The primitive rocks, were generally stopped, in their slow progress, southwardly, by the hills, in the State of Ohio, because, we never saw one of them, in Kentucky or Tennessee; nor did we find them in the southern parts of the State of Illinois.

The same current seems to have swept over all the country, west of the Alleghanies, but it remains doubtful, with the writer, whether any primitive rocks, were transported by it, west of the Mississippi river. Whether primitive rocks are found, between Fort Winnebago and lake Superior, we do not know, not having visited that elevated tract of country, in person.

RIVERS.

The streams of water, which we call rivers, and which originate in this State, are the tributaries, either of Lake Erie or of the river which gives its name to the state.

THE OHIO RIVER,

Assumes that name at Pittsburgh, in western Pennsylvania, at the confluence of the rivers Alleghany and Monongahala. From Pittsburgh, it flows in a gentle current, southwestwardly, nine hundred miles, to the Mississippi river, in latitude 37° north, where it is lost, in the " "great water" as the Indian name implies-Meesyseepee. In a straight line from Pittsburgh, it is six hundred and forty miles to its mouth, in longitude, 120 west of Washington city. Its mean breadth, is about eight hundred yards. Its gentle current, in a common stage of water, is no where great, except at Louisville, in latitude 38° 10' north, where, in about two miles' distance, it descends twenty-two feet. The Louisville canal, obviates these rapids, and promises to be forever useful to all the towns located above it, on the Ohio river. Towards the upper end of this river, are several islands, the largest of which, are Blannerhassett's, below the mouth of the Little Kanhawa; Zane's near Wheeling; and one, a few miles above Steubenville, formerly

owned by General Darke. Between the states of Ohio and Kentucky, there are no islands in this river, worth naming. Those near Manchester, are mere collections of mud. Ten states of the Union, contribute to the volume of water, flowing along in the channel of the Ohio river, to wit: New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama. Its valley occupies eight degrees of latitude, and eight degrees of longitude. It remains impeded by frost, but about two months in the year, from Cincinnati to its mouth. So many of its tributaries rise on its southern side, that it closes late in the year and opens early in the succeeding one. These southern streams have freshets in them, one after another, so as scarcely ever to be all up, at any one time.

When the freshets in the southern branches have done pouring their increased waters into the Ohio, the northern ones begin to pour theirs into it, though, inasmuch as the streams in Ohio state, all rise in about the same latitude, and on the same elevation, they often rise about the same time. The Alleghany and Monongahala branches rise in the Alleghany mountains, among the snows and ices of that Alpine region, and these are the last to swell the Ohio. Those who dwell along the banks of this fine river, know, from the drift-wood, and other indications, what particular stream, has produced the freshet. The Big Sandy, sometimes brings down from its sources, in North Carolina, the reed cane. The hemlock floats from the head waters of the Alleghany. When this last river is up, and it is the last to rise, the rafts of pine boards, descend the Ohio, covered with families, removing into the Western states. These bring along with them, their all-their wives, children, horses, cattle, dogs, fowls, wagons, and household furniture, of all sorts. Sometimes from four to seven rafts, after they have descended to Pittsburgh, unite all together, and float onward to Cincinnati, before they are separated. Wherever the raft is sold, the immigrants either settle down, or land, and move forward in their wagons, to where they wish to settle. Since the introduction of steam boats, the old keel boat, is

seldom seen on the Ohio. And, even the old Orleans ark, is less and less used, every year, while the steamer is employed more and more, to convey persons and their property.

If the surface, drained by any river, gives a very correct idea of the quantity of water, passing off through its channel; the Ohio is as large, as all the rivers in Pennsylvania, NewJersey, New-York and the six eastern states. It rises early in February, and continues up, generally in good order for steamers, until in July or even in August. From that month and frequently, even earlier, it is too low for the navigation of vessels of much burden, during two, or even three months, until the autumnal rains raise it, so as to be in a good navigable condition. It rises and falls, about sixty feet, on an average, along the coast of the state of Ohio. Indeed it rises, even more than sixty feet, sometimes, as it did, early in the spring of the year 1832, when it rose sixty-five feet, and produced immense injury, by carrying off fences, houses, hay and grain. It carried off the bridges on, or near it, across its tributaries. From Wheeling to Cincinnati, this freshet did a vast deal of damage, to all sorts of property. It flooded the lower part of Cincinnati, and drove away, for several days, nearly all the people, residing in the lower part of the city. This was the highest freshet ever known, since the settlement of the western states, by the English. This extraordinary rise, was occasioned, by a rise of all the streams at the same time, which empty into the Ohio, whether originating north or south of its channel. This circumstance was never known to have occured before, and may not occur again, within a century to come. But, we must leave this beautiful river-this Belleriviere, of the early French missionaries and traders, and, notice some of its branches; especially such as originate, in "The Thriving State," and we begin with the

