extensive, but very interesting basin of Chesapeake. It is also distant 90 miles from the mouth of Cataraugus river into Lake Erie, and 110 from Lake Ontario, at the mouth of Genessee river. The plateau before us is not, however, a mathematical point: its length from the source of Pine creek to that of Clarion river, a branch of Alleghany, is 35 miles, in a direction from east to west, nearly. From the sources of Pine creek and Clarion river, for a distance of 70 miles, the dividing ridge of the rivers is, for the first instance from the Mohawk valley, a chain of the Appalachian system, but what renders that chain singularly remarkable, as connected with the rivers, is, that it is the most northwestern, and most humble in height, of all the chains of the system to which it appertains. Thus whilst the base of the Chesnut Ridge is the most elevated, a circumstance demonstrated by the course of the streams, the chains rise in elevation, descending the river valley towards the Atlantic tides; and so far is the source of the rivers at this place from being regulated by the mountains, that the entire course of Susquehannah is across, and not from, the Appalachian system. If we regard the head of the tides as the real mouth of the Susquehannah, the whole of that stream and its minor branches flow down an inclined plain 200 miles wide, and commensurate with the breadth of the Appalachian system. Inflecting again to the south-east, the river line recrosses the intermediate valley, and extends southeastwardly from Laurel Hill to the Alleghany Mountain. The latter chain becomes a real and unbroken dividing ridge of river source 250 miles, discharging in succession towards the Atlantic Ocean, the Juniata, the numerous branches of Potomac and James rivers, and into the valley of Ohio, Connemaugh, Youghiogany, Monongahela, and Greenbrier branch of Great Kenhawa. From the sources of the Tioga branch of Susquehannah, North Lat. 42° 40', to the point where the Alleghany Mountain is pierced by New river, at North Lat. 37° 20', or through 320 minutes of latitude, the dividing line of river source does not differ quite 3° or 180 minutes of longitude, whilst the general course of the mountain chains is in the intermediate distance something to the east of north-east. With the valley of New river, a change again takes place; as that stream rises in the north-western valleys of Blue Ridge, the dividing ridge of water source is carried to the south-east from the Alleghany to the Blue Ridge chain, discharging very short creeks into New river, on the south-west, and giving source to Roanoke river north-east. From the geographical point where North Lat. 37° is intersected by the third degree of longitude west from W.C., and where Black Water branch of Roanoke rises on the south-east, and Little river branch of New river on the north-west side of Blue Ridge, that chain becomes the dividing line of river source, and continues so about 300 miles, discharging to the north-west the branches of New river, Watanga, Nolachucky, French Broad, Tennessee Proper, and Hiwassee, streams tributary to the Ohio; to the east the south-western branches of Roanoke; to the south-east, the Yadkin, Catawba, Broad, Pacolet, Saluda, and the numerous branches of Savannah river; and to the south-westward the extreme higher and north-eastern sources of Chatahooche and Coosa rivers. It may be premised, that the continuation of the Blue Ridge, westward from the sources of Chatahooche and Hiwassee, is drawn on our maps, so discordant to all the other parts of the Appalachian system, as to excite a doubt of accurate discrimination of the chains. On Tanner's United States, the Blue Ridge is blended with the Unika or Iron Mountain, between the sources of Coosa and Hiwassee rivers, and represented as inflecting thence upwards of two hundred miles, separating the sources of Coosa, Black Warrior, and Tombigbee from those of the extreme southern confluents of Tennessee, and in the intermediate distance receiving the termination of all the other chains of the Appalachian system. If this geography is correct, the country it represents is an anomaly in the physical section to which it belongs. Leaving the southern extremity of the Appalachian system to future and more scientific examination than it has yet obtained, we may proceed with our review. Sufficient well established data exist to decide the truth of the important fact, that the mountain chains of the south-western section of the Appalachian system are only incidentally, or perhaps more correctly only partially, demarcations between the sources of the Atlantic rivers and those of the great tributaries of the Ohio valley. Taking the Susquehannah at one extreme, and the Tennessee at the