CAROLINA. 



461 



Kuril. 







Afcricul- 



The i ich bottoms arc overgrown with canes, the 

 leaves of which continue green all winter, and afford 



llent pasture for tattle. 



Of all the United States, North Carolina seems to 

 be farthest removed from that perfection of culture, 

 which is necessary to give it the full advantage of 

 the natural richness of its soil, and the value of its 

 productions. One great cause of its backwardness 

 in .ftricultural improvement, is the want of inland 

 navigation, i n d of proper harbours. The first im- 

 pediment arises nv,* BO much from the smallness or 

 ehallowness of the riven,, as f, O m the bars of hard 

 ^and which block up their mouiVie 



The Chowan river, formed by the confluence of three 

 streams which ri^e in Virginia, is three miles wide 

 where it falls into Albemarle Sound, but narrows 

 very rapidly in its ascent. The Roanoke, though a 

 river of great length, is so extremely rapid, and so 

 full of water- falls, that it can be navigated only by 

 shallops, nor by these more than sixty or seventy 

 miles from its discharge into Albemarle Sound. 

 The Pamlico, or Tar river, flowing into Pamlico 

 Sound, is navigable for vessels drawing nine feet 

 of water, as far as the town of Washington, about 

 forty miles from the coast ; and for scows or flats, to 

 the town of Tarborough, fifty miles farther up. The 

 Neus river, falling likewise into Pamlico Sound, is 

 navigable for ships of considerable burden, about 

 twelve miles above the town of Newbern, for scows 

 fifty miles, and for boats two hundred miles. Be- 

 sides these there are many smaller rivers, all of which 

 are navigable so long as they continue broad enough 

 for a vessel to turn. The Tennessee, too, rolls part 

 of its majestic stream through this state, and receives 

 in its course several tributary waters. In bursting 

 through the Cumberland or Laurel Mountains, it oc- 

 casions a remarkable whirlpool. From an expanse 

 of half a mile, it is here confined to the width of 

 about 100 yards. v Just as it enters the mountain, a 

 large rock, projecting obliquely from the northern 

 shore, renders the channel of the river still narrower, 

 and causes a sudden bend. The water, thrown with 

 great force against the southern shore, rebounds 

 around the point of the rock, and produces the whirl, 

 which is about eighty yards in circumference. In 

 less than a mile below this whirl, the river expands 

 into its usual breadth, and continues to flow in placid 

 beauty, till it mingles with the Ohio. These rivers, 

 if accessible to ships of any magnitude, would great- 

 ly facilitate the internal commerce of North Caroli- 

 na ; but they are unfortunately rendered almost use- 

 less in that respect by the sand bars at their en- 

 trance. 



Nor is this inconvenience compensated by any fine 

 harbours, spacious bays, or bold inroads of the 

 ocean into the country. It has, indeed, some ex- 

 tensive sounds, such as Pamlico, Albemarle, and 

 Core sounds ; but these may be regarded as mere 

 lakes, for the inlets by which they are connected 

 with the ocean are so small, as to be navigable only 

 to boats or small vessels, and admit so little of the 

 tide, that the rivers which flow into the sounds re- 

 ceive not, even at their mouths, the slightest taste of 

 brine. This state cannot boast of one good harbour 

 throughout the whole extent of its coast. It is said 

 that there was formerly an excellent haven in Cape 



VOL. V. PART II. 



Lookout, which, since the year 1777, has been com- North 



plctely fillfd up with land. Tlie best of the bad V"<*tn*. 

 harbours now to be met with in North Carolina, is "^"V""^ 

 Wilmington, which admits vessels of 300 tons bur- 

 den ; but the entrance to it is rendered extremely dan- 

 gerous and difficult, by a large bhoal, to. which ma- 

 nners have given the name of Cape Tear. The ii'-rth- 

 eastern branch of the river Fear is navigable as far 

 as Fayctteville, one hundred miles beyond Wilming. 

 ton, for vessels of eighteen or twenty tons burthen. 

 This is the greatest river navigation in the state, and 

 serves greatly to enliven the trade of Wilmington. 

 A considerable traffic is carried on between this port 

 and the Antilles ; and European goods are convey- 

 ed thither from Charlestown, Baltimore, and Norfolk. 

 The exports of Wilmington amounted, in 1791, to 

 2.58,728 dollars; in 1792, to 262,498 dollars; in 

 1793, to 17 1,569 dollars; in 1794, to 133,167 dol- 

 hrs; and in 1795, to 254,151 dollars. 



Next to Wilmington, the most considerable ports 

 are Newbern and Edenton. Newbern is seated on 

 the river Neus, at its confluence with the Trent, 

 about one hundred miles from the sea, from which 

 the whole coast of North Carolina is separated by 

 long and small islets from Cape Lookout to the bor- 

 ders of Virginia. The exports of Newbern amount- 

 ed, in 1791, to 105,685 dollars; in 1792, to 101,367 

 dollars; in 1793, to 60,695 dollars; in 1794, to 

 69,617 dollars ; and in 1795, to 73,652 dollars. 



Edenton is situated on the river Roanoke, near 

 the point of Albemarle Sound, about 150 miles from 

 the islet which takes its name from the Roanoke. 

 Ships of 150 tons burthen can sail a few miles above 

 Edenton. Its exports amounted, in 1 791 to 92,306 

 dollars ; in 1792, to 87,203 dollars ; in 1793, to 

 59,576 dollars ; in 1794, to 50,648 dollars; and in 

 .1795, to 77,907 dollars. 



From the books of the custom-house, it appears, Commerxo. 

 that in 1791, the total amount of the exports from 

 North Carolina was 524,548 dollars ; in 1 792, 227,899 

 dollars; in 1793, 365,414 dollars; in 1794,321,587 

 dollars ; and in 1 795, 492, 1 6 1 dollars. Of the produce 

 of the back country, a great proportion is conveyed 

 to South Carolina and Virginia : the southern interior 

 counties send their produce to Charlestown, and the 

 northern to Petersburg in Virginia. The exports 

 from the lower parts or the state are tar, pitch, tur- 

 pentine, rosin, Indian corn, boards, scantling, staves, 

 shingles, furs, tobacco, pork, lard, bees-wax, myrtle- 

 wax, with a few other articles. The commerce of 

 North Carolina is chiefly with the West Indies and the 

 northern states. From the former, it receives rum, 

 sugar, and coffee ; from the latter, flour, cheese, cider* 

 appleb, potatoes, ironware, cabinet articles, hats, teas, 

 and dry goods of all kinds imported from Great 

 Britain, France, and Holland. 



Like all the southern states of United America, climate. 

 North Carolina has a considerable diversity of climate, disease*, 

 occasioned by the physical peculiarities of its differ- ^ c> 

 ent parts. In the level part of the country intermit- 

 tent fevers are frequent during summer and auiumn ; 

 which, though seldom immediately dangerous to 

 those whose constitutions are not injured by intem- 

 perance, yet, if neglected at first, invariably bring on 

 other disorders, which destroy the vigour both of 

 mind and body, and generally terminate in death. 

 Sr 



