The town contains a United States arsenal, the State Penitentiary, which has been once or twice burned down by the convicts, and churches, all handsomely built of brick, namely: Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Methodist, Roman Catholic, etc. It has also a Masonic hall, an Odd-fellows' hall, and several seminaries. Many of the residents are planters who own estates in this part of the State. Little Rock communicates regularly by steamboats with different points on the Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers. Good clay for brick is found in the vicinity; also quarries of fine slate, and granite very like the Quincy granite, but not so hard. The origin of the name Little Rock is explained as follows: In ascending the river, there appears on the south bank, rising out of the water, a bald, igneous slate rock, which at low water is about twenty-five feet above the surface, but at high water is almost hidden from view. This gives name to the city, and is called by the town-people "The Point of Rocks." Two miles above this, on the north bank, is another rocky bluff, about 400 feet high, which is called the "Big Rock." On some of the earlier maps the town is laid down as Acropolis, or Arcopolis. This was the name given it by an act of the Territorial Legislature, which has never been formally repealed, but the name never obtained popular recognition. The growth of the city has been retarded by the lack of facilities for trade with the interior, and for communication with other places, and also from the fact that the title to a large portion of the ground on which the city is built was for a long time in litigation. The navigation of the Arkansas River is uncertain, and during a great part of the year is entirely closed. Its means of intercourse have, however, of late years, been considerably increased, through railroads and telegraph lines. The soil of the surrounding country is generally poor, except in the Arkansas bottom. The situation of the city itself is dry and healthful. A brook, forming a considerable valley, runs through the town. The handsome private dwellings, the wide streets, spacious grounds and gardens, and a profusion of shade-trees and shrubbery give Little Rock, especially in summer, a picturesque and romantic appearance. Little Rock was laid out in or about 1820, and in October, 1820, became the seat of the Territorial Government. The population, in 1860, was 4,000 to 5,000.

Van Buren, the capital of Crawford County, lies 160 miles westnorth-west of Little Rock, and five miles east of the Indian Territory. The village is finely situated on the left (north) bank of Arkansas River. It is one of the most commercial places in the whole State, the annual sales amounting to more than a million dollars. An extensive jobbing business is done here in supplying the smaller places of the surrounding country. Coal is found in the immediate vicinity, and the manufacturing operations are considerable.

Camden, a handsome village, capital of Washita County, lies on the right (west) bank of the Washita River, 110 miles south-by-west of Little Rock. It is situated on a declivity of a high range of hills, and is built in a very tasteful style. A few years ago the site was occupied by a dense forest, and many of the trees are still standing in the

streets. Camden is one of the most flourishing towns in the State, and possesses great advantages for trade, being at the head of navigation for large steamers, several of which are constantly employed in conveying produce down the river to New Orleans. The growth of this place has been very rapid, and is likely to continue so. It was settled about 1842. The site was formerly a rendezvous for hunters, and known as "Ecore a Fabre."

Batesville, a thriving town, capital of Independence County, is on White River, about 400 miles from its mouth, 90 miles north-northeast of Little Rock, and 115 miles from Memphis, Tennessee. Small steamers can ascend the river to this point at nearly all seasons. A great influx of emigration is directed to this section of the State, which offers strong inducements in soil and climate. Pine timber and waterpower are abundant in the county. Batesville is the most important town in the north-east part of the State, and has an active trade. It contains, besides the county buildings, several churches and newspaper offices.

Fort Smith, a town, and a noted military post, is situated in Lebanon County, on the right bank of the Arkansas River, 163 miles by land west-north-west of Little Rock, and at the western boundary of the State, in latitude 34° 45', and longitude 95°. It has had an extensive trade with the Indian tribes.

MICHIGAN.

