The Sweet Springs are 17 miles east from the White Sulphur, in a wide and beautiful valley among the mountains. Their temperature is 73° Fahrenheit. They are celebrated for the tonic power of their waters, whether used externally or internally. About a mile north of the Sweet Springs is the Red Spring of the Alleghany, said to be peculiarly efficacious in rheumatic complaints.

The Salt Sulphur Springs are in Monroe county, 24 miles distant from the White Sulphur. This pleasant watering place is surrounded by mountains on every side. The Red Sulphur Springs are situated on Indian creek, 40 miles from the White Sulphur and 16 from the Salt Sulphur.

The Augusta Springs are 12 miles north-west of Staunton. The water is strongly impregnated with sulphuretted hydrogen, and is said to equal the celebrated springs of Harrowgate, England. The Alum Springs are in Rockbridge county, 17 miles west of Lexington, on the road to the warm and hot springs of Bath county. The Botetourt Springs are in Roanoke county, 12 miles from Fincastle. The Fauquier White Sulphur Springs are 6 miles. south-west from Warrenton, in Fauquier county. The Grayson Sulphur Springs are in Carrol county, on the west side of the Blue Ridge, about 20 miles south of Wytheville. Its waters are said to be efficacious in dyspepsia and rheumatism. The Shannondale Sprinys are upon the Shenandoah River, in the vicinity of Harper's Ferry, near the Blue Ridge, and are easier of access from the northern Atlantic cities than any others in Virginia. The scenery of the place is very beautiful. The waters closely resemble those of the celebrated Bedford waters in composition, operation and efficacy.

Wheeling is on the east bank of Ohio River, and on both sides of Wheeling creek, 351 miles from Richmond, 56 miles from Pittsburg, and 365 above Cincinnati. The hills back of the city come near the river, so as to leave but a limited area for building, so that the place is forced to extend along the high alluvial bank for two miles. A fine stone bridge over Wheeling creek connects the upper and lower portions of the city. Wheeling is the most important place on the Ohio River between Cincinnati and Pittsburg. It is surrounded by bold hills containing inexhaustible quantities of bituminous coal, from which the numerous manufacturing establishments are supplied at a small expense. The place contains several iron foundries, cotton mills, and factories of various kinds. A large business is done in the building of steamboats. Population about 12,000.

The National Road, from Cumberland across the Alleghany Mountains to St. Louis, passes through Wheeling, and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad terminates here, making this place a great thoroughfare of travel between the east and west. The Ohio River is crossed here by a magnificent wire suspension bridge, erected at a cost of upward of $200,000. Its span, one of the longest in the world, measures 1,010 feet. The hight of the towers is 153 feet above low water mark, and 60 above the abutments. The entire bridge is supported by 12 wire cables, 1,380 feet in length and 4 inches in diameter, each composed of 550 strands. These cables are laid in pairs, 3 pairs on each side of the flooring.

In 1769 Col. Ebenezer Zane, his brothers Silas and Jonathan, with some others from the south branch of the Potomac, visited the Ohio for the purpose of making improvements, and severally proceeded to select positions for their future residence. They chose for their residence the site now occupied by the city of Wheeling, and having made the requisite preparations returned to their former homes, and brought out their families the ensuing

year. The Zanes were men of enterprise, tempered with prudence, and directed by sound judgment. To the bravery and good conduct of these three brothers, the Wheeling settlement was mainly indebted for its security and • preservation during the war of the revolution. Soon after the settlement of this place other settlements were made at different points, both above and below Wheeling, in the country on Buffalo, Short and Grave creeks.

The name of Wheeling was originally Weeling, which in the Delaware language signifies the place of a head. At a very early day, some whites descending the Ohio in a boat, stopped at the mouth of the creek and were murdered by Indians. The savages cut off the head of one of their victims, and placing it on a pole with its face toward the river, called the spot Weeling.

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Southern View of Wheeling.

The view shows the appearance of Wheeling as it is entered upon the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The steamboat landing and part of the city are seen in the central part. The suspension bridge crossing over to Wheeling Island on the left. Part of the railroad depot is on the right.

