Martin's, but owing to mismanagement, or the climate, it has not succeeded well.

The parish of St. Mary is in no place more than ten miles wide, having the sea on one side and lake Platt and the Attchaffallava on the other, which may have an influence on the early frosts, and protect the cane crop till it reaches maturity.

The Tesche lands lie mostly from ten to fifteen feet above the highest swells produced by the Mississippi floods. In the year 1813 and 15, when there were very great freshets, the lakes between the prairies and the Mississippi, and with them the Tesche, rose about eight feet above their common level. But a recurrence of this can scarcely be expected, as the levees on the Great River are rapidly extending, which will prevent its waters from flowing into the lakes. But even if the levees should be demolished, the prairies are too high ever to be inundated.

The Vermillion is never affected by the Mississippi. The lands on its banks (and indeed in every other part of the country except the Tesche) are from 30 to 100 feet above the level of the sea.

Sloops of 100 tons can ascend to the Tesche to Nova Iberia, 60 miles from its mouth, though the produce of the country is seldom carried direct to the ocean, the Tesche, Attchaffallaya communicate with the Mississippi by the Lafourch and Plaquamine-a voyage from any part of those rivers can be easily made to New Orleans in nine days.

Along the coast of Attakapas are found four islands, viz. Belle Isle, Cole Blanche, Grand Cote, and Petite Ance, which bear no resemblance to the main land, and appear to be remnants of some ancient continent. They rise several hundred feet above the tides, and I would suppose originally belonged to a high diversified country.

Be this as it may, they have a very fertile soil and produce the best sugar and cotton of Louisiana. The four islands contain about 7000 superficial acres of good land. There are sugar establishmens on all but Belle isle. There are other islands lying in the Attchaffallya, or Berwick's bay, which have a very good soil, but once

in ten or fifteen years have been liable to be overflowed by the heaviest swells of the Mississippi.

In Opelousas about one third of the population is Americans. In St. Martin's one fifth, and in St. Mary's more than a moiety. The rest are principally French.

Lands throughout the whole country are to be had at a very low rate; though they are rising every day in valGood tracts in the parish of St. Mary's, with plenty of wood, may be had for two and three dollars the acre.

ue.

With a salubrious climate, a rich soil and industrious population, Attakapas and Opelousas will soon not only be called the richest counties of Louisiana, but outstrip in agriculture any section of the union. Such a country is worthy of observation, and with the hope that the remarks I have made may result to the advantage of emigrants, I submit them to my countrymen.

Comparative Estimate of the

POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES.

The northern and eastern sections of the Union are far less favoured by nature for the production of the fruits of the earth, than the southern and western. And hence emigrations are frequent, and the drain of inhabitants great. And yet the fact is evident, that in New England the population is constantly and rapidly increasing. By comparing the census of 1810 with that of 1820, we perceive a very regular progression, and with very few exceptions, an increase equal to that which might be expected, even without the loss of emigrants. During the ten years mentioned, in Maine, the most barren state in New England, the nett gain of inhabitants was near 70,000 being an addition of nearly one third of its former numbers. The increase was in all the counties. In the same time New Hampshire gained about 30,000, being an increase of more than one ninth of her former numbers, and no loss in either of her counties. In Vermont, the increase was about 18,000, and no loss in any section of the state. In Massachusetts, the gain was 51,000, being

an increase of about one eighth. Berkshire county lost two hundred and seventeen, and Duke's county gained but two. In Rhode Island, the gain was much less than might be expected, considering the flourishing state of manufactures, and the encouragement held out to enterprise. The whole increase was but about 6,000, being one twelfth of her former population. In Newport county, the loss was about five hundred. In Connecticut, the gain was 14,000, being an increase of about one twentieth of its former numbers. Thus the nett increase in the New England states, during ten years, was 183,000..

