Little Grave creek, one mile north of the former, on ae count of the great number of these mounds which have been discovered in their vicinity; which mounds, both here and elsewhere, are pretty generally supposed to have been cemetries for the dead. One principal reason for this supposition, is the circumstance of human bones having been discovered in most of those which have been examined. Most of these bones presently crumble in pieces or moulder into dust, shortly after being exposed to the air; except in some instances, wherein the teeth, jaw, scull, and sometimes a few other bones, by their peculiar solidity, resist the above described effects of a contact with the air.

Among those places, where are the greatest number, and most prominent and entire of the earthern walls, which are commonly supposed to have been forts and military fortifications, are Granville, and Circleville, in this state, and the land bordering on the Great Kenhawa river, in Virginia, toward its mouth, and from thence down the Ohio, 10 or 12 miles; at the latter place in particular, the country is very thickly bestrown with them. And among these is a mound of similar magnitude with the largest at Grave creek.

The fortifications throughout the western country generally, consist of a circular wall composed of earth, and usually, as steep on the sides, as the dirt could conveniently be made to lie. Sometimes, though rarely, their form is eliptical, or oval, and a few of them are square. Their height is almost infinitely various.Some of them are so low as to be scarcely perceptible; some are from 20 to 30 feet in perpendicular height, while others again are of an intermediate elevation.

But the wall of the same fort, is pretty uniformly of the same height all around. They are likewise equally various in the contents of ground, which they enclose; some containing but a few perches of land; others again contain nearly 100 acres. The number of their entrances or gateways, varies in different forts from one to

consisting of two walls parallel, and adjacent to each other. As to their local situation, it may perhaps, suffice to observe that they are, generally, situated on a comparatively elevated site of ground, adjoining a river or stream of water. Some even among the most learned men, have controverted the idea of their having been designed for forts; but a strong argument in favor of the idea is, that they seem in a majority of instances to have been constructed on such advantageous and commanding ground as a skilful military engineer and tactition would have selected for military positions; still, numbers of them seem to be erected, without any regard to the choice of situation, as it respects eligibility either for offence or defence.

One of the most remarkable collections of these fortifications, is at Circleville, the chief town of Pickaway county. This town derives its name from the circumstance of being laid out within one of the old circular forts, and with circular streets, corresponding with the external fortification. The town plat, however, includes the area of a square fort, adjoining the circular one, on the east, besides two streets circumscribing nearly the whole.

The circular fort consists of two parallel walls, whose tops are, apparently, about three rods asunder; the inner one of which is forty-seven rods in diameter. Between these two walls is a fosse, excavated sufficiently broad and deep, and not more than sufficiently so, to have afforded earth enough for the construction of the external wall alone. From this circumstance, among others, the earth composing the inner wall, is supposed to have been transported from a distance, Another particular, corroborating this supposition, is, there being a level foot way, of about four feet wide, left on the original surface of the ground, between the interior bourn of the ditch, and the exterior base of the inner wall. Although this circumstance is far from being conclusive on the subject; yet, the following fact almost infallibly proves this conjecture to be well founded.

This is, that the interior wall is composed of clay, of which the inhabitants manufacture brick; whereas the

exterior circle is composed of dirt and gravel of a sim lar quality with that which composes the neighborin ground.

There is but one original regular opening or passage into the circular fort; and that is in the east side fron the square one. The latter has seven avenues leading into it, exclusively of that which communicates with the circle; there is one at every corner, and one on each side equidistant from the angular openings. These avenues are each 12 or 15 feet wide; and the walls, on either hand, rise immediately to their usual heighth, which is about 20 feet. The trees which are growing upon these, and all other forts and mounds throughout the country, are, apparently, of equal age and size, and those which are down are in equal stages of decay, with those in like situations, in the surrounding forests.-This circumstance, incontestibly, proves the great antiquity of these stupendous remains of former labor and ingenuity.

The following figure is a representation of the ancient works about Circleville. The black dots, in the square fort, represent the position of eight several small mounds, of about three feet elevation, each.

North.

South.

CHAPTER II.

NATURAL GEOGRAPHY.

LAKES; RIVERS; FACE OF THE COUNTRY, SOIL & PRODUCTIONS; MINERALS; CLIMATE.

LAKES-There are no lakes, of any considerable magnitude, in Ohio; excepting lake Erie, which forms the greater part of the northern boundary of the state. It extends along about two thirds of the northern borders of the state, from its northeastern limits, westwardly, between it and Upper Canada. The jurisdictional line, however, between Canada and Ohio, runs along the middle of it, from east to west. Its circumference, following the various trendings of its shores, is about 600 miles; and its greatest length, in a direct line, from southwest to northeast, beginning at the Maumee bay, and terminating at Buffalo, in New York, is about 270 miles. It covers a space on the earth's surface, of about 11,000 square miles; or above 7,000,000 of acres.

About 160 miles only of this lake, in a direct line, border upon the state of Ohio. Its average breadth is probably from 40 to 50 miles; although, opposite Cleaveland, it is said to be 90 miles broad.

This is a valuable sheet of inland water; and affords an extensive interior navigation. The principal landing places, on its southern shore, are Maumee bay, Port Clinton, Sandusky, Huron, Cleaveland, Fairport, and Ashtabula, in Ohio; Erie, in Pennsylvania; and Portland, Dunkirk, and Buffalo, in New York. Among all the landing places, just mentioned, between Buffalo and Detroit, that at Sandusky, situated just within the bay of that name, is the best.

There are upwards of fifty schooners, besides eight steamboats, navigating this lake.

The United States have erected light houses at Buffalo, Dunkirk, Portland, N. Y.; Erie, Pa.; Fairport, Cleaveland, and Sandusky, in Ohio.

That at Portland, is a great curiosity; it being lighted with natural gas, rising from an adjacent gasseous fountain.

RIVERS. The principal rivers are the Maumee, Portage, Sandusky, Huron, Vermillion, Black, Rocky, Cuyahoga, Grand, and Ashtabula rivers, in the north; and the Mahoning, Muskingum, Hockhocking, Scioto, and the Little and Great Miami rivers, in the south, beside the Ohio river; which washes its whole south and southeastern borders.

For a particular view of the relative position, extent, and direction of the others, the reader is referred to the map of the state of Ohio.

Ohio river, which gives name to the state of Ohio, is formed by the confluence of the Alleghany, and Monongahela rivers at Pittsburg, in the western part of Pennsylvania. From thence it flows with a gentle current, in a general, but very serpentine southwestwardly direction, and mingles its waters with those of the Mississippi river, in N. lat. 37o 0', and W. lon. 11° 56'. It is 908 miles long, from Pittsburg to its mouth, including its numerous meanderings; although it is but 614 miles in a direct line across the country. It varies in breadth, from 400 to 1,400 yards. At Cincinnati, it is about 800 yards, which may be regarded as the mean breadth. This is an excellent river for inland navigation. But its windings are so numerous and extensive, that a passage upon it is rendered rather tedious. current is very gentle, and no where broken by any con: siderable falls, excepting at Louisville in Kentucky, where the water runs with great rapidity for several miles; yet the current is not thereby so broken, but that boats have in numerous instances, ascended them. The whole perpendicular descent in two miles, is found to be 22 1-2 feet. A canal has been commenced around these falls, which will tend vastly to the improvement and utility of this noble river. Le Tart's rapids, however, 25 miles below Shade river, form a slight obstruction to its navigation, in some stages of the water. This broad river embosoms numerous islands; many of which are large and fertile.

Its