[135] This was Benjamin Parke, a leading man in Indiana under both territorial and state governments. Emigrating from his native state, New Jersey, in 1797, he came first to Lexington, where he studied law, then removed to Vincennes in 1801. He was chosen the first territorial delegate to Congress, but resigned (1808) to become a territorial judge. Upon the admission of Indiana to the Union, he was appointed by President Madison United States district judge with circuit court powers, a position held until his death in 1835. He took part in the battle of Tippecanoe, and was for several years an Indian agent.—Ed.
[136] The capital of Indiana Territory was moved from Vincennes to Corydon in 1813, and remained there until 1825 (see ante, note [100]). Corydon is near the center of Harrison County, twenty-five miles west of Louisville.—Ed.
[137] Mammoth Cave, about ninety-five miles south-west of Louisville, was accidentally discovered by a hunter in 1809. At the present time two hundred and twenty-three of its avenues have been explored, making a total length of one hundred and fifty miles. During the War of 1812-15, salt was manufactured from the nitrous earth in its caverns, and transported across the mountains to Philadelphia and Baltimore. The close of the war rendering this industry unprofitable, the cave has since been used only for exhibition.—Ed.
[138] A description of this cave was written by John H. Farnham, Esq., and by him transmitted to the American Antiquarian Society, instituted by the legislature of Massachusetts.—Flint.
Comment by Ed. “Extract of a letter .... describing the Mammoth Cave, in Kentucky,” in American Antiquarian Society Transactions, i, p. 355.
[139] Since the above was written, a notice of blind fishes has appeared (if I mistake not) in the memoirs of the Wernerian Society of Edinburgh.—Flint.
Comment by Ed. This was a Scottish Society composed of the followers of the German geologist, Abraham Gottlob Werner (1750-1817), who promulgated the doctrine of the aqueous origin of rocks. His followers were known also as Neptunists.
[140] It was common for early Western travellers to mention large trees as indicative of the richness of the soil. Among others, the following mention the great trees of the West: Washington, Harmar, William Brown, Cutler, Harris, Baily, Hildreth, and Birkbeck. Most of these trees were sycamores, such as that monster which Washington measured on his tour in 1770. Some very large apple-trees are also mentioned.—Ed.
[141] For the early history of Vincennes, see Croghan’s Journals, volume i of our series, note 113.—Ed.