MICHIGAN became a State of the American Union in January, 1837, and was the thirteenth State admitted under the Federal Constitution. It lies between latitude 41° 40′ and 48° 20′ north, and longitude 82° 25' and 90° 34' west. It is bounded north by Lake Superior, which separates it from British America; east by St. Mary's Strait, or river, Lake Huron, St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, the Detroit River, and Lake Erie; south by Ohio and Indiana, and west by Lake Michigan and the Menomonee and Montreal Rivers, with the chain of lakes lying between their head-waters. The land area of the State is 56,243 square miles, or 35,995,520 acres, being 1.91 per cent. of the total area of the United States.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.-Michigan consists of two irregular peninsulas, which are separated from each other by the upper ends of Lakes Michigan and Huron. The upper, or northern, peninsula comprises about one-third of the area of the State, and is bounded on the north by Lake Superior, on the east by St. Mary's Strait, which divides it from Canada, on the south by Lakes Huron and Michigan, and on the south-west by Wisconsin. From its north-west extremity, the Lake Superior shore trends north-east for a distance of about one hundred miles, to the end of Keweenaw Point, a long peninsula running out

into the lake. On the east side of this point is Keeweenaw Bay. Thence to Whitefish Point the coast line presents a regular undulation, with scarcely any good harbors. At Whitefish Point it bends sharply to the south, and afterward to the east, inclosing with the Canada shore the deep basin known as Tequamenon Bay, from the head of which flows St. Mary's Strait. At the mouth of this strait lie several islands, Drummond's Island, which belongs to Michigan, being of considerable size. The Lake Huron shore, extending thence westward to the Straits of Mackinaw, is much broken, and lined with islets. It is separated from Lake Michigan by the peninsula called Pointe St. Ignace. The shore of Lake Michigan is irregular, but offers no large inlets till Green Bay is reached, which opens from the northwest corner of the lake. More than half of the north and west shores of the bay belong to Michigan, and just within its mouth are two inlets extending northward, called the Big and Little Bays des Noquets. The general aspect of the northern peninsula is rugged and picturesque. The Porcupine Mountains, which form the tributary ridge between the waters of Lake Superior and those of Lake Michigan, are about 2,000 feet high on the western boundary, and run east, broken here and there by extensive valleys, and throwing off spurs, which, in some cases, extend to the northern shore. The mountains are succeeded by plains and hills, which gradually extend into the elevated table-land, and finally into an undulating country, sloping on either hand toward the lakes. The greater portion of this region is occupied by vast forests, and much of the remainder by sandy plains.

The northern peninsula contains most of the mineral wealth of the State, but its soil is generally sterile. The southern peninsula is, in nearly every respect, a contrast to the northern. It lies between Lakes Huron and Michigan, and is bounded on the south-west by the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, Detroit River, and Lake Erie. The Lake Huron shore is broken by Thunder Bay toward the north, and Saginaw Bay near the center. There are several inlets on Lake Michigan, the chief of which are Great and Little Traverse Bays. The surface is generally level, although on the south there is an irregular cluster of conical hills, from thirty to two hundred feet high; a low water-shed, at an elevation of six hundred or seven hundred feet, passes through the country from south to north, much nearer to the eastern than the western shore, with a very gradual and almost unbroken slope toward Lake Michigan, except near Au Sable River, where it partakes of a rugged character. The shores on both sides are, in many places, steep and elevated, and on Lake Michigan especially, there are numerous bluffs and sand-hills, from one hundred to three hundred feet high. The soil of the southern peninsula is luxuriantly fertile.

GEOLOGY.-The lower or southern peninsula of Michigan is composed almost wholly of groups of the Appalachian series of rocks, the highest of which, the coal formation, occupies the central portion of the country, from which the streams flow on one side into Lake Huron, and on the other into Lake Michigan. Though this is the most

streets. Camden is one of the most flourishing towns in the State, and possesses great advantages for trade, being at the head of navigation for large steamers, several of which are constantly employed in conveying produce down the river to New Orleans. The growth of this place has been very rapid, and is likely to continue so. It was settled about 1842. The site was formerly a rendezvous for hunters, and known as "Ecore a Fabre."

Batesville, a thriving town, capital of Independence County, is on White River, about 400 miles from its mouth, 90 miles north-northeast of Little Rock, and 115 miles from Memphis, Tennessee. Small steamers can ascend the river to this point at nearly all seasons. A great influx of emigration is directed to this section of the State, which offers strong inducements in soil and climate. Pine timber and waterpower are abundant in the county. Batesville is the most important town in the north-east part of the State, and has an active trade. It contains, besides the county buildings, several churches and newspaper offices.

