Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

SOUTHERN RECORDER. VOL. II. MILLEDGEVILLE, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1821. No. 2. PUBLISHED WEEKLY, (on tuesdats) JJY S. GRAXTLAJYD «,• R. M. ORME, ji x Til HE E DOLLARS, Iff ADVANCE, OR FOUR at the expiration of the DOLLARS TEAR. ICT Advertisements conspicuously inserted at tlic customary rates. yearly labor 175 Olive trees, at £0 feet dis tant, will yield after seven years of age, about one gal lon of oil each, which valu ed at the low price of #1 50 per gallon is 45 Almond trees, ) produce va* 25 Capers do. $iueat#l 50 | 6S9 SO sea 50 105 I'miiieu in ranges a. ..... -j flB the vineyard, where the mill ^ i/iatp RlimvR t hit iilanlation. I'octs and observations on the culture of Vines, Olives, Capers, Almonds, kc. in the Southern States, and of Coffee, Cocon, and Corliineal, in East Florida, by Pctrr Stephen Cliasullc, >vho bus for upwards of ten years been engag ed in the culture of Vines, kc. in Southern France, and for seven years a grower of Cof fee, Cocoa, &c. in the West-Indies. [Concluded from our last.] VIRT STATEMENT ON COFFEE. One acre of land planted by ranges, and the plants at five fed distant from each oth er, gives 1704 plants. A man can take care of two acres—which gives 3528 plants.— Each plant, may, by an verage, yield 2 lbs— ur more ; hut 1 reduce it to one pound ; therefore a man will give yearly, 35211 lbs of coffee, which at 25 cts. produce 302-doliurs. It is to be observed, that no crop is to bn expected on the first and second year—on the third year the plant yields a good crop, on the fourth an abundant one, which it will continue to yield every year until the ground is exhausted and the plant dies—For the two first years of the planting, all kinds of vege tables and corn, may he planted between the ranges—they will yield two ertips in one year—cotton is not to be planted between ;the ranges. Second statement on Cocoa. Four acres of land planted in rows, and the trees at tcu feet distant from each other, give 1704 trees. A man is capable of taking care of them, and of gathering the nuts.— At seven years of age, each tree, will yield two pounds, and the quantity will increase with its age—therefore, a man will gather 852811)3 of cocoa, which at 15 cents per lb. will produce 529 dollars and 20 cents. This cultivation, differing from all others, requires some illustrations. It was former ly thought that its culture required much la bor, and a virgin soil—but experience has ehovrn, that it grows on laud half exhausted by the coffee plant—and in less than twelve years’ time acquires such power as to des troy the coffee underneath. Hence it is now planted between the ranges of coffee, when this last is about seven years of age—so that, when the land would otherwise become a mere waste, requiring 100 years for forests to rise on it again, ’ere it could recover its first fruitfulness—the same land, being again covered by a new forest of productive trees, the fruits of which growing and maturing ali the year round, each day brings in its crop I could not select a more proper place to state, that it seems, that providence, in its wise dispensations, intended the cocoa tree should be the means of quickly renewing the soil exhausted by other productions. It is a fact known to myself alone at this moment, because, he who made the successful expe riment, Mr. Berlie, and those who were eye witnesses to it, were by the bloody effects of St. Domingo’s regenerating system doomed to an untimely grave, ar.d 1 am the only sur vivor. The fact is this : Mr. Berlie, a plant er on the high land of Donna Maria, had planted, after the coffee had exhausted his lania, the whole of his estates with coco; trnes—This answered well; hut as coffe became more productive, he thought of mak ing an experiment, which was, to cut down twenty acres of cocoa trees, setting them on fire, in the same manner as is done in clear ing new land, and planting them again with coffee ; it was found that coffee grew'tnore beautifully than it had done before. The cocoa trees were then cut down tvyenty-ftve years old. The extraordinary effests of the cocoa tree, in regenerating the ground upon which it grows, may easily he accounted for. This trae seldom attains higer than fifteen feet—it is branchy—its leaves very large—-and the body, o.