AMERICAN ACADEMY. as particnlar account of them could most of the great shocks have to their nature, use, and nection with any thing that falls effects.” under our observation. In the first part, Dr. Williams With respect to the causes of gives a narrative of the principal the earthquakes of New England, -, facts relative to the earthquakes in it is inferred from the facts before New-England, from 1638, when stated, that they “ have been prothe first happened, which was ob- duced by something which has served by our ancestors, after their moved along under the surface of landing at Plymouth, to 1783 in- the earth.” What thus moved clusive. Five of these were much under, and hove up the surface of greater than the rest ; namely the earth, was probably a strong the earthquakes of 1638, 1658, elastick vapour," a fluid of the 1663, 1727, and 1755 ; the last of same nature as that which is now which was the greatest. called inflammable air.” In the observations and remarks In the opinion of this author it is said, that all the earthquakes « the contents of the earth will acwhich have happened in this coun- count for the origin, and the structry, are of the same kind, having ture of it will account for the moan undulatory motion ; that their tion and direction of a subterra. general course is nearly from the neous vapour." north-west to the south-east ; that Under the head of general retheir origin was probably at a con- flections on earthquakes, it is obsiderable distance from New-Eng- served, “ if we are right in our land in north-western direction; conjectures on the causes of earththat “ to the south-west, they have quakes, we may conclude, that the several times reached as far as globe always has been, and will be Maryland ; but never so far as subject to such concussions,”Virginia or Carolina ; to the north- that, « notwithstanding all their east, they have been bounded by terrible effects, earthquakes seem Nova-Scotia ; having never been to be a necessary consequence of felt much further than Halifax ; such laws of nature, and powers from the unknown lands, at the in matter, as are, upon the whole, north-west, they have gone off greatly beneficial to the globe,” south-east into the Atlantic : their that « these extensive and powerextent this way, being greater than ful agitations tend to weaken the we are able to trace on either attraction, loosen the parts, and point of the compass," pores of the earth ; and far as can be gathered from the thus to fit and prepare it for the accounts, it seems probable, that purposes of vegetation, and for the ,”-that as open the various kinds of produce that are necessary for the support of animal life," that "we have no way to form any rational conclusions as to the time when an earthquake will happen, from any inferences founded on the knowledge of the nature and operations of their causes; nor can we receive much, if any, help from any preceding signs," that "it must," however, "be supposed, that earthquakes (like all other events that depend on natural causes) are subject to certain and determined laws and rules, which are in themselves constant, regular, and harmonious, whether these laws, or this regularity, be known to us or not "that it was no doubt with a view ultimately to moral purposes, that the laws of nature were first established and noth ing can be better adapted than many of their operations, to awaken and direct the attention of mankind to the supreme governour of the world," and that" of his favour mortals may be sure, so long as they maintain a steady regard to the rules of virtue." We could with pleasure make much larger extracts from this very valuable Memoir, did we not fear, that the present article would then be too long. Earthquakes make most awful impressions on the mind, and excite an ardent desire to be particularly acquainted with the nature and effects of those of our own country, to which we are exposed. We have perused the account before us with much satisfaction. It contains many important facts, many ingenious conjectures, many excellent reflections. IX. An account of West-River Mountain, and the appearance of there having been a volcano in it. By Daniel Jones, Esq. West-river mountain is in the state of New-Hampshire, on the eastern bank of Connecticut river, opposite to the mouth of Westriver. Mr. Jones is of opinion, that there has been an eruption on the south side of this mountain about eighty yards from the top. Some people in the vicinity, hop. ing to find gold, have there dug to the depth of seventy or eighty feet. "The external parts of the hole are entirely rock, and in many places much burnt and softened. There are small holes in various places of the rock, where they dig, like the arch of an oven, and the rock seems to be dissolved by heat; the cinders and melted dross adhere to it, and hang down in drops like small icicles, some, thing resembling in colour the cinders of a furnace, or black glass, and it is so fastened to the rock, that it appears as if it was originally part of the same." "At the mouth of the hole, there was blown out melted dross, which stuck to the rocks; and in the hole were found various pieces of stone, which appeared