and certainly will not exceed six per centum on Territory: from his long residence in that coun. the amount paid into the Treasury. try and well known talents, I presume. it is the most correct account we have of that section of From these statements the following general re-our country, and may be particularly useful to the sults may be drawn: citizens of the United States, intending to settle there. T. BIRD. That the whole sum that has accrued for internal duties, from the 1st of January, 1814, to the preset time, amounts to about $12,862,197 That the whole of the direct tax of 1814 and 1815 amounts to 7,000,000 Total 15,310,459 That the expenses of collection have been, 1815 1816 Total 224,987 326,624 375,000 926,611 Yours, A Geographical Sketch of the country bordering on the Alabama, and included in the treaty mude between gen. Jackson and the Creek Indians.-By Judge Toulmin. ALABAMA. A river in North America, so called from a tribe of Indians who formerly resided adjacent to it. It takes its rise in the Che rokee nation, near the boundary line between the states of Georgia and Tennessee, and not far from the 35th degree of north latitude, and proceeding in a south-westwardly direction, unites with the Tombigbee, nine miles above the 31st degree of north latitude, and forms with it, the river Mo bile. The junction of the two rivers is about 45 miles from the head of Mobile bay, and the river is navigable thus far, and indeed several miles further, for any vessel which can come up the bay. In the upper part of the bay you cannot count upon more than 11 feet of water at ordinary tides; but when you get into the river, you have generally four or five fathoms to the forks. From the junction to Fort Claiborne, the distance is about 60 miles, and the river is navigable thus far, at the lowest time, for any vessel which will not draw more than six feet of water. The distance from thence to the mouth of the Cahawba, on the western side of the Alabama, is estimated at 150 miles, and the river affords, this place, four or five feet depth of water. From the mouth of the Cahawba, to the forks of the Coose and Talapoose, it is said to be 160 miles, though some do not estimate the distance so great, and the navigation is still good except at two ripples, That have they been faithfully collected and ac-in which, however, there is plenty of water, and counted for. they pass over them with poles. In this part of the river, it is 3 feet deep in the shallowest places. The entire expenses of collection being, on an average, six per centum. That these revenues have been promptly paid by the people. That they have been economically collected, the expenses of collection not exceeding six per centum, a commission which is not greater than The river here loses its name. The eastern that paid in Great Britain, where the population branch being called the Tallapoose, which, exis so compact, and the amount of taxes so great, cept near the mouth, runs through the territory and where, moreover, the government enjoys the still belonging to the Creeks-whilst the western benefits of a long experience. branch of the Alabama is called the Coose. The These facts will serve as an antidote to a fla-Tallapoose is boatable to the great falls, 30 or 40 grant misrepresentation, which seems to have run miles above the fork. About eight miles by wathrough the papers, that the duty on household || ter (though not three in a straight line) above the furniture and watches amounted only to 70,000 junction of the Coose and Talapoose, the two ridollars, which was entirely absorbed in the ex-vers approach very near to each other-and it is penses of collection; the fact being, that the ex-in this point of land that Fort Jackson stands. penses of collection, in this instance, are precisely the same with those incurred in collecting the other duties, and will little, if at all, exceed six per centum. It may be added, that the duty on furniture and watches will probably amount to 220,000 dollars. From thence to the falls of Coose the distance is seven or eight miles; and here the navigation of the Coose may, in the present state of things, be considered as terminating. There is a conti nuation of rocky shoals to Fort Williams, a distance of 50 miles; a circumstance the more to be regretted, as the navigation is not materially ob. structed above, and can be pursued up the Coose to one of its head streams called Gonnesaugab, which is about 46 feet wide, and from the boatable part of which to the boatable part of the Amoy it is but 8 or 10 miles over a firm level country. The Amoy is about 60 feet wide, and is a branch of the Hiwassee, which discharges itself into the the Tennessee, about 80 miles below Knoxville, The distance from Fort Williams to Fort Strother, As to the great falls between Fort Williams and Fort Jackson; it is the opinion of some that they might be rendered navigable, with no very great difficulty. There is water enrough; but the rocky shoals are very numerous. Boats, indeed, loaded with provisions for the troops, did descend the river and pass them during the late Creek war; but the hazard was very