* stock, of a middling Bize—thp leaves continually falling off the tree, whilst new ones grow, cover the earth with a thick bed of leaves, which allow not even a blade of grass to grow with them; hence the ground requires no culture, and the trees but a light pruning, when any ravages have been caused by some storm. This constant thick bed of leaves, reborns to the earth five times more, i. Hriment than the diminutive size of the tree requires from it, and in less than thirty years, it brings the soil back to its original fertile stale. Third statement On Vines. Having given the proceeds of a man’s- yearly labor in the plantation of coffee, and encoi^ I shall now quit Florida, and entei the territory oftheTTnited Statcg. An acre of land planted with vines, allow ing 41 ranges, at 5 feet distant, and to each range, 104 vines, at two feet apart, gives 4284 vines to an aero. Five acres for a man’s labour give 21,320 vines, and allowing the grapes often vines, to yield one gallon ol 'vine, it will produce 2182 gallons, which be ing rated at the low price of thirty cents per gallon, will produce 639 dollars and 00 cents fur a man’s yearly labour. This plantation is the most beautiful and luxuriant in nature—for nothing can equal the fascinating sight of a well cultivated vineyard. And as olives, capers, n. almond trees, require no particular culture, they may lie planted in ranges at thirty feet distant, in the vineverd. where the mildnes* of the cli- 70 Yearly proceeds of a man labor $ 1006 80 REVIEW OF TnE ABOVE. J shall now suppose, that ill the course of thirty years we may employ 50,000 persons in the culture of vines singly, they will cul tivate 250,000 acres of land which will yield an annual revenue of # 31,905,000 50,000 persons in the culture of vines, olives, almonds, and capers, on 250,000 acres of land will yield an annual revenue of $ 50,310,002 Total S 82,305,000 Cocoa. 50.000 persons engaged in the culture of cocoa, w ill cultivate. 200,000 acres of land, liicli will yield an annual revenue of #2G,- 20,000. Coffee. 100.000 persons engaged in the culture of coffee, will cultivate 200.000 acres of land, which will yield an annual revenue of $ 18,- 1)0,000. Recapitulation of the preceding estimates. 100,000 persons cultivating 500,000 acres in ines, olives, kc. produce 50,000 persons cultivating 200,000 acres cocoa 00,000 persons do 200,000 acres coffee 250,000 persons do 900,000 a- cres produce 190,925,000 The home consump tion of this country, may be estimated to be uiuuially about, viz : Wines, o- ' ives, kc. # 17,305,000 Cocoa, kc. 0,420,000 Coll'ce, 13,200,000 # 82,305,000 £6,120,000 88,200,000 Leaving an immense surplus to foreign coun tries, of Wines, olives, kc. #65,000,000 Cocoa, 20,000,000 Coffee, 75,000,000 Exporta tion #160.000,000 Horae con sumption # 36,925,000 It will become a matter of policy, for the federal government, to change the existing fiscal-.laws and regulations with respect to those staples of exports. The citizens pay ing no longer any duties on those articles which now form the political revenue of the national government, duties on their export ations must of course he recurred to. The ultimate of which might perhaps give the following Spain, for many centuries has been pur suing the most absurd policy by discourag ing agriculture, to foster the working of her silver and gold mines—who has left uncul tivated the most fertile land on the face of the earth and made of her formerly active citizens, the most indolent people in the world, is now endeavoring to repair the ru ins caused by so blind a policy. Porto Rico and Cuba, are now thought capable of pro ducing ten thousand times more riches than all the mines of Peru. The greatest efforts are at this moment making by that regene rated government to place those two islands in a high state of cultivation—emigrants are encouraged free of expense. Thirty-three acres of land are given to each individual— they are fed during the six months immedi ately following their arrival, and furnished with every necessary Im.jI uild instrument of agriculture, they are besides, free from all kinds of taxes for the space of ten years, and to such ns with to purchase land, the govern ment sells S30 acres lor 450 dollars on credit, live years, without paying any interest—af ter which an interest of six percent is requir ed until perfect liquidation of the w hole debt. This enlightened and liberal policy would, in less than ten years, triple the actual re venue of those islands, were it possible to establish a mutual confidence between the Spaniards strangersf—a confidence which has too many times proved deceptive on the side of the Spaniards, and ruinous for the industrious strangers among them. A government founded as ours is, on the most liberal principles of political economy— whose very existence is a seal that secures the happiness and liberty of the least of its members—whose policy is to increase the wealth of the nation—and whose chief ma gistrate, is, us it were, placed on a high tow er, to direct the uncertain steps of the enter prising patriots, and the inexperienced la bours of the citizens—must, more than any other government, feel interested ill promot ing the culture of whatever staples are found capable of increasing the prosperity and commerce of