MUSKINGUM,

Which rises and runs wholly within the limits of this state. In Richland county, it originates in a swamp, not over thirty

miles, in a direct line, from lake Erie. The ponds in Portage county, (from whence the Tuscarawas issues, southerly and the Cuyahoga northerly,) are little more than thirty miles distant, in a straight line, from lake Erie. The surface drained by the Muskingum, may be fairly estimated, at about two hundred miles from east to west. It passes wholly, through a hilly region, abounding in the minerals, most useful to man. Its current is gentle, with few rapids in it, and these will soon contribute to put in motion, the machinery of a great number of mills and factories.

On the banks of this river, from its utmost sources to its mouth, fossil coal and iron ore are abundant. In Tuscarawas, alone, these minerals exist in sufficient abundance, for this state during a century to come.

Next, lower down the Ohio river, the

HOCKHOCKING,

Pours its tribute into its parental stream. The Hock-hock-uk, [Bottle river] of the Indians, rises rather north of Lancaster, and after meandering along eighty or ninety miles, finally enters the Ohio river, in Meigs county, some distance below Blannerhassett's island, and twenty-five miles below Marietta. Its size, may be estimated from its valley, which is eighty miles, from north to south, and averaging about fifteen or twenty miles from east to west. Its only rapids are near the town of Logan, called the falls of Hocking.

This stream runs wholly through a mineral, hilly region, where fossil coal, iron ore, and salt water abound.

Into the Ohio river, at Portsmouth far to the west of the Hockhocking, flows the beautiful, mild and gentle

SCIOTO.

It rises, on the high, marshy summit level, between the Erie lake, and the Ohio river, in the counties of Hardin, Marion, Crawford, Union, Delaware and Richland. Its branches

are long and numerous; hence its Indian name, Seeyo toh! "Greatlegs." On the east side of it, empty into it, the Little Scioto, Olentangy, Gahannah, or Big Walnut, Little Walnut, and Salt creeks. On the west side, are Rush creek, Mill creek, Boke's creek, Darby, Deer and Paint creeks, and these are all "longlegs," for their size. They all rise in a comparatively level and alluvial country, except Salt creek.

Where they rise, and also where they flow, the surface of the country, is either level, or very gently undulating. The soil, where these branches rise and run, is as fertile as any can be in the world, producing maize, grass, and grain of all the kinds which are cultivated in this state. At Chillicothe, the Scioto, enters the hilly, sandstone region, and passes through it, to the Ohio river, in a valley, of several miles in width. Above Chillicothe, the Scioto spreads its branches, like the frame work of a fan fully expanded, forming a semicircle, of about seventy miles in diameter at its upper extremity. The Scioto may be estimated by the contents of the surface of its valley. It is one hundred and thirty miles in a direct line, from its summit to its mouth, at Portsmouth. Its breadth from east to west, will average seventy miles. From the town of Delaware, to Chillicothe, a distance of seventy miles, from north to south, in the summer months, the traveler sees the most beautiful country, in Ohio. It is a perfect paradise, waving with grass and and grain as far as his eye can see. The country is animated by a people, living either in beautiful towns, or along the road side on farms. Sometimes are presented to view, large droves of cattle, horses and hogs. From Delaware to Columbus, the road runs near the Olentangy. From Columbus downwards, the traveler almost every where sees the canal, with its boats, he hears the sound of their horns, and sees the Scioto winding its way along to the Ohio river. This is the SCIOTO COUNTRY, famed, in all time, since man dwelt on its surface, for its beauty and fertility. That ancient race of men, who were the earliest inhabitants, dwelt here in greater numbers, than any where else, in the western states. The Indians of the present race, preferred this country, to any other,