considerable, and some of them were destroyed. There are valuable low grounds, or swamp lands, as they are called, on the Alabama, from its junction with the Tombigbee, covered near the river with gigantic canes; but falling off afteronwards into lower lands, less susceptible of cultivation called cypress swamp. High cane brake land in this lower country could no doubt be profitably cultivated for the sugar cane, but it is scarcely settled at all even up to the old Indian line, near Tensaw, 20 miles above the fork of Tombigby and Alabama; for there are but few private claims on the river, and the public lands have never yet been offered for sale. When you get beyond the old line, the country is well settled near the river, and the settlement continues 20 miles above Fort Claiborne; but the best bodies of land do not As to the time it takes to navigate the Alaba- come in till you get 35 or 40 miles above that ma, it may be stated, that to go from Mobile to place. The land is then good across from the Fort Jackson, a distance of about 420 miles, it Tombigby to the Alabama, but somewhat bro- ́ ́ will take from a month to six weeks, according | ken. to the state of the river. A barge with five hands, and carrying 125 barrels, has gone from Mobile to Fort Jackson in 30 days; but it was reckoned a remarkable good trip. The business, however, is new, and experience will probably lead to expedition. About 60 miles above Fort Claiborne, vast bodies of stone coal present themselves to the observation of the traveller, and fine blue grindstone grit of the best quality is also found in great abundance. Coal is likewise found on the Cahawba, Tombigbee and Black warrior. The Coose, under the name of Connesaugah, A great many families are now settled on the Estenaury, Hightour, &c. runs probably about Cahawba, (a western branch of the Alabama) and 150 miles (estimating the distance by land) the lands on that river, are equal in point of quathrough the Cherokee territory, in the north-lity, to those of any part of the country ceded by western corner of the state of Georgia. It then the Creek Indians to Gen. Jackson. In the year proceeds through the middle of what till lately was 1810, general Gaines, then captain of the 2ď rethe Creek country in the Mississippi Territory of giment of infantry, explored the country between the United States; and did not enter the country the waters of the Tombigby and those of the Alaoccupied by white people, till within about 20 bama and Cahawba, for the purpose of marking miles of its junction with the Tombigbee. But a way for a road on the dividing ridge from St. g by the treaty which terminated the war with the Stephens to the Tennessee river, & across the same Creek Indians in August, 1814, the Coose river to Knoxville. After proceeding 125 miles from St. was made the boundary line between the lands of Stephens, he was surrounded by a large body of the Creeks and the lands of the United States || Creek Indians and compelled to abandon the enfrom the Ten Islands on the Coose river, to We- terprize. He found the country, however, capatamke, or the great falls near Fort Jackson. ple of affording a very good road. It is now statFrom Wetumke, the line runs across eastward-ed that from the place where he was stopped, the ly about 18 miles, then southwardly across the distance is about 70 miles to Turkey town in the Tallapoose to the mouth of Ofuskee and up Cherokee country, north of the Alabama, (not the Ofuskee ten miles, and thence South 49, the Turkey town mentioned in the maps) through 16, East 67 miles to the mouth of the Su- a beautiful level valley of rich upland, and that muchichóba, on the Chattahouchee, 46 miles from Turkey town to Kingston on the Tennessee, above the 31st degree of north latitude, or the it is about 150 miles more. boundary line between the Mississippi territory and West Florida, and from the mouth of Sumuchichoba, due east through the state of Georgia, to the Altamaha, two miles east of Goose creek. The whole of the Creek country, west and south of the Alabama, and the line above mentioned, was ceded to the United States, by the treaty with Gen. Jackson. That part of the cession which falls within the Mississippi Territory, amounts probably to about seventeen thousand square miles, or about as much as the four states of Rhode Island Connecticut, New Jersey and Delaware. The land however is not generally valuable: a large proportion of it is poor pine land. That which borders on Florida is very indifferent. This route therefore is probably the nearest and most eligible that can be found from Orleans to Washington city, and will hereafter have the advantage of being through a country more generally settled than any which can possibly be found. Of the 125 miles explored by gen. Gaines, the first 60 miles from St. Stephens, principally on the high ground between the Tombigby and Alabama, it is tolerable good pine, oak and hickory land, being that description of land which is considered as favorable to the production of cotton. There are then about 40 miles of the richest sort of upland, covered with poplar, linn, black walnut and oak, together