Near the Kanhawa, there is a remarkable cave, extending entirely through the base of a high mountain, the distance of upwards of two miles. Persons have passed from one side of the mountain to the other, through this subterraneous passage. The earth on the bottom of this cave, is strongly impregnated with nitre; and salt petre, in any quantity, may be made from it.

There are several natural bridges in Virginia, which are sublime curiosities. The most remarkable is over Cedar creek, a branch of James river. The channel, over which it stands, is on the side of a high hill. At the bridge, it is 200 feet in depth, 45 in breadth, and 90 feet at the top, which of course determines the height and length of the bridge, which runs completely across. Its breadth is 60 feet, and its thickness, at the summit of the arch, 40 feet. It is a solid rock of limestone, covered with a deep coat of earth, which gives growth to several large trees.

On another branch of James river, is a remarkably beautiful cascade, called the Falling Spring. The sheet of water, which is 12 or 15 feet broad, falls over a perpendicular rock, 200 feet high. Between this sheet and the bottom, people may walk across, untouched by the falling water.

Remains of ancient fortifications are thickly scattered through the western parts of this state, embracing from 2 to 10 acres each.

The passage of the Potomac through the Blue ridge is one of the most stupendous scenes imaginable; and is worth a voyage across the Atlantic. Yet here, as in the neighborhood of the Natural Bridge, are people who have passed their lives within half a dozen miles, and have never been to survey these monuments of war between rivers and mountains, which must have shaken the earth itself to its centre.

KENTUCKY.

Boundaries. KENTUCKY is an interior state, lying west of Virginia, which forms its eastern boundary, and to which it formerly belonged; south it has the state of Tennessee; west it has Cumberland river, and northwest of the Ohio river.

Extent. Kentucky is 250 miles long, and 200 broad, e extending from 8 to 15° west longitude, and from 36° 30 to 39° 30' north latitude, containing 50,000 square miles. Divisions and Population. This state is divided into

Face of the Country. This country generally lies on a bed of limestone, commonly eight feet below the surface, except in vallies, where the soil is thinner. Along the banks of the Ohio the land is hilly; but in general it is agreeably diversified with vallies and gentle ascending hills, Rivers. The Ohio washes the northwestern side of Kentucky in its whole extent.

Sandy, Licking, and Kentucky rivers rise near each other in the Cumberland mountains, and fall into the Ohio. Licking river runs 100 miles, and is 100 yards wide at its mouth. Kentucky river is very crooked, and after a course of 200 miles, falls into the Ohio by a mouth 150yards wide.

R

Salt river rises from four different sources, and empties into the Ohio.

Green river pursues a western course of 150 miles, and falls into the Ohio by a mouth 80 yards wide.

Cumberland river, after rolling round the mountains in Kentucky and Tennessee 450 miles, passes into the Ohio.

Soil and Productions. The land on the banks of the riv ers is extremely fertile, and covered with timber, where it is not cleared for agricultural purposes. Among the trees are the sugar maple; the coffee tree, which produces a seed similar to coffee; the papaw; the hackberry and cucumber trees, which last bear a fruit resembling the cucumber; the honey locust, black mulberry, wild cherry, the buckeye, and the magnolia. Such is the variety and beauty of the flowering shrubs and plants which grow spontaneously in this country, that at certain seasons the wilderness appears in blossom. The accounts of the fertility of the soil almost exceed belief. Wheat, rye, barley, and almost every kind of grain and cultivated vegetable, are produced in luxuriance. Vineyards are planted in various parts of the state, and promise to be productive. Some cotton is raised, but is seldom brought to perfection.

Minerals. Iron ore abounds in Kentucky. Copperas and alum are also found here; but our information on this subject is very imperfect.

Salt Springs. There are five noted salt springs, or licks, in Kentucky, some of which supply the country with salt. The water is more strongly impregnated with salt than that of the ocean.

