one thousand millions of acres-watered by several hundred rivers-and containing an extent of upwards of fifty thousand miles of internal ship and boat navigation. It has two thousand miles of lake, one thousand of gulf, and one hundred thousand of river coast. In short, the whole country is one continued network of rivers, intersecting it in every direction.

The author seems to have been pretty well qualified for the work he has undertaken. He professes to have been long acquainted with these regions, to have traversed them in various parts and at different times, and to describe either from personal observation or creditable authorities. We could have wished to see a little more science, and to be made acquainted with some of the varied aspects under which the different kingdoms of nature appear in these unexplored regions. This is a field ample and rich, we are convinced, for the naturalist and the man of science. We could have 'ranged with delight through the forests, and even submitted to the fatigue of clambering mountains, for the sake of gaining some accurate knowledge of the botany, mineralogy, and geology of this country. We are occasionally led, to be sure, into a cave, but it is rather to grope in darkness, and wonder at the strangeness of every thing around us, than for the purpose of any geological or practical observations. But the author seems to have intended only a topographical description, and we are not disposed to be discontented with what he has given us, because we should have been gratified with more. The design is a good one even on this narrow basis. The practice, which has been adopted in a few of the states, of making gazetteers and giving geographical descriptions of small sections of the country, affords the only means of collecting a just account of the whole. We wish only, that it may be made more a matter of publick consideration, and that the governments of the several states would think it of sufficient importance to claim a little of their attention and aid. The task would not be likely then to fall into the hands of individuals, either unqualified, or without sufficient means to perform it. Such a task, to be properly executed, should receive the divided labours of many. Geography, statisticks and science should form separate departments, and be managed by persons respectively adapted to each.

A fault in the work before us, and a serious one, is, that it is not accompanied with a map. Geographical descriptions of places, without some clue to let us know where such places are, other than the mere descriptions themselves, are totally unintelligible and uninteresting. The force of this remark is felt the more strongly in the present case, as many of the places mentioned have never found their way into any map, and not a few of them have never been heard of beyond the narrow limits

of the territory or state in which they are situated; such is the rapidity with which they have grown into notice. And here, in connexion with what has been said above, we may take occasion to say a word on the importance of having accurate maps taken of each state, and if possible, of small sections of each state, from authorized surveys. Few of our old surveys are sufficiently accurate for the purpose. Several states have already gone through the undertaking and published maps not less distinguished by their accuracy, than the elegance of their execution. The best specimens we have seen are a map of New York, by Simeon De Witt, Esq; a large and elegant one of Virginia, by the late bishop Madison; a beautiful map of Connecticut, published from authorized surveys; and a large map of New Hampshire, which perhaps is superiour in beauty and accuracy to any other published in this country. It was the labour of eight or ten years, and was drawn by the late Phinehas Merrill, Esq. mostly from his own surveys, under the direction of Phillip Carrigain, Esq. who was employed by the legislature of the state. Mr. Merrill was a very accurate surveyor, and the territory embracing the White Hills and the vicinity, as well as many other parts of the state, is drawn on the map from his own surveys. Before his death, he had nearly prepared for the press a practical treatise on surveying, which, had he lived to finish and publish it, would have been a valuable acquisition to the art. Price & Strother's map of North Carolina is well executed. It was made from actual survey, and is said to be very correct. We understand that Mr. Mellish has contracted with the legislature of Pennsylvania to construct a large map of that state, and that he intends also to publish a map of each county on a large scale. Howell's map of Pennsylvania is a good one, but imperfect in many parts, which were not settled at the time it was made.

Indian Antiquities. The following account, which we take from the Western Gazetteer, adds something to our former knowledge of those hitherto inexplicable wonders, that are found in such abundance in our western country. We have not room to examine any of the speculations, which have entered the heads of our philosophers and antiquarians on the subject; and if we had, we should hardly expect, where all is conjecture and uncertainty, to afford much amusement or profit to our readers. There is something, however, extremely curious in the inquiry ry itself; although we cannot hope, that any very important or certain results can be drawn from the few facts, which have as yet been given to the world. We can safely infer from them nothing more, than that this immense tract of country, which has every mark of having been for centuries past a desolate wilderness, has been thickly inhabited at some former period by a warlike people, who had made much greater advances in the arts of civilized life, than any of the aboriginal inhabitants of North American, who have been known since its discovery by Europeans. The mounds described below are situated in the town of Harrison, Indiana Territory.

