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Show 486 VOYAGE ON THE OHIO CANAL----CHILLICOTHE. sluices, and a mill with seventy saws for cutting freestone, which is found in the neighbourhood, into blocks for building, tombstones, &c. On the 21st we passed through very fine forests of sugar maples and beeches, where numerous baltimores were flying about. The country is very fertile; it was formerly clothed with wood; and the detached block-houses of the settlers are constantly met with. On many spots of the surrounding hills the may-apple (Podophyllum) grew in abundance; others were covered with an undergrowth of the papaw tree : the kingfisher was frequently seen on the banks of the canal. Near three combined sluices is a feeder, which connects the canal with the Sciotto. There is a weir in the river, in the deep waters of which it is said there are a very great number of soft-shell tortoises. About a league and a half from Chillicothe, after passing Indian Creek, the canal is carried over a stream called Paint Creek. This aqueduct is broad, has three arches, and two stone pillars, over which the water of the canal flows; and on each side of the aqueduct is a floored way, with a railing for the horses and foot passengers. Towards evening we arrived at Chillicothe, a small town, with 2000 or 3000 inhabitants, in the wild and fertile valley, which is evidently in a state of rapid improvement. There are about 150 Germans here, who are in general well spoken of. The breeding of cattle is the chief occupation of the inhabitants of this part of the country, and they export oxen and swine. They have, however, begun likewise to follow agriculture, and now export a small quantity of wheat. When the first planters settled here, they found two Indian tribes-the Shawnees of the Americans, or Chavenons of the French, and the Wyandots, who had been driven hither from the north. On the spot where the town now stands were formerly several conical Indian barrows, in one of which were found some bones, potsherds, and beads, which were made of hard wood. Another barrow was composed, at the upper part, of stones; it contained bones, and two copper bracelets, which appeared to be beaten or hammered, not cast. A third barrow, overgrown with trees, which still exists, and is situated on a rather lofty wooded eminence, had at the summit a mixture of sand and stones, and then clay, under which were ashes mixed with bones, which crumbled away when exposed to the air. An extremely violent thunder-storm, with torrents of rain, surprised us when we were leaving Chillicothe, at nine o'clock in the evening, where an obliging German, of the name of Bauman, had given us hospitable entertainment. We proceeded during the night, and early in the morning of the 22nd passed several sluices, and then traversed a low, wooded country on the Sciotto, which is here full of small verdant islands, covered with trees. Fine lofty forest trees adorned the country; the elder bushes were in blossom ; and the red-headed woodpecker and the kingfisher everywhere displayed their beautiful plumage. We now came to the considerable town of Circleville, which has many brick buildings, and must have increased greatly since |