with lofty cane brakes. It lies generally near the heads of the waters of the Tombigby and Cahawba, but is badly waterThe remainder of the 125 miles consists of hilly and in some places stony lands, intersected. by rich vales. There is enough good land however in the ceded territory to support a very respectable popula-ed. tion; and there are already (June 1816) from six to seven thousand souls settled in the county of Monroe, which includes the whole of the territory relinquished by the Creek Indians, excepting that which lies within the limits of Georgia. Wetumke, that is, the troubled water. East of the Alabama, it is generally a pine country, except on the water courses. Not but that there are at the same time considerable bo dies of rich limestone prairies and other fertile it a doctrine more defensible and much nearer the truth, to say, that comets are cold bodies. In the first place, they are planets which belong to our system; and I am far from believing that they travel in other systems, or that they are warmed by other suns. That they are cold bodies may and well timbered up land, the vicinity of which lution around the sun; of course it will not apto navigable waters, must in a few years render it pear until the year 2255, and must have been a extremely valuable. different body from the one which last appeared. It has already been mentioned, that is general-Four hundred and thirty-nine years remain to be ly a country of poor pine woods between the new elapsed before the truth of this calculation can Indian line (which runs from the Tallapoose to be tested. At that period, in all probability, man the Chattahouchee) and the Spanish line of de-will have arrived to a state of scientific perfectmarcation. It ought, however, to be remarked,ibility, and mind completely preside over matter. that there is good land bordering on the Conecah, Sir Isaac Newton supposes the luminous appearand its different branches, which uniting with the ance of comets is owing to their immense heat, Escambia, falls into the bay of Pensacola, and also and their long tails produced by the velocity with on the river called Yellow water, and on Chauta- which they fly. I have adopted an opinion imhatche or Pea river, which empties itself into St.mediately in conflict with this hypothesis. I think Rose's bay. These water courses afford not only good low grounds but moderate bodies of pretty good up land, particularly near the Indian line; and it is to be observed, that although the maps represent them otherwise, they all extend and branch out, far up into the country. The Alabama country forms a part of the dis-be argued from the point which they approach trict of Washington in the Mississippi Territory, our hemisphere, at the north pole, or nearly so, which now comprehends, it is believed, about 33 and, previous to their appearance, may have been thousand square miles (excluding Indian lands) travelling for many centuries through intensely and is divided into eight counties, one of which, cold parts of space. They revolve around the however, contains as much land as four of the sun in very long eliptical orbits, extending far northern states. One Judge only exercises the beyond the sphere of the Georgian planet; this judicial functions in the whole of this immense planet revolves round the sun in 83 years and country, besides performing the duties of a fede-about four months, and is distant from the sun ral judge in all cases in which the United States one thousand eight hundred and thirteen millions of are concerned. The only port of entry is the English miles. I infer from its being at such an town of Mobile, but the greatest share of mer-immense distance from the sun, that it must be cantile business appears at present to be concentrated at the infant town of St. Stephens, about 80 miles above Mobile. || a region intensely cold, and that in consequence of the feebleness of the rays of light which reach that planet, it is provided with six satellites, for the purpose, no doubt, of multiplying the principle of light. How far the elliptical orbits of comets extend beyond the Georgium Sidus, ima The Governor, Secretary and public officers, generally reside near the Mississippi, about 300 miles west of the Alabama; and the Legislative body also holds its annual sessions near the wes-gination is at a loss to conceive, perhaps twenty tern limits of the territory. PHILOSOPHICAL. times farther (or more) than this planet is from the sun. From this astonishing and almost inconceivable distance which they recede from the sun, the great source of light and heat, I necesFrom The Patriot, printed at Glasgow, Ken. sarily infer that they are coid bodies. A body of matter travelling so long, through such intensely Strictures on the Newtonian doctrine of Comets. cold parts of space, very naturally incline us to A few years ago a comet appeared in our he-believe, that cold would be its temperature. It misphere: I recollect to have heard a variety of is by no means problematical to say, place two opinions expressed on the occasion: many consi- bodies in contact of different degrees of tem dered it as ominous of