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in Berwick, Sacofalls, in Biddeford, and Pepperillborough, Prefumfcut falls, in Falmouth, and Amerafcoggin falls in Brunfwick. The rivers abound with falmon in the fpring feafon. On the fea-coaft fish of various kinds, are caught in plenty. Of these the cod-fifh are the principal. Dried fish furnishes a capital article of export.

Animals.

IN this country are deer, moofe, beaver, otters, fables, brown fquirrels

white rabbits; bears, which have frequently deftroyed corn-fields; wolves, which are destructive to fheep; mountain-cats, porcupines or hedge-hogs; partridges, but no quails. Wild-geefe and ducks, and other water-fowls, abound on the fea coaft in their feafons. No venomous ferpents are found caft of Kennebek-river

Character and Religion.

THE inhabitants are a hardy robuft fet of people. The males are

early taught the use of the mufquet; and, from their frequent use of it in fowling, are expert markfmen. The people are in general humane and benevolent. The common people ought by law, to have the advantage of a school education, but this law has not hitherto been attended to, fo much as its importance undoubtedly requires.

In March 1788, the general court ordered that a tract of land fix miles fquare, fhould be laid out between Kennebeck and Penobscot rivers, to the northward of Waldo patent, to be appropriated for the foundation of a college.

As to religion, the prevailing denominations, are Congregationalists and Baptifts, there are alfo fome Friends, Epifcopalians, Methodifts, and Roman Catholics.

Indians.

THE remains of the Penobscot tribe are the only Indians, who

rifide in this district. They confift of about one hundred families, and live together in a civilized manner at Indian old Town on a fmall island of about 200 acres, a little above the great falls in Penobscot river. They profefs themselves to be Roman Catholics, and have a priest, who adminif ters regularly the ordinances of religion. They have a decent church and allo another public building, in which they meet to tranfact the business of the tribe, which is now faid to be encreafing in numbers, in confequence of an obligation laid by the Sachems, on the young people to marry early.

In the affemblies of these people, all things are conducted with the greatelt order and decorum, indeed the utmoft harmony univerfally prevails amongst them.

In a former war the lands belonging to these people were taken from them, but at the commencement of the late war, they were reftored by the Continental Congrefs, who allowed them a tract of land from the bead of the tide, in Penobscot river, included in lines drawn fix miles from the river on each fide, that is a tract twelve miles wide, interfected in the Vol. IV, K k

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middle by the river. They, however, in addition to this, claim the right of hunting and fifhing as far as the mouth of the bay of Penobscot extends which privilege originally belonged to them, in preference to any other tribe, and it is not at prefent denied them.

Hiftory.

THE firft attempt to fettle this country was made in 1607, on the

weft fide of Kennebeck, near the fea, but little progrefs towards a permanent fettlement till between the years 1620, and 1630.

Sir Fernando Georges, who, in the year 1735, obtained a grant from the Plymouth company, of the tract of country lying between the rivers Pifcataqua, and Sagadahock, or Kennebeck, and up Kennebeck fo far as to form a iquare of one hundred and twenty miles, is fuppofed to have been the firft, who inftituted government in this country.

In 1639 Gorges obtained from the king of England, a charter of the whole foil and jurifdiction, and in the very fame year, appointed a go vernor and council, who adminiftered juftice to the fettlers, till about the year 1646, when hearing of the death of Gorges, the people formed a plas of government for themselves, and elected their own officers.

In the year 1652, however, the people of Main relinquifhed the mode government which they had adopted, and fubmitted to Maffachusetts, fince which time the towns have had the liberty of fending their reprefen tatives to the general court of Boston, and the government has ever fince been the fame as in that commonwealth. of which they had now become a part.

Since the firft fettlement of this diftrict, its increase in population has been exceedingly rapid, and as it contains at least double the number of inhabitants as the fmall flate of Delaware, the period is very probably not far diftant, when it will become, by itself, a member of the Federal Union.

The propriety of this measure, was fome time ago difcuffed by the inbabitants affembled in town meetings by the appointment of the legislature and was then rejected by no great majority. Should it again come under confideration, it probably would be carried.

To thofe, who wifh for more particular information, with refpeat to this diftrict we would recommend the hiftory of the diftrict of Main lately published by James Sullivan Efq. Attorney General of Maffachusetts.

CHA P. VIII.

RHODE-ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS.
Situation, Extent Boundaries, and Population.

Miles

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Greateft length, 46 Between 141222 and 42° 2 N lat.

Greateft breadth 40

RHODE

41°

1300 fq. miles.

HODE-ISLAND is bounded on the North and Eaft, by the Commonwealth of Maffachusetts, on the South by the Atlantic, and on the

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Weft, by the fate of Connecticut. Thefe limits comprehend what is called Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

This ftate is divided into five counties, viz. Newport, Providence, Washington, Bristol and Kent, which are fub-divided into thirty townships.

The population of this ftate in 1783 was 48,538 whites, and 3,361 blacks, in all 51,899 Agreeably to the cenfus of 1790, the whites amounted to 67,877, and the blacks to 948. In all 68,825. Thus in a period of 7 years from 1783 to 1790, the population had encreafed no lefs than 16.926; and if we fuppofe, that the augmentation had for the 7 years immediately fucceeding 1790, progreffed in the fame proportion, the number of inhabitants would in the year 1798 amount to 91,264; but we have feveral reafons for fuppofing that the population is now confiderably greater than what we have above flated; in particular the iniquitous laws, which were paffed in this flate in the year 1783, and which continued to operate for feveral years thereafter, with refpect to a paper currency, of which we fhall fpeak more largely hereafter,occafioned the removal of a great number of its moft wealthy and refpectable inhabitants. Since the year 1790, however, no fuch evil can have exifted, as by the conftitution of the United States, "no ftate can coin money; emit bills of credit; or make any thing but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts." From the above confideration, therefore, we cannot be wrong, in fuppofing that the inhabitants of Rhode-Ifland, in the present year (1799) amount at least to one hundred thoufand.

RHODE

Climate, Soil and Productions.

HODE-ISLAND, in refpect to the falubrity of its climate is certainly equal to any country in North-America. The cold of the winters, particularly on the fea coaft, is by no means fo fevere as in feveral of the other flates; whilft the extreme heat of fummer which is experienced in all other parts of this continent is greatly mitigated by cool and refreshing fea breezes.

A native of England viz. Mr. Cooper who has lately published a work, entitled, "Some informations refpecting America," in fpeaking of the climate of this flate expreffes himself thus, Rhode-Ifland, in point of climate and productions, as well, as in appearance, is perhaps the most fimilar to Great-Britain in any ftate of the Union. The winters are fomewhat longer and more fevere; the fummers, perhaps a little warmer; but it ticipates with Great-Britain, in fome meafure in the defects of climate, being from its fituation fubject to a moister atmosphere than many of the other flates"*.

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The difcafes, most prevalent here, are confumptious and the dyfentery; but these moft probably are not fo much owing to the climate as to the intemperance and imprudence of the inhabitants.

The foil of Rhode-Ifland in genvral is much better adopted for a graz. ing, than a corn country. It, however in general, produces a fufficiency o grain for its own confumption, and greatly abounds in graff's of various forts fruits and in roots and plants for the ufe of the kitchen. In making cider

This obfervation is equally applicable to the vicinity of New-York. Indeed the remark will evidently apply to the whole fea coast of America.

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