the country. I fondly cherish the hope, that government will eagerly en courage the culture of the productions I have already enumerated—congress need, I pre sume, in those things, for which they have nut had any opportunity of acquiring prac tical knowledge, but to be made acquainted witli the importance of those plantations, by those, whose long experience enables them to communicate these useful facts. As one ofthe very few, in the United States, quali fied to discharge this important duty, and being acted upon by those weighty consider- k so powerfully on the FISCAL DUTIES, which I value, at an average of 15 per cwt- It neither becomes me, nor does it enter in my plan, to truce scales of proportions on matters which must he left to the wisdom of congress—and in forming that average, 1 merely have in view to ascertain the proba ble results of my recapitulation and state ment of surpluses—and I find the annual re ceipts in the several custom houses, would amount to S 24,080,000. There is no reason whatever, that can pre vent us from employing in those several cul tures, at least 500,000 persons on 1,800.000 acres ofl ind, which would yield an annual income of S 393,850,000. And supposing that oil account of our im mense produce, we lowered the prices in all the markets in the world, even one third of the low prices at which I have valued them, yet the labours of 500,000 working men. would give onmmlly the sum of #202,566,667 Considerations of such vast importance are not to he oveilooked. We have but to begin the work, and before thirty years are elapsed, more than 500,(UK) European emi grants will he seen crossing the Atlantic oce an to unite their labous and industry with ours—and every tiling concurring to increase our wealth, power, and commerce—and tile Almighty making even the tyrants of Eu rope subservient to our grandeur, we shall then be the most powerful, as we now are, the freest and happiest nation on the globe!! I need not, I think, add any thing to what I have already said, on the importance of the acquisition of East Florida. The sim ple statements I have given, and it being the only land adjoining the territory ofthe U States where coffee and cocoa will grow is sufficiently interesting to excite a laudable desiru of seeing it pass into our possession— however, vve must he contented with wait ing patiently for the final decision of con gress. To form an accurate estimate of the value sot upon those rich productions, we need but pursue the modern history of the nations o' Europe. The whole of Germany, Denmark Sweden, Prussia, Russia, Poland and Tur key, may he set in a flame by wars, as -in the time of Charles 12th of Sweden, and yet-na vigators will no where meet w ith wRr on the seas—hut the moment that France or Spain gets into disagreements with any of the na tions of continental Europe, not only is that section of the world kindled with flame and deluged in blood—but the seas around the globe witness scenes of horror and carnage, And why ? because, the present object of warfare is no longer what it formerly was— the acquisition of one or more provinces in Europe cannot, move England, hot she sets the world on fire to sell her manufactured goods, monopolize commerce, and obtain possession of the French, Spanish k Dutch colonies—these she values more than king- iilions which woi heart of a true citizen, I respectfully submit for the consideration of the president, the se r.ate and house of representatives of the U. States, the outlines of a project for effectual ly encouraging the plantations of vines olives, capers, almonds,coffee, cocoa, kc. The first preliminary steps to be taken in order to carry the proposed plan into execu tion, must he the securing of East Florida— the southern part of which may he planted in coffee and cocoa, and is, in fact, worth twenty times more than the swampy land claimed by the United States west of New- Orleans This being obtained, several considerati ons of a primary nature offer themselves tu the mind—for although every citizen is free to cliuse his culture, yet, it is not in the pow er of every one, wishing to cultivate those rich plants, to procure them at the moment they are. wanted. lienee, when citizens are left without a helping hand, discouragement ensues, and what may he effected in three years by the fostering hand of government, tnay require a century, when left to the dis cretion and impotence of inexperienced in dividuals. They must lie guided—they must be taught—they must have a place, d also Alabama, these four productions may be t ha balance of power. Im raised in the same soil. In a more northern the peace of 1801, the I re where they will apply for plants, an acquire that information which no hook can give—they must be dissuaded from cultivat ing the aboriginal grapes which, though they might prove of an excellent quality, are not worth the trouble of a trial: because, how ever productive they might be found in the ml, yet, it would require more than forty years culture, before they rould attain that delicacy of softness anil perfection, which ages of culture, and care alone can give. Tile government, by means of its numerous con suls, mav procure the first qualities of plants and seeds. From France and Italy, the best qualities of vines, olives, figs, capers and al monds. From Madeira k Portugal, their spi rituous and astringent vines. From Samos, Chiu, Caudia and Cyprus, their sweet deli cate and restorative cordial vines. There is n great analogy between men end plants.