316 Notice of the Peninsula of Michigan. 
a great advantage over the villages of the Peninsula, and west- 
ern part of Ohio, often occupying unhealthy situations. 
The river Detroit, opposite the city, is half a mile wide. 
Below it is divided bya beautiful and fertile isle nine miles 
in length, and is in places so rapid, that it cannot be stem- 
med except with a favourable wind ;—this difficulty will soon 
be obviated by numerous steam-boats traversing the lakes. 
The wet sections of the alluvial plain in the eastern part of 
Michigan, are avoided by settlers from a well-founded ap- 
prehension of the unhealthiness of the region, upon which 
the effect of extensive clearings is yet to be tried. It is ap- 
prehended that a considerable part willremain long in a state 
of nature and insalubrious, as the waters are much confined 
by natural dykes bordering on lakes and rivers, and slowly 
drained by sluggish streams. 
I visited English settlements of thirty years duration, situa- 
ted on the eastern part of the river Rouse, and found scarcely 
a family exempted from fever, and the sickly aspect of the 
inhabitants indicated the unhealthiness of the district. I was 
informed that fever and ague, bilious and intermitting fevers, 
have there increased with the progress of clearing. 
The Rouse in this part of the level country, winds deep and 
slow between high banks from which the ground gradually 
descends to swamps and wet wood-clad basins. The rich 
tillable ground was clothed with good crops, and would bea 
desirable location if attended by health; but the productive- 
ness of the soil, cannot compensate for the annual loss of 
time, and injury of constitution by sickness. Cattle and 
sheep are more subject to disease in this part of the country, 
than on the hills of the interior. 
Large sections of the alluvial plain, capable of being ren- 
dered tillable by draining, and extensively exposing the sur- 
face to the sun, will it is hoped at some future period, sup- 
port a dense and healthy population. The removal of tim- 
ber from streams, and the exhaustion of the vegetable accu- 
mulation by crops, would have a tendency to lessen disease. 
Water procured by sinking wells in the low country is 
generally bad—-Good may perhaps be obtained by deeper 
excavations, and the exclusion of stagnant surface water, 
contaminated by plants and decaying vegetables. 
Much of the flat country I examined, bordering on the rivers 
Clinton and Rouse, and the road to Pontiac, would if cleared, 
afford a fine grazing region. Many cattle are now supported 
