UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 265 



Divisions. ...The United States are generally comprised under 

 three grand geographical divisions ; the eastern or northern ; the 

 middle ; and the southern states. 



The eastern, commonly called the New England States, compre- 

 hend, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, (including the dis- 

 trict of Maine) Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Whole population, 

 1,417,973. 



The middle states are, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, De- 

 laware, and Ohio. Population, 2,318,136. 



The southern states are, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, North 

 Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Louisiana. Popu- 

 lation, 3,304,788. 



The territories are Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Missis- 

 sippi, and the District of Columbia, containing 123,166 inhabitants. 



The principal part of that portion of the United States, situated be- 

 tween lake Michigan and the river Mississippi, and extending north- 

 ward to the British possessions, remains as yet in the possession of 

 the native tribes. 



Each state is divided into counties, and each county subdivided into 

 townships or towns. 



Aspect of the country. ...The vast ranges of mountains, which 

 form a lofty rampart between the countries of the Atlantic and those of 

 the western waters, appear like a succession of waves, rising one above 

 another, in endless perspective. Here and there a solitary habitation 

 of man may be seen, on their sides and summits, but generally speaking 

 they are still covered with hoary and luxuriant forests, composed of 

 the different species of oak, beech, maple, walnut, acasia, ash, plum, 

 birch, sassafras, poplar, and several species of evergreens. Along 

 the Atlantic, from Long Island to the river St. Mary's, extending 

 from 150 to 200 miles in width, the face of the country exhibits 

 gentle but irregular undulations, intersected by numerous creeks 

 and rivers, and covered with oak, hickory, chesnut, Sec. and also with 

 forests of pines, firs, larches, cypress, and other resinous trees of un- 

 fading verdure. The shores of the Atlantic north-east of the Hudson, 

 are high and rocky ; and the adjacent states exhibit an aspect more 

 rough, abrupt, and broken ; particularly in those parts which lie 

 back towards the mountains. 



West of the Allegany mountains, opens upon the view, one of the 



the North-west Company, who was sent expressly for the purpose of ascertaining 

 their relative positions, in 1798— in lat. 49° 37' north ; and west long-. 94° 31' ;~ 

 and the highest source of the Mississippi in lat. 47° 38' north, and west long. 95<* 

 06'. The latter latitude has since been confirmed by Lieut. Col. Pike, who ex- 

 plored the Mississippi to its source, in the years 1805 and 1806 ; but he has said 

 nothing about the longitude. If our information be correct, the boundary line 

 of the United States, from the Lake of the Woods to the source of the Mississippi, 

 instead of bearing due west must bear south 16° 23' towards the west. The Lake 

 of the Woods has no communication by water, witli either Lake Superior or the 

 Mississippi. Were the boundary line between the United States and the British 

 dominions in North America, to follow the principal waters to their extremities, 

 which seems to have been the intention of the treaty, it ought to pass through 

 Lake Superior to the mouth of the river St Louis, in lat. 46° 45' north, and west 

 long. 92° 10'; thence up the St. Louis to its source, from whence there is a port- 

 age of only 3| miles to the source of the Savannah River, falling into Lake de 

 Sable, which last unites with the Mississippi in lat. 46° north. But this would 

 entirely exclude the Lake of the Woods from the United States, and upwards of 

 housand square miles of territory, — generally represented as inhospitable, 

 barren, and consequently of little or no value. 

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