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cross streets which cut the former at right angles. It has several 
churches, tolerably well built; a new one was began, but on rather 
too large a scale. The pious funds were exhausted; therefore a 
lodge of freemasons undertook the finishing of this grand house, 
and kept it for their own use. The canal is destined to light 
vessels over the Ohio, when they cannot pass the falls on account 
of low water, and are obliged to discharge their cargo. It is ap¬ 
prehended however, that the money invested in the canal will 
not yield a great interest, as the time of service, for w r hich the 
canal is required does not extend beyond three months. During 
six months of the year the Ohio is so low, that not a solitary boat 
can navigate it, and when it rises, it becomes so high, that the 
rocks which produce the rapids are covered, so that vessels can 
go up and down without danger. The labour on the canal has 
been commenced about six weeks. The banks in the neighbour¬ 
hood of the canal are high, and present a beautiful prospect over 
the rapids, and the adjacent region, which is well cultivated and 
bounded by woody hills. 
A second walk with Major Davenport, was directed to the 
north side of the town, where several respectable country houses 
are situated, all built of brick; and then to a handsome wood, 
through which a causeway runs, which is used by the inhabitants 
as a pleasure walk. The wood contains very handsome beech 
trees, sugar maples, sycamores and locust trees, also different 
species of nut-bearing trees. 
The state of Kentucky is involved at this period in consider¬ 
able confusion. A son of Governor Desha, was arrested on a 
charge of having robbed and murdered a traveller the year be¬ 
fore; was tried and found guilty by two different juries. For the 
purpose of screening his son, as was reported, the governor had 
changed the whole court, and filled it anew with his own crea¬ 
tures. There was a prodigious excitement through the state at 
this arbitrary stroke of authority. It was torn by parties; I was 
assured that political struggles, often terminating in sanguinary 
conflicts, were the order of the day ; nay, that this division had 
already given occasion to several assassinations. It is said to be 
almost as dangerous to speak upon the political relations of the 
state, as to converse upon religion in Spain. 
A merchant from Lexington, Mr. Wenzel, a native of Bavaria, 
made me acquainted with an architect, Barret, from New York, 
who has the superintendence over the canal that is going for¬ 
ward. I received some more particular intelligence from this 
person concerning the work. The expense was estimated at 
three hundred and seventy-seven thousand dollars. The labour 
on it began this March, and is to be concluded in the month of 
November of the following year. The length of the canal 
