least two hours. The dancing was highly graceful, and in as perfect tune and step as if the performers had been the disciples of Vestris. Our festive scene was closed by a performance of Cuff's he gave us in a grand stile a war, funeral, and marriage dance, which the French had the complaisance to applaud, though the words, " quel horreur! quelle abomination! Sacre Dieu! le Sauvage!" were tittered from At twelve o'clock we every mouth.

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separated, and with as many adieus and souvenez vous de moi as if our intimacy had been for years, and our future friendship to be eternal.

I left the settlement the following morning, much pleased with my visit, and the improved opinion it allowed me to entertain of a people whom I had to commisserate, from the accounts, I heard of them at Galliopolis. I sincerely hope that the place may become healthy

in time, and admit to their original views some small degree of realization and success.

Twelve miles below the French grant, I came before the Little Sciota, a small rivulet on the same side, from the mouth of which a bar of rocks extends half across the Ohio. The channel at the upper end of the bar is near the Kentuckey shore-at the lower end it is close round the rocks. About half a mile lower down I came to another bar, extending more than half across the river. Opposite the bar on the Kentuckey shore, I found the water so shallow, that I was apprehensive of striking every moment. Working midway between the point of the bar, and the Kentuckey shore, I recovered a good channel, and without sustaining any damage, though for some time my soundings were but from two feet to eighteen inches.

Running eight miles from the Little I arrrived before the Big Sciota, a fine river on the right-hand shore, and dropped under Alexandria, a small town situated on the lower point, formed by the junction of the two rivers. Having secured the boat, I went up to the town, intending to make from it some few excursions. I give you their result, without fatiguing you with their detail.

Alexandria contains about forty houses and three hundred inhabitants, Dutch, Germans, Scotch, and Irish. While it was the seat of justice, and only place of deposit for the merchandize of the extensive settlements of the upper parts of the Sciota, it rose with great rapidity, and held out such demonstrations of success, that numbers settled in the town and neighbourhood, and bought town lots at such an extravagant price and rash avidity, that none

remained on the hands of the original proprietors. The building of a courthouse augmented the spirit of speculation and settlement, and all went on to admiration, till the state legislature decreed, that the courts, offices, &c. should be removed across the mouth of the Sciota to a new town called Portsmouth, being a situation more eligible for that purpose, and as a depot for merchandize and produce. In this manner did a stroke of the pen sign the ruin of Alexandria, and all the speculating forestallers of its adjacent lands and lots. A Dutchman, who had purchased a number of excellent building grounds, proposed very seriously to give me my choice for a strong pair of shoes." So sudden a fall is felt severely by the inhabitants in general; they sunk their means in giving the town a phlethoric rise, and are now without the capacity of removing. They disclaim

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sadly against the decree of the State Legislature, and say it was ordained to flatter General Massey, who is a member of the State, and proprietor of the township of Portsmouth. On passing over to Portsmouth in my canoe, heard a more honest and probable story. Alexandria is insulated every spring, and from lying below the mouth of the river, is not calculated for a place of depot or business.

Portsmouth is in its first infancy. As the citizens of Alexandria must ultimately remove to it or perish, and as it commands numerous advantages, both local and general, it is reasonable to conceive that it must become a place of consequence and resort.

The Sciota is two hundred and fifty yards wide at its mouth, which is in the latitude 38° 22m and at the Salt-lick towns, two hundred miles above the mouth, it is yet one hundred yards wide.