mounds commands a principal passage to the fort, and the largest one overlooks that which opens to the Muskingum, from which the covert ways extended to the low grounds, where, as I have before observed, the river formerly flowed. "If, therefore, these works, after a lapse of so many ages, still evince such evident signs of skill and design in their founders, it is but reasonable to suppose, that when they were first erected, they were even more perfect, and that they may have been surrounded with pickets, palisades, and other temporary works, which being of a more perishable nature, have entirely disappeared."

One of the small mounds at Marietta, was removed in 1819. In the centre, on a level with the surrounding earth, were found human bones in a stone inclosure; and beside the bones, the remains of a sword, or rather the hilt of a sword, which was of copper, plated with silver.

These mounds and forts appear to have been constructed ages since, by a race of men partially civilized; and skilled in the arts very far indeed beyond the present Indians. By whom they were constructed is altogether a subject of conjecture,

It is the opinion of many judicious persons, that a number of Asiatics crossed Bheering's straits and proceeded S. E. as far as to the Alleghany mountains; and that these forts were constructed to defend them from the natives; by whom the Asiatics were finally overpowered; or with whom they eventually intermixed.

LOUISIANA.

Louisiana was first discovered in 1541, by Ferdinand de Soto. Monsieur de la Salle explored the Mississippi in 1682, and named the country, in honor of Louis the fourteenth, Louisiana. A French settlement was begun in 1699 by Ibberville.

In consequence of the very extravagant accounts, circulated in Europe, of the country about the Mississipi, a large

colony of laborers from Germany, France and Switzerland, (1719) settled on the island of Orleans; but so unhealthy was the district where they had planted themselves, that they perished in a short time by hundreds.

The trade of the country, which was, however, mostly nominal, had been for several years held by a company, till in 1731 it was relinquished into the hands of the French government: in whose quiet possession it remained till 1762, excepting frequent contests with the savages.

1720. The Spaniards of New-Mexico, with intention to overawe the French, diminish their trade with the Indians, and limit their boundaries, laid a plan for planting a large colony on the Missouri. A vast number, to carry into effect this intention, left Santa Fe, and took up their march towards the Missouri, intending to engage the Osage Indians, (a large and warlike nation, several hundred miles above the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri,) to attack the Missouries in conjunction with them, for the pur-pose of taking possession, by force, of their lands.

By some fatal mistake they took a wrong direction; and instead of going to the Osage nation, went to the Missouries. Supposing them Osages, the Spaniards immediately made them acquainted with their intentions; thus giving them full knowledge of their perilous situation.

The Missouri chief, pretending to be the Osage chief, readily agreed to the plan; at the same time informing the Spaniards that it would require forty-eight hours to assemble his warriors. When the time had elapsed, two thousand warriors fell upon the unsuspecting and unprepared Spaniards, and murdered the whole of them in their sleep; the chaplain excepted, whose singular apparel saved his life.

1729. A considerable settlement having been made at what is now called Natches, on account of a tribe of indians of that name who dwelt there, the Indians conspired under the mask of friendship, to destroy the whole French settlement. At a given signal they tell upon them, killed two hundred Frenchmen, and made prisoners of about five hundred women, children and negroes.

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The next year the Governor of Louisiana, with a small French force, and about sixteen hundred warriors of the Choctaw nation, undertook an expedition against the Natchez, The Indians, under pretence of making conditional proposals of surrender, by gaining time, silently evacuated their fort in the night, with their baggage, and the spoils of the last year's massacre.

Their retreat was some time after discovered on the west of the Mississippi. The Indians shut themselves in their fort, but could make no resistance against the French mortars. They were all made prisoners, sent to New-Orleans, thence to St. Domingo, where they were sold for slaves. Thus was this once very powerful nation destroyed.

1736. The communication between Canada and Louisiana had been for some time cut off by the Chickasaw Indians, who opposed the progress of the French up the Mississippi. A party from New Orleans with a large party from Canada, determined to extirpate them. The detachment from New-Orleans not seasonably arriving, the Canadians proceeded to the Chickasaw towns.

