After remaining at Pittsburgh two days, I descended the Ohio for a few miles, and then landed on its western bank. The state of Ohio is situated altogether on the west of the river, and is bounded east by Pennsylvania, north by Lake Erie and Michigan Territory, and west by Indiana. The length of the river is about eleven hundred miles, and its average breadth about one half of a mile; in some places, however, its width is about twice this distance. The river is, generally, very deep, sufficiently so for the navigation of large ships. Its aspect is placid and clear; and when the water is high, is expansive and beautiful. It contains a great many islands, and is stored with a variety of fish and fowl. The river sometimes rises forty or fifty feet, and greatly endangers the settlements upon its banks. Sometimes too, the river is low and appears inconsiderable. Its sinuosities are numerous, and in the spring of the year, the abrasive effect of the floating ice and trees upon its banks is very great.
[152] The general aspect of the state of Ohio is rather level than otherwise. There are here no elevations which can be called mountains; but the country is gently diversified. The upper part of it is most hilly. West of Chilicothe it is nearly level. In various parts of the state, there are extensive prairies covered with high grass. Those near the river are small; but those in the interior are from thirty to fifty miles in extent. The soil of the state is, generally, very fertile; but as is the case every where else, some of its lands are sterile, and some unfit for cultivation. Its forests are spacious and elegant. The sycamore trees here are numerous, and some of them surprisingly large. In this and the other western states there is still considerable game; but the hand of civilization having here wantonly destroyed much, a scarcity has, for some time, been experienced.
Most of the western states in a great measure resemble, as to their aspect, the state of Ohio. This whole range of country is better calculated for the production of grain than for the growth of cattle. The pastures here, however, are rich; and the woods so abound with nuts, that immense herds of swine are raised in them without the least expence. The climate, judging from the general appearance of the inhabitants, I should suppose much less healthy than that of New-England; and in particular situations the fever and ague, and bilious fevers are very prevalent.
In travelling from Pittsburgh to New-Orleans, I sometimes moved upon the rivers, and sometimes marched in the woods. In the latter the traveller is, during the summer season, greatly annoyed by musquetoes. Having no covering, I was often employed during the whole night in defending myself against them. Here I may observe, that from the [153] time of my leaving Pittsburgh to my arrival at New-Orleans, I slept in the open air about thirty nights. The night dews did not affect my health.
The boats which float upon the river Ohio are various:—from the ship of several hundred tons burthen, to the mere skiff. Very few if any very large vessels, however, are now built at Pittsburgh, or indeed at any other place on the Ohio. They were formerly built on this river, particularly at Pittsburgh and Marietta; but the difficulties incident to getting them to the ocean, have rendered such undertakings unfrequent.
An almost innumerable number of steam boats, barks, keels, and arks, are yearly set afloat upon this river, and upon its tributary streams. The barks are generally about one hundred tons burthen, have two masts, and are rigged as schooners, and hermaphrodite brigs. The keels have, frequently, covered decks, and sometimes carry one mast. These and also the barks are sometimes rowed and sometimes moved up the river by poling, and by drawing them along shore with ropes. The flat boat or ark is of a clumsy construction; but very burthensome. Its foundation consists of sills like those of a house, and to these is trunneled a floor of plank. The sides are of boards loosely put together, and the top is covered in the same way. The bottom of the boat, and so much of the sides as come in contact with the water, are caulked. Some of this kind of boat will carry four or five hundred barrels of flour, besides considerable quantities of bacon, cheese, and other produce. On the deck of the ark are two large oars, moving on pivots, and at the stern there is a large stearing oar. The progress of the ark is principally in floating with the current; and the oars are seldom used excepting for the purpose of rowing ashore.
[154] The business carried on by boats, on the Ohio and Mississippi, is immense. The freight of goods up and down these rivers is high; and the freighting business here is exceedingly profitable. No property pays so great an interest as that of steam boats on these rivers. A trip of a few weeks yields one hundred per cent upon the capital employed.
The arks, and, generally speaking, the keels, when they reach New-Orleans, seldom return up the river again. The former are sold for lumber.
The current of the Ohio is about four miles an hour. That of the Mississippi is rather quicker.
On the river Ohio, nearly opposite to Louisville, there are rapids, the descent of which is about twenty-three feet in the distance of two miles. Owing to this circumstance many boats do not return from below this place. This difficulty, however, is about to be removed by a canal, which will give to the river, at this place, another direction.[[143]] This is the only considerable obstruction in the whole course of the Ohio.