is white, fome is yellow, and fome has a purple hue. The largeft leaves of this curious fubftance are found in a mountain, in the township of Grafton, about twenty miles eastward of Dartmouth college. It was first discovered in the following manner: a hunter took shelter for the night in a cavern of the mountain, and in the morning found himself furrounded with this transparent fubstance; a large leaf of which he fastened to the branch of a tree near the cave, as a mark by which he might again find the place. This happened during the late war, when window-glafs could not be imported. The fcarcity of that convenient article brought the talc into repute. Many perfons employed their time in blowing the rocks, feparating the lamina, cutting them into fquares, and vending them about the country. This fubftance is particularly valuable for the windows of fhips, as it is not brittle, but elastic, and will stand the explofion of cannon. It is also used to cover miniature paintings, and to preferve minute objects for the microscope. The disadvantage of it for windows is, that it contracts duft, and is not eafily cleaned;, but for lanterns it is preferable to glass.

Chryftals and chryftalline fpars have been found at Northwood, Rindge and Conway. They are of various fizes, generally hexago nal, and terminating in a point. The largest which has fallen under our knowledge was found at Conway; it was fix inches in length, eight in circumference, and weighed thirty-two ounces, but it was not throughout pellucid.

Allum ore has been found at Barrington, Orford and Jaffrey vitriol at Jaffrey, Brentwood and Rindge: it is generally combined in the fame ftone with fulphur. Thofe ftones which have been seen are fhelly, and the vitriol exudes at the fiffures. Mr. Belknap has one which has been kept perfectly dry for above twelve years, and it produces the white efflorefcence as plentifully as ever. It was taken from Lebanon in the county of York, where there was an immenfe quantity.

Free-ftone has been discovered at Hanover and Piermont. At Ora ford are many flate rocks, and a grey stone, which may be wrought to great perfection, either for building or for mill-ftones; it is faid to be nearly equal to the imported burr ftones, and is in great de

mand.

Iron ore is found in many places, moft commonly in fwamps. It generally discovers itself by the colour and taste of the water, which runs through it; and there are many fprings in almost every

part

part of the country which are impregnated in different degrees with it. Black lead, plumbago, is found in large quantities about the grand Monadnock, in the township of Jaffrey. In the fame neighbourhood, fome fmall fpecimens of copper and lead have been seen. There is alfo an appearance of copper in fome rocks at Orford; but no metal except iron, has been wrought to any ad, vantage.

Foffil fhells have been found near Lamprey river in Newmarket, at the depth of feventeen feet, and in fuch a fitution as that the bed of the river could never have been there. The fhells were of oysters, muscles and clams, intermixed. Clam fhells have alfo been discovered at the depth of twenty feet, in the neighbourhood of Dartmouth college.

Foffil trees are fometimes found in the intervale lands, adjoining the great rivers.

Mineralogy is a branch of science which is but little cultivated. Men of genius and science have not yet had leifure to pursue objects from which prefent advantages cannot be drawn. The difappointments which have attended fome expenfive attempts; the air of mystery thrown over the fubject by ignorant pretenders; and the facility with which every mineral may be imported from abroad, have likewife difcouraged inquiries. But from the fpecimens which have appeared, there can be no doubt of the existence of mineral and foffil treasures, in the fearch of which, future generations will find ema ployment.

CIVIL DIVISIONS AND CHIEF TOWNS.

This State is divided into five counties, viz. Rockingham, Strafford, Chefhire, Hillsborough and Grafton; thefe are fub-divided into one hundred and ninety-three townships, and thirteen locations, most of which are about fix miles fquare. In all these townships a fhare has been referved equal to that of any other grantee for the first fettled minifter, as his own right, befides the parfonage lot. This has proved a great encouragement to the fettlement of minifters in the new towns; and where the choice has been prudent, inany advantages have been derived from it.

The chief towns in this State are Portsmouth, Exeter and Concord, in Rockingham county; Dover and Durham, in Strafford; Keen and Charleston, in Cheshire; Amherst, in Hillsborough; and Haverhall and Plymouth, in Grafton.

PORTSMOUTH.

This is the largest town in the State, its longitude is 70° 40' frora the obfervatory at Greenwich; it is about two miles from the fea, on the fouth fide of Pascataqua river; it contains about fix hundred and forty dwelling houfes, and nearly as many other buildings, befides thofe for public ufes, which are three congregational churches, one epifcopal, and one univerfalift; a ftate house, market houfe, four fchool-houfes, and a work house.

Its harbour is one of the finest on the continent, having a fufficient depth of water for veffels of any burthen. It is defended against ftorms by the adjacent land, in fuch a manner, as that ships may fecurely ride there in any feason of the year. Befides, the harbour is fo well fortified by nature, that very little art will be neceffary to render it impregnable. Its vicinity to the fea renders it very conve nient for naval trade. A light houfe, with a fingle light, stands at the entrance of the harbour. Ships of war have been built here; among others, the America, of feventy-four guns, launched November, 1782, and prefented to the King of France by the Congress of the United States.

EXETER.

Exeter is fifteen miles S. W. from Portsmouth, fituated at the head of the navigation upon Swamfcot, or Exeter river. The tide rifes here eleven feet; it is well fituated for a manufacturing town, and has already a duck manufactory, in its infancy-fix faw mills, a fulling mill, flitting mill, paper mill, fnuff mill, two chocolate and ten grift mills, iron works, and a printing office. The public buildings are two congregational churches, an academy, a new and handsome court houfe, and a gaol. The public offices of State are kept here. Formerly this town was famous for fhip building, but this business has not flourished fince its interruption by the war.

CONCORD.

This is a pleafant, flourishing, inland town, fituated on the west bank of Merrimack river, fifty-four miles W. N. W. from Portf mouth. The general court, of late, have commonly held their ses fions here; and from its central fituation, and a thriving back country, it will probably foon become the permanent feat of government. Much of the trade of the upper country centers in this

town.

Dover, Durham, Amherst, Keen, Charleston, Plymouth and Haverhill, are the other moft confiderable towns in this State, Haverhill is a new, thriving town, on the east fide of Connecticut river, in Lower Coos. It is the most confiderable town in the county of Grafton, and has a well-constructed court-house and a congrega tional church. In it is a bed of iron ore, which has yielded fomẹ profit to the proprietor-alfo a quarry of free ftone, from which the people are fupplied with chimney pieces, hearth ftones, &c. It has alfo a fulling mill and an oil mill, and many other excellent mill feats.

POPULATION.

Attempts have been made at feveral times to afcertain the number. of people in New-Hampshire. The late Governor Wentworth was ordered by the British ministry to take an exact survey; but "having no fund to pay the expenfe, and no law to compel obedience" to the order, he was fubjected to the inconvenience of delay and difappointment. The number of the people, however, in 1767, was estimated at fifty-two thousand seven hundred. Another eftimate was made in 1774, of which we have met with no official account, but have been informed that it was eighty-five thousand. This was too high. The estimate given to Congrefs by the delegates of New-Hampshire, at the commencement of the revolution, was ftill more extravagant. A survey taken in 1775, partly by enumeration, and partly by eftimation, for the purpose of establishing an adequate representation of the people, made the whole number eighty-two thoufand two hundred.

The cenfus taken by order of Congress in 1790, is the most correct account which has ever been made, according to this, the num bers were as follows;

ROCKING