— Man must he subdued by the slow progress of knowledge, to the rule of civilization, ore he attains that superiority of intellect and piritual ideas, which bespeak him to lie a being inferior to God alone.—plants obtain their perfection only in proportion as man improves his mental powers, and labours to raise them to the height of his intellectual faculties. Five ages have passed away, and yet the man, who inhabited the soil, which we at this day trend on, is still a fugitive in ■wwu in me same ~ , climate. the vines must he cultivated sepa# rately. fio much may be said on this vofy interesting subject, that it would require more time than I have resolved to bestow on it Bt present. I shall only add ', that it offers an inexhaustible source of private wealth—he- nause these plantations may be made to last for ages. fourth Statement on Fine#, Olives, Capers, and Almonds, planted on the same ground, i acre* in vines—produce as be fore stated, fur * ® an V flinch government sent armies to recover St. Domingo—the rebels must have submitted—the British mi nistry calculated the future consequences of Buch'a submission—and Malta, a rocky isle, not worth a shilling in agriculture, suddenly became a pretence for the bloody and long war that ensued. Franco lost St. Domingo and the isle of France, and Holland the Cape of Good Hope, Ceyiou, kc.* Thus, Eu rope has fought thousands of battles and slaughtered six millions of victims on the altar of avarice and commercial monopoly * The British government, notwithstanding the immense profits accruing to the nation from the rich commodities and staple, produced by its co. tonics, look upon them us if they iccre mere marls for the sides of its manufactured goods, or stations fur its numerous ships of war. The virtuous pur suit of ugiicutture, (out of the limitsof Bag!and) is cramped in all its efforts, for the purpose of giv ing employment to the corrupted rabh'c of its ma nufacturing cities—to enrich ship builders and ship owners—to protect privileged companies of monopolists—to oppress the industrious artisans— to drain the purse of the affluent, and multiply the number of paupers I knee, the interests of the colonies have seldom been attended to. Tht ir colonial system is so bad, that it seems tu hare been framed by an arnririnus company of ship owners, whose chief object was to Juice the growers of su gar and coffee to load their ships, and pay them a heavy freight. A grower ofciffce is oppressed by the existing colonial system—and the crown, again oppresses the consumer—far. no man in T.ngtaad can roast his coffee us he pleases—lit mutt ivy it from a monopolist. t 'Jail new colony of-Ferdinand tic Xagua,is not libelv to succeed, although upwards of 20110 emigrants hare already repaired there. J know the jiirsoll who arts the the deserts; all our efforts to overtake him, and make him a civilized man have proved fruitless ; he prefers death to civilization ; he flics oil', avoids our meeting, and before Jong, it will be said, “ here were once innumerable nations of warriors that have vanished u- way,” a disappearance that will confound the sagacity of future philosophers—because, they will know man only in his civilized state, and shall no where find that being in the simple state of uuture. I beg to be excused for these fugitive ideas —they have forced themselves on my pen. I resume my subject. From Cuba, ill less than twenty-four hours, we may receive as many coffee seeds as we want. From the western part of St. Domingo, say, Uoima Maria, or from the Spanish main in the pro vince of Veuez.uejAM. Carraccas and Ma racaibo, we mejwitWthe nuts that will af ford the necessity seeds. These preliminary remarks bring me to the conclusion, which I shall improve, by humbly oflering to congress a plan, for effec tually encouraging the plantation of the fore- mentioned valuable staples. 1st. That it is requisite for congress to al lot one thousand acres of land, to be selected by a proper judge, for the purpose of estab lishing n grand national nursery of those rich plants. 