، We examined from fifteen to twenty. In some, whose heights was from ten to fifteen feet, we could not find more than four or five skeletons. In one, not the least appearance of a human bone was to be found. Others were so full of bones, as to warrant the belief, that they originally contained at least one hundred dead bodies; children of different ages, and the full grown, appeared to have been piled together promiscuously. We found several scull, leg and thigh bones, which plainly indicated that their possessors were men of gigantic stature. The scull of one skeleton was one fourth of an inch thick; and the teeth remarkably even, sound and handsome, all firmly planted. The fore teeth were very deep, and not so wide as those of the generality of white people. Indeed, there seemed a great degree of regularity in the form of the teeth, in all the mounds. In the progress of our researches, we obtained ample testimony, that these masses of the earth were formed by a savage people. Yet, doubtless possessing a greater degree of civilization than the present race of Indians. We discovered a piece of glass weighing five ounces, resembling the bottom of a tumbler, but concave; several stone axes, with grooves near their heads to receive a withe, which unquestionably served as a helve; arrows formed from flint, almost exactly similar to those in use among the present Indians; several pieces of earthern ware; some appeared to be parts of vessels holding six or eight gallons; others were obviously fragments of jugs, jars, and cups: some were plain, while others were curiously ornamented with figures of birds and beasts, drawn while the clay or material of which they were made was soft, and before the process of glazing was performed. The small vessels were made of pounded or pulverized muscle shells, mixed with an earthern or flinty substance, and the large ones of clay and sand. There was no appearance of iron; one of the sculls was found pierced by an arrow, which was still sticking in it, driven about half way through before its force was spent. It was about six inches long. The subjects of this mound were doubtless killed in battle, and hastily buried. In digging to the bottom of them we invariably came to a stratum of ashes, from six inches to two feet thick, which rests on the original earth. These ashes contain coals, fragments of brands, and pieces of calcined bones. From the quantity of ashes and bones, and the Vol. VI. No. 1.

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appearance of the earth underneath, it is evident that large fires must have been kept burning for several days previous to commencing the mound.

' Almost every building lot in Harrison village contains a small mound; and some as many as three. On the neighbouring hills, northeast of the town, is a number of the remains of stone houses. They were covered with soil, brush, and full grown trees. We cleared away the earth, roots and rubbish from one of them, and found it to have been anciently occupied as a dwelling. It was about twelve feet square; the walls had fallen nearly to the foundation. They appeared to have been built of rough stons, like our stone walls. Not the least trace of any iron tools have been employed to smooth the face of them, could be perceived. At one end of the building, we came to a regular hearth, containing ashes and coals'; before which we found the bones of eight persons of different ages, from a small child to the heads of the family. The positions of their skeletons clearly indicated, that their deaths were sudden and simultaneous. They were probably asleep, with their feet towards the fire, when destroyed by an enemy, an earthquake, or pestilence.'

The

The late Bishop Watson. This learned divine was born in August, 1737. His father was a clergyman and master of the free grammar school at Haversham, in Westmorland, and by him his education was wholly superintended till he entered the University at Cambridge. Here he early distinguished himself as a scholar, and at the age of twenty-seven became a candidate for the professorship of Chemistry. The following anecdote is related by Dr. Thomson. 'I have been told,' says he, that the late Dr. Paley, who afterwards distinguished himself so much by his writings in the department of moral philosophy and theology, was a candidate for the same chair. Neither of these eminent men had paid any previous attention to the study of chemistry. Dr. Paley boasted at the time, that he was better acquainted with the subject, than Dr. Watson, for he could perform one chemical process at least, since he knew how to make red ink, while his antagonist, he believeď, did not know so much. Dr. Watson, however, carried his election, and began the study of practical chemistry with so much assiduity, that he very materially injured his health. I have been frequently amused with the history of his first chemical campaign. He could not succeed in his earliest attempts at experimenting. His retorts broke, his liquids were spilled, and his

cloths spoiled. But by perseverance he at last got the better of his awkwardness, and acquired the art of experimenting with ease and elegance.'

He was successively made one of the head tutors of Trinity College-Regius Professor of Divinity, with the Rectory of Somersham annexed-presented to a prebend in the church of Ely, and afterwards made archdeacon of that diocess. He had been tutor to the Duke of Rutland, who presented to him the valuable Rectory of Knapton, and soon after procured for him by his influence the Bishoprick of Landaff. This Bishoprick is the poorest in the gift of the crown, and in consequence of the smallness of its revenues he was allowed to retain his Professorship of Divinity, the two Rectories, and his Archdeaconry.

Dr. Thomson, from whose biographical notice of him we take these facts, tells us, that his political opinions were the cause of his never afterwards being advanced to a higher station in the church. He early became a strenuous oppositionist, and during the American war was hostile to the ministerial party then in power, and argued the cause of the Americans with zeal and ability. In short, his political sentiments, during almost the whole of his life, were at variance with those who had the disposal of the church preferments.-He was distinguished as a theological, political, and scientifick writer. His best theological writings are his Apology for Christianity, in answer to the celebrated chapter of Gibbon on the Causes of the Growth of Christianity; and his Apology for the Bible, in answer to Paine's Age of Reason. This book of Paine's was calculated to make a strong impression on the minds of the common people; it was for this class, therefore, that an answer was to be written. In this view Dr. Watson's answer may be considered a masterpiece, both as it regards the skill with which he exposed the weakness and absurdity of his antagonist's arguments, and the ability he displayed in counteracting the baneful effects of the principles by which the phrenzied revolutionists of the day were actuated, and which they were making every effort to disseminate. He also published a collection of Theological Tracts, selected from various authors, in six octavo volumes. This selection is made with great judgment, and is exceedingly valuable to every theological student. It comprises in itself a sort of theological library. Besides these works on theology, Dr. Watson published a large number of sermons.-His political publications also were numerous. He was a warm and active advocate for the abolition of the slave trade. He made strenuous exertions to procure a repeal of the Corporation and Test Acts.He published a letter on the church revenues, in which he recommended, that the bishopricks should all be rendered equal in value, and the smaller livings so far increased, by a proportional deduc