to be dissolved by fire, and the sides of the rock black, ened by fire; so that this hole must have been filled up since the eruption took place." ... Such are the principal appear ances, observed on the mountain, which seemed to indicate that there had been volcanick eruptions. And great quantities of stone, fallen or thrown from the mountain, are thought to furnish evidence of explosions or violent agitations. Beside the evidence, that arises from the present appearance, there was also information from some old, credible people, who had lived opposite to the mountain, that a there had been frequent explosions few tables of probable population, in it, and emissions of fire and of weather, imports and exports, smoke. The last explosion, that with descriptions of the publick the author recollects, happened, as buildings,have swollen the account he observes, about five or six years of a commercial town into a huge before the date of this account, quarto ; and as the authors of Nov. 2, 1783. The noise resem- such works convey so much inbled that of an earthquake, and the formation to the publick, they earth trembled considerably where think themselves licensed to nego he was, at a distance of four or lect every ornament; though even five miles. novels, at present deemed the X. An account of eruptions, and erature, are supposed to be adorno meanest articles in the shop of litthe present appearance in Westo ed with the beauties of language, River Mountain. By Mr. Caleb and variety of incidents. StatisAlexander. ticks, as they afford the only means Mr. Alexander observed ap- of judging correctly of the pros. pearances on this mountain sími. perity of a country, of its rise and Jar to those, described by Mr. decline, are extremely useful; and Jones in the last Memoir. He is though they will not admit all the however of opinion, that there beauties of imagery, do not refuse have been eruptions of fire at two all ornament. A work of this places. kind should contain much new inAccording to information, that formation ; and facts should be had been received, explosions had so well authenticated as to support been heard as loud as the report the conclusions, that are drawn of a cannon ;....at other times from them. We hope our readers they had been heard at the distance will be able to judge from the of fourteen or fifteen miles ;...that following account, how far Mr. violent eruptions of fire had been Drayton has succeeded in these observed several times, when the points. flame ascended to a great height We shall forbear to speak of in the air, the inelegance, if not impropriety of the title ; and shall only ob serve, that it is sufficiently general ART. 17. to include every thing that can be said of South-Carolina. Our auA view of South Carolina, as re. thor divides his work into three spects her natural and civil con- chapters, the first of which concerns. By John Drayton. 1802. tains the geography and natural Charleston, W. P. Young. 8vo. history of South Carolina, which is i vol, pp. 252. again subdivided into “ situation, and by what authority ; discovery, Works of this nature have been and name ; face of the country ; so multiplied in Europe, from the mountains ; climate ; diseases ; importance which every one be- rivers, lakes, and water courses ; lieves his own city and district to minerals, springs, cascades, and possess, and are produced with so natural curiosities ; productions little labour, that it is necessary to vegetable and animal.” Of these guard against the introduction of our author treats in their order, this evil into our own country. A and prefixes to the whole a short introduction, turgid, obscure, and full of forced epithets. In speaking of the face of the country, he divides S. Carolina into three divisions; the upper, above the falls of the rivers, contains 9450 square miles. The middle and lower, divided from each other by the sand hills, contain 14510. The country rises gradually from the sea for eighty miles, and is an extensive plain, except where intersected by water, producing nothing but pines, and thence denominated pine barren. These pine barrens are devoid of underwood, being frequently burnt for the purpose of producing early spring pasturage. Upon the numerous creeks and rivers, which divide this plain, are rich and fertile savannahs, almost the only lands cultivated in the lower division. The best rice plantations are made on these marshes, where the tide flows, but above where the salt water rises. They require no manure, and are inexhaustible. He neglects however to inform us, that some gentlemen have converted their salt marshes into rice plantations, by raising dykes for the exclusion of the salt water, and bringing in a trough or canal fresh water from the river above. After a few years, these are found equally productive with the fresh marshes. The middle country resembles the lower, the banks of the rivers being alone profitable to cultivate. The upper country is diversified like the northern states into hill and dale; but its mountains seem to raise our author from the humble style, he had before used. He carries us to the top of the table mountain, and after stating its height at 