2d. That it is of the utmost national ur gency, that under the superintendence of the president of the United States, this estab bailment should he instantly commenced, and that the president should select such per son or persons, as shall have given undoubt ed proofs of their qualifications to conduct and superintend the establishment. sldly. That to the end of immediately en abling this establishment, to furnish the citi zens will) the necessary plants, fifty thousand dollars ought to he appropriated, for the per fect and quick execution of the object in viow. Scily. That the President of the United States be authorised to appoint a proper per son to go as an agent to Europe, to select those plants, and species of vines, that are known to be most productive, both for qua lity and quantity—or otherwise, to empow er the consuls, in those several countries, to procure and forward the plants and seeds requested, and to make u necessary distinc tion of species, in the several plants, in or der that none but the very best, should be introduced into America. 4thly. That as coffee will, three years af ter it is planted, cocoa five years, vines four years, olives, capers, and almonds, seven years, produce sufficient seeds and vines, to supply every demand—these should, on the first reception ofthe several plants and seeds, be cultivated in the establishment on a large seale, with a view : 1st. To multiply the plants and seeds, and to increase the nurse ry which may also be commenced immedi ately : 2d. To form a school fur the culture and management of those plants, where eve ry citizen should have the privilege, of re pairing to acquire those informations and practical knowledge that no book extant can give. 5thly. That with a view to discounte nance idle demands, and thereby prevent tint wanton waste of these plants, a thing which would frequently happen, if they were given gratis, the chief director, acting as superiutendaut of the establishment, should he authorised to sell them to indivi duals at the following rale Coffee plants, Cocoa do. Vine plants, Vines, Olive plants, Capers k almonds, Which woidd yield a revenue, which, in six years, would repay tin 1 government the fifty thousand expended in the establishment, and leave a benefit of upwards of one hun dred thousand dollars. On tlie 7th year the demands for coffee k cocoa plants will begin to decrease, because, they will be procured from every individu al, who shall have already planted them.— For ten years more, the vine plants and vines, will be in great demand, when they will decrease—and the olive, caper and al mond plants, will for twenty-five years long cr continue in great demand, when the es tablishment as a nursery, will cease to he productive in this high degree. Thus hav ing offered the means of planting the bi'st species of vines in the world, we may,'ere ten years have elapsed, produce wines equal in quality to any in the world; a quality which will vary according to the climate and soil, where they may happen to bu cultivated. It is a general, and yet very wrong impression to think, that vines will grow only on such and such soil. Vines grow even on the worst land, and steepest hills and mountains—in cold and hot cli mates. Hence proceeds the great difference in qualities—on clay and very poor land, such that no other production can grow, is made those common wines, which bt ingun- fit fur exportation, are distilled into brandy, for it requires seven casks, or 420 gallons of wine, to get a pipe of brandy of ninety gal lons. What I have stated in the preceding sheets will exhibit in a strong point of vi< , the im portance of establishing a nation.:! nursery, in order to promote, fuster and effectually aft’urd the means of successfully cultivating on a large scale these highly rich producti ons, which, in less than twenty-five years, will double the actual revenue of live coun try—create new and inexhaustible resourc es—invigorate commerce, and render it at all times nourishing, by the exportation to fo reign countries of our Vast surpluses. Considerations of such magnitude as these will, I have no doubt, operate powerfully on the minds of our legislators, whose ho norable mission is to mature plans, form schemes, and ensure by wise laws, the hap piness, prosperity, and glory of our country. And if it he nut considered a "departure from that reverence, which a private citizen owes to the chief magistrate and representatives of a whole people, to dure impart to them id< as, tin subjt ets, till now foreign to the here of their legislative labors,! hope, that tention to the contents of these sheets— should they prove worthy of those to whom they are respectfully submitted, I shall es teem tnyse)f honored for having thus far, been instrumental to the increase of the wealth of the nation, k contributed a share in her welfare and prosperity. PETER STEPHEN CHAZOTTE. #ROM TtlK RATIONAL 1NTEI LICENCED. Senate Ciiamrer, Jan. 20, 1821. Messrs. Gales 4* Heaton : Tlidhuicloscd communication which I have received from Mr. Robinson, 1 take the liberty of forwarding to you, with ajjcquest that you will insert it iu the National Intelligencer. The impor tant information it contains will, 1 am persuaded, hf "ighly acceptable to your readers. * 1 have the lAnor to he, very respect fully, \ JNO. H. EATON. 