some important event ||perature, and they will at length assume a degree which would take place, either in the natural or of temperature which shall be common to both. political world. Very often a heated imagination, Again, we should be very naturally inclined to or a disordered understanding, combined with ig-suppose, that if the brilliancy of comets resulted norance and superstition, will depict the most from the quantum of caloric contained in them, frightful forms, and infer the most awful events, that there would be a great increase of splendour, from appearances which are perfectly consonant when they come into the neighbourhood of the with the order of things in the material universe. sun, from an increase of the caloric principle, The appearance of a comet is not a recent phe-and of course would be more brilliant when leavnomenon. Philosophers of past ages have re-ing our hemisphere, than in their first approach: corded their visibility. Sir Isaac Newton has but the reverse of this is precisely true. given us a detailed account of one which appeared in his day, (in 1680) and his opinions have obtained (with a few exceptions) very general credibility: how far they are comportable with truth, or the laws which govern matter, future investigations, aided by the light of improved science, will demonstrate. The altitude of comets from the earth, their extreme point of distance from the sun, their perihelium, their velocity, and how long they are in performing a revolution around the sun, are questions of difficult developement. The great Newton has told us, that the one in 1680 would be 750 years in completing a revo The last comet was most luminous when it first appeared, and in its recession from the sun became less splendid, and finally left us scarcely perceptible; which I think goes to prove that its splendour does not depend upon any assignable, or supposed degree of heat, and if, by the torch of improved science, this, in future, shall be es tablished, the Newtonian doctrine of caloric must vanish in empty hypothesis. To predicate that heat must exist in comets from their luminosity, would lead us, upon a parity of reason, to infer the brightness of the moon, stars, and planets from the same cause. We are informed by Sir Isaac, that the comet in his day was (if my recol- and mention of Vulcanists and Neptunists, requestlection is correct) 200,000 times hotter than reded of me an explanation of these systems. Withhot iron. I must confess my mind is unable to out pretensions to any profound knowledge of grasp how, or by what means, he ascertained geology, I should have hesitated at the task, if a such an immense degree of heat: perhaps it was very learned dissertation had been necessary; but with this great man merely hypothetical. This trusting that my fair inquirer had too little ac assignable degree of heat must be explained inquaintance with science to expose my errors, if conformity with their first appearance, with their she would, and too much good nature to do it, if variety of shades during their continuance, and she could, I attempted a brief exposition of the finally with their great loss of splendour when subject. leaving our hemisphere. The great Newton ac- Among the heathen divinities, there were two counts for the luminous tail of comets from the of great eminence, whose names have been borvelocity with which they fly. The evidence ad-rowed by geologists, as very convenient to deduced to establish this position, appears to me ||signate their different theories. Neptune was the not sufficiently satisfactory to an inquiring mind. God of the sea, the brother of Jupiter, and drove The comet in 1680 seems not to have travelled about the capricious element he ruled, in a large with so much velocity as has been generally sup-shell, drawn by sea horses, of a breed which are posed; it was four months and a few days passing now extinct, except in the designs of artists. He through our hemisphere, from the 3d of Novem-carried in his hand a fork with three prongs, ber until the 9th of March: (and from its near called a trident. As the god himself has not been approach to our earth the inhabitants were greatly seen for some centuries, a very famous nation, alarmed) from its remaining visible so long, we who have driven very furiously over the ocean, may fairly conclude that the rapidity with which without the aid of horses, had long claimed to it #lies is not much greater than some other of be in possession of his trident, which has been the celestial bodies. Our earth is 12 months in called "the sceptre of the globe." The world performing a revolution round the sun, the has generally acceded to this pretension, though comet 4 months in passing through our hemis- || having driven with too much violence, and too phere, therefore the difference of velocity is only little caution, against some who were travelling as one to three. the same rout, it is supposed, that a younger naWe are surrounded with matter, and its tion obtained one of the prongs in a short scuffle modes and properties are all we know about it: which ensued at last, in consequence of frequent we know