3168 feet, the highest mountain in the state; and showing us on one side the lover's leap 300 feet perpendicular, he men tions the mountains, that may thence be seen in the various directions, and adds, "To the east and south-east the eye may range without any other control, than what the unerring laws of nature have ordained in the curvature of the globe. Thirty farms or more are hence distinguished by the naked eye at any one view; the mountains wind along in elevated majesty, and roaring cataracts, leaping from rock to rock, hasten down their sides to run with more gentle streams along the vales below." When" elevated far above the sphere of human life," as he afterwards expresses himself, "by the clouds, which sweep below him," he discovers thirty farms or more, we can only compare him to the hawk, who, striving to soar above the towering eagle, is drawn from his lofty flight to seize some little bird below. The rest of his description is extremely puerile. He represents the climate of the upper country as fine and wholesome; but says that, from the great quantities of stagnant waters in the lower parts of the state producing many reptiles and insects, "it is not surprising that the hot months should be chequered with sickness." We regret that neither here, nor under the head of diseases, he has given us a table of births and deaths, for his account is much too general to remove the common impression, that the climate is extremely unfriendly to the constitution of the whites. The table of diseases may give an idea of the destroying angel's form; but not of the exertions of his powers. After describing the dreadful whirlwinds and hail storms that are experienced in this state, he attempts to prove, that they owe their origin to the situation of South Carolina in the temperate zone, near the upon the authority of Mr. Jeffertorrid. He should first, however, son decides them to be similar to have proved to us, that these dread- those found in Siberia, and then, ful scourges were not felt in any with much ingenuity, conjures up, other situation; and then we might first the theory of the zones having be disposed to listen to his arguexchanged places from the moving ment. Nor would he have thought of the ecliptick ; then Mr.Buffon's the climate of that state peculiariy theory of the earth's having at variable, because the thermometer first been fiuid from heat, and havhas varied 83° in one season ; ifing, in the true spirit of quixotism, he had known that it had been in combatted these theories to his Maine 36° below the cypher in own satisfaction, he at length diswinter, and at near an 100° above covers that they only “spring from it in summer. He gives an opin- the brain of a fertile imagination." ion, that the climate ameliorates; Not content with this victory, he but, sensible that he does not pro- speaks of the theories of other natduce sufficient authority to support uralists, and of the ice islands of the opinion, he seems cautious in St. Pierre, loaded with bears and risking it. His tables of weather elephants ; but having already exare only of the extremes of heat and hausted his own ingenuity, he cold, for ten years from 1750, and leaves us in doubt, to overturn eight years from 1791, and of rain these theories ourselves, if we are for 7 years from 1795. By which so disposed. Mill, building, and it appears, that in the above years, lime stones, ochres, asbestos, and the thermometer was but once slate are found in the upper parts above 90°, and seldom below 220 of the state ; and he wishes that above the cypher ; and that the we should think, that, besides iron rain in the above years varied from and lead, they possess gold and sil42,9 to 75,4 inches. Our author ver, yet concealed in the carth. passes from climate and diseases His botanical catalogue is full, to rivers, &c. ; but he treats with though he himself tells us, it is not no more respect, the broad and coniplete ; but his account of aniextensive Savannah and Santee, mals is only a short list of names. than he does the minor streams of Our author divides his second Ashley and Edisto. The tides ex- chapter into political and rural tend up the rivers about 80 miles; economy, which he subdivides into but in the Santee not more than “ population, military force, ten15. On the coast they rise from res, value of estates and build6 to 10 feet, but are much influence ings, agriculture, manufactures, ed by the wind. Nothing but the inland navigation, roads, and comdesire of mentioning every thing, merce." Under the head of popcould have induced our author to ulation he gives a long and uninspeak of lakes; a pond of less than teresting account of the Indians, a mile in circumference being the their wars, &c. ; and with regard only thing resembling them in the to the early white and negro state. Fifteen pages are employ- population the only facts estabed upon fossils, minerals, &c., when lished are, that white populaas many lines would have decribed tion decreased till 1734, that in the whole. He speaks at length 1765 there were 40,000 whites, of some mammoth bones deposit- and 90,000 blacks, and that in ed in the Charleston museum, and 1800 there were 196,255 whites, |