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in 1810, it was 17,242; and in 1820, 27,176, of whom, 7, 55 were slaves, and 6,237 free blacks.

Natchitoches, pronounced Nakitosh, the largest town in the state west of the Mississippi, is on the west bank of Red river, 200 miles above its junction with the Mississippi. The French established it as a military post in 1717, and about one third of the inhabitants at present are of French origin. In the neighborhood are salt springs from which the settlements on Red river are supplied with this mineral. Alexandria, in the parish of Rapide, is a flourishing settlement on the right bank of Red river, 120 miles from its mouth and 80 below Natchitoches. Baton Rouge, in east Baton Rouge parish, is on the east bank of the Mississippi, 15 miles above the efflux of the Iberville, and 140 above New-Orleans. St. Francisville is a flourishing settlement in Feliciana parish, on the Mississippi, 30 miles above Baton Rouge. Madisonville, in St. Tamany parish, is 27 miles north of New-Orleans, on the small river Chefuncti, two miles from the point where it discharges itself into lake Pontchartrain.

History.] Louisiana was first settled by the French in 1699. In 1803 the whole country from the Mississippi to the Rocky mountains was purchased by the United States for about $15,000,000. Soon after the purchase, the present state of Louisiana was separated from the rest of the territory, under the name of the Territory of Orleans. In 1811 the territory of Orleans was made a state, and admitted into the Union, under the name of the state of Louisiana. In 1812 the United States took possession of West Florida, and the part west of Pearl river was incorporated with the state of Louisiana. In December, 1814, the British made an attack on New Orleans, but were repulsed by the Americans under General Jackson, with the loss of about 3,000 men, killed, wounded and prisoners. The loss of the American army is stated at only seven men killed and six wounded.

Population and Religion.] In 1810 the population was 76,556, to which may be added 10,000 as the population of that part of West Florida which was annexed to the state in 1812. In 1820 the whole number was 153,407, of whom 69,064 were slaves, and 10,476 free blacks. Two thirds of this population is settled immediately upon the banks of the Mississippi. In the upper settlements the inhabitants are principally Canadians; in the middle, Germans; and in the lower, French and Spaniards. A few years since the inhabitants were principally Roman Catholics. In 1812 there was not one Protestant church of any denomination in the state. Since that time many have been formed, and the constant introduction of emigrants from the north is effecting a rapid revolution in all the institutions of the country.

State of Society.] In journeying from New-Orleans to the mouth of Sabine river,we meet with men in every stage of civilization. In New-Orleans, and other places on the banks of the Mississippi, the sugar and cotton planters live in splendid edifices, and enjoy all the pleasures that wealth can impart. In Attakapas and Opelousas, the glare of expensive luxury vanishes, and is

followed by substantial independence. In the western parts of Opelousas are found herdsmen and hunters; the cabins are rudely and hastily constructed, and the whole scene recals to the imagination the primeval state of society.

Government.] The legislative power is vested in a general assembly, consisting of a senate and house of representatives. The representatives are chosen for two years, and their number cannot be more than 50 nor less than 25. The senate consists of 14 members, chosen by districts, for four years. The executive power is vested in a governor, who is chosen by the general assembly out of the two highest candidates voted for by the people, and holds his office for 4 years.

Education.] Till very recently education was much neglected. Many of the inhabitants are unable to read or write. The government, however, has now commenced the establishment of schools, academies, and higher seminaries of learning. There is a Catholic college at New-Orleans.

Commerce.] The exports from Louisiana are not confined to its own produce. The bulky articles of all the Western states go down the Mississippi and are cleared out at New-Orleans. The value of the exports has increased with wonderful rapidity. In 1804 it was $1,600,362; in 1806, $3,887,323; in 1815, $5,102,610; in 1817, $13,501,036, or nearly two thirds as much as that of the whole United States in 1791. The number of arrivals and clearances at the port of New-Orleans, during the year ending October 1st, 1817, was 1,030. During the same year, 1,500 flat bottomed boats, and 500 barges arrived at the city from the upper country.

The difficulty of ascending the rapid current of the Mississippi heretofore prevented New-Orleans from supplying the Western states with foreign merchandize. It was found cheaper to purchase goods in Philadelphia and Baltimore, and transport them by land across the Alleghany mountains, than to stem the rapid current of the Mississippi. But steam boats are now successfully employed in ascending this river, and New-Orleans is rapidly be coming the emporium of the Western country. In 1819 there were 50 steam-boats on the western waters connected with the commerce of that city, and there were at the same time 13 new boats on the stocks.

TENNESSEE.

Situation and Extent.] Tennessee is bounded N. by Kentucky; E. by North Carolina; S. by Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi; and W. by Mississippi river, which separates it from Arkansas territory. It extends from 35° to 36° 30′ N. lat. and from 81° 30′ to 90° 10' W. lon. It is 430 miles long, 104 broad, and contains about 40,000 square miles, or 25,600,000 acres,

Divisions.] The state is divided into 48 counties, of which 26 are in West Tennessee and 22 in East Tennessee.

