MICHIGAN LAKE....MINERAL COAL. 339

MICHIGAN LAKE, a large lake, in the north-west territory of the United States; lying between latitudes 42° 10′ and 45° 40′; extending about two hundred and eighty miles in length from north to south, and from sixty to seventy miles in breadth; it is navigable for ships of a large burden. The hand of nature seems to have pointed out for future generations, a navigable water-course, through this lake, from the Missisippi to Hudson's river. About twenty miles from above the mouth of the Missouri, at the Missisippi, is the entrance of the river Illinois, which is navigable for batteaux to its source; and from the source of this river there is a portage only of two miles to Chickago, which is also navigable for batteaux to its entrance into lake Michigan, a distance of sixteen miles. Lake Michigan communicates with Lake Huron, by a strait six miles broad; and this last lake has communication with Lakes Erie and Ontario, and consequently with the river St. Lawrence, passing the cataract of Niagara, by a portage of eight miles. It will be found extremely easy to pass through Lake Ontario to and up Wood Creek: and by a portage of about three miles you arrive at a creck, which, with another three miles' portage, brings you to the Mohawk River, a branch of the Hudson River, and navigable for batteaux. Thus it appears, if this statement be correct, (which is an abridgment of one in the American Museum) that, with portages only of sixteen miles in the whole, there is already a navigable watercourse for boats, from the Missisippi to the Hudson.

MINERAL COAL, or Fit Coal, an invaluable mineral for fuel, and other uses, that is dug out of the bowels of the earth, and is found in several parts of the United States. Mr. Jefferson says, in his Notes, that the country on James river, in Virginia, from fifteen to twenty miles above Richmond, and several miles northward and southward, is replete with mineral coal of a very excellent quality; that in the western country coal is known to be in so many places, as to have induced an opinion, that the whole tract between the Laurel Mountain, Missisippi, and Ohio, yields coal; and that it is also known in many places on the north side of the Ohio. Mr. St. Fond, speaking of the inhabitants of London, who

use nothing for common firing but mineral coal, says, "It is to be presumed that this immense quantity of firing (in London) contributes to its salubrity; in the first place, by the strong, equal, and constant heat produced by the coal in an atmosphere naturally impregnated with water; and in the second place, because so inany chimnies, so many manufactories and works of eyery kind using fire, occasion currents and changes of air on every side, which carry off the noxious and putrescent vapors that always take place when the air is too long stagnant." See NEWCASTLE.

MINES, places in the earth containing metals, &c. The following propositions respecting mines of the precious metals, are collected excepting the last, from Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations. First. Mines of gold and silver in South America, afford less per centage of profit to the proprietors, than the tin mines in England; the whole average rent of the tin mines of Cornwall being to the whole average rent of the silver mines of Peru, as thirteen to twelve. Second. There is known to be a number of mines of gold and silver, in Enrope, Asia, St. Domingo and the American continent, which cannot defray the expenses of digging and refining: so also it is respecting most of the mines of precious stones.When Tavernier, a jeweller visited the mines of Golconda, in Hindostan, he was informed that the sovereign of the country, for whose benefit they were wrought, had ordered all of them to be shut up, except those which yielded the largest and finest stones. The others, it seems, were to the proprietor not worth working, though labor there was very cheap. Third. Even in Peru, where there are the richest silver mines in the known world, the business of mining is considered as hazardous and unprofitable; insomuch that when any person undertakes to work a new mine in Peru, he is universally looked upon as a man destined to bankruptcy and ruin; and mining, it seems, is considered there as a lottery, in which the prizes do not compensate the blanks, though the greatness of some of the prizes tempts many adventurers to throw away their fortunes in such unprosperous projects. Fourth. In the silver mines of Peru, we are told by Frezier and Ulloa, that

MINT....MINUTE SERPENT.

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the proprietor frequently exacts no other acknowledgment from the undertaker of the mine, but that he will grind the ore at his mill, paying him the ordinary price of grinding; and yet the undertaker generally loses by the business. Hence fifth, it evidently results, that if any event should ever throw the mines of Spanish America into the possession of the United States, that event would be the death-blow to their prosperity and happiness. Mining has ruined Spain; and any nation will be ruined, which, seeking to acquire wealth from the bowels of the earth, should neglect to cultivate its surface.

