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(which, with that degree of industry that is necessary to happiness, produces the necessaries and conveniences of life in great plenty. The inhabitants are almost entirely of English descent. There are no Dutch, Phench, or Germans, and very few Scotch or Irish people, in any part of the state. The original stock from which have sprung all the present inhabitants of Connecticut, and the numerous emigrants from the state to every j)art of tlie United States, consisted of 3000 souls, who settled in the towns of Hartford, New Haven, Windsor, Guilford, Milford, and Weathersfield, about the years 1635 and 1636. In 1756, the population of the state amounted to 130,611 souls ; in 1774, to 197,856; in 1782, to 202,877 whites, and 6273 Indians and Negroes; in 1790, to 237,946 persons, of whom 2764 w'ere slaves ; and by the census of 1810, to 261,942 souls. The people of Connecticut are remarkably fond of having all their disputes, even those of the most trivial kind, settled according to law. The prevalence of this litigious spirit affords employment and support for a numerous body of lawyers. That party spirit, however, which is the bane of political happiness, has not raged with such violence in this state as in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Public proceedings have been conducted generally with 'nucli calmness and candour. The people are well ininformed in regard to their rights, and judicious in the methods they adopt to secure them. Tiie state enjoys an uncommon share of political tranquillity and unanimity.
All religions, that are consistent with the peace of society, are tolerated in Connecticut : and a spirit of liberality and forbearance is increasing. There are very few religious sects in this state. The bulk of the people are Congregationalists. Besides these, there are Episcopalians and Baptists.
The damage sustained b}’- this state in the late war was estimated at 461,235/. I6s. Id. To compensate the sufferers, the general court, in May 1792, granted them 500,000 acres of the w. part of the reserved lands of Connecticut, which lie w. of Pennsylvania. There are a great number of very pleasant towns, both maritime and inland, in Connecticut. It contains five cities, incorporated with extensive jurisdiction in civil causes. Two of these, Hartford and New Haven, are capitals of the state. The general assembly is holden at the former in May, and at the latter in October, annually. The other cities are New London, Norwich, and Middleton. Weathersfield, Windsor, Farmington, Litchfield, Milford, Stratford, Fairfield, Guilford, Stamford, Windham, Suffieid, and
Enfield, are all considerable and very pleasant towns. In no part of the world is the education of all ranks of people more attended to than in Connecticut. Almost every town in the state is divided into districts, and each district has a public school kept in it a greater or less part of every year. Somewhat more than one-third of the moneys arising from a tax on the polls and rateable estate of the inhabitants is appropriated to the support of schools in the several towns, for the education of children and youth. The law directs that a grammar-school shall be kept in every county town throughout the state. Yale college is an eminent seminary of learning, and was founded in the year 1700. See Yace College. Academics have been established at Greenfield, Plainfield, Norwich, Windham, and Pomfret, some of which are flourishing.
The constitution of Connecticut is founded on their charter, which was granted by Charles II. in 1662, and on a law of the state. Contented with this form of government, the people have not been disposed to run the hazard of framing a new constitution since the declaration of independence. Agreeable to this charter, the supreme legislative authority of the state is vested in a governor, de])iity-governor, twelve assistants, or counsellors, and the representatives of the people, styled the general assembly. The governor, deputy-governor, and assistants, are annually chosen by the freemen in the month of May. The representatives (their number not to exceed two from each town) arc chosen by the freemen twice a-year, to attend the two annual sessions, on the second Tuesdays of May and October. The general assembly is divided into two branches, called the upper and lower houses. The upper house is composed of the governor, deputy-governor, and assistants ; the lower house of the representatives of the people. No law can pass without the concurrence of both houses.
Connecticut has ever made rapid advances in population. There have been more emigrations from this than from any of the other states, and yet it is at present full of inhabitants. This increase may be ascribed to several causes. The bulk of the inhabitants are industrious, sagacious husbandmen. Their farms furnish them with all the necessaries, most of the conveniences, and but few of the luxuries of life. They, of course, must be generally temperate, and if they choose, can subsist with as much independence as is consistent with happiness. The subsistence of the farmer is substantial, and does not depend on incidental circumstances, like that of most other professions.)