The most important event in the history of Wheeling was the siege of Fort Henry, at the mouth of Wheeling creek, in September, 1777. The fort was originally called Fort Fincastle, and was a place of refuge for the settlers in Dunmore's war. The name was afterward changed to Henry, in honor of Patrick Henry. The Indians who besieged the fort were estimated at from 380 to 500 warriors, led on by the notorious Simon Girty. The garrison numbered only 42 fighting men, under the command of Col. Shepherd. The savages made several attempts to force themselves into the fort; they were driven back by the unerring rifle shots of the brave little garrison. A reinforcement of about 50 men having got into the fort, the Indians raised the siege, having lost from 60 to 100 men. The loss of the garrison was 26 killed, all of whom, excepting three or four, fell in an ambuscade outside the

walls before the attack on the fort commenced. The heroism of Elizabeth Zane during the siege is worthy of record. This heroine had but recently returned from school at Philadelphia, and was totally unused to such scenes as were daily transpiring on the frontier:

"The stock of gunpowder in the fort having been nearly exhausted, it was determined to seize the favorable opportunity offered by the suspension of hostilities to send for a keg of gunpowder which was known to be in the house of Ebenezer Zane, about sixty yards from the gate of the fort. The person executing this service would necessarily expose himself to the danger of being shot down by the Indians, who were yet sufficiently near to observe everything that transpired about the works. The colonel explained the matter to his men, and, unwilling to order one of them to undertake such a desperate enterprise, inquired whether any man would volunteer for the service. Three or four young men promptly stepped forward in obedience to the call. The colonel informed them that the weak state of the garrison would not justify the absence of more than one man, and that it was for themselves to decide who that person should be. The eagerness felt by each volunteer to undertake the honorable mission prevented them from making the arrangement proposed by the commandant; and so much time was consumed in the contention between them that fears began to arise that the Indians would renew the attack before the powder could be procured. At this crisis, a young lady, the sister of Ebenezer and Silas Zane, came forward and desired that she might be permitted to execute the service. This proposition seemed so extravagant that it met with a peremptory refusal; but she instantly renewed her petition in terms of redoubled earnestness, and all the remonstrances of the colonel and her relatives failed to dissuade her from her heroic purpose. It was finally represented to her that either of the young men, on account of his superior fleetness and familiarity with scenes of danger, would be more likely than herself to do the work successfully. She replied that the danger which would attend the enterprise was the identical reason that induced her to offer her services, for, as the garrison was very weak, no soldier's life should be placed in needless jeopardy, and that if she were to fall her loss would not be felt. Her petition was ultimately granted, and the gate opened for her to pass out. The opening of the gate arrested the attention of several Indians who were straggling through the village. It was noticed that their eyes were upon her as she crossed the open space to reach her brother's house; but seized, perhaps, with a sudden freak of clemency, or believing that a woman's life was not worth a load of gunpowder, or influenced by some other unexplained motive, they permitted her to pass without molestation. When she reappeared with the powder in her arms the Indians, suspecting, no doubt, the character of her burden, elevated their firelocks and discharged a volley at her as she swiftly glided toward the gate, but the balls all flew wide of the mark, and the fearless girl reached the fort in safety with her prize. The pages of history may furnish a parallel to the noble exploit of Elizabeth Zane, but an instance of greater selfdevotion and moral intrepidity is not to be found anywhere."

Parkersburg is a thriving town of about 4,500 inhabitants, at the junction of the Little Kanawha with the Ohio, 100 miles below Wheeling. It has a connection with the west by the Cincinnati and Marietta railroad, and with the east by the North-western railroad, a branch of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad.

Martinsburg is a flourishing town on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, 180 miles north from Richmond, and has about 3,000 inhabitants.

Moundsville is a small village on the line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, 11 miles below Wheeling. On the river flats at this place, in full view of the passing steamers, is the Mammoth Mound, 69 feet in hight. Some years since a white oak, about 70 feet in hight, stood on its summit, which appeared to die of age. On carefully cutting the trunk transversely, the number of concentric circles showed that it was about 500 years old. In

1838 Mr. Tomlinson excavated the mound at the bottom; after proceeding horizontally 111 feet, he found two skeletons in a grave or vault, which had been excavated into the earth before the mound was commenced. Another excavation was made at the top of the mound downward. About half way down a second vault was found. In it was discovered a singular hieroglyphical stone, a copy of which is annexed of the size of the original. Mr. Henry R. Schoolcraft, the antiquarian, gays: "These characters are in the ancient rock alphabet of sixteen right and acute angled single strokes, used by the Pelasgi and other

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early Mediterranean nations, and which is the parent of the modern Runic as well as the Bardic."