2 cents a piece 3 do do 3 do do 1 do do 100 do do 75 do do as chief for the fi»an,sh\ » shall not be thought loo presuming map- ironrnintnt, and know ahn^ Uui} his exactions u Hl\ l )rna *‘h them with di(Fidencf) and respect* ultimately ruin that utrltMt:.:rU, [and entreat them, to grant a moment’s at- Washington CiTv.Jan. 15, 1821. Since the invention of the Mariners’ cotnpassfhnd the improvements in ship building, voyage# ofdiscovery have been undertaken and executed under the aus pices of several nationi. The results may be considered of the highest impor tance to the human race. The discovery and settlement of the American continent by a civilized peo ple forms an epoch in historic annals, more interesting to the family of man kind than any we have upon record. Although the nations of Europe have made, and arc still making, efforts to ob tain a correct knowledge of the coasts of the new world, yet much remains to be done ; and we humbly think that the fame and interests of the republic of the United States are as deeply involved in this subject ns any other nation in the civilized world. As yet we are indebted for our knowl edge of the continent of America, to oth er nations than our own. Among the celebrated navigators who occupy a dis tinguished place in history, Cook, Anson, Vancouver etc. are the boast of England, and reilect immortal honor on tho sove reigns and enlightened statesmen who patronized their voyages. France speaks w ith pride of her en- terprizing I’eyrouse. The measures she adopted to ascertain his fate, as well os the sympathy of mankind for the loss of so able a navigator, evince the high regard in which his character and talents were helJ. The Portuguese and Spaniards, as well as the Dutch and Italians, have emulat ed each other in equipping expeditions for tic circumnavigation of the globe, and more particularly for exploring the north-west coast of Americu. The discoveries of Cook, on tluftiorlh- west coast, were of limited extent, nor had he time to explore, with precision, even those parts which he did visit. Peyrouse was inasimilar situation with Cook ; he passed njercly in view ofthe coast, but was rarelyable to approach it, in consequence of foggy weather, llis observations chiefly apply to the Portdes Fruncaise, (at which place he delayed some time) and to the rest of the coast us far south as Monterey ; but even that space, he had scarcely any communica tion with the 6hore. Cook, after leaving the Sandwich Is lands, proceeded for the N. W. Coast, and made the land in lat. 44 north, and thence went to Nootka, but even Cook gives us little or no information ofthe coast. A navigator of the name of Dixon has given us some loose and general accounts upon the subject; hut, us he wus a mere fur tradee, and only visited those places where peltry of the best quality could be procured, we derive little information from him. The Viceroy of Mexico, in the year 1775, ordered three small vessels, with experienced navigators, to proceed frdtn the port of San Lilas, and to exjdore the north-west coast. Obstinate winds and foggy weather prevented them from mak ing any observations until they reached lat. 41 north, where they entered a port w hich they called Trinity. They extol in extravagant language the beauty of the couutry and its benign cli mate. They proceeded from Trinity to lat. 47 1-4 north, and mention having found there an excellent port. From thence they went as far north as 58, hut made very superficial examinations of the coast. They touched, on their return voyage, at Port St. Francis, in lat. 33, 1C, near where they entered a large bay, well sheltered from the north and south west, and where they saw the mouth of a targe river, but had not time to explore it. They returned to San Bias in Octo ber, 1775, without having made any dis coveries that merit particular notice. Another expedition sailed from San Bias in 1770, and proceeded as far as 60, but returned without makir.g any important discoveries. Indeed, from the imperfect manner those expeditions were equipped, and the want of skill of those who conducted them, much was not to he expected. Vancouver's voynge bus afforded addi tional lights on the subject, but they are better calculated to awaken than to salis- fy curiosity; and, indeed, he, as well os all preceding navigators on the N. W. coast of America, have entirely neglect ed the examination of