Manufactures. There are few manufactures in this state, except articles for domestic use. Iron and salt are the principal. Considerable quantitics of sugar are made from the sugar trees. Paper and oil mills, and some valuable tanneries are erected in different parts.

Literature and Education. While Kentucky belonged to Virginia, the legislature of that state made provision for a college. Another has since been established at Lexington under the direction of a president, two professors in the literary departments, three medical professors, and a professor of law. It has a library of 3000 volumes, and a

philosophical apparatus. Schools are established in the towns, and handsomely supported.

Chief Towns. FRANKFORT, on the north bank of Kentucky river, in Washington county, is the place where the legislature and supreme courts hold their sessions, and is a flourishing place.

LEXINGTON, on the head waters of Elkhorn river, is the largest town in Kentucky; it has several manufactories, five places for public worship, a court house, and a college before mentioned.

LOUISVILLE, seated near the rapids in Ohio river, is a port of entry, and a place of considerable trade.

Curiosities. There are caves in Kentucky of several miles in length, under a fine limestone rock, supported by curious arches and pin.rs.

Springs that emit sulphurous matter have been found in several parts of the country. One is near a salt spring, in the neighborhood of Boonsborough. There are three springs or ponds of bitumen near Green river, which do not form a stream, but empty themselves into a common re*servoir, and when used in lamps, answer all the purposes of the best oil. Near Lexington are found curious sepulchres full of human skeletons. A man near Lexington having dug five or six feet below the surface of the ground, came to a large flat stone, under which was a well of common depth, regularly and artificially stonned.

At the bottom of the falls in the Ohio, is a small rocky island, overflown at high water, which is remarkable for its petrifactions. Wood, roots, and fish bones are found petrified; also a hornet's nest, a bird, and several fish.

TENNESSEE

FORMERLY was the western part of North Carolina, and was ceded by that state to the United States in 1789. It was admitted into the Union as one of the states, in 1796.

Situation and Extent. Tennessee lies between 35 and 36° 30' north latitude, and between 6° 30′ and 15° 30′ west

longitude; 400 miles long, and 104 broad; containing 34,000 square miles.

Boundaries. It is bounded north by Kentucky and Virginia; east by North Carolina; south by Georgia and the Missisippi Territory; west by the Missisippi, which separates it from Louisiana.

Divisions and Population. Tennessee is divided into five districts, Washington, Hamilton, Mero, Robertson, and Winchester, and 38 counties.

In 1800 Tennessee had 105,602 inhabitants, of whom 13,584 were slaves; in 1810, 261,727, of which 44,535 were slaves. The inhabitants chiefly emigrated from Pennsylvania, and that part of Virginia that lies west of the Blue Ridge. The ancestors of these people were generally of the Scotch nation; some of whom emigrated first to Ireland and from thence to America. A few Germans and English are intermixed.

Rivers. The principal rivers are the Mississippi, Tennessee, Cumberland, Holston and Clinch. The tract called the Broken Ground, sends immediately into the Missisippi, the Wolf, Hatchee, Forked Deer, Obrian and Reelfoot, which are from 30 to 80 yards wide at their mouths. There are several smaller ones, and innumerable creeks, some of which are navigable. There is hardly a spot in this country, which is more than 20 miles from some navigable stream.

Mountains. The chief mountains are Stone, Yellow, Iron, Bald, and Unaka, adjoining to one another, from the eastern boundary of the state, and separate it from NorthCarolina; their direction is nearly from northeast to southwest. The other mountains are Clinch and Cumberland. It would require a volume to describe the mountains of this state, above half of which is covered with those that are uninhabitable. Some of these mountains, particularly the Cumberland or Great Laurel Ridge, are the most stupendous piles in the United States.

Soil and Productions. The soil is luxuriant, and will afford every production, the growth of any of the United States. The usual crop of cotton is 800lbs. to the acre, and of corn from 60 to 80, and sometimes 100 bushels. It is asserted, however, that the lands on the small rivers that empty into the Missisippi, have a decided preference