographers often compute their meridian, is in thirty-eight degrees fifty-three minutes north latitude, and seventy-seven degrees one minute and forty-eight seconds west longitude from Greenwich. Population 43,712.

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CHAPTER II.-CITIES AND TOWNS.

Albany is the seat of government for the state of New York, and is situated on the west side of Hudson's river, one hundred and forty-four miles from the city of New York, to which it is next in rank. This city is unrivalled for situation, being nearly at the head of sloop navigation, on one of the noblest rivers in the world. It enjoys a pure air, and is the natural emporium of the increasing trade of a large extent of country west and north. In the old part of the town, the streets are very narrow, and the houses mean, being all built in the Dutch taste, with the gable end towards the street, and ornamented, or rather disfigured, on the top with

large iron weathercocks; but in that part which has been more recently erected, the streets are commodious, and many of the houses are handsome. The Capitol stands on an elevation at the end of the main street, and presents a fine appearance. It is a fine stone edifice, with an Ionic portico in front, supported by columns thirty-three feet in height. The public square adjacent is adorned with beautiful walks and avenues.

The Farmers' and Mechanics' bank and the Albany bank, both at the foot of State street, are both of white marble, and are handsome buildings. There are about sixteen churches in this city. Albany has received more permanent and evident advantages from the canals than any other place in the state. Since 1825, the population has increased from fifteen thousand nine hundred and seventy-one to 33,627. The first settle ment at Albany was made about 1614, when a stockade was built on a spot just below the steam-boat dock. The charter of the city was granted in 1686, a few months before that of New York. The city and township are a mile in breadth, and extend thirteen miles along the river. The neighborhood of Albany abounds in pleasant villages.

Alexandria is a city and port of entry in the district of Columbia, on the west bark of the Potomac, six miles below Washington. It is a pince of some business and resort during the session of Congress, and contains Some fine buildings. Of late, Alexandria has not much increased, notwithstanding it enjoys good commercial advantages. This city is regularly built, and has good streets, well paved and clean. The trade is chiefly in flour. Population about eight thousand four hundred and sixty-two.

Amherst is a town of Hampshire county, Massachusetts, ninety-one miles west of Boston. It is the seat of a college which was incorporated

Amherst College.

in 1821, with the title of Amherst College. This seminary has professors and tutors. Amherst is the seat also of an academy, and a school called the Mount Pleasant Institution. Population, two thousand four hundred and fifteen.

Annapolis, the capital of Anne Arundel county, and the seat of the government of Maryland, is situated at the mouth of the Severn river, about two miles from its entrance into Chesapeak bay, thirty miles south of Baltimore, and forty north-east of the city of Washington. It is a place of little note in the commercial world; but being in a pleasant situation, and commanding a beautiful prospect of the Chesapeak, and the shore on the other side of the bay, it is a very pleasant residence. The houses are built of brick, and for the most part large and elegant, denoting great wealth. The state house is one of the most superb structures in the United States. Here is the seat of the University of Maryland. Population two thousand six hundred and twenty-three.

A

Augusta, capital of Maine, stands on the west branch of the Kennebec river, two miles above Hallowell. It is a pleasant town, and contains some neat public buildings. The new state house is built of granite, and is a very handsome edifice. It contains a spacious hall for the house of repre sentatives, and two smaller ones for the senate and the council. On the side of the river opposite to the state house is the United States Arsenal. consisting of about a dozen buildings of stone, some of which are large

and handsome. This place has considerable trade, and the river below is navigable for vessels of one hundred tons. Population 5,314.

Augusta, capital of the state of Georgia, stands on the south-west bank of the river Savannah, about one hundred and forty miles from the sea. It is regularly built of brick upon a level spot, and surrounded by a fertile country. It has a good trade in cotton, and other productions of the interior. Population, six thousand three hundred and forty-one.

Baltimore is a large city, standing on the north side of the river Patapsco, in Maryland. The basin on which it stands has only five or six feet water at high tide, so that the city can be approached only by small vessels. For large ships, the harbor is at some distance, at a place called Fell's point, where wharves have been built, along side which vessels of six hundred tons burden can lie with perfect safety. Numbers of persons have been induced to settle on this point on account of the shipping; and regular streets have been laid out, with a large market-place. But though these buildings, generally speaking, are considered as part of Baltimore, yet they are a mile distant from the other part of the town.

The city is the chief commercial mart for the country upon Chesapeak bay and its waters. It is finely situated, and regularly built, in great part of brick; the public buildings and monuments indicate great enterprise and opulence.

Baltimore was laid out in 1729, on an area of sixty acres, purchased at forty shillings per acre, and partly paid for in tobacco at a penny a pound. Its progress was slow and unpromising; and in 1752 it contained but twenty-five houses. With its population of more than eighty thousand, it may now be considered the third or fourth city in the union. According to its re-charter in 1816, Baltimore now includes ten thousand acres, and contains a lunatic asylum, three theatres, an exchange, a public library, and forty-five churches.

The Cathedral is built after the Ionic order, on a plan drawn by the celebrated architect Latrobe. Its width is one hundred and seventy-seven, its length one hundred and ninety, and its height to the summit of the cross surmounting the dome, is one hundred and twenty-seven feet. It contains several fine paintings, and the largest organ in the United States. The Merchants' Exchange, built by private subscription for the accommodation of the citizens, is a spacious and splendid edifice.

The Battle Monument is an elegant marble structure, fifty-five feet high, erected in memory of those who fell in defence of the city on the twelfth and thirteenth of September, 1814. The Washington Monument is built of white marble, on an elevation in the north part of the city; it is one hundred and sixty-three feet high, and on its summit is placed a colossal statue of Washington. This monument is embellished with bas-reliefs, and other decorations.

Baltimore is the greatest flour market in the United States. In its immediate neighborhood, are above sixty flour mills, a single one of which has produced thirty-two thousand barrels in a year. Within the same compass are numerous manufactories of cotton, cloth, powder, paper, iron, glass, steam engines, and other articles. The Baltimore and Ohio railroad extends a distance of three hundred miles, from this city to the Ohio river at Pittsburgh. The Baltimore and Susquehanna rail-road is to