the Roman Catholic Asylum for Orphans, conducted' by the Sisters of Charity. The Western Academy of Sciences is established here, and has an extensive museum of natural history, mineralogy, &c. Besides this, there is a museum of Indian antiquities, fossil remains, and other curious relics. The medical department of the University of St. Louis has a building for its laboratory and lectures in the city. The University building itself is 4 miles north of the city. Within the southern limits of St. Louis is the arsenal established here by the United States; also a few miles below are the Jefferson United States Barracks, capable of accommodating about 700 men.

St. Louis is supplied with water by the operation of a steam engine, raising it from the Mississippi, into a reservoir upon the summit of one of those ancient mounds for which this part of the country is remarkable. Thence it is distributed in iron pipes over the city. The streets, churches, stores, and dwellings, to some extent, are lighted with gas.

St. Louis was first settled by a company of merchants, to whom the French director general of Louisiana had granted the exclusive privilege of trading with the Indians on the Missouri. They built a large house and four stores here, which in 1770 had increased to 40 houses, and a small French garrison for their de fence. In 1780 an expedition, consisting of British and Indians, was fitted out at Michilimackinac for the capture of St. Louis and other places on the west side of the Mississippi, which was successfully repelled by

the aid of an American force under General George Rogers Clark, which was providentially encamped on the opposite side of the river. The number of inhab itants in 1840 was only 16,469; and, according to a local census in 1855, the population was nearly 125,000 souls, thus showing the enormous increase of over 100,000 in 15 years. This outrivals the most astonishing performances of the genii of the Lamp of Aladdin.

KANZAS.

KANZAS was annexed to the United States by virtue of a treaty with France concluded at Paris on the 30th of April, 1803. It formed a portion of the vast tract of country then ceded to us by France, known as the "Louisiana Purchase." The act authorizing the president (Thomas Jefferson) to take possession of Louisiana, including the territories now known as Indian, Kanzas, Nebraska, Minnesota, and the States of Arkansas, Missouri, and Iowa, was approved October 31, 1803, and on the 10th of the following November the "act authorizing the creation of a stock to the amount of $11,250,000, for the purpose of carrying into effect the convention of the 30th of April, 1803, between the United States and the French republic, and making provision for the payment of the same," was approved. On the same day an act was approved "Making provision for the payment of claims of citizens of the United States on the government of France, the payment of which has been assumed by the United States by virtue of the convention of the 30th of April, 1803, between the United States and the French republic." This act provided for the payment of $3,750,000. So that the entire cost of the Louisiana Purchase to the government of the United States was $15,000,000.

POSITION AND BOUNDARIES.

Kanzas Territory is situated between the 37th and 40th parallels of north latitude. It is bounded on the north by the Territory of Nebraska; on the west by the Rocky Mountains, Utah and New Mexico Territories; on the south by New Mexico and Indian Territory; and on the east by Missouri. It therefore embraces a section of country extending in breadth over three degrees of latitude; and from east to west over twelve degrees of longitude, viz., from 94° to 10640 W. From 103° longitude, however, to the western boundary, the width is only two degrees of latitude, as at that point New Mexico extends one degree farther north than the Indian Territory. Nearly half of this narrow western portion extends over the Rocky Mountains.

The area of Kanzas is 114,793 square miles. Ultimately the State of Kanzas will probably be restricted by cutting off the western portion to form a new state or states, so as to leave this about 300 miles long from east to west, and 200 wide from north to south.

RIVERS.

The Kanzas River at its delta is 600 yards wide; and for the first hundred miles above, its average width is nearly the same; from Pottawattomie to Big Blue it is 400 yards; and from that to Fort Riley, 200 yards.

This river is turbid like the Lower Mississippi. For 125 miles from the mouth it is quite straight; above

that it is as crooked as the mad Missouri; but the current is less rapid, there are fewer snags, the banks are firmer, and not so often cut away for new channels. It is a good navigable stream for three months in the year, and in very wet seasons, for as many as five months.

Ascending 15 miles, to the entrance of Delaware Creek, the river is bordered with woodland and prairie ; from thence to Fort Riley both banks are heavily timbered, with here and there a high bottom of dry, rich alluvion. Along every few miles of this region, fine arable bluffs project boldly into, or swell out gently from the rippling waters that float dreamily by, or glide on with arrowy sweep.

On the north side there is a mound of remarkable beauty; from the western curve of which a brook, poetically named the Stranger, pours in its pellucid tribute; and immediately above there is a great horseshoe bend, where a tract of excellent bottom land, high and dry, might, with much saving of labor, be enclosed by a fence across the neck. Opposite there is a gradually rising grass plat, ornamented with groups of trees, and rolling up into a bold and broad prairie. Above, in this vicinity, the shore is rocky. Next is a bald headland on the north, and a lawn opening out to the south. And beyond high table lands impinge against the river, sloping down and outward into bottoms densely covered with grand old trees, combining that variety of scenery which charms the eye with its ever newness; now imposing in its abruptness, then relieved with