MARYLAND. 439 



distinguished from those already described. The hills in the inland 

 country are of so easy ascent, that they rather seem an artificial ihan. 

 a natural production. The climate is generally mild, and agreeably- 

 suited to agricultural productions and a great variety of fruit-trees. 

 In the interior hilly country the inhabitants are healthy; but in the 

 flat country, in the neighbourhood of the marshes and stagnant wa- 

 ters, they are, as in the other southern states, subject to intermittents. 

 The vast number of rivers diffuses fertility through the soil, which 

 is admirably adapted to the rearing of tobacco and wheat (which are 

 the staple commodities of this country) hemp, Indian corn, flax, Sec. 



Population and militia. ...The number of inhabitants has of late 

 years greatly increased, amounting in 1790 to 319,728, of whom 

 103,036 were slaves; in 1801, to 349,692, including 107,707 slaves; 

 and in 1810, to 380,546, including 1 1 1,502 slaves. The militia is 

 about 33,000. 



Chief towns. ...Annapolis, the capital of Maryland, is a small but 

 well situated town, at the mouth of the river Severn. It is seated on 

 a peninsula formed by the river, and two small creeks, and affords a 

 beautiful prospect of Chesapeak bay, and the eastern shore beyond 

 it. This city is of little note in the commercial world j but is the 

 wealthiest town of its size in the United States. The houses, about 

 three hundred in number, are spacious and elegant, and indicate great 

 wealth. The state-house is among the noblest buildings of the kind in 

 the Union. It stands in the centre of the city, from which point the 

 streets diverge in every direction like radii. It contains about 2500 

 inhabitants. 



Baltimore is the largest town in the state of Maryland : in size and 

 commerce it is the fourth in rank in the United States. It is situate 

 on the north side of Patapsco river, at a small distance from its junc- 

 tion with the Chesapeak. The city is built around what is called the 

 basin, reckoned one of the finest harbours in America. The number 

 of the inhabitants of the city and precincts in 1791, was 13,503, in- 

 cluding 1255 slaves, and they have greatly increased since, amount- 

 ing in 1810 to 46,555, with 4672 slaves. 



Frederictown, in Frederic county, is the next in size to Baltimore. 

 It contains seven houses for worship, and about 5000 inhabitants. 

 The next in consequence is Hagerstown, in Washington county. It 

 carries on a considerable trade with the western country, and con- 

 tains a court house, jail, and five churches, with 2100 inhabitants. 



Trade.. ..The trade of Maryland is principally carried on from Bal- 

 timore, with the other states, with the West Indies, and with various 

 parts of Europe. To these places they send annually about 30,000 

 hogsheads of tobacco, besides large quantities of wheat, flour, pig- 

 iron, lumber, and corn ; beans, pork, and flax-seed in small quanti- 

 ties : and receive in return, clothing for themselves and negroes, 

 and other dry goods, wines, spirits, sugars, and other West India 

 commodities. The balance is generally in their favour. The total 

 amount of exports from Baltimore in 1790, was 2,027,777 dollars, 

 and in 1795, 5,8 1 1,379 dollars. In the year 179 1, the quantity of wheat 

 exported was 205,571 bushels. The exports in 1802, amounted to 

 9,151,939 dollars; and in 1810, to 6,489,018 dollars. This city ex- 

 ports a great deal of the pi'oduce of the western parts of Pennsyl- 

 vania. 



GovERNMENT....The government of Maryland is vested in a gov- 

 ernor and house of delegates, which are to be chosen annually, and 