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(There is no necessity of serving an apprenticeship to the business, nor of a large stock of money to commence it to advantage. Farmers who deal much in barter, have less need of money than any other class of people. The ease with which a comfortable subsistence is obtained, induces the husbandman to marry young. The cultivation of his farm makes him strong and healthful. He toils cheerfully through the day, eats the fruit of his own labour with a gladsome heart, at night devoutly thanks his bounteous God for his daily blessings, retires to rest, and his sleep is sweet. Such circumstances as these have greatly contributed to the amazing increase of inhabitants in this state. Besides, the people live under a free government, and have no fear of a tyrant. There are no overgrown estates, with rich and ambitious landlords, to have an undue and pernicious influence in the election of civil officers. Property is equally enough divided; and must continue to be so, as long as estates descend as they now do. No person is prohibited from voting. He who has the most merit, not he Avho has the most money, is generally chosen into public office. As instances of this, it is to be observed, that many of the citizens of Connecticut, from the humble walks of life, have arisen to the first offices in the state, and filled them with dignity and repulation. That base business of electioneering, which is so directly calculated to introduce wicked and designing men into office, is yet but little known in Connecticut. A man who wishes to be chosen into office, acts wisely, for that end, when he keeps his desires to himself.
A thirst for learning prevails among all ranks of people in the state. More of the young men in Connecticut, in proportion to their numbers, receive a public education, than in any of the states. The revolution, which so essentially affected the government of most of the colonies, produced no very perceptible alteration in the government of Connecticut. While under the jurisdiction of Great Britain, they elected their own governors, and all subordinate civil officers, and made their own laws, in the same manner and with as little controul as they now do. Connecticut has ever been a rejmblic, and perhaps as perfect and as happy a republic as has ever existed. While other states, more monarchical in their governmen and manners, have been under a necessity of undertaking the difficult task of altering their old, or forming new constitutions, and of changing their monarchical for republican manners, Connecticut has uninterruptedly proceeded in her old track, both as to government and manners ; and, by these
means, has avoided those convulsions which have rent other states into violent parties.
The present territory of Connecticut, at the time of the first arrival of the English, was possessed by the Pequot, the Mohegan, Podunk, and many other smaller tribes of Indians. In 1774, there were of the descendants of the ancient natives only 1363 persons ; the greater part of whom lived at Mohegan, between Norwich and New London. From the natural decrease of the Indians, it is imagined that their number in this state do not now exceed 400. The first grant of Connecticut was made by the Plymouth council to the Earl of Warwick, in 1630. The year following the earl assigned this grant to Lord Say and Seal, Lord Brook, and nine others. Some Indian traders settled at Windsor in 1633. The same year, a little before the arrival of the English, a few Dutch traders settled at Hartford, and the remains of the settlement are still visible on the bank of Connecticut river. In 1634, Lord Say and Seal, &c. sent over a small number of men, who built a fort at Saybrook, and made a treaty with the Pequot Indians for the lands on Connecticut river. Mr. Haynes and Mr. Hooker left Massachusetts bay in 1634, and settled at Hartford. The following year, Mr. Eaton and Mr. Davenport seated themselves at New Haven. In 1644, the Connecticut adventurers purchased of Mr. Fenwick, agent for Lord Say and Seal, and Lord Brook, their right to the colony, for 1600/, Connecticut and New Haven continued two distinct governments for many years. At length, John Winthrop, Esq. who had been chosen governor of Connecticut, was employed to solicit a royal charter. In 1662, Charles II, granted a charter, constituting the two colonies for ever one body corporate and politic, by the name of “ The Governor and Company of Connecticut.” New Haven took the affair ill; but in 1665, all difficulties were amicably adjusted ; and, as has been already observed, this charter still continues to be the basis of their government. The capital is Boston.)
