We shall proceed at once to give a brief notice of the whole domain of the United States, as it now exists, including the states and territories.

VIRGINIA.

The province of Virginia, one of the southern states of the American Confederacy, was first discovered in 1584, although not colonised until 1607. The first discoveries were made in that part now within the state of North Carolina, adjacent to the Ocracock inlet. The first settlement was formed in May, 1607, and called James Town, upon the banks of the James river-called by the Indians, Powhatan River. At this time there were no limits to Virginia; but, subsequently, charters narrowed its territory so that, at the beginning of the war of 1775, it only contained the territory of the state as now held, and the state of Kentucky, formerly called Fincastle County.

Prior to the declaration of independence, in 1776, the colonies formed armies, and defended themselves against every invading foe. Even after the formation of the united army, under Washington, Virginia organised an independent home service, for the especial protection of its frontiers. General George Rogers Clarke had command of the western division; and his successes north of the Ohio river, at Fort Vincent, Kaskaskia, and Cahokia, gave to Virginia, at the close of the war, by the treaty of peace in 1783, the whole north-west territory, now known as Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and a part of Minnesota. This vast region was held by conquest; and, at the treaty of 1783, it was conceded-solely,

however, through the resolute and determined course of Mr. Adams, one of the American commissioners. In 1784, Virginia ceded the north-west territory to the Confederation, formed as a perpetual union in 1778; and, in this change of jurisdiction, among the conditions was one, that not more than five states should be formed out of the ceded domain; and another, that "there shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in the said territory ;" and "provided always, that any person escaping into the same, from whom labour or service is lawfully claimed in any one of the original states, such fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed, and conveyed to the person claiming his or her labour or service as aforesaid."

On the 1st of June, 1792, the state of Kentucky was admitted into the Union by the consent of Virginia, passed in 1789. By these relinquishments, the domain of Virginia was reduced to its present boundaries. Its area is estimated at 61,352 square miles. The area ceded was about 280,000 square miles.

Virginia is celebrated for the grandeur of its scenery, variety of soil, climate, and extent of mountain ranges. The oceanic section of the state consists of flat lands; and it has a very mild climate: cotton may be cultivated successfully; but the principal product is hay, Indian corn, wheat, and other varieties of grain. Middle Virginia is more elevated and mountainous. The lands are very productive and valuable for grazing. The hilly ranges project from the Appalachian chain, many miles as spurs into the plains: such, for example, as the Sugar-Loaf and the RattleSnake mountains, near the noted Bull Run battle-field. The

Blue Ridge traverses the state; and, with the other ranges, separates the Atlantic slope from the Ohio valley. There are valleys and narrow gorges dividing them, affording easy gradients for rail and McAdam roads. An average plantation, on the eastern slope, contains about 300 acres ; but, in the mountains, the wild lands (commonwealth domain) are used in common for timber and grazing, so that the cultivated area is the whole of the landed property of the farm. Sheep and cattle graze on the ridges; and the swine fatten upon the acorns, hickory, and other kinds of nuts. Reptiles are common, consisting of the rattle, black, garter, viper snakes, &c.; but they are not dangerous. The most poisonous always retreats, and only defends.

Between the Blue Ridge and the Alleghany Mountains is an extensive valley; and that country through which flows the Shenandoah, is called the "Valley." Westward of all the mountains is the Ohio slope, consisting of farms, woodlands, and grazing lands. In this part of Virginia the climate is quite mild, compared with the mountain regions. The snows are deep, and frosts are severe upon the Appalachian summits. There are railway communications, diverging north and southward from different parts of the Atlantic zone; and, with a few additions, there will be three lines of railways to the more southern states-the one near the coast, another more central, and the third through the valleys of the mountains. Iron, coal, and salt are produced in great quantities.

The gaps in the mountain ranges afford passes for communication between the western and eastern Virginias.

These gaps-and by that name they are called-have been produced by "the wear and tear" of nature-the washing of the waters. The valley of Virginia was at one time, far in the past, a vast lake; and the fertile soil of the farms in that section of the state, is but the alluvial deposit upon the bottom of the lake. The water passed from this inland sea, at Harper's Ferry, and from thence pursued its course to the ocean. It is possible that the water wore away the earth and rocks of the mountain, until the gap was brought to a level with the basin of the lake in the rear. At Cumberland, Maryland, there is a gap in the Wills' mountain, like that at Harper's Ferry-further evidencing the correctness of these views. In the future, the area of Lake Erie will be dry land, except a passage for a river, running from Lake Huron to Lake Ontario; and forest trees will grow where there is now water several hundred feet in depth. There will be no more falls of Niagara, as the rocks over which the mighty torrent now flows will have been washed or worn away; and Lake Erie will have passed and gone, as has been the case with the great lake that was once held bound in the Appalachian Mountains-now the valley of Virginia.

In these mountain passes or gaps, inferior fortifications can prevent the progress of a vast army. Harper's Ferry may be referred to as an example. The town is situated on the tongue of land at the forks of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers: a few hundred yards to the right, and to the left, are the high cliffs of the Blue Ridge. Manassa Gap is another pass, through which the railway has been constructed, connecting the valley with the ocean slope.

The gap at Harper's Ferry is the most remarkable and stupendous scene in nature. Jefferson thus described it :"You stand on a very high point of land; on your right comes down the Shenandoah, some 300 feet wide, having ranged along the foot of the mountain 100 miles to seek a vent; on your left approaches the Potomac, some 400 feet wide, in quest of a passage also: in the moment of their junction they rush together against the mountain, rend it asunder, and pass off to the sea. The first glance of this scene hurries our senses into the opinion, that this earth has been created in time; that the mountains were formed first; that the rivers began to flow afterwards; that, in this place particularly, they have been dammed up by the blue ridge of mountains, and have formed an ocean which filled up the whole valley; that, continuing to rise, they have at length broken over at this spot, and have torn the mountain down from its summit to its base. The piles of rock on each hand, but particularly on the Shenandoah-the evident marks of their disrupture and avulsion from their beds by the most powerful agents of nature, corroborate the impression. But the distant finishing which nature has given to the picture, is of a very different character; it is a true contrast to the foreground; it is as placid and delightful as the other is wild and tremendous; for the mountain being cloven asunder, she presents to your eye, through the cleft, a small catch of smooth blue horizon, at an infinite distance in the plain country-inviting you, as it were, from the riot and tumult roaring around, to pass through the breach, and participate of the calm below. There the eye ultimately com