monly free from it for ever after, and very health ful. Books that may be consulted on Yellow Fever and other Valentia, Traité de la fiévre jaune d'Amerique, 1811. Hamilton, (Benjamin) on Yellow Fever, Hudson, 1800. Rush, (Dr) in his Works, 5 volumes, 1805. Webster, History of the Plague and Pestilential Diseases, 2 vol. New York, 1814. Curry on the most prevalent Diseases of the United States, 1814. Lining, (Dr) Description of the Yellow Fever at Charleston, 1732, 1739, 1745, and 1748,-1814. Carey's Account of the Yellow Fever at Philadelphia, 1814. Mitchell and Miller, in the volumes of the Medical Repository. Hossack, (Dr) in the Medical Register, 1814. Professors Duméril and Nyster's Report, 1814. Hossack, (Dr) Observations on the Laws Governing the Communication of Contagious Diseases, &c. in 4to, pp. 84, 1815. PART SECOND. CHAPTER VIII. MASSACHUSETTS. * SITUATION.-Between 41° 13′, and 42° 52′ north latitude, and 3° 20′, and 6° 55' east longitude from Washington. Extent.-It extends from the Atlantic Ocean on the east, to the state of New York on the west, and its length, computed by the northern boundary, which separates it from Vermont and New Hampshire, is 130 miles; by the southern boundary, which separates it from Connecticut and Rhode Island, 190 miles. Its general breadth is about 50 miles; its greatest breadth 100; and near Cape Cod it contracts to about 15 miles. Area.-6250 square miles. * A name derived from a tribe of Indians which formerly inhabited the district. Till the Revolution the province was called Massachusetts' Bay. Mountains.-Different ridges of mountains intersect the western parts, one of which, named Hoosack mountain, has an elevation of 3500 feet above the level of the ocean; and Saddle mountain, the highest point of land in the state, rises to 4000 feet. Between these ridges the country is hilly, and, in many parts, incapable of cultivation. The western side of mount Holyoke, three miles from Northampton, is composed of basaltic columns, resembling those of the Giants' Causeway in Ireland, extending to the distance of ten or twelve rods, and rising to the height of from sixty to a hundred feet. The diameter of the prisms, which are truly hexagonal, is from two to five feet.* Soil. The predominating soil of the hills and mountains is a brown loam, mixed with sand, gravel, and clay. That of the plains covered with white pine is a light loam; and in those covered with the yellow pine, it consists of sand and gravel. The valleys which have a rich soil are the only tracts free from loose stones and gravel. In general, the soil of the south-eastern counties is light and sandy, and not so favourable to the purposes of agriculture as the northern, middle, and western parts. The valley of the Connecticut river, from *North American Journal. Boston, No. 3, p. 337. two to twenty miles in breadth, is exceedingly fertile. Temperature.-The climate of Massachusetts is much warmer in summer and colder in winter than in the same parallel of Europe; and the changes of temperature are more rapid. At Salem the difference, during the year, is nearly 115° of Fahrenheit; while at Rome it is but 84°, at Marseilles 69°, and at Padua 88°. The mean monthly variation is about 50° in January, and 34° in July. The daily variation in winter is about 8°; in summer 12° or 13°. The mean temperature, or that of deep wells or caverns, has been ascertained to be nearly 49°. The winter commences about the middle of December, and terminates about the middle of March. During this period the ground is covered with snow, which, in the mountainous parts, is from three to four feet in depth. The thermometer (Fahren.) ranges generally between 43° and 10°, and the mercury has sometimes fallen to 20° below zero. On the 12th of February 1817, in some places, it sunk even to 30°, at sunrise. The ice of the rivers is sufficiently strong to bear loaded waggons; and sometimes the sea is frozen to a considerable distance from the coast. In 1807 the ice that floated down the Deerfield river was two feet nine inches in thickness, and the level ground, near the village of the same name, was frozen to the depth of three feet. This great |