Fort Smith, a town, and a noted military post, is situated in Lebanon County, on the right bank of the Arkansas River, 163 miles by land west-north-west of Little Rock, and at the western boundary of the State, in latitude 34° 45', and longitude 95°. It has had an extensive trade with the Indian tribes.

MICHIGAN.

MICHIGAN became a State of the American Union in January, 1837, and was the thirteenth State admitted under the Federal Constitution. It lies between latitude 41° 40′ and 48° 20′ north, and longitude 82° 25' and 90° 34' west. It is bounded north by Lake Superior, which separates it from British America; east by St. Mary's Strait, or river, Lake Huron, St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, the Detroit River, and Lake Erie; south by Ohio and Indiana, and west by Lake Michigan and the Menomonee and Montreal Rivers, with the chain of lakes lying between their head-waters. The land area of the State is 56,243 square miles, or 35,995,520 acres, being 1.91 per cent. of the total area of the United States.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.-Michigan consists of two irregular peninsulas, which are separated from each other by the upper ends of Lakes Michigan and Huron. The upper, or northern, peninsula comprises about one-third of the area of the State, and is bounded on the north by Lake Superior, on the east by St. Mary's Strait, which divides it from Canada, on the south by Lakes Huron and Michigan, and on the south-west by Wisconsin. From its north-west extremity, the Lake Superior shore trends north-east for a distance of about one hundred miles, to the end of Keweenaw Point, a long peninsula running out

into the lake. On the east side of this point is Keeweenaw Bay. Thence to Whitefish Point the coast line presents a regular undulation, with scarcely any good harbors. At Whitefish Point it bends sharply to the south, and afterward to the east, inclosing with the Canada shore the deep basin known as Tequamenon Bay, from the head of which flows St. Mary's Strait. At the mouth of this strait lie several islands, Drummond's Island, which belongs to Michigan, being of considerable size. The Lake Huron shore, extending thence westward to the Straits of Mackinaw, is much broken, and lined with islets. It is separated from Lake Michigan by the peninsula called Pointe St. Ignace. The shore of Lake Michigan is irregular, but offers no large inlets till Green Bay is reached, which opens from the northwest corner of the lake. More than half of the north and west shores of the bay belong to Michigan, and just within its mouth are two inlets extending northward, called the Big and Little Bays des Noquets. The general aspect of the northern peninsula is rugged and picturesque. The Porcupine Mountains, which form the tributary ridge between the waters of Lake Superior and those of Lake Michigan, are about 2,000 feet high on the western boundary, and run east, broken here and there by extensive valleys, and throwing off spurs, which, in some cases, extend to the northern shore. The mountains are succeeded by plains and hills, which gradually extend into the elevated table-land, and finally into an undulating country, sloping on either hand toward the lakes. The greater portion of this region is occupied by vast forests, and much of the remainder by sandy plains.

The northern peninsula contains most of the mineral wealth of the State, but its soil is generally sterile. The southern peninsula is, in nearly every respect, a contrast to the northern. It lies between Lakes Huron and Michigan, and is bounded on the south-west by the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, Detroit River, and Lake Erie. The Lake Huron shore is broken by Thunder Bay toward the north, and Saginaw Bay near the center. There are several inlets on Lake Michigan, the chief of which are Great and Little Traverse Bays. The surface is generally level, although on the south there is an irregular cluster of conical hills, from thirty to two hundred feet high; a low water-shed, at an elevation of six hundred or seven hundred feet, passes through the country from south to north, much nearer to the eastern than the western shore, with a very gradual and almost unbroken slope toward Lake Michigan, except near Au Sable River, where it partakes of a rugged character. The shores on both sides are, in many places, steep and elevated, and on Lake Michigan especially, there are numerous bluffs and sand-hills, from one hundred to three hundred feet high. The soil of the southern peninsula is luxuriantly fertile.

GEOLOGY.-The lower or southern peninsula of Michigan is composed almost wholly of groups of the Appalachian series of rocks, the highest of which, the coal formation, occupies the central portion of the country, from which the streams flow on one side into Lake Huron, and on the other into Lake Michigan. Though this is the most