some bodies are opaque, some semi-altercation. transparent, and others transparent, &c. A Vulcan was more renowned for his skill than great variety of modes, as well as properties, ex-his good fortune. He formed a very brilliant, but ist in matter in our planet; and I think it quite unfortunate matrimonial connexion. His principal probable that other worlds, or other planets, employment was forging thunderbolts for Jupi may be composed of matter so different in their ter, who, like other tyrants, was often in a pass properties and modes of existence, that if we sion. Our fellow townsman, Dr. Franklin, has prowere informed of them, we should want more tected us by one of his discoveries, from the skill senses than we have to understand them. Comets of Vulcan, and the force of Jupiter; and as he may be composed of matter possessing properties also contributed to establish the liberty of our and modes of existence, of which our little minds country, both these exploits have been happily · have no conception. I am inclined to believe commemorated in a well known line in Latin, that comets are transparent bodies, and the lu- which I need not repeat. minous tail which proceeds from them originates Vulcan's workshops were situated near mount from a rational and natural cause, produced by Etna, and he employed a number of gigantic the rays of light from the sun, &c. The tails of journeyman, with only one eye, in the centre of comets are always discovered on the opposite their forehead, called Cyclops. A very particular side from the sun. At night place a candle on account of these people, and the adventures of the table, take a clean tumbler, filled with clear Ulysses among them, you will find in the 9th book: water, place it on the table also, 18 or 20 inches of that most amusing poem, Odyssey. It is immore or less from the candle; let the candle be possible not to remark here, how much the poets the sun, the tumbler the comet, then look on the can make out of the simplest materials. This opposite side of the tumbler from the candle, and story of Vulcan, his labours, and labourers, are you have the tail of the comet. The length of || all derived from one of the earliest iron founders, their converging rays of light behind the tumbler whose workmen, to protect their eyes from the will be shorter or longer, in proportion to the intense heat of the metal, wore a leather mask, squares of distance you move it to or from the which had one large hole in the centre. Homer candle. transformed these poor blacksmiths into monsters, and made them immortal. PHILOCHIMICUS. ON GEOLOGICAL SYSTEMS. From the North American Journal. If the following pages will do for your Journal, I offer them for insertion. They are the amount of a conversation reduced to writing, and, of course, necessarily superficial and imperfect. A lady, whose reading was more among the lighter books of literature than the ponderous ones of science, having met with some allusions to the Vulcanian and Neptunian theories of the earth, Now geologists are divided into two parties: the first say that this globe was formed by the agency of fire, and they are called Vulcanists, from the god of fire. The others maintain that water was the agent, and are called Neptunists, from the god of that element. Perhaps you may obtain some idea of their different theories, by applying them alternately to the formation of that cumbrous, magnificent wedding cake, which stands on the table near us, with all its ornaments of gilded box, motto shells, sugared almonds, &c. &c. In reasoning on its formation, of which I AGRICULTURAL. From the Raleigh Register The general decay of Peach-Trees, occasioned by a really know little more than of that of the earth, which groans under its weight, I will apply, alternately, the Neptunian and Vulcanian theories, to account for its construction. The lady here inquired, whether these theories did not inter fere with the Mosaic account of the creation.I explained to her, that there was nothing irre- Some years past I was about to procure some verent in these investigations; that in the various young Peach-Trees to plant out, but was advised departments of the Old Testament, the most pious that they had become so short lived that it would and learned theologians were undecided what be labor to no profit, and on hearing the same acwas exactly historical, or metaphorical, or inspir-count from many experienced farmers I declined ed; that many parts of it were mysterious, and planting any. However, in the year 1809, an apthe whole an object of faith and veneration; that prentice boy planted a few in the fence corners; men of science, who should be the last to inter- they appeared to grow tolerably well the followfere with any thing religious, conducted their in- ing summer, but nearly all died the year after, exquiries without any reference to that sacred rela- cept some sprouts that came up about the roots, tion: they reasoned precisely as if no such account and the weeds grew very thick about them (which existed. I now suppose to be the only thing that saved To commence with the Vulcanian theory-a them alive, by guarding