(Connecticut is the most considerable river in the c. part of the Linited States, and rises in the high lands which separate the states of Vermont and New Hampshire from Lower Canada. It has been surveyed about 25 miles beyond the 45° of latitude, to the head spring of its n. branch ; from which, to its mouth, is upwards of 300 miles, through a thick settled country, having upon its banks a great number of the most flourishing and pleasant towns in the United States. It is from 80 to 100 rods wide, 130 miles from its mouth. Its course between Vermont and New Hampshire]
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(is generally 5. s.zc. as likewise through Massachussetts, and part of Connecticut, until it reaches the city of Middleton ; after wliich it runs a s, s. e. course to its mouth. The navigation of this beautiful river, which, like the Nile, fertilizes tiie lands through which it runs, is much obstructed by falls ; two of these are between New Hampshire and Vermont, the first are called the Fifteen-mile falls ; here the river is rapid for 20 miles : the second remarkable fall is at Walpole, formerly called the Great falls, but now called Bellows’ falls. Above these the breadth of the river is in some places 22, in other places not above 16 rods; the depth of the channel is about 25 feet, and commonly runs full of water. In September 1792, however, owing to the severe drought, the water of the river, it is said, “ passed within (he space of 12 feet wide, and 2| feet deep.” A large rock divides the stream into two channels, each about 90 feet wide ; when the river is low, the e. channel is dry, being crossed by a solid rock ; and the whole stream falls into the w. channel, where it is contracted to the breadth of 16 feet, and flows with astonishing rapidity. There are several pitches, one above another, in the length of half a mile, the largest of which is that where the rock divides the stream. A bridge of timber was projected over this fall by Colonel Hale, in the year 1784, 365 feet long, and supported in the middle by the island rock, and under it the highest floods pass without doing any injury; this is the only bridge on the river, but it is contemplated to erect another, SO miles above, at the middle bar of Agar falls, where the passage for the water, between the rocks, is 100 feet wide ; this will connect the towns of Lebanon in New Hampshire, and Hartford in Vermont ; as the former bridge connects Walpole in New Hampshire with Rockingham in Vermont. Notwithstanding the velocity of the current at Bellows’ falls, above described, the salmon pass up the river, and are taken many miles above, but the shad proceed no farther. On the steep sides of the island rock, at the fall, hang several arm chairs, secured by a counterpoise ; in these the fishermen sit to catch salmon with fishing nets. In the course of the river, through Massachusetts, are the falls at South Hadley, around which locks and canals were completed in 1795, by an enterprising company, incorporated for that purpose in 1792, by the legislature of Massachusetts. In Connecticut the river is obstructed by falls at Enfield, to render which navigable in boats, a company has been incorporated, and a sum of money raised by lottery, but nothing effectual is yet done. The
average descent of this river from Weathersfield in Vermont, 150 miles from its mouth, is two feet to a mile, according to the barometrical observations of J. Winthrop, Esq. made in 1786. The rivers or streams which fall into Connecticut river are numerous; such of them as are worthy of notice will be seen under their respective names. At its mouth is a bar of sand, which considerably obstructs the navigation ; it has 10 feet water on it at full tides, and the depth is the same to Middleton, from which the bar is 36 miles distant. Above Middleton there are some shoals which have only six feet water at high tide, and here the tide ebbs and flows about eight inches ; three miles above that city the river is contracted to about 40 rods in breadth, by two high mountains ; on almost every other part of the river the banks are low, and spread into fine extensive meadows. In the spring floods, which generally happen in May, these meadows are covered with water. At Hartford, the water sometimes rises 20 feet above the common surface of the river, and the water having no other outlet but the above mentioned strait, it is sometimes tw o or three weeks before it returns to its usual bed ; these floods add nothing to-the depth of water on the bar at the mouth of the river, as the bar lies too far off in the sound to be affected by them. This river is navigable to Hartford city upwards of 50 miles from its mouth, and the produce of the country for 200 miles above it, is brought thither in boats. The boats which are used in this business are flat-bottomed, long, and narrow, and of so light a make as to be portable in carts : before the construction of locks and canals on (his river, they were taken out at three different carrying places, all of which made 15 miles : it is expected that in a few years the obstructions will be all removed. Sturgeon, salmon, and shad, are caught in plenty in their season, from the mouth of the river upwards, excepting sturgeon, which do not ascend the upper falls; besides a variety of small fish, such as pike, carp, perch, &c. There is yet a strong expectation of opening a communication between this river and the Merrimack, through Sugar river, which runs into the Connecticut at Claremont in New Mampshire, and the Contoocook, which falls into tlie Merrimack at Boscawen. From this river were employed, in 1789, three brigs of 180 tons each, in the European trade ; and about 60 sail, from 60 to 150 tons, in the VV. India trade, besides a few fishermen, and 40 or 50 coasting vessels. The number has considerably increased since.)
(Connecticut, a stream in Long island, New
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York, wliicli falls into a bay at the s. side of the island. It lies two miles to tlies. of Rockonkama pond.)