other, we find the former deriving its most remote western fountains from the extreme western chain, and the latter directly the reverse, or springing from the easternmost chain of the system; both rivers, in their course from source to recipient, traversing the gorges of the various. chains. It ought, however, to be noticed here, that a part of the physical appearance we have been noticing, as seen on our best maps, is deceptive. The Blue Ridge is usually marked as the outer south-eastern chain, which so far from being the fact, there are two lateral chains between it and the lower falls of the rivers. These chains will be examined in the sequel of this head, and under the survey of the respective chains of the Appalachian system, to which we now proceed. It has already been stated, that the tide valley of the Hudson occupied only a part, and did not terminate the Appalachian system; and it may be doubted whether a single chain of that system is confined to one side of that remarkable bay. The chains are, however, more distinctly defined and set apart from each other in the basins of Delaware and Susquehannah than towards either extreme; we may therefore take the head of tide water in the two latter rivers as our points of departure in examining the respective Appalachian chains. It would be far from an unsupported theory, as I have already observed, to consider the lower falls of the rivers as the outer margin of the Appalachian system; but beside these falls, which we may observe, are not themselves marked on our best maps, there exists a distinct, though neglected chain, which is cut through by the Delaware, about five miles below the passage of the same stream through the Blue Ridge, at the influx of Lehigh river. This overlooked chain has been confounded with Blue Ridge between the Delaware and Hudson rivers, though in no one place are the two chains really blended, or even touch each other. In New Jersey, the narrow but fine valley of Musconecung river lies below the Blue Ridge, and above the South East Mountain. Preserving a relative distance of from four to seven or eight miles, the two chains range towards the Hudson, and make their nearest approach at the Highlands. In fact, where the Hudson traverses both chains, it demands a knowledge of their prolongation each way to determine that the apparently confused masses belong really to two, and not one chain of mountains. The South East Mountain* is, perhaps, the same as Haverstraw, between Orange and Rockland counties, New York, and traverses the Hudson valley between Peekskill and West Point; and thence inflecting with the Blue Ridge to the north-east, stretches towards and reaching is traversed again by another river, the Housatonick, in the western border of Litchfield county, Connecticut. Here once more the South East Mountain, similar to all the other chains of the Appalachian system, inflects to a course only a few degrees east of north, forming the Housatonick mountains of Massachusetts, and Green mountains of Vermont. In Massachusetts, and the southern part of Vermont, the South East Mountain is kept separate from the Blue Ridge; but between the sources of Onion and White rivers the two chains are confusedly delineated on our maps, and the name of Green mountains appropriated at different places to both chains, and in the existing state of our topographical knowledge sets at defiance accurate specific classification. We may remark, nevertheless, that, reasoning from all analogy, the two chains remain distinct beyond the limits of the United States. Returning to the channel of Delaware river, we are able to trace the South East Mountain in its south-westward range with tolerable certainty. In common with the general conformity in the relative courses of the chains, the South East Mountain, leaving the Delaware river, curves with the Blue Ridge and Kittatinny chains, is cut by the Schuylkill above Pottstown, forming the boundary between Northampton and Bucks county; between Bucks and Lehigh, and between Berks and Montgomery and Chester counties. Thence traversing Lancaster and York counties and cut by the Susquehannah river between those two counties, passes from the latter into Maryland, which it traverses by the name of Parr Spring Ridge, having the valleys of Gunpowder, Patapsco, and Patuxent on the south-east, and Monocacy on the north-west. Immediately below the mouth of the Monocacy into Potomac, this chain rises into the remarkable Peak called the Sugar Loaf, but rapidly sinks to the gap through which flows the Potomac; it enters Virginia, within which it traverses the counties of Loudoun, Fauquier, Culpepper, Madison, Orange, Albemarle, Nelson, and Amherst, reaches James river above the town of