14 



UNITED STATES* 



2. The Western Country^ or Basin of the Mis si s-^ 



sifipi. 



The country to the west of the Alleghany iiaoun- 

 tains may be termed with propriety the basin of the 

 Mississippi, as almost all the streams that UTigate it, 

 pour their waters directly or indirectly into this 

 river. This basin is bounded on the east by the Al- 

 leghanies; on the west by the Mississippi; on the 

 north by lakes Michigan, Erie, and Ontario; and, 

 lastly, on the south by the Floridas. 



The states contained in the basin of the Missis- 

 sippi, are, western Georgia, Tenessee, Kentucky, 

 the great district north of the Ohio, called theNoith- 

 Western Territory,* and some of the west parts of 

 Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York. 



If this great country be examined more minutely, 

 we shall find, that the nature of the soil, and certain 

 natural limits of rivers and mountains, subdivide it 

 into three large districts, which are very distinct 

 •from each other. 



The first is the country south of the Tenessee, 

 and of the Apalachian chain, which surrounds it, 

 from which the rivers flow into the Gulf of Mexico 

 and ^the lower part of the Mississippi. In its ma- 

 ritime part, which is Florida, the land is perfectly 

 flat, sandy, and barren on the sea-shore ; marshy, 

 forming natural meadows, as it advances inland; 

 and thence rich and fertile, particularly on the 



* Now state of Ohm. 



