North 

 Carolina. 



480 A R O 



between 34- and 36 of north latitude, and 76 and 

 92 of west longitude. As these boundaries, how- 



s - V^ ' ever> are disputed by the Spaniards and Carolinians, 

 it is safer to adhere,' in a geographical description, 

 to the limits which are generally recognised. Ex- 

 clusive of the state of Tennessee, North Carolina is 

 situated between 35 50' and 36' 30' north latitude, 

 and between 76 8' and 83 8' west longitude, being 

 about 450 miles in length, and ISO in its greatest 

 breadth, and containing about 34,000 square miles. 

 Its districts, eight in number, are classed in three 



Divisions, divisions : The eastern districts, Edenton, Newbern, 

 and Wilmington : the middle districts, Fayette, Hills- 

 borough, and Halifax ; and the western districts, 

 Morgan and Salisbury. The eastern districts stretch 

 along the sea coast, from the Virginian line to South 

 Carolina ; the other five include the whole state west 

 of the maritime districts, and the greater part of 

 them extend across the state, from north to south. 

 These districts are subdivided into fifty-eight coun- 

 ties, in the following order : In Edenton are the 

 counties of Chowan, Churrituck, Cambden, Pasquo- 

 tank, Penquimins, Gates, Hertford, Bertie, and Tyr- 

 rel ; in Wilmington are the counties of New Hano- 

 ver, Brunswick, Onslow, Duplin, Bladen ; in New- 

 bern, the counties of Craven, Beaufort, Carteret, 

 Pitt, Hyde, Jones, Wayne, Glasgow, Lenoir, John- 

 ston ; in Halifax, the counties of Northampton, Ha- 

 lifax, Martin, Edgecomb, Warren, Franklin, Nash ; 

 in Fayette, the counties of Moore, Cumberland, 

 Sampson, Richmond, Robeson, and Anson ; in 

 Hillsborough, the counties of Grauville, Pearson, 

 Caswell, Orange, Wake, Chatham, and Randolph ; 

 in Morgan, the counties of Burke, Wilkes, Ruther- 

 ford, Lincoln, and Buncomb ; in Salisbury are the 

 counties of Rockingham, Guilford, Montgomery, 

 Stokes, Surry, Iredell, Rowan, Cabarras, and Meck- 

 lenburg. 



The general aspect of North Carolina is by no 

 means interesting. In its whole width, for about 

 sixty miles from the sea, it is a dead level, varied 

 only by occasional openings in the immense forest 

 with which it is covered. After traversing this te- 

 dious plain, we are at length relieved by the appear- 

 ance of hills and mountains ; from the summits of 

 which we behold a beautiful country, stretching 

 west far beyond the range of vision, watered by 

 the broad stream of the Tenessee, and adorned with 

 forests of lofty trees. The general aspect of this 

 state, which, in all its features, resembles that of 

 SOUTH CAROLINA, will be found more minutely de- 

 scribed under that article. 



In the level part of North Carolina, the soil is but 

 indifferent. On the banks of some of the rivers, 

 however, and particularly of the Roanoke, it is re- 

 markably fertile. Even in the other parts of this 

 champaign country, glades of rich swamp, and ridges 

 of oak- land, of a black and fruitful soil, form an ex- 

 ception to its general sterility. The whole of this 

 level tract abounds with marine productions, which 

 are found by digging a few feet below the surface. 

 The sea coast, the sounds, inlets, and lower parts of 

 the rivers, have invariably a soft muddy bottom. 

 That part of the state which lies west o the moun- 

 tains, extending in length about 500 miles, and up- 



General 



Soil and 

 produc- 

 -tions. 



LIN A. 



wards of 100 in breadth, is, with a few partial ex- 

 ceptions, remarkably fertile, and abounds with oak 

 trees of various kinds, walnut, elm, linn, and cherry 

 trees ; the last of which grows here to such a size, 

 that many of them are three feet in diameter. In 

 the hilly country, the soil and productions are nearly 

 the same as in the northern states. Wheat, rye, bar- 

 ley, oats, and flax, are the crops most generally cul- 

 tivated, and seem to suit well the nature of the soil. 

 Throughout the whole of North Carolina, Indian 

 corn and pulse of all kinds are reared with success. 

 Here is a species of pulse, pretty common in this 

 country, called ground peas, which run on the surface 

 of the ground. To bring them to perfection, they 

 are covered with a light mould, and the pods grow 

 under ground. They may be eaten either raw or 

 roasted, and in taste resemble a hazel-nut. Cotton 

 is planted in considerable quantities, though the cul- 

 ture of this plant might still be greatly increased. 

 As the stalk is killed by the frost, it is necessary to 

 plant it yearly. 



The indigenous productione of tlila country are 

 not unworthy the attention of the botanist and na- 

 turarhistorian. Of the plains in the low country, 

 the large natural growth is almost universally pitch, 

 pine, a tall and beautiful tree, which grows here to a 

 size far superior to the pitch-pine of the northern 

 states. This valuable tree affords pitch, tar, turpen- 

 tine, and various kinds of lumber, which, together, 

 constitute at least one-half of the exports of North 

 Carolina. It is of two kinds, the common, and the 

 long-leaved. The latter differs from other pines, 

 not in the shape, but in the length of its leaves, 

 which are nearly half a yard long, and hang in large 

 clusters. This country produces white and red oak 

 of the finest quality, and its swamps abound with 

 cypress and bay trees. Oak, walnut, and pine, are 

 the most common species of timber in the back 

 country. In the moist gravelly soil, there grows a 

 kind of stunted oak, called by the inhabitants black 

 jack, which seldom exceeds eight or nine inches in 

 diameter. The trees in the low country, near the 

 sea coast, are loaded with quantities of a long spon- 

 gy moss, which, by absorbing the noxious vapour 

 exhaled from stagnated waters, is supposed to con- 

 tribute much to the healthiness of the climate. The 

 hypothesis is supported by experience ; for it ia ge- 

 nerally observed that the country, after being cleared, 

 is less healthful than before. The misletoe frequent- 

 ly engrafts itself upon the trees in the back country. 

 Plums, grapes, strawberries, and blackberries, grow 

 spontaneously in this happy soil. Besides being co- 

 vered with herbage of various kinds, and with a 

 species of wild-grass, it abounds with medicinal plants 

 and roots ; the most valuable of which are the gin- 

 seng, Virginia snake-root, Seneca snake-root, an herb 

 of emetic quality resembling ipecacuanha, and lion's 

 heart, a sovereign remedy for the bite of a serpent. 

 In many places there is found a sensitive briar, which, 

 on the slightest touch of a leaf, turns, and clings close 

 to its stalk, and in about two minutes after, perfectly 

 recovers its former situation. The stalk of this plant 

 dies in winter, but its root survives, and shoots forth 

 a new stalk in spring. To this list of indigenous 

 plants and herbs, we may add the Muscipula veneris. 



2 



Nonl 

 Carolina, 