Lynchburg. Beyond James river, the South East Mountain, maintaining its general parallelism to the Blue Ridge, separates Bedford from Campbell, and Franklin from Pittsylvania, and traversing Henry county enters North Carolina, between Surry and Stokes counties, and merges into the valley of Yadkin, having been traversed in Virginia by the Roanoke between Bedford and Pittsylvania counties. In North Carolina the South East Mountain is traversed by the Yadkin in Surry; thence separates Wilkes from Iredell, and once more broken by a mountain stream, is traversed by the Catawba river between Burke and Lincoln. Again bending with the corresponding curve of Blue Ridge, it inflects to nearly due south, separating Rutherford from Lincoln, and entering South Carolina, between York and Spartanburg districts, is no longer noticed even in fragments, on the large State Map of South Carolina, or any other map I have seen. From the courses of the rivers, and the boundaries of the districts of South Carolina, I have no doubt of its continuity over that state to Savannah river. Of the correctness of this theory I would not speak so confidently, if I had not actually traced the same chain in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, where it rises and extends with all the boldness and distinctness of a mountain chain, and where its existence is not represented on any map I have had the good fortune to examine. Confined to its known range in the United States, from the southern border of Lower Canada to the north-western of South Carolina, its length is about 900 miles; 300 north-eastward from the Hudson, and 600 south-westward from that tide boundary. The Blue Ridge, if we regard the preceding as the outer chain of their common system, is the second, and following with each a similar course of survey, we trace the former, from where it is traversed by the Delaware river directly below the mouth of Lehigh. Rising from the Delaware, it ranges over New Jersey and New York, in a northeasterly direction to the Hudson, which it reaches between West Point and Newburg. Many of the river passages through mountains have been noticed and celebrated, and, amongst others, the pas sage of the same chain by the Potomac at Harper's Ferry, but it may be doubted, whether any other similar phenomenon on earth combines so many very remarkable circumstances as the tide stream of the Hudson through the two chains, the South East Mountain and Blue Ridge. Profoundly deep, far below the utmost draught of the largest vessels of war, the flux and reflux of the tides rush along a tortuous channel, bounded by enormous and almost perpendicular walls of rock, rising to from one thousand to twelve hundred feet. Passing along this truly wonderful gorge, the mind involuntarily demands, by what operation I have given the name of South East Mountain to this chain from real necessity, to avoid circumlocution, of nature has this complication of wonders been formed? But what in an eminent degree enhances the surprise and wonder is, that for many miles on both sides of these great masses of granite, both chains are comparatively humble, and the river or bay, call it by either term, fills the bottom of a chasm in a series of peaks, much broader in base and far more elevated than the ordinary extent of either chain. The highest peaks, however, are above West Point, and belong to Blue Ridge. Of these peaks, the most elevated is Butter Hill, which rises to 1535 feet above the ocean tides; and rising directly from the river affords a very extensive landscape to the south-west and north. After passing the Hudson the Blue Ridge continues to the N. E. about twenty miles, and then similar to the other chains of the same system on both sides of that river, rapidly inflects to a course a very little N. of E., a direction which it maintains above two hundred and fifty miles in the states of New York, Massachusetts and Vermont. For the first seventy miles of its northerly course, the Blue Ridge discharges from the eastern slope numerous branches of Housatonick, and from the Fishkill, Wappinger's, Jansen's or Ancram, and Kinderhook creeks flowing into Hudson. With the sources of Housatonick and Hoosack rivers, the features of the Blue Ridge change; hitherto from the Hudson a line of river source, it now loses that character, and is broken into innumerable ridges by the higher sources of Hoosack and Batten Kill flowing into the Hudson; and thence by Paulet, Otter, Onion, La Moelle, and Mississque rivers falling into Lake Champlain. All these latter streams rise in the chain already noticed under the name of South East Mountain. We may be permitted to hazard a hypothesis, that what is designated Green Mountains in the southern part of Vermont, and