the 20th of June and the 20th of October, than in the other eight months

in the year.

One caufe of thefe difeafes is, a low marshy country, which is overflowed for the fake of cultivating rice. The exhalations from these ftagnated waters-from the rivers-and from the neighbouring ocean-and the profufe perfpiration of vegetables of all kinds, which cover the ground, fill the air with moisture. This moisture falls in frequent rains, and copious dews. From actual obfervation it was found that the average an nual fall of rain for ten years was 42 inches; without regarding the moisture that fell in fogs and dews. The great heat of the day relaxes the body, and the agreeable coolnefs of the evening invites to an expofure to thefe heavy dews. But a fecond, and probably a more operative caufe in producing difeafes, is the indolence of the inhabitants. On this, phyficians fay, more than on any unavoidable injurious qualities in the air, are chargeable the difeafes fo common in this country. The upper country, fituated in the medium, between licat and cold, is as healthful as any part of the United States.

Rivers.] This ftate is watered by four large, navigable rivers, befides a great number of fmaller ones, which are paffable in boats. The river Savannah washes it in its whole length from north-weft to fouth-east. The Edifto rifes in two branches from a remarkable ridge in the interior part of the ftate. Thefe branches unite a little below Orangeburgh, which ftands on the North Fork, and form Edifto river, which, having paffed Jackfonfburgh, branches and embraces Edifto ifland.

Santee is the largeft, and longest river in this ftate. It empties into the ocean by two mouths, a little fouth of Georgetown. About 120 miles, in a direct line from its mouth, it branches into the Congaree and Wateree; the latter or northern branch paffes the Catabaw nation of Indians, and bears the name of the Catabaw river from this fettlement to its fource. The Congaree branches into Saluda and Broad rivers. Broad river again branches into Enoree, Tyger and Pacolet rivers; on the latter of which are the celebrated Pacolet Springs. Just below the junction of Saluda and Broad Rivers, on the Congaree, ftands the town of COLUMBIA, which is intended to be the future feat of government in this state.

Pedee river rifes in North-Carolina, where it is called Yadkin river. In this ftate, however, it takes the name of Pedee, and receiving Lynche's creek and Wakkamaw river, paffes by Georgetown, which it leaves on the caft, and 12 miles below, it empties into the ocean. All the forementioned rivers, except Edifto, rife from various fources in that ridge of mountains which divides the waters which flow into the Atlantic Ocean from thofe which fall into the Miflifippi.

The rivers of a fecondary fize, many of which are no more than arms of the fea; the others rifing from fwamps or favannahs, are Caafaw, Combahee, Wakkamaw, Afhley, Cooper and Black rivers.

The tide, in no part of the state, flows more than 25 miles from the fea

fhore.

Mountains.] The Tryon and Hogback mountains, are 220 miles northweft from Charlefton, in latitude 35°, and longitude 6° 30' from Philadelphia. The elevation of thefe mountains above their bafe is 3840 feet; and above the fea coaft 4640.-The afcent from the fea-fhore being

eight times as great as the difference between the fphere of the horizon and that of an even plane, there is exhibited from the top of these mountains an extensive view of this ftate, North-Carolina and Georgia. And as no object intervenes to obftruct the view, a man with telescopic eyes, might difcern veffels at fea. The mountains weft and north-welt rife much higher than these, and form a ridge, which divides the waters of Tennesfee and Santee rivers.

Harbours.] The only harbours of note are thofe of Charleston, Port Royal and George-town. Charleston harbour is fpacious, convenient and fafe. It is formed by the junction of Afhly and Cooper rivers. Its entrance is guarded by Fort Johnfon. Twelve miles from the city is a bar, over which are four channels: One by the name of Ship Channel, has 18 feet water; another 161, the other two are for fmaller veffels. The tide rifes about 9 feet. Port Royal has an excellent harbour, of fufficient extent to contain the largest fleet in the world.

The entrance into George-town harbour is impaffable to large fhips, which is a great obftruction to the growth of that place.

Iflands.] The fea coaft is bordered with a chain of fine fea islands, around which the fea flows, opening an excellent inland navigation for the conveyance of produce to market.

The principal of these are James Island, oppofite Charleston, on which are about 50 families. Further fouth-weft is John's Ifland, larger than James. Next is Edifto. Each of these islands has a Prefbyterian church.

On the other fide of St. Helena found, from Edisto, lies a cluster of iflands, one of the largest of which is Port Royal. Adjacent to Port Royal lie St. Helena, Ladies Ifland, Paris Ifland, and the Hunting Islands, 5 or 6 in number, bordering on the ocean, fo called from the number of deer and other wild game found upon them; and over across Broad river, is Hilton Head Island. All these islands, except the three first mentioned, belong to St. Helena parish.

The foil and natural growth of thefe iflands are not noticeably different from the adjacent main land. They are in general favorable for the culture of indigo.

Civil Divifions.] The proprietors who firft fent fettlers to Carolina, divided it into counties and parishes. The counties were generally named after the proprietors. No county courts, however, were established, and this divifion, though for a long time kept up in the province, became in a great measure obfolete, previous to the revolution. Since the revolution, county courts have been established, and the ftate is now divided into dif tricts and counties-and the counties are fubdivided; in the lower country, into parishes-and in the upper country, into fmaller or voting dif

tricts.

There are seven districts, in which are 35 counties, as follows:

Counties

CAMDEN DISTRICT, weft of ORANGE DISTRICT, weft of

The committee appointed by act of affembly to divide the districts into counties, were directed to lay them as nearly 40 miles fquare as was practicable, due regard being paid to fituations, natural boundaries, &c.

