Nitrate of Lime is found in the calcareous caverns of Kentucky, accompanying nitrate of potash, with which it is intimately blended in the earth, on the floors of the caves: it is also sometimes found in delicate accicular crystals, shooting up from the walls and floors of the caverns.—James.
[049] Smithland is now the seat of Livingston County. The deserted settlement three miles below the mouth of Cumberland River was laid out about 1800 by one Coxe; upon the failure of his plans, the site was converted into a farm.—Ed.
[050] See Cuming's Tour, in our volume iv, note 43.—Ed.
[051] The correct name of this stream is Cache River. The French explorers applied the term "cache" (hiding-place) to many streams, probably because of articles hidden there by them. This particular stream is about thirty miles long, being navigable for small boats about a third of the distance.
The town of America was laid off in 1818, with the expectation that it would attain considerable size. For two or three years it grew rapidly; then low water uncovered a long bar which excluded steamers from the landing, whereupon the town declined and practically disappeared, the site now being occupied by but one or two small dwellings.—Ed.
[052] For a description of the Iron Banks, see Nuttall's Journal, in our volume xiii, note 54.—Ed.
[053] Although the range from extreme high to extreme low water amounts to sixty feet perpendicular, in many parts of the Ohio, it does not exceed twenty feet at this place, owing to the width to which the Ohio spreads in this neighbourhood, when the river is high. This may be considered a circumstance much in favour of the place, when compared with the disadvantages most other positions on the Ohio labour under, from inundation in high water, and the difficulty of unlading in low.—James.
[054] Rockport is the seat of Spencer County, Indiana, one hundred and forty miles below Louisville, measured on the river's course.—Ed.
[055] Green River enters the Ohio from the Kentucky side, thirty-five miles below Rockport.—Ed.
[056] On Cherokee purchase, see Cuming's Tour, in volume iv, this series, note 190.—Ed.