the ridge or series of ridges known by the same term in the northern part of the same state, are respectively fragments of the two separate chains we have been reviewing, though represented generally as the continuation of one and the same chain. In relative elevation and mass, the Blue Ridge and South East Mountain reverse their characters on the opposite sides of the Hudson. To the southwestward the former greatly exceeds; but on the contrary, between the basins of Connecticut and Hudson, the latter gradually increasing in base and height assumes a decided superiority, and at one point, about 8 or 10 miles eastward from Rutland in Vermont, rises in Killington Peak to 4000 feet above the level of Atlantic tides. This height exceeds that of any part of Blue Ridge, except the Peaks of Otter. To this general comparison between the two chains there is one exception, how ever, which has been, it is true, noted already, but to avoid ambiguity may be repeated. Where the two chains are broken by the Hudson, nearly all the large and elevated peaks are parts of Blue Ridge; such as Anthony's Nose, 935 feet; Bare Mount, 1350; Crow's Nest, 1418; Butter Hill, 1535; Bull Hill, 1484; and Break Neck Hill, 1187, above tide water. White Mountains, in New Hampshire, may be regarded as the nucleus of the north-eastern part of the Appalachian system, but so defectively have the chains been grouped as to leave the points of connection doubtful. If we examine Connecticut basin in relation to the mountains, we find that stream rising between two chains, and flowing down the intermediate valley, in the higher part of its course, and, if the expression can be admitted, entangled in the extensions of both chains, towards its final discharge into Long Island Sound. The very striking distinction in the character of the United States coast on the south-west and northeast side of the estuary of the Hudson, will be more particularly noticed under the head of the river basins; but we merely glance on the subject in this place to remark, that the coast of the United States southwest from the Hudson is longitudinal to the Appalachian chains, whilst the coast to the northeast of that estuary, is transversal to that part of the system to which it appertains. That the general course of the Appalachian system is from southwest to north-east is only true of that section between the Hudson and Gulf of Mexico, and there, also, with great specific exceptions; but to the north-eastward of the Hudson the commonly assumed range of the mountain system is utterly in error. Over the whole Appalachian physical section of the continent of North America, the mean or general course of the rivers are along or very nearly at right angles to the range of their dependent mountain chains. This admirable natural structure prevails in the whole system, and has given to the courses of the rivers on each side of the Hudson valley, their specific characters. From the estuary of the Hudson to the utmost bounds of the United States south-westwardly, the coast is low, and alluvial in its component materials, whilst from that estuary to the north-eastward the shore, with but trivial exception, is bold, and in many places actually rocky. To this, Cape Cod, physically, is not an exception, more than is Long Island: the former being really insular in all its essential characters, and only deviating from other islands on the Atlantic coast of the United States, in being united by a sandy neck to the main land. The boldness of the north-eastern coast is an effect in full accordance with the internal structure of the country, to which it is an immense abutment. Here, the mountains so far from extending from south-west to north-east, on the contrary, stretch in lateral chains with a very slight deviation to the south-west and north-eastward of due north and south, and the rivers flow down the intervening vallies in an astonishing manner parallel to the mountain chains, and to each other. This is the case with the Hudson, Housatonick, Connecticut, Merrimack, Kennebeck and Penobscot. The general course of the main streams of Delaware and Susquehannah, it may be observed, correspond to the course of the north-eastern rivers, and the cause is obviously found in the bend of the mountain system in the basins of these streams. With the western confluents of the Susquehannah, however, commences that long series of rivers, which with partial bends and windings extend themselves from, and nearly at right angles to that part of the great Appalachian system south-west from the Hudson. With this digression we return to our survey of the mountain chains. The Blue Ridge we have traced beyond the Hudson towards St. Lawrence basin; we now pursue its range in the