Dr. Mitchill conversed with Mr. Gratz, the proprietor of the great cave, who confirmed the account we have given of its extraordinary length, windings, and saline contents. Mr. Gratz was persuaded that the chambers of this cavern had been formerly used as places of refuge. He had found heaps of mockasons, or coverings for the feet, all worn more or less, and thrown by like old shoes, and the mate rials and workmanship of these were completely different from those practised either by the red or the white men.
There are in this state five celebrated hot springs, or licks, namely, the higher and lower blue springs on Lick ing river, from some of which streams of brinish water are said to issue.
The climate of Kentucky is moist, though it is said to be salubrious, except in the vicinity of ponds and low grounds. In the winter, and early in the spring, the ground is gene rally very muddy, and colds, rheumatisms, and inflamma tory fevers, then prevail. The extremes of heat and cold are unknown. In 1798, the maximum heat was 89° of Fah renheit. In the spring and fall of the year, the weather is delightful. A wind from the south-west blows during half that time. The very cold winds are all from the north and west. The winter generally lasts about two months, and is so mild, that cattle subsist without fodder.
The principal rivers are, the Mississippi, the Ohio, the Big Sandy, the Tennessee, the Kentucky, the Green river, and the Licking river. The Kentucky rises in the south east of the state, and runs through a north-west course of 280 miles, where it empties itself into the Ohio, by a mouth 250 yards wide. It has a rocky and irregular course, through banks generally rugged and precipitous. In the winter tides, it is navigable for boats of a considerable size for 180 miles ; but at Frankfort they can pass only during half the year. Green River rises in Lincoln county ; and, after an irregular westerly course of 280 miles, runs into the Ohio, 120 miles below Louisville. It is at all times na vigable for loaded boats for 80 miles. Licking river runs into the Ohio, by a mouth 150 yards wide, after a course of 180 miles. It is navigable about 70 miles.
The principal towns in this state, are Lexington and Frankfort. Lexington stands on an agreeable plain, about 120 miles in circuit, which is half encircled by Kentucky river for a course of 60 miles, so that it is no where more than 20 miles from the town. It is the seat of several flou risking manufactures; and contains a handsome presbyte rian church, a church for the Baptists, one for the Episco palians, a college, and 4326 inhabitants. The seminary, which is called the Transylvania university, is under a board of 21 trustees, and has a president, 5 professor s, and a teacher of French. The number of students, exclusive of those of medicine, is about 70. The library contains 1500 volumes ; and the annual revenue is about 2700 dol lars. Frankfort, which is the seat of government, is situ ated on the east bank of the Kentucky, about 30 miles from Lexington. It has a population of 1090 inhabitants.
The following Table contains a view of the manufacture's of this state in 1810.
The principal articles of export, which are hemp, wheat, and tobacco, are carried down the Ohio and Mississippi to New Orleans ; and the imports are brought up these rivers from the same place. The amount of exports, in 1801, was 626,673 dollars.
The legislature of Kentucky, called the general assem bly, meets on the first Monday of November, and consists of a senate and a house of representatives. The members of the senate, who are limited to 38, are chosen by districts, and retain their seat for four years ; and one-fourth must be rechosen annually. A member of the senate must be 35 years old, and a citizen of the United States ; and he must have resided six years in the state, and the last year in the district. The members of the house of representa tives, who are limited to 100, are elected on the first Mon day of every August. They must be 24 years old, and ci tizens of the United States ; and must have resided the two preceding years in the state, and the last of them in the county or town which they represent. The governor, to whom the executive government is entrusted, is elected by the people once in four years, and must be out of office at least seven years before he can be chosen again. He must be an Ainerican citizen, and 35 years of age, and roust have resided in the state for the six preceding years. The lieutenant-governor is similarly chosen, and must have si milar qualifications. He is president of the senate. If the governor dissents from any bill, it cannot become a law un less it is•again agreed to by a majority of hoth houses.
Baptists, Presbyterians, and Methodists, are the lead ing sects in Kentucky; the Baptists being the most, and the Methodists the least numerous. There are a few Catholics, who have a bishop at Bardstown. and still fewer Episcopalians. The Prysbyterians have fifty clergymen, whose doctrines are, with a few exceptions, strictly Calvi nistic.
This part of America was well known to the Indian tra ders many years before it was colonized. A map of it was made from their description in 1752.; and it was afterwards explored in 1754 and 1769. It was again explored by Col. Daniel Boon, in 1770. The first family settled in it in 1775. In 1777, it was erected into a separate county by Virginia, and into a separate district in 1782. In 1786, it was entirely separated from Virginia ; and on the 1st of June, 1792, it was received into the union. The first set tlers were harrasscd by the Indians, till General Clarke, in 1778, took their posts, as well as those of the French and English.
The population of Kentucky was, in 1790 73 677 1800 . 220.955 1810 . 4(.0.511 The distance of Philadelphia by land to Kertucky is be tween 700 and 800 miles.
See Morse's ./linerican Geography, 8vo. Boston, 1817, p. 225. The Medical Repository for February, ,181 5, publish ed at New York, vol. ii. p. 391 ; and The Transactions of the Society of the tIntivearies of Scotland. vol. i. p. 61, 62, Ste. Edinb. 1818. Very copious information respecting t ris state may also be found in Michaux's Travels to the West ward qf'rhe ../Illeghany Mountains, chap. 16. 17, &e.