CONNESTIGUCUNE, an establisliment of tlie English, in the county of Albany, inthew. part and to the e. of Chenectady, or of (he river Mohawk, where it gives a fall from above 70 feet in lieiglit. See Arm any.
CONNETABLE, or CoN?)ESTABr^E, a small island of tire county of Cayenne, belonging to the French, between the city of Cayenne and cape Orange.
CONNETABLE, anotlier small island of tire same province, witli the addition of Petite, to distinguish it from the former.
CONOCOTO, a settlement of the kingdom of Quito, in the corregimimto of the district of the Cinco Leguasde la Ciudad, in the district of which is a rising ground called A Halo, and upon the skirts of this are many warm-water mineral streams, much frequented as baths for the curing of infirmities.
CONOMA, a lake of the province and country of the Amazonas, in the Portuguese possessions. It is formed from some waste water of the river Madera, very near its shore, and at a small distance from the river of Las Amazonas.
CONOME, Cape of, a point of land of the coast of Nova Scotia, in the bay of Fundy, and in the most interior part of the same.
CONORIBO, a river of the province and capainship of Seara in Brazil. It rises near the coast, runs n. and enters that of La Concepcion or S. Francisco, and that of La Cruz, and then enters the sea.
CONOSTEE, a settlement of Indians of N. Carolina ; situate on the shore of the river Euphasee.
CONSAHATCHEE, a river of the province and colony of Georgia. It runs s. e. and enters the sea.
CONSATA, a settlement of the missions which were held by the religious order of St. Augustin, in the country of Paititi, of the province and corregimiento of Larecaja in Peru.
CONSETS, Point of, on the e, coast of the island of Barbadoes, on the side of the point of Bele.
CONSOLACION, Nuestra Senora de, asettlement of the government of Neiba in the Nuevo Reyno de Granada ; annexed to the curacy of the town of La Purificacion. It is situate on the shore of the river Pardo, is of a hot temperature, abounding in the vegetable productions of a similar
climate, and in troublesome and venomous insects. It contains more than 200 house-keepers.
CONSOLACION, a point or long strip of land called Possession, on the n. coast of the straits of Magellan ; one of those which form Possession bay, and where are to be seen the ruins of the fort named Jesus, which was founded by the Admiral Pedro de Sarin iento.
CONSTANCE, or Constancia, a small city of the English, in the island of Barbadoes.
CONSTANTINO Perez, an island of the river Valdivia, in tlie kingdom of Chile, opposite the same city, with two other small islands, the one before, the other behind it, and which, together, form the celebrated port of this name. The passage on both sides is navigable, but the channel on the s. side being the most wide, is the course uniformly taken by large ships and vessels, and in the same manner the n. channel is mostly, as it is narrower, entered by frigates and small craft.
CONTAS, Rio das, a river in the province and captainship of Ylheos in Brazil. It rises near the coast, runs e. and enters the sea in the Barra or Bar of Camamu, in the river of Ylheos.
CONTAS, a town of the above province and kingdom.
(CONTINENTAL Village was situated on North river, in New York state. Before its destruction by Sir Henry Clinton, in October 1777, there were here barracks for 2000 men.)
CONTOOK, a settlement of the English, in the province of Hampshire, one of the four of New England ; situate on the shore of the river Penny cook.
Contook, a river of the above province. It rises from a small lake, runs s. then turns e. and enters the Pennycook.
CONTOY, an island of the N. sea, near the coast of the province and government of Yucatan, close to the cape Cotoche.
CONTRE-PASTURAGE, a river of the province and colony of Virginia. It runs n. e. and enters the head of the river James.
CONTRERAS, a small island of the S. sea, close to the coast of the province and government of Veragua in the kingdom of Tierra Firme.
CONTUMAZA, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Caxamarca in Peru.
CONUCO, a settlement ofthe province and corregimiento of Ytata in the kingdom of Chile ; situate near the coast, opposite the island of Quiriquina.
CONUENTOS, a settlement of the province and captainship of Rey in Brazil, at the source of the river Curitaba.
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CONUENTOS, another settlement in thh province and corregimiento of Chillan in the kingdom of Chile.
CONUENTILLO, a settlement of the province and government of Tucumán, in the district of the capital ; situate to the of the same.
(CONVERSATION Point, a headland on the s. side of a bay on the coast of California. Lat. 30' Long. 119°t0.)