opposite direction. Nearly parallel, and with a very narrow intervening valley, the Blue Ridge ranges with the South East Mountain, in a direction very little declined from S. W. from the Highlands above West Point to the Delaware, immediately below the mouth of the Lehigh. In this range, with a humble general elevation the chain is complete, and discharges from the southeastern flank the higher sources of Hackinsac and Musconecung; and from the opposite side, the upper branches of the Wallkill and Pequest. Traversed by the Delaware, the chain commences to inflect more westward, and to widen in distance from the South East Mountain 45 miles, to where it is again cut by another river, the Schuylkill at Reading. Still deflecting westward, it continues another stretch of 45 miles to the Susquehannah, which it reaches at and below the mouth of Swatara river. Rising from the right bank of Susquehannah, the Blue Ridge commences a re-inflection to the eastward, but with little change for the first 40 miles, but thence bends to the east of south-south-east, and pursues that direction 50 miles to the Potomac, at Harper's Ferry, and though a small distance below, nearly opposite the mouth of the Shenandoah. From the High Lands on the Hudson to the Potomac, in an aggregate distance of 180 miles, the Blue Ridge, except by the large rivers, is traversed by no other stream, and though of moderate mean elevation, is a perfectly defined chain. It is, how ever, only after its rise to the south-westward of Potomac, that map makers have condescended to give it a general and distinctive name. Thence known as the Blue Ridge, this chain once more inflects, and assuming a course of very nearly southwest, giving source on the south-east side to the higher branches of Rappahannoc, and some minor confluents of James river, and from the opposing side discharges creeks into Shenandoah, and gives source to the extreme fountains of South river branch of James river, continues 150 miles unbroken by any stream, to where it is traversed by James River. Still maintaining a south-western course of 35 miles, the Roanoke traverses it, and is the last stream that interrupts its continuity in the direction of our survey. With a slight inflection westward, the Blue Ridge stretches beyond the Roanoke 170 miles, discharging from its south-east flank the sources of Dan, Yodkin, and Catawba rivers, and from the opposing side those of New River, Watauga, and Nolachucky rivers. With a deep curve to the south-eastward, the Blue Ridge, passing the sources of Catawba and Nolachucky, continues its general south-western course about 100 miles, discharges towards the Atlantic Ocean the numerous sources of Broad, Saluda, and Savannah rivers, and into the Valley of Tennessee the sources of French, Broad, Tennessee Proper, and Hiwassee rivers. From Hudson to the basin of Roanoke inclusive, the Blue Ridge extends along the Atlantic slope; but leaving the basin of Roanoke this chain becomes the line of demarcation between the Atlantic slope and Ohio Valley or Mississippi basin, and continues so to the region where it separates the higher sources of Savannah and Hiwassee rivers. The discordance between the delineation of the Blue Ridge on our maps, and the analogy of the Appalachian, to a very different systematic arrangement, has been already noticed under this head; we may therefore dispense with pursuing the chain where neither its existence or inflections are correctly ascertained. If the whole range of the Blue Ridge in the United States is taken into one view, it extends from the sources of the Savannah and Hiwassee, to those of Connecticut and St. Francis rivers, and within a small fraction of one thousand miles following the inflections. Geographically it reaches from N. Lat. 35° to 45°, and in Lon. from 5° 30' E. to 6° 30′ W. from the meridian of Washington City. Its position and length from extreme to extreme, determined by actual calculation, yields a deflection of very near 41° from the meridians, and for length 920 statute miles. The length and position of the Blue Ridge may be assumed as a scale of reference for the other chains of the Appalachian system in the United States. The relative height of this chain illustrates the peculiar position of the whole system. These elevations demonstrate that the plain on which the chain extends rises gradually from tide water in the Hudson, to the sources of New River, or the highest constituent of the Great Kenhawa. The few peaks in the Blue Ridge are composed of rocks piled on each other, and when examined, appear the remains of masses of much greater magnitude. The Peaks of Otter in the northern part of Bedford county, Virginia, N. Lat. 37° 23', and between James and Roanoke rivