KENTUCKY. 



bounded N.W. by the river Oliio, W. by Cumberland 

 river, S by TcnolTce Hate, E. by Sandy river, and a 

 line drawn due S. from its fource, till it ftrikes tlie northern 

 boundary of Teneffee. It lies between 36- 30' and 39 30' 

 N. lat., and between 81° and 89^ W. long., is about 250 

 miles long, and 200 broad ; and contains 50,000 fquare 

 miles. It was well known to the Indian traders many years 

 before its fettlement : a map of it was made from their 

 defcription in 17,2; and it was farther explored in 17,4 

 and 1 769. But it was firit fettled i)v Col. Daniel Boon 

 in 1773 J eredted into an independent ilate by ad of Con- 

 grefs, in December 1790; and received into the Union in 

 June 1792. Kentucky, which was orijrinally divided into 

 two counties, Lincoln and .leiferfon, has been fiiice fubdi- 

 vided into 42, as in the following table. 



In Januai-y 1799, t^'c legidaturc pa/Ted an nB, apporticm. 

 ing reprefentation, and diftributing the Aate into fenatorial 

 dillriiSfts. This aCl provides, that the l-.oufe of reprefcntatives 

 (liall be compofed of 62 members, elecled fi-om the feveral 

 counties, according to the ratio of one for every 5CO 

 qiialified clcdors, and that the fenatorial branch of tiie Ic- 

 gillaturc fliall confill of 24 members. 



The whole extent of tlie uorth-wcftern fide of Kentucky is 

 wafhed by tlie river Ohio ; theprincipalbranchesof which, that 

 ferve to waiter this fertile trad of country, are Sandy, Lick- 

 ipg, Iventucky, Salt, Green, Tenedee, and Cumberland rivers. 

 Tliefe again branch out into rivulets and llre;uiis, which, 

 purfuing different direftions, ferve to fertilize tiie whole 

 country. In the dry feafon, however, many of them dif- 

 appear, and the inhabitants arc dillrcfled for want of water. 

 At the bottoms of thefe water-courfes, the lime-ftonc rock, 

 which is common in this country, appears of a greyidi 

 colour ; but where it is expofed to the air, in its natural 

 Hate, it appears like brown free-Hone. Qi\ the banks of 

 thefe ilreams the Hone has tlie appearance of fine marble, 

 being of the fame texture, and found in great plenty. In 

 tliis country there are live noted falt-fprings or licks, which 

 fnpply abundance of fait for nfe and exportation. The 

 whole country lies upon a bed of lixe-ftone, generally about 

 lix feet below the furface, except in the vallies, where the 

 foil is much thinner. A tract, about 20 miles wide, along 

 the banks of the Ohio, is liiUv, broken lai.d, interfperfeU 

 with many fertile fpots. The reil of the country is agree- 

 ably uneven, formed of gentle afcents and defceiits. The 

 vallies are commonly narrow, and the foil thin and inferior 

 in quality ; and that along the afcendiii)! ground is fre- 

 quently liot much better ; though it is fnffieiently deep for 

 Vegetation, as the i'v/.e of the trees indicates. The foil is either 

 black, or tinged with a brighter or deejier vermilion, or is 

 of the colour of dark aihcs. In many places there arc ap- 

 pearances of potter's clay, and of coal in abundance. Al- 

 though this country is generally hilly or mounlainous, and in 

 many parts barren', it has various plains and Hiips of land 

 tit for paHurage and the rearing of cattle ; and a project 

 has been accompliflied of cutting a road through the molt 

 mountainous part from Kentucky, to pafs by the fwtet 

 fprings in Virginia, and thence to Wincheller, by u liich 3 

 faving is made of 200 miles in diHaiice from the one to the 

 other. This country is well timbered. Of trees of tlie 

 natural growth of the country we may reckon the elm, the 

 beech, the afli, the juniper, the fugar, the coffee, tiie papaw, 

 the hackberry, and the cucumber. The two lall are foft 

 wood, and bear a fruit of the li/.e and Hiape of the encumber. 

 The coffee tree refembles the black oak, and bears a pod, 

 that inclofes a feed, of which isprcpaied a liquor not uidike 

 coHee. Befide thefe there is the honcy-locnll, the black 

 mulberry, and wild cherry, of a large fize. The buck-eye, 

 an exclullvely foft wood, is the horfe chefnut of Europe. 

 The magnolia bears a beautiful blod'om of a rich and ex- 

 quifite fragrance. Such are the variety and beauty of the 

 flowering flirubs and plants, which grow fpontaneoully in 

 this country, that in the proper feafon the wildernefs appears 

 in blolfom. The accounts thai have been given of the fer- 

 tility of the foil in this country have, in fome inllanccs, 

 exceeded belief, snd probably have been exaggerated. How- 

 ever, it is allowed that fome parts of Kentucky, particularly 

 the high grounds, are remarkably good. Tlie lands of the 

 firft rate, it is faid, are too rich for wheat, and will produce 

 50 or 60, and in fome inftances, too buHicLs of good com 

 /)£■»• acre. In common, the land will yield 30 bufltcls of 

 wheat or rye per acre. Barley, oats, flax , hemp, and ve- 

 getables of all kinds, common in this climate, yield ao 

 abundant incrcafe. Cotton is fcldom, and with difiicuUy 



brought 



