Page:A Topographical Description of the State of Ohio, Indiana Territory, and Louisiana.djvu/18

12 cursory description of the face of the country, soils, and the natural and cultivated productions, beginning at the eastern boundary.

Near the mouth of the Little Beaver Creek the boundary line between the States of Pennsylvania and Ohio, meets the Ohio river, 42 miles below Pittsburgh. Near the creek are some rich bottoms or intervals, but the land back rises into high hills; on some of them is a good soil and capable of cultivation. There are some handsome farms, producing wheat, rye, barley, oats, flax, hemp and Indian corn. Not far from the mouth of the Little Beaver, a spring has been found, said to rise from the bottom of the river, from which issues an oil which is highly inflammable, and is called Seneca oil. It resembles Barbadoes tar, and is used as a remedy for rheumatic pains. People who have travelled for several days on foot, have found much relief by rubbing this oil over their joints.

The land from the Little Beaver to the Muskingum, on the Ohio, ascends into high hills, some of them terminating in elevated peaks, but there are frequently, large rich vallies [sic] that intervene, at the base of the hills. Towards the Muskingum the summits of the hills become more broad and fleet. Some of them are free of rocks, and having a rich soil admit of cultivation. The greater part of these hills may be profitably improved for orchards and grazing of sheep and cattle. As far as