The Chickasaws were prepared for them; killed about sixty; took the rest prisoners, and soon after tied them to the stake, tortured them, and burnt them to death. Another expedition was made four years after against the Chicka. saws, with a large army from New-Orleans and Canada; the sight of which made the Indians sue for peace; which was granted; and has ever since been preserved.

In 1764 the inhabitants of Louisiana were informed by the French that their whole country had been ceded to the Spanish by a secret treaty made in 1762. To this measure,

considered by them as impolitic and unjust, they did not submit without great reluctance and great opposition; so that complete possession was not obtained till the 17th of August, 1769.

By the treaty of peace of 1763, to the British was yielded the whole territory east of the Mississippi to the Ibberville, thence through the middle of that river to the lakes

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Maurepas and Ponchartrain, to the gulf of Mexico. The town and delta of New-Orleans were excepted in the cession During the American war Spain took the Floridas. By the treaty of 1783, Great Britain lost what had beenbefore ceded to her, east of the Mississippi, which fell into the hands of the United States.

By the treaty of St. Ildefonso, the province was ceded to France, with the same extent as when France before possessed it. It soon after passed into the hands of France. Of France, it was purchased by the United States in 1803, and in December of the same year, delivered over in due form by, the Spanish commissaries to the French commissioner, and by him to the United States. It was then divided into separate territorial governments. What is now the state of Louisiana, was admitted into the union in 1812. This. State contains about 45.000 square miles.

MISSISSIPPI.

Mississippi has been, for ages. inhabited by the Creek Indians, the Choctaws, Cherokees and Chickasaws Of the extinction of the Natchez, once the most illustrious of all the southern Indian nations, we have already spoken.-. These Indians, but especially the Cherokees, are in a considerable degree accustomed to the habits of civilized life; keeping cattle, horses, sheep. &c.; attending to all the labors of the dairy, the mill, the loom and the plough.

Considerable settlements were made about the Natchez country, by emigrants from the northward, as early as 1779. The territory was erected into a separate government in 1800, like other territorial governments of the U. States. By the census of 1810, it contained forty thousand whites and seventeen thousand slaves. In 1816, it contained 75,764, of whom 30,000 were slaves. It was admitted into the union as an independent state, in 1817.

INDIANA.

Indiana was taken from what was called the Northwestern Territory, in 1801, and made a separate government.

ILLINOIS, ALABAMA, AND MICHIGAN.

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To a great part of the State the Indian title is not yet extinct. Its population, in 1810, was upwards of twenty-four thousand. It became a state in 1816.

ILLINOIS.

Illinois was settled in a few places by the French before the year 1756. It was taken from Indiana territory in 1809, and made a separate territorial government. Its population in 1810, was upwards of twelve thousand. It was ad mitted into the union as an independent State, in 1818.

ALABAMA.

The territory, formerly a part of West-Florida, together with the East part of the Mississippi territory, was admitted into the union as an independent state, in 1820. bile is the capital.

MICHIGAN TERRITORY.

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The Huron tribe of Indians inhabited Michigan territory from remote ages. About the year 1648, missionaries from the Jesuits visited the country; and not long after, built a chapel at the falls of St. Mary's; and another at the island of St. Joseph. Most of the Hurons were converted to Christianity but were wholly extirpated, about twenty years after, by the Six nations, who had long been irreconcileable enemies to them. The place of the Hurons was supplied by the Chippewas, Wyandots, &c. The French built a fort at Detroit, and another at Michillimacinac, or Mackinaw, to protect the fur trade. This territory fell, with Canada, into the hands of the British, and continued in a neglected state, until it was ceded to the U. States at the close of the American revolution.

The fort at Detroit was not, however, given up by the British, till after the ratification of Jay's treaty, in 1795. It was made a separate territorial government in 1805, and Gen. Hull was appointed by Mr. Jefferson its first gov

ernor.