Fase of the Country, Soil and Productions.] The Camberland mountains, which consist of stupendous piles of craggy rocks, ron from N. E. to S. W. through the centre of the state, dividing it into East Tennessee and West Tennessee. East Tennessee is intersected by several ranges of mountains, but the vallies between the ridges are extensive and fertile. West Tennessee is partly level and partly hilly, and contains much fertile scil, particularly on the banks of the rivers. The principal productions are cotton, tobacco, wheat, hemp, and Indian corn. Climate.] The climate of Tennessee is generally healthy. The season of vegetation generally commences 6 or 7 weeks sooner than in New Hampshire, and continues as much later. Snow falls seldom, and does not lie long. Ten inches is a deep snow, and 10 days an extraordinary term for its duration. Cumberland river has been frozen but 3 or 4 times since the settlement of the country.

Rivers.] The Mississippi forms the western boundary. Its principal tributaries from this state are Obian, Chickasaw, Forked Deer, and Wolf rivers, all of which are small streams. Cumberland river comes from Kentucky, and making a circular bend, passes into Kentucky again.

The Tennessee, properly speaking, rises in Virginia, under the name of the Holston, which runs in a S. W. direction, and crossing the northern boundary of this state receives the Watauga from North Carolina, and, near Knoxville, French Broad river, through a part of the same state, from South Carolina. A little below Knoxville the Holston unites with the Tennessce, which rises in South Carolina, and is comparatively speaking a small river, boatable only 30 or 40 miles. Soon after this junction, the united stream, now bearing the name of Tennessee, receives from the north Clinch river, which rises in Virginia, and is boatable 200 miles. From this grand confluence, the Tennessee, rolling on in a S. W. direction, receives the Hiwassee from Georgia; crosses the southern boundary of Tennessee into the N. E. corner of Alabama; forms the arc of a circle in that state of about 130 miles chord, usually called the Great Bend; recrosses the boundary near the N. W. corner of Alabama; crosses West Tennessee in a northerly direction, and enters Ohio river in the western part of Kentucky, 57 miles from the Mississippi, by a mouth 600 yards wide. It is navigable to the Muscle shoals, in Alabama, 250 miles from its mouth, at all seasons of the year, for the largest row boats. Here it spreads out and becomes so shallow that it is difficult for boats to pass when the water is low. Above the shoals there is no obstruction for 250 miles, till you come to the Suck or Whirl, where the river breaks through the Cumberland mountains. The stream, which a few miles above, is balf a mile wide, is here compressed to the width of about 70 yards. Just as it enters the mountain, a large rock projects from the northern shore, which causes a sudden bend in the river; the water is thrown with great violence and rapidity against the southern shore, whence it rebounds around the point of the rock,

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The whirl is passed without much and produces the whirl. danger or difficulty, the situation of the shore being such, that boats ascending the river may be towed up.-The principal tributary of Tennessee river in West Tennessee is Duck river, which rises in the Cumberland mountains, and running in a direction N. of W. waters a considerable tract of country included between the Cumberland and the southern boundary of the state. It is navigable for boats 90 miles..

Chief Towns Nashville, the capital of Davidson county, is situated on the south side of Cumberland river, in the midst of a very fertile and populous country, and is the largest and most The Cumberland is navigable to flourishing town in the state. this place for vessels of 30 or 40 tons during the greater part of the year, and in the highest floods for vessels of 400 tons. Steam boats ply between Nashville and New Orleans. The town contains 2 banks, several manufactories and about 3,000 inhabitants.

Knoxville is on the north bank of the Holston, 22 miles above its junction with the Tennessee, 4 below the mouth of French Broad river, and 200 east of Nashville. It is regularly laid out, and contains a bank, a respectable academy, 3 houses of public worship, and about 2,000 inhabitants.

Murfreesborough, the capital of the State, is in Rutherford county, 32 miles S. E. of Nashville. It was made the seat of government in 1817. The surrounding country is level, and very fertile, abounding with wheat, cotton, and tobacco. Population, about 1,000.

Education.] There is a flourishing college at Greenville, in Est Tennessee, on French Broad river, 81 miles east of Knoxville. It was incorporated in 1794, and has between 70 and 80 students. Two other colleges were also incorporated in East Tennessee, in 1794; one in Washington county, and the other in Knox, but they are not at present in operation. In West Tennessee there is a college at Nashville, called Cumberland college, under the direction of a president and one tutor.

Population and Religion.] The population in 1790 was 35,691; in 1800, 105,602; in 1810, 261,727, and in 1820, 422,813, of whom 80,095, or nearly one fifth part, were slaves. The slaves are most numerous in the western part of the state. In East Tennessee they constitute less than one tenth part of the popula tion. The most numerous denominations of Christians are Methodists, Baptists and Presbyterians.

Indians.] The Cherokees inhabit an extensive country, includ ed within the chartered limits of North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee, and containing between 15 and 16,000 square miles. They live thinly dispersed over the country, in log cabins, not much inferior to those of the whites in the neighboring settlements. A considerable number of whites reside in the nation, and many have obtained all the privileges of citizenship by marrying female natives. These intermarriages have been so long practised that a considerable part of the tribe are