mentioned, when at Concord,) we proceeded to Portsmouth, where we crossed the Piscataqau. So far, the snow had not been deep enough for sleighs, but here the wheels of our stage were exchanged for runners; and proceeding through Kennebe k over the Saco, we reached Portland, 120 miles from Boston, at half-past seven o'clock, in 17 hours. The road runs near the sea all the way, and many of the adjoining fields are nearly covered with immense rocks. The day became very gloomy after breakfast, and the large woods of pine, spruce, and cedar, irregular and stunted, rather increased than diminished the dreariness of this winter scene. The stunted trees reminded me of the plains we occasionally saw in the South western States, and indeed in many other parts of America, covered with dwarf oaks two or three feet high.

*These plains are thus described, and accounted for by Dr. Dwight :

"The origin of the peculiar appearance of these grounds is probably this. The Indians annually, and sometimes oftener, burned such parts of the North American forests as they found sufficiently dry. In every such case, the fuel consists chiefly of the fallen leaves, which are rarely dry enough for an extensive combustion, except on uplands; and on these only when covered with a dry soil. Of this nature were always the oak and yellow-pine grounds; which were, therefore, usually subjected to an annual conflagration. The beech and maple grounds were commonly too wet to be

The road and coaches between Boston and Portland, afford facilities for travelling, more

burned. Hence on these grounds the vegetable mould is from six inches to a foot in depth; having been rarely or never consumed by fire; while on the oak and pine grounds it often does not exceed an inch. That this is the effect of fire only, and not of any diversity in the nature of the trees, is evident from the fact, that in moist soils, where the fire cannot penetrate, the mould is as deep on the oak as on the maple grounds. This mould is combustible, and by an intense fire is wholly consumed.

"The object of these conflagrations was to produce fresh and sweet pasture, for the purpose of alluring the deer to the spots on which they had been kindled. Immediately after the fires, a species of grass springs up, sometimes called firegrass, because it usually succeeds a conflagration. Whether it is a peculiar species of grass, I am unable to say; not having seen it since the days of childhood. Either from its nature, or from the efficacy of the fire, it is remarkably sweet, and eagerly sought by deer. All the underwood is at the same time consumed, so that these animals are easily discovered at considerable distances; a thing impracticable where the forests have not been burned. You will remember, that to supply himself with timber for a wigwam, and with wood for fuel, was the only use, which an Indian could make of a forest; and that the earth furnished him with nothing but a place for his residence, his garden, and his game. While, therefore, he destroyed both the forest and the soil, he converted them to the most profitable uses for himself.

"When these grounds had been often burned, they were of course covered with grass. The seeds and nuts, whence future trees would have germinated, were extensively destroyed by successive fires. Few trees, therefore, could spring for want of seeds, and fewer still, because the surface was covered with grass; for wherever that vegetable has gained possession of

nearly resembling our own than any in America, and the sleigh saved us an hour, although we

the soil, forest trees will never spring. The small number scattered over these plains grew on spots, which were less ravaged by the fire because they were moist, or because they were less covered with leaves.

Thus, in time, these plains were disforested to the degree in which we now see them, and were gradually converted into pasture grounds. It ought to be observed, that they were in all probability burnt over for ages after they were disforested; I presume down to a very late period. In a dry season of autumn, the grass would furnish ample fuel for this purpose.

"That this is the true cause of the singular appearance of these plains can scarcely be doubted, when the following facts are compared :

"That the Indians customarily burned, every year, such parts of the forests as were sufficiently dry to admit of conflagration.

"That these were the only grounds, which, except in rare cases, could be successfully burned.

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That, wherever they have been for a considerable length of time free from fires, the young trees are now springing up in great numbers, and will soon change these open grounds into forests, if left to the course of nature. Such, particularly, is the fact on the first of these plains, near the Genesee river; and still more strikingly in Bloomfield and Charleston, where the fires have been longer intermitted.

"That in various places the marks of the fire are now visible on the trunks of the remaining trees, particularly near the ground. These marks I suppose to have been impressed at a comparatively late period, and by fires kindled in the

grass.

"That on the borders of these very plains, trees, of exactly the same species, are now growing in great numbers, and in the usual regular succession, of all ages and sizes, within the

had lost nearly as much time by interruptions from the snow, while on wheels.

nearest neighbourhood of those on the plains; and that this diversity, perfectly explicable on this supposition, is inexplicable on any other.

"That there can be no account given, why the vegetable mould should be so thinly spread over these plains, except that it has been continually consumed by fire; since it exists in the usual quantity in the forests, composed of the same trees, on moister ground, bordering these plains on every side.

"And that all the phenomena are, if I mistake not, explained by the cause alleged."-Dwight's Travels.

Letter XXXVH.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 19th Feb. 1821.

My last letter mentioned our safe arrival at Portland, which we found so full, that it was with great difficulty we could secure a lodging. The house in which we obtained beds at last, was a second-rate tavern, filled with second, or rather fifth or sixth-rate legislators, who had left their appropriate callings in the field, the shop, or the laboratory, for the more splendid but not less arduous duties of legislation. Not, indeed, that they appeared to think them arduous, or to suppose that there was much mystery in the affair. Not one of our own Radicals could pronounce with more self-complacent familiarity on those difficult questions of law or government which the wisest statesmen and philosophers have approached with diffidence, and decided upon with hesitation. In the public room into which I was shown, I found three or four of them sitting, who, from their appearance, I supposed to be small farmers; and there was nothing in the professional titles