(CONWAY, a township in the province of New Brunswick, Sudbury county, on the w. bank of St. John’s river. It has the bayofFundyon the and at the westernmost point of the township there is a pretty good harbour, called Musquash cove.)
(Conway, a township in the ti. e. corner of Strafford county, New Hampshire, on a bend in Saco river, incorporated in J765, and contains 574 inhabitants. It was called Pigwacket by the Indians.)
(Conway, a thriving township in Hampshire county, Massachusetts, incorporated in 1767, and contains 2092 inhabitants. It lies 13 miles n. w. of Northampton, and 115 n.w. by w. of Boston.)
(CONYA, a river in Surinam, or Dutch Guinea, S. America.)
(COOK’S River, in the n. w. coast of N. America, lies n. w. of Prince William’s sound, and 1000 miles n. w. of Nootka sound. It promises to vie with the most considerable ones already known. It was traced by Captain Cook for 210 miles from the mouth, as high as lat. 61° 30' n. and so far as is discovered, opens a very considerable inland navigation by its various branches ; the inhabitants seemed to be of the same race with those of Prince William’s sound, and like them had glass beads ami knives, and were also clothed in fine furs.)
(COOKHOUSE, on the Cooquago branch of Delaware river, is situated in the township of Colchester, New York, 18 miles s. of the mouth of Unadilla river.)
(COOLOOME, an Indian town situated on the w. side of Tallapoose river, a bratich of the Mobile.)
COONI, a settlement of the province and correghniento of Cicasica in Peru ; annexed to the curacy of Mecapaca.
COOPER, a river of the province and coloiij' of Georgia. It runs s. e. then s. and enters the sea.
(Cooper’s Island, one of the Lesser Virgin isles in the W. Indies, situated s.w. of Ginger island, and uninhabited. It is five miles long, and one broad.)
VOL. I.
(Cooper, a large and navigable river which mingles its waters with Ashley river, below Charleston ^ity in S. Carolina. These form a spacious and convenient harbour, which communicates with the ocean, just below Sullivan’s island, which it leaves on the n. seven miles s. e. of the city. In these rivers the tide rises 6| feet. Cooper river is a mile wide at the ferry, nine miles above Charles, town.)
(Cooper’s Town, a post-town and township in Otsego county. New York, and is the compact part of the township of Otsego, and the chief town of the country round lake Otsego. It is pleasantly situated at the s. w. end of the lake, on its banks, and those of its outlet ; 12 miles n. w. of Cherry valley, and 73 w. of Albany. Here are a courthouse, gaol, and academy. In 1791 it contained 292 inhabitants. In 1789 it had but three houses only ; and in the spring 1795, 50 houses had been erected, ofwhich above a fourth part were respectable two-story dwelling-houses, with every proportionable improvement, on a plan regularly laid out in squares. Lat. 42° 36' n. Long. 74° 58' M.] [Cooper’s Town, Pennsylvania, is situated on the Susquehannah river. This place in 1785 was a wilderness ; nine years after it contained 1800 inhabitants, a large and handsome church, with a steeple, a market-house and a bettering house, a library of 1200 volumes, and an academy of 64 scholars. Four hundred and seventy pipes were laid under ground, for the purpose of bringing water from West mountain, and conducting it to every house in town.)
(COOP’S Town, in Harford county, Maryland, lies 12 miles n. w. of Harford, and 22 n. e. of Baltimore, measuring in a straight line.)
(COOS, or Cohos. The country called Upper and Lower Coos lies on Connecticut river, between 20 and 40 miles above Dartmouth college. Upper Coos is the country of Upper Amonoosuck river, on John and Israel rivers. Lower Coos lies below the town of Haverhill, s. of th« Lower Amonoosuck. The distance from Upper Coos, to the tide in Kennebeck river, was measured in 1793, and was found to be but 90 miles.)
(COOSADES, an Indian town on Alabama river, about 60 miles above its mouth, on Mobile river, below M‘Gillivray’s town, and opposite the mouth of the Oakfuskee.)
(COOSA Hatchee, or Coosaw, a river of S. Carolina, which rises in Orangeburg district, and running a 5. m. course, em.pties into Broad river and Whale branch, which separate Beaufort island from the mainland.)
(Coosa|COOSA, or Coosa Hatcha]]==, a river which 3 u