549 
‘¢ Tn feveral places circular fortifications 
have been difcovered in the fame country ; 
thefe are conitantly inclcfed with deep 
ditches, and fenced with a breaftwork.— 
From thefe and many other fimilar remains 
of antiquity, one would be inclined to 
think the world much older than has been 
commonly imagined. Several tribes on 
the weftern fide of the great river above- 
mentioned, date their national exiitence 
for more than 20,000 moons back ; and 
the Indians of the Eaftern world go infi- 
nitely farther into the depths of time, 
though both relate many events of thefe 
diftant periods that are evidently mixed 
with fable.” ; 
Without enquiring into the authenticity 
of thefe difcoveries, and the probability of 
the deduction made from them relative to 
the antiquity of the world, it may not 
be improper to ftate, that many other tra- 
veilers into,thofe parts relate a fimilar dif- 
covery of antiquities ; and if the writer 
of this article may be allowed to hazard 
a conjecture upon the {ubject, he thinks it 
probable that America was very popu- 
Jous long before the irruption of Attila 
and his barbarians into the fouthern parts 
of Europe. It is afcertained thar the 
northern extremities of the two continents 
approximate each other within about 
eighteen miles. We may therefore as 
well fuppofe, that, when this “‘ oficiza gen- 
- tium” became overftocked, and migrated 
into Pannonia, Meefia, Dacia, England, 
Italy, France, and Spain, numbers of 
them would have croffed this ftrait be- 
tween them and the Weftern continent ; 
but, perhaps, finding the climate and 
foil in thofe northern parts not equal to. 
thofe which their countrymen difcovered 
in the fouthern parts of the European con- 
tinent, many of them returned, and pur- 
fued that route. Thofe, however, who 
remained, muft neceffarily have difcover- 
ed that the farther they went to the fouth- 
ward, the finer was the foil, and plea- 
fanter the temperature. It is by no means 
improbable that the Mexicans and In- 
dians of the Soathern America have been 
originally thofe barbarians whom the 
warmer latitudes have rendered more 
effeminate. All who have witnefied the 
diftance between the natives no farther 
apart than Maffachufetts and South Ca- 
rolma, muft allow this change to be fill 
more poilible in the favage who migrates 
from his-rude and niggardly climate into 
the midf of a mild and luxuriant .one.— 
The fouthern Indians, then, might quit 
the northern part to their ruder brethren 
who came after them, and thus, by the 
Defeription of the River Miffiffippi. 
[ July 1, 
effecis.of the climate, the gradations of 
the fame people originally from one ficck, 
but feparated, and actuated upon by dif- 
ferent phylfical caufes, may be eafily ac- 
counted for, and the polifhed Mexican 
and favage Mohawk be traced to the fame 
origin. The Mexicans, probably, find- 
ing their northern brethren troublefome, 
threw up thofe circular fortifications be- 
forementioned, and the pyramids were 
the tumuli with which they covered their 
flain; until, tired out with continued car-_ 
nage, they retired fouthward, and left the 
north to their agereflors, who, fettling 
there, became Cherokees, Chickafaws, 
Chottaws, 8c. 
Leaving conjecture, it muft be obvious, 
from the immenfity of Iand belonging to 
the United States, which the conftituent 
branches of the Mifiiffippi pafs through, 
and for exporting the productions of 
which that river is the enly outlet, as will 
be fhewn prefently, its free. navigation is 
indifpen{ably neceflary to the inhabitants, 
who are at prefent very numerous, per- 
haps 300,000 fouls. ‘They are too rude 
and impatient to bear the reftraint of even 
their own Government, as the two weftern 
infurreétions, on account of the Ameriean- 
Government having laid an excife-duty 
upon diftillation, and which coft nearly 
five millions of dollars to quell, plainly 
difcover ; and there is very Mttle doubt 
but that if their Legiflature had not taken 
prompt and decifive meafures for fettling 
the difference refpe€ting the Tntendant of 
New Orleans refufing the cuftomary right 
of depofit, but that they would, as they ~ 
declared, have marched into Louifiana; 
and done themfelves juftice. 
Ic hath been already faid that the Mif- 
fifippi is the only outlet to the fea for the 
productions of the weitern territory ; the 
reafon-isthis: the lofty Allegheny moun- 
tains crofs the whole of the United States 
lengthwife in a north-eaft and fouth-welt. 
direction, fo that there is no communica- 
tion between the rivers which rife on the 
eaftern fade of them and thele ou the weleann 
ern, Cailed by the inhabitants of the eaft- 
ern parts uliramontane waters. The Vir-= 
ginians have, indeed, entertained ideas of 
a valt undertaking, which is te improve. 
the navigation of the Potomack to the foot 
of the Allegheny mcountain ; and another 
communication is taiked of by means of 
the weftern branches of the Sufquehan- ~ 
nah ; but thefe endeavours may be a long 
while before they are (if ever} carried in- 
to effect; and even if they were to be, 
there muft then be a tedious and expenfive di 
portage or land-carriage over the moun-. 
tain, 
