The town of Marietta is situated on the east of the junction of the Ohio and Muskingum.[[150]] Its position is pleasant; but it has a deserted aspect, and is rapidly declining. It is not true, that the Muskingum is not subject to inundations. All the banks of the western river are, more or less, exposed to freshets; and this circumstance considerably lessens the value of the lands and buildings upon them. At the mouth of the Muskingum stands Fort Harmar.
The Hockhocking is rather smaller than the Muskingum, and is situated about twenty-five miles below the latter.[[151]] On the banks of this river are quarries of free stone, iron and lead mines, pit coal, and salt springs. There are some fine lands on both of these rivers.
The town of Athens lies on the Hockhocking, about forty miles from the Ohio. It is pleasantly situated, and is the seat of the Ohio University.
The River Scioto is even larger than the Muskingum. It is navigable nearly two hundred miles, and is connected with the river Sandusky, which enters Lake Erie, by a portage of four miles. On the Scioto, about one hundred miles from the Ohio, is the town of Chilicothe.[[152]] This place is the seat of government. Not far from the Scioto, are salt springs, which belong to the state; also coal, free stone, and several kinds of valuable clay.
[161] The town of Cincinnati[[153]] is situated on the east of the Great Miami, near its junction with the Ohio. This town is pleasantly situated, and presents the appearance of much business. It is a very flourishing place. There are several manufactories here, one of which is situated at the foot of the bank, and is eight or ten stories high.
In Cincinnati is situated Fort Washington. This is the first of that chain of forts which extends west. On the eastern branch of the Great Miami is Fort St. Clair; and on the western branches Forts Jefferson and Greenville. On the river Calumet, which enters the Wabash, stands fort Recovery; and just above this fort is the place of St. Clair’s defeat.[[154]]
The Great Miami is the boundary of the state of Ohio on the river of this name. The Great Miami is about three hundred yards wide at its mouth, and interlocks with the Scioto, above Chilicothe. One of its branches runs within four miles of the Miami of the Lake, and within seven miles of the Sandusky. The bed of the Great Miami is stony, and its current rapid. Just above its mouth is fort Hamilton.
There are many small creeks and towns near the Ohio, which in my course I saw and visited; but which furnish no interesting materials for remark. Besides, I am not writing a Gazetteer; and with geography, my fellow-citizens are well acquainted.
I may here speak, as I promised, upon the probable course of the seasons in the west. I am much inclined to believe, that the cold seasons, which the people of New-England have for many years experienced, and which have so much injured the interests of agriculture among us, are passing off to the west; and that the people of the west will, for several years, experience seasons less favourable than usual. My opinion is founded upon the facts, that for the two last years we have experienced more favourable [162] seasons, and the people of the west less favourable ones, in the same comparative proportions. This is a good criterion by which to form an opinion upon the subject. The change of seasons in both sections of the country prove and corroborate each other.
The spring and summer of 1817 were, with us, less unfavourable than usual. The hopes of our farmers, and of those who depend for a sufficiency of provisions upon an abundant market, were considerably revived; and this year we have experienced something like a good old-fashioned season. The golden ears of corn, more beautiful than the productions of the richest mines, have again brightened our fields, and cheered our hearts. Had ungenial seasons continued much longer, this part of the country would have become impoverished and depopulated:—people were going down into Egypt for bread.