THE 
AMERICAN 
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, &e. 
Art. L—Ten Days in Ohio ; from the diary of a Naturalist. 
Introductory Remark. 
Tue following observations are taken from a diary, kept while on 
a journey from Marietta to Circleville, with my family, in May 1832; 
some facts, in relation to the canal, have been since added. As all 
cannot visit Ohio, these remarks may be interesting to those whose 
duty or inclination confines them at home. As Marietta is embraced _ 
‘in the first day, it would be unfair to leave it beaeate: a passing re- 
mark. 
‘MARIETTA. te 
This town, where the diary commences, is located at the conflu- 
ence of the Muskingum with the Ohio river. The scite of the town 
is partly on the river bottoms, and partly on an elevated plain. The 
Muskingum river divides it into two unequal parts, the larger of 
which is on the east side. On the verge of the plain, near the Musk- 
ingum, and half a mile from its mouth, was seated “ Campus Mar- 
tius,”.a strong stockaded fort, built by the Ohio Company ; and the 
residence of the early settlers during the Indian war, which soon fol- 
lowed the occupation of the country. On the west side of this beau- 
tiful river, was seated Fort Harmar; so named in honor of Gen. 
Harmar, the builder and commander of the fort. Drawings of both 
these interesting structures are in the possession of the writer, and 
will at some future day be published, as valuable memorials of for- 
tresses long since crumbled into dust. Back of the elevated plain, 
the country rises into hills, two hundred and fifty feet above the bed 
of the river; they ‘are formed of an argillaceous earth, based on 
sandstone rocks ; they are clothed near their tops with beautiful for- 
est trees, and surround the town on the north and west like a Roman 
amphitheatre. ‘The plain is about a mile in length, and half a mile 
in breadth, and at least one hundred feet above low water ; affording 
Vou. XXV.—No. 2 | 
