his valuable volume of Reports. Dr. DANIEL DRAKE is as clearly indicated by his position and information, to give us a history of the medical profession in this state, in his Medical Journal. To those gentlemen we naturally look to fill up the chasm, which we have purposely left for them. Relying on the patronage of our fellow citizens, so liberally and so promptly extended to me, on all former occasions, I have been at the expense of Stereotyping, this first HISTORY OF OHIO.

Its mechanical execution, shows what is daily doing in Cincinnati, in the arts of book making. It is an Ohio production, in all its parts, fairly representing the views and feelings of a large majority of the reading people of this state. The number of copies of this work hereafter to be issued from the press, will depend solely on the public demand for it. I shall publish but one thousand copies at a time, and deliver them, at any point in the state, where there shall be a demand for them. None will ever be left for sale, on commission.

On taking leave of my friends, who have so long encouraged me to proceed in my literary labors, I have only to thank them, for all their kindness to their old friend, CALEB ATWATER.

Cincinnati, June 25, 1838.

A

HISTORY OF OHIO.

PART FIRST.

NATURAL HISTORY.

GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY.

PREFATORY REMARKS.

THIS state is situated between 38° and 42° north latitude, and between 3° 30′ and 7° 40′ longitude West of Washington city.

On the surface of the earth, within our limits, is, almost every where, a rich vegetable mould, made by the decay and putrefaction of vegetable substances. Along the Ohio river and all its larger tributaries in this state, are wide intervales of rich alluvial soil, on which, when we settled in the country, a thick growth of gigantic forest trees flourished. In the hilly region hereafter to be noticed, there are two kinds of soilthe silicious and argilaceous. The former is made by the disintegration of the sandstone, near the surface, the latter by the clay slate which exists there. And where it is quite hilly, as it often is, these two kinds of soils, become intimately blended together. By a wise provision of nature, we see here, the clay for bricks, and the sand in which to mould them. The wild scenery, of this region, seventy, or even fifty years ago, must have been eminently beautiful. If any one, at that time, had ascended any elevated ground, near the Ohio, or of any of its larger rivers, the prospect, of hill and dale, spread out, immense, must have been delightful to

the eye of the beholder. The spectator beheld tall trees, covered with vines of the grape, and of wild roses, hanging in clusters from near the ground to the topmost boughs. He saw, too, a beautiful shrubbery of flowering plants, tall grasses, and a great profusion of wild flowers in full bloom, of every shade of color. All was silent and still, except the singing birds of every variety, of wild fowls;-the paroquette, bob-oflincoln, quail, turkey, pigeon and mocking bird. If he ascended the second bank of lake Erie, he saw, what appeared before him, a boundless ocean, or bounded, only by the distant horizon. When the lake was calm, he heard the same solemn, sublime hum, that the Atlantic rolls to its shore. When the spectator approached near to the lake in mid summer, he felt the land and the lake breezes succeed each other, and felt all the inconveniences produced by sudden changes of temperature.

While he stood on some lofty summit fronting the Ohio, and near it, he saw that delightful stream moving slowly, but majestically along, noiseless as the foot of time, and as resistless. But, we will proceed, directly to our object, which is, to consider for a moment our

GEOLOGY.

The whole valley of the Mississippi, is what Geologists denominate "a secondary formation." Those who have written on Geology, may be divided into two classes, Huttonians and Wernerians, from Hutton and Werner, the founders of the two sects of naturalists. The former, refer all the changes observed on the earth's surface, to the action of heat, the latter to that of water. We may say, with great propriety to those theorists: "Non nostrum inter vos tantas componere lites." It belongs not to us to settle such disputes between you. That both these causes, have operated on this globe, to produce changes in its external surface, at different periods of time; and, that both these causes are still operating, is equally certain. But, the great valley of the Mississippi, exhibits very few marks of volcanic action, whereas every thing shows its Neptunian origin. From the Erie, Huron, Michi