MINT, the place for coining money. In ancient times gold and silver always passed by weight. Abraham weighed to Ephron the four hundred shekels of silver which he had agreed to pay for the field of Machpelah. They are said however to have been the current money of the merchant; and yet were received by weight and not by tale, in the same manner that ingots of gold and bars of silver are at present. Money was for a long time received at the exchequer in England, by weight and not by tale. The inconveniency and difficulty of weighing those metals with exactness, gave occasion to the institution of coins, of which the stamp, covering entirely both sides of the piece and sometimes. the edges too, was supposed to ascertain not only the fineness, but the weight of the metal. Such coins, therefore, are received by tale, without the trouble of weighing. In the mint of the United States, about eleven thousand dollars of the gold coin, in the year 1804, was the produce of virgin gold, found in the county of Cabarrus, in the state of North-Carolina.....Adam Smith, Boudinot.

MINUTE SERPENT, a species of serpent in the East-Indies, small and black, with yellow rings. The corrosive matter contained in the vesicles of this animal is so sharp and violent, that it causes almost instant, death. The general opinion of the multitude is, that a person may live just as many minutes after being bitten as the reptile has rings around his body; hence the name that has been given it of minute serpent....Grandpre.

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MISSISIPPI....MISSOURI.

MISSISIPPI, a large river of North America, which forms the western boundary of the United States; separating them from Louisiana, which, though belonging to these states by purchase, is not yet incorporated with them. This river is the great channel of the waters of the Ohio, the Illinois, and their numerous branches from the east, and of the Missouri, and other rivers from the west. Its source is unknown; but its length is supposed to be upwards of three, thousand miles, in all its windings, to its entrance into the Gulf of Mexico, in between twenty-nine and thirty degrees of north latitude. From the mouth of the Missisippi to where it receives the Ohio, is one thousand miles by water, but only five hundred by land, passing through the Chickasaw country. From the mouth of the Ohio to that of the Missouri, is two hundred and thirty miles by water, and one hundred and forty by land. From thence to the mouth of the Illinois river, is about twenty-five miles. Its current is so rapid, that it can never be stemmed by the force of wind alone, acting on sails. During the floods, which are periodical as those of the Nile, the largest vessels may pass down it, if their steerage can be insured. These floods begin in April, and the river returns into its banks early in August. The inundation extends further on the western than eastern side, covering the lands in some places fifty miles from its banks. The country watered by the Missisippi and its eastern branches constitute five cights of the United States; two of which five eights are occupied by the Ohio and its waters....Jefferson, Walker.

MISSOURI, a large river of Louisiana, which empties into the Missisippi, one thousand two hundred and thirty miles from the mouth of the latter, and two hundred and thirty above the mouth of the Ohio. According to Mr. Jefferson's Notes, at the junction of the Missouri with the Missisippi the former is the largest stream. It is remarkably cold, muddy, and rapid. Its overflowings are considerable; they happen during the months of June and July. Captains Lewis and Clark, who were sent on an exploring mission from the United States to the Pacific Ocean, inform us, that it is two thousand five hundred and seventy-five miles from the mouth of the Missouri to its greatest falls.

MOCCASIN SNAKE...MOCHA...MOCKING BIRD. 243

MOCCASIN SNAKE, a large and horrible serpent that abounds in East-Florida. They are from three to four and even five feet in length, and as thick as a man's leg. It is said that their bite is incurable, the flesh for a considerable space about the wound rotting to the bone, which then becomes carious, and a general mortification ensues, which inevitably destroys the patient; there being no remedy to prevent a lingering miserable death, but by immediately cutting away the flesh to the bone, for some distance about the wound. When this snake observes you to take notice of him, after throwing himself into a coil, he gradually raises his upper jaw until it falls back nearly touching his neck, at the same time slowly vibrating his long purple forky tongue, and directing his poisonous fangs right at you: his appearance in this situation is truly terrifying.... Bartram.

MOCHA, a town of Arabia, in the province of Yemen. It stands on the eastern bank of the Red Sea, about thirteen leagues from the straits of Babelmandel, in about thirteen degrees north latitude; it abounds with the most excellent coffee in the world. Since the year 1800, coffee which used to be monopolised by the English at Mocha, has been imported thence by the Americans directly to the United States. The south and south-east monsoon wind comes to this place charged with all the vapors of Abyssinia, and brings with it even the sand of that country. In consequence, the atmosphere seems inflamed, the sky looks red, nothing scarcely is to be seen at the distance of a league; and the burning sand, carried along by the wind, scorches the vegetation on every side. The Arab of Mocha, in the mean time, is seen placed in a current of air, lolling upon a pile of cushions, imbibing the vapor of perfumes which are burnt by his side, and indolently smoking his pipe. At the distance of about five hundred paces from Mocha, the Jews who are numerous, have a camp, where they live in straw huts, not being permitted to live in the town. The colour of these Jews is negro black.... Grandpre.

MOCKING BIRD, a small green bird, which is al

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