AMERICAN GEOGR RAPHY; OR, A VIEW OF THE PRESENT SITUATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: CONTAINING Aftronomical Geography.-Geographical Definitions, Difcovery, and General WITH A PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION OF -- ENTUCKY, THE WESTERN TERRITORY, and VERMONT. Of their TO WHICH IS ADDED, An Abridgment of the Geography of the BRITISH, SPANISH, FRENCH, and DUTCH BY JEDI DIAH MÓRSE. ILLUSTRATED WITH TWO SHEET MAPS-ONE OF THE SOUTHERN, THE OTHER OF THE NORTHERN STATES.FROM THE LATEST SURVEYS. SECOND EDITION. LONDON: PRINTED FOR JOHN STOCKDALE, PICCADILLY. M DCC XCII. PREFACE. S O imperfect are all the accounts of AMERICA hitherto published, even by those who once exclusively possessed the best means of information, that from them very little knowledge of this coun-try can be acquired. Europeans have been the fole writers of American Geography, and have too often suffered fancy to fupply the place of facts, and thus have led their readers into errors, while they professed to aim at removing their ignorance. But fince the United State have become an independent nation, and have risen into Empire, it would be reproachful for them to suffer this ignorance to continue; and the rest of the world have a right how to expect authentic information. To furnish his has been the design of the author of the folowing work; but he does not pretend that this lesign is compleated, nor will the judicious and candid expect it, when they confider that he has trodden, comparatively, an unbeaten path—that he has had to collect a vast variety of materials-that these have been widely scattered-and that he could derive but little affiftance from books already published. Four years have been employed in this work, during which period, the Author has vifited the feveral ftates in the Union, and maintained an extenfive correspondence with men of Science; and in every inftance has endeavoured to derive his information from the most authentic fources: he has alfo fubmitted his manufcripts to the infpection of Gentlemen in the ftates which they particularly defcribed, for their correction. It is poffible, notwithstanding, and indeed very probable, that inaccuracies may have crept in; but he hopes there are none of any great importance, and that fuch as may be observed, will not be made the subject of severe censure, but ascribed to fome pardonable cause. He flatters himself, however, that the work now offered to the public, will be found to be as accurate, compleat, and impartial, as the prefent ftate of American Geography and Hiftory could furnish. After all, like the nation of which it treats, it is but an infant, and as fuch folicits the foftering care of the country it defcribes; it will grow and improve as. the nation advances towards maturity, and the Au thor will gratefully acknowledge every friendly communication which will tend to make it perfect. In the prosecution of the work, he has aimed at utility rather than originality, and of course, when he has met with publications suited to his purpose, he has made a free ufe of them; and he thinks it proper here to obferve, that, to avoid unneceffary trouble, he has frequently used the words as well as the ideas of the writers, although the reader has not been particularly apprized of it. For the Author diftinctly to acknowledge the obligations he is under to many citizens of these states, as well as to fome foreigners of distinction, residents among us, would fwell this preface to an improper length; he cannot forbear, however, to express his peculiar obligation to EBENEZER HAZARD, Esq. Poft-Master-General of the United States, for permiffion of free access to his very large and valuable Collection of papers, from which he has derived much of his hiftorical information. This collection has been made with unwearied care and minute exactnefs; and the papers, which are of unquestionable authenticity, are the best, and most complete depofitum of facts relating to the history of America from its first settlement, that is to be found in the United States. The Author's acknowledgments are like A 3 wife |