that part of the coast, which montparticularly interests tht U. States. I allude to the space between lat. 42 and 49. It is that part of the coast to which the present observation* are principally intended* to apply. Should a voynge of discovery be un dertaken by the government of the Uni ted States, on the principles hereafter suggested, I hope the whole coast, from lat. 42 to the highest lutitude of practi cable navigation on the N. W. coast, will be accurately explored. Becuuse I feel well assured that such an undertaking would not only redound to the fame of our country and to that of the individuals intrusted with the enterprise, hut would produce incalculable advantages to the commerce and prosperity of Die United States. In looking over the best map of Mexi co and the N. \\. consttof America, we find that from lat. 42, to the mouth of Columbiu river, and to the straits of Juan de Fuca the whole coast is represented as destitute of any good bays ; and no river of nny consequence except the Co lumbia, is laid down in the charts. This may in some degree he accounted for, from the circumstances before suggest ed, that the coast has never been close ly examined ; but the following facts will shew that the. coast in question is worthy of the serious and prompt ntter.tion of our government. During the time I remained in Mexi co, in 1816, a copy of an important man uscript was furnished me by one ofthe revolutionary chiefs, for the express purpose of being communicated to our government. This document, as well as my other papers, was lost, by the cir cumstances which are detailed in mv vo lume ofthp Memoirs ofthe Mexican Re volution ; but the important contents of the papers in question are still fresh in my recollection. The Spaniards have several missiona ry establishments on the coast of Old and New California ; whence one or two fti> ars are annually dispatched to the interi* or of the country to convert the Indians to the Christian doctrine, and to obtain topographical information of those re gions. Some of those friars were men of great enterprise and perseverance, and have displayed in their reports much profound observation on the country they traversed, particularly on its pro ductions, animal and vegetable, and on thi^ lakes and rivers with which it abounds. This valuable information was transmit ted with great care to the city of Mexico, and there locked up inthn ecclesiastical archives, except such portion of it as thn Archbishop of Mexico thought proper to communicate to the Viceroy. In the years 1810 and 11, two friars made an excursion up the river Colora do. This noble river discharges itself in tho Gulph of California, about the lati tude 32 40. The bar at its mouth has 6 to 9 fathoms water on it, and the riv er may be ascended with a line of battle ship at least 100 miles. The friars fol lowed the course of this river nearly six hundred and fifty miles ; they found the current gentle, with scarcely any impe diments to its navigation by large v ea sels nearly the whole distance. Sever al tine streams emptied into the Colora do, but they did not explore their sour ces. They state the principal source of the Colorado to be in the Rocky or Snowy Mountains, between latitude 40 tud 41. The description they give of the country through which the Colorado flows would induce the reader to believe that it is the finest region in the Mexi can empire. They represent the banks of the river as being in many places 100 feet above the surface ; that the whole country is a forest of majestic trees, and that they had never seen such exu berant vegetation. When they came to the ridge of mountains where the Color ado has its source, they proceeded a few mites on the eastern declivity ofthe ridge, and, to their astonishment, found sever al streams pursuing a course nearly op posite to these, on the western side ofthe ridge. I presume, from the description of the friars, that the streams which thus excited their surprise were the bead waters of the Arkansas, La Platte, and some others of our great rivers, which have their sources in those regions. The friars spent several days on the eastern side of the ridge—they passed over six distinct rivers, ell of which thejr say were of considerable depth and width—they met several roving binds of Indians, who treated them with kindness, and conducted them by a short route on their return over (he ridge to tbe jri Colorado. The distance between sources of the respective rivers . aide ofthe rjdge, they represent trifling, not'exceeding 82 or 25 leagues. They represent the ridge as full of deep ravines, and have no doubt that it wnnU be easy to open a water communica tion by canals between the rl fore mentioned. They give a description of the beanty of the comparingit to the hills and V * dal us la and Grenada. They <«* , - m •