As the lower country was originally fettled by people from Europe under the proprietary government and influence, all the then counties were divided into parishes. And even now, although the old counties are done away, the boundaries altered, and new ones established, the divifion of pa rifhes fubfifts in the three lower diftricts, the people choose their fenators and reprefentatives by parifhes, as formerly. But in the middle and upper diftricts, which were fettled by people of various nations from Europe. but principally by northern emigrants, parishes are hardly known, except perhaps in Orangeburgh diftrict. In thefe diftricts the people vote in finall divifions as convenience diétates.

Chief Towns.] CHARLESTON is the only confiderable town in South Carolina. It is fituated on the tongue of land which is formed by the confluence of Afhley and Cooper rivers, which are large and navigable. Thefe rivers mingle their waters immediately below the town, and form a fpacious and convenient harbour, which communicates with the ocean at Sullivan's ifland, feven miles fouth-eaft of the town. In thefe rivers the tide rifes, in common, about five feet. The continued agitation which this occafions in the waters which almoft furround Charleston, and the refreshing fea breezes which are regularly felt, render Charleston more healthy than any part of the low country in the fouthern ftates. On this account it is the refort of great numbers of gentlemen, invalids from the West India Ilands, and of the rich planters from the country, who come here to spend the fickly months, as they are called, in queft of health and of the focial enjoyments which the city affords. And in no part of America are the focial bleffings enjoyed more rationally and liberally than in Charlef ton. Unaffected hofpitality-affability-eafe in manners and addrefs-and a difpofition to make their guests welcome, eafy, and pleafed with themfelves, are characteristics of the refpectable people of Charleston.

The land on which the town is built is flat and low, and the water brackifh and unwholefome. The inhabitants are obliged to raise banks of earth as barriers to defend themfelves against the higher floods of the fea. The ftreets from eaft to weft extend from river to river, and running in a ftraight line, not only open beautiful profpects each way, but afford excellent opportunities, by means of fubterranean drains, for removing all nuifances and keeping the city clean and healthy. Thefe ftreets are interfected by others, nearly at right angles, and throw the town into a number of fquares, with dwelling houfes in front, and office-houfes, and little gardens behind. Some of the streets are conveniently wide, but most of them are much too narrow, efpecially for fo populous a city, in fo warm a climate. Befides there being a nursery for various difeates from their confined fituation, they have been found extremely inconvenient in cafe of fires, the deftructive effects of which have been frequently felt in this city. The houfes which have been lately built, are brick, with tiled roofs. Some of the buildings in Charleston are elegant, and most of them are neat, airy, and well finifhed. The public buildings are an exchange, ftate houfe, armoury, peor houfe, two large churches for Epifcopalians, two for Congregationalis or Independents, one for Scotch Prefbyterians,

two

two for the Baptifts, one for the German Lutherans, one for the Methodifts, one for French Proteftants-befides a meeting houfe for Quakers, and two Jewish fynagogues, one for the Portuguefe, the other for the German Jews. There are upwards of a thousand Roman Catholics in Charlefton, but they have no public building for worship.

In 1787, there were 1600 houfes in this city, and 9600 white inhabitants, and 5400 negroes; and what evinces the healthiness of the place, upwards of 200 of the white inhabitants were above 60 years of age.

Charleston was incorporated in 1783, and divided into 13 wards, who choose as many wardens, who, from among themfelves, elect an intendant of the city. The intendant and wardens from the city council, who have power to make and enforce bye laws for the regulation of the city.

BEAUFORT, on Port Royal island, is the feat of juftice in Beaufort diftrict. It is a pleafant, thriving little town, of about 50 or 60 houses, and 200 inhabitants, who are diftinguifhed for their hofpitality and polite

nefs.

GEORGE-TOWN, the feat of juftice in George-town district, stands on a fpot of land near the junction of a number of rivers, which, when united in one broad ftream, by the name of Pedee, fall into the ocean 12 miles below the town. Befides thefe, are Puryfburgh, Jackfonfborough, Orangeburgh, Wynnsborough, Cambridge, Camden and Columbia, the intended capital of the ftate, which are all inconsiderable villages of from 30 to 60 dwelling houfes.

General face of the Country.] The whole ftate, to the distance of 80 miles from the fea, is level, and almoft without a ftone. In this distance, by a gradual affent from the fea coaft, the land rifes about 190 feet. Here commences a curiously uneven country. The traveller is conftantly afcending or defcending little fand hills, which nature feems to have difunited in a frolic. If a pretty high fea were fuddenly arrefted, and transformed into fand hills, in the very form the waves existed at the moment of transformation, it would prefent the eye with just fuch a view as is here to be feen. Some little herbage, and a few fmall pines grow even on this foil. The inhabitants are few, and have but a fcanty fubfiftence on corn and fweet potatoes, which grow here tolerably well. This curious country continues for 60 miles, till you arrive at a place called The Ridge, 140 miles from Charleston. This ridge is a remarkable tract of high ground, as you approach it from the fea, but level as you advance north-west from its fummit. It is a fine, high, healthy belt of land, well watered, and of a good foil, and extends from the Savannah to Broad river, in about 6° 30′ weft longitude from Philadelphia. Beyond this ridge, commences a country exactly refembling the northern ftates. Here hills and dales, with all their verdure and variegated beauty, prefent themselves to the eye. Wheat fields, which are rare in the low country, begin to grow common. Here Heaven has bestowed its bleffings with a moit bounteous hand. The air is much more temperate and healthful than nearer to the fea. The hills are covered with valuable woods-the vallies watered with beautiful rivers, and the fertility of the foil is equal to every vegetable production. This, by way of diftinction, is called the upper country, where are different modes and different articles of cultivation;

where