Charleston, the county seat for Kanawha county, is a flourishing village on the north bank of the Kanawha River, 308 miles west of Richmond, and 46 east of the Ohio River. The first house of worship was built by the Methodists, the second by the Presbyterians in 1830, and the third by the Episcopalians in 1835. Population about 2,000.

The Kanawha salt works commence on the river near Charleston, and extend on both sides for about fifteen miles; and the amount of salt now manufactured is about 2,500,000 bushels annually, giving employment to several thousand persons. The salt water is obtained by boring through a formation of rock from 300 to 500 feet deep, and the water rises in copper or tin tubes, which exclude the fresh water, to the level of the surface of the river along its margin. It is then raised forty feet to the top of the bank, by forcing-pumps moved by steam-engines. The bituminous coal which abounds. in the vicinity is used for evaporating the water. A late traveler in the Kanawha Valley gives some valuable items:

The valley of the Kanawha, above Charleston, is at present the most profitable farming country in western Virginia. The strip of bottom land on the river is narrow, being sometimes on one side of the river and then on the other, but always exceedingly rich and adapted to almost every kind of product. The best farms here are held at $100 per acre, and pay a large interest on that price.

The various manufacturing operations on this portion of the Kanawha, of salt, coal oil, coal mines, etc., are sufficient to absorb so large an amount of farming products as to enable those who attend to the cultivation of their farms properly to realize very handsome returns. There are more evidences of good farming in the distance of twenty miles above Charleston than in any spot I have seen in Virginia.

As to the value or amount of coal in this region, I should say there is coal enough in the valley of the Kanawha to supply the whole world for fifty years if coal could be had from no other source.

I saw nothing of Charleston, as I arrived there in the night and left before light the next morning, The people, however, on the river all speak of it as a “right smart little place." It has about 2,000 inhabitants, and is the medium and center of a large trade. They suffer greatly, however, from the frequent and often long failure of the Kanawha to allow their boats to arrive. I learned since I was there they ran entirely ashore for tea, coffee, sugar, molasses, etc., and were obliged to send teams down the river some distance to meet the boats which were coming up with the articles, but had stuck fast on the rocks.

Point Pleasant is a small village at the junction of the Kanawha with the Ohio. It is noted as the site of the most bloody battle ever fought with the Indians in Virginia-the battle of Point Pleasant-which took place in Dunmore's war, Oct. 10, 1774. The Virginians, numbering 1,100 men, were under the command of Gen. Andrew Lewis. The Indians were under the celebrated Shawnee chieftain Cornstalk, and comprised the flower of the Shawnee, Wyandot, Delaware, Mingo and Cayuga tribes. The action lasted from sunrise until sunset, and was contested with the most obstinate bravery on both sides. The Virginians at length were victorious, but with a loss of more than 200 of their number in killed and wounded, among whom were some of their most valued officers. This event was made the subject of a rude song, which is still preserved among the mountaineers of western Virginia:

Ceredo is a new town planted by Eli Thayer, of Massachusetts, and settled by New England emigrants. It is on the Ohio River, in Wayne county, 5 miles above the mouth of the Big Sandy, the dividing line between Virginia and Kentucky. A late traveler says:

Wayne county contains much excellent land that is level or nearly so, and easy of cultivation, but by far the larger portion is quite hilly. The hills are more abrupt and cone-like than in many other counties in western Virginia, but even on the highest of these hills the soil is excessively rich and productive. On the very top of one of the highest hills in Wayne county was raised this season as fine corn as I saw in Virginia. The best use, however, to which these rich hills can be put is the growing of fruit. I saw wild grape vines three inches in diameter at the base, with branches running to the very top of the highest trees. Frost never troubles the most delicate fruits on the hills, while the bottom lands are occasionally visited with frosts which interfere with the successful cultivation of various kinds of fruits so admirably adapted to this soil and climate. A few nurseries have already been planted which are doing exceedingly well. But little has been done of late in the way of peach growing, though every effort in this line has proved a great success. The peach crop from one orchard was sold last year on the trees for $5,000. This region of country is better adapted to stock raising and the dairy business than anything else, and for these purposes it has no superior, if, indeed, its equal can be found.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, MISCELLANIES, ETC.

Pocahontas, the daughter of Powhattan, the Indian chief of Virginia, was born about the year 1595. She became warmly attached to the English, and on several