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THE

WASHINGTON GUIDE.

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

THE seat of the National Government of the United States, is situated on both sides of the river Potomac, about 160 miles from its mouth. It is bounded on a square having ten miles on a side; of course the area of the surface is 100 square miles. The diagonal lines of this square run north and south, east and west; consequently, its angles are formed at the cardinal points. The south point, or corner, is at the north cape of Hunting Creek, commonly called Jones' Point, on the right bank of the Potomac, just below Alexandria, where Fort Columbia is intended to stand, and was once commenced. The north point, or corner, is about a mile from Rock Creek, in Maryland. The west corner is near to the Four Mile Run, in Virginia. The east corner, about two miles east of the Eastern Branch, near Bladensburg, Maryland.

This country, according to Captain Smith, was inhabited, in his time, by a tribe of Indians called

the Manacans, who were constantly at war with the Powhatons of Virginia. Their history is but little known. War, small-pox, and the introduction of spiritous liquors, must have rapidly thinned their population; for in 1669, when a census was taken, one third of their former number was deficient. After this, it is said, they migrated westwardly, and joined the Tuscaroras.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH'S ACCOUNT OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY,

With the Rivers which empty into it, and Indians which lived on borders of the several rivers, &c., in his time.

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In this country, the summer is as hot as in Spain; the winter cold as in France or England. The heat of summer is in June, July, and August; but commonly the cool breezes assuage vehemency of the heat. The chief of winter is half of December, January, February, and half of March. The cold is extremely sharp, but here the proverb is true, that no extreme long continues.

In the year 1607, was an extraordinary frost in most of Europe; and this frost was found as extreme in Virginia. But the next year, for eight or ten days of ill weather, other fourteen days would be as summer.

The wind here is variable, but the like thunder and lightning to purify the air, I have seldom heard or seen in Europe.

From the southwest came the greatest gusts,

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