off the fly) and on repairgeologist of this school would say, that water wasing the fence early in the fall, the next year the not an adequate agent to produce the effects we sprouts were very thrifty, Imoved the fence away witness; that there must be a great central fire and had all the rubbish cleared off, trimmed and to have formed this composition; that the surface dug about them, but in the beginning of winter exhibits the most evident marks of fusion; and in there was a large quantity of gum issued out of penetrating beneath it, there is a black carbona-them just at the edge of the ground, and on scrapceous crust, which is evidently the product of ing it away, there was a small hole in the bark fire; that if it had been the product of water, in- which led to a cavity betwen the bark and wood, stead of the irregular lava which now covers its filled with a jelly composed of worm-dust mixed surface, vegetation would have appeared the mo- with the gum, & a small white worm lodged in it; ment the surface was exposed, and before it could the dirt was immediately taken from about the be wholly desiccated. Whereas, the slow decom- roots of the trees, and all the worms that could position of a volcanic surface is here shown by conveniently be found were carefully extracted, the scanty vegetation that appears; besides, the and towards the spring of the year the dirt was specimens of gold, in a pure state, must have again drawn back in a little hillock round some of been the product of fire. It is quite clear, that them and others left bare. Ashes, stale tan-ooze, if it had not been through the agency of the prin- and a number of things were thrown about the ciple of caloric, which prevades and animates all trees, all which had but a partial effect, for the creation, this production would never have ex- gum was so constantly issuing out as to keep any. isted. application from penetrating to the worm, whilst The Neptunist would say, that there were too the voracious little animal, feasting on the vitals of many appearances to leave any doubt about the the tree, lay safe from annoyance, with the power agency of water; the amygdaloids, mandelsteins, of ascending between the bark and wood, (by. or almond stones, by their rounded and washed gnawing its course) as the earth is raised or scrapappearance, had evidently been rolled in the wa-ed away about the tree, so as to retain a situation. ter, and the incrustation that surrounded them proper for its own health. Thus, the tree, like was the mere induration of the deposit, in which many other unfortunate productions, seems comthey had been left, after the water had receded;pelled by its own nature, not only to cherish, feed that a further convincing proof might be found and protect, but to harbor, foster and defend the in those fossile shells, which would have been cal-corroding and merciless destroyer of its own excined by the fire. These shells resemble no spe-istence. In this manner they continue till about Gigs cxactly, that are now found, and were evi-the latter end of July, when they begin to be dently the tenants of those ancient waters, which found rolling themselves in the wax on the outonce covered the globe, and have since been ex side of the bark, in an erect posture, with their haled or contained within the bounds of the dif-heads just below the surface; the incrustation is ferent oceans. Besides, if water had not held the whole globe in solution, how could they thus be found on its highest surfaces, and imbided so deeply in the interior, forming whole masses of zoolite strata. My interesting inquirer here be came impatient, which the reader may wonder had not been the case sooner, and said, that as this bridal cake was notoriously made with the help of both fire and water, why may not geolo. gists agree to admit the intervention of both, and || thus put an end to the dispute-My dear friend, this would be fatal! science is like love, if there are too many disputes, it expires in a war of words; but if it never excites any discussion, it will be extinguished in apathy. WERNER. For the satisfaction of the learned reader, I suggest that this shell comes the nearest to the species Uva, genus turbo, cochlea alba ventriosa, bidens, Strýs eminentibus, exasperata. about the size of a silk worm's outer coat, with the lower end adhering to the tree at the hole from whence the worm issued; in this, they go through the principal transmutation and become a chrysalis, or yellow insect, with a considerable appearance of wings; they then turn of a dark color, and as the coat or crust dries, it gradually shrinks into a smaller compass, and the aurelia crawls out at the upper end, and then extricates itself from a thin pellicle or skin which it sometimes leaves adhering to the former or outer coat, and comes forth a winged animal of the butterfly kind, but the wings more slender, with a body about an inch and a half long, and horns or feelers, which it holds up in such a manner as to make it wear a fierce appearance; it has also a tube for gathering its nourishment, and is apt to light on buck-wheat; it is all of a bright shining black or |