We come now to the great state of New York, which is divided into four large districts, viz. South, Middle, Eastern, and Western. The gain of inhabitants in the South, during ten years, was nearly 39,000, of which New York city and county received about 27,000. The gain in the Middle district was 37,000. In the Eastern, the increase was 23,000, in which is Washington county,. which lost during this time, nearly six thousand. The greatest increment was in the Western district, which nearly doubled in the aggregate, and some of the counties of which, more than tripled their former numbers. St. Lawrence, Courtland, Broome, and Ontario doubled; and Genesee increased more than four fold. The whole gain in the state was 413,763, which is an addition to the census of 1810, of one half, wanting a fraction. The population of the state may now be fairly estimated at sixteen hundred thousand. New Jersey exhibits a regular progression, having added to her population but thirty-two thousand, each of the counties having contributed about a fair proportion. The addition is about one seventh in ten years. Pennsylvania exhibits a considerable increase during this period, but the result in the different counties is very unequal. Cleafield, Erie, Jefferson, M'Kean, Tioga, and Warren, have about doubled, and some of them more than tripled their numbers, while Cumberland, Dauphin, and Northampton, have lost thousands, and Northumberland, alone, twenty-one thousand, being three thousand more than half its former inhabit-. The whole increment, to the state during ten years, was 239,307, of which Philadelphia city and coun

ants.

ty claim nearly twenty-six thousand. Delaware had gained but seventy-five during this time, the whole population in 1820, amounting to less than 73,000. In Maryland, the following counties diminished about thirteen thousand in ten years, viz. Charles, Montgomery, Harford, Queen Ann, and Dorchester. The whole gain in the state, however, was near twenty-seven thousand, the whole population being more than four hundred and seven thousand.

Having now come in course to the District of Columbia, a particular description may be desirable, at least so far as the principal city is worthy of note.

Washington city, the metropolis of the United States, is pleasantly situated on the N. E. bank of the river Potomac, at the point of land formed by the junction of the Eastern branch, 300 miles from the mouth of the river, and three miles below the head of the tide. It is separated from Georgetown on the N. W. by Rock creek, and Tyber creek passes through the middle of the city. Washington is regularly laid out in streets running due north and south, intersected by others at right angles. Besides these streets, which are from 80 to 110 feet wide, there are avenues, from 130 to 160 feet broad, which di verge from centres in various parts of the city, crossing the other streets transversely. At the points from which the avenues diverge are spacious squares. The ground embraced in the plan of the city is very extensive, but only a small portion of it is yet occupied with buildings.

The principal public buildings and establishments are, 1. The Capitol, which is finely situated on an eminence, commanding a view of every part of the city, and a considerable portion of the adjacent country. According to the original plan, it is to be composed of a central edifice and two wings. The two wings were in a state of considerable forwardness in 1814, when the British army, under general Ross, gained possession of the city, and destroyed them, together with the President's house and other public structures, and an extensive library, which had been purchased for the use of Congress. The wings of the capitol are now rebuilt, and the central building as been commenced. The wings are each 100 feet

square, and the whole building, when completed, will be a magnificent edifice, presenting a front of 362 feet. 2. The President's house, situated about a mile and a half west of the capitol, on the avenue leading to Georgetown. It is 170 feet by 85, and two stories high. 3. Four spacious buildings erected in the vicinity of the President's house, for the accommodation of the heads of the great departments of government. 4. An extensive navy yard, situated on the Eastern branch, which forms a safe and commodious harbour. 5. A fort, which, from the extreme southern point of the land on which the city stands, commands the channel of the Potomac, and, 6. the general post-office, a brick edifice, about a mile W. N. W. of the capitol. The style of the architecture of the capitol is Corinthian, and that of the president's house, Ionic; and both buildings are constructed of free stone. The capitol square is enclosed by a strong and handsome iron railing; and being planted with trees, and otherwise ornamented, will afford a delightful walk for the inhabitants and visiters of the city. The amount expended by the United States on the public buildings, previously to their destruction by the British, in August, 1814, was $1,214,291, and there have been appropriated towards rebuilding the same, $1,207,783.

Besides the buildings and establishments above enumerated, Washington contains a city hall, a theatre, a college, 4 banks, several manufacturing establishments, and 12 houses for public worship, 3 for Presbyterians, 2 for Episcopalians, 2 for Baptists, 2 for Methodists, 2 for Catholics, and 1 for Friends. There is a bridge about one mile long over the Potomac, three over the Eastern Branch, and 2 over Rock creek. The population of Washington in 1800 was 3,210; in 1810, 8,208; and in 1820, 13,247, of whom 3,741 were blacks.

The whole gain in the district, during ten years, was nine thousand.

The southern states except Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, afford but small inducements for the settlement of emigrants. The two former have considerably increased, and the latter nearly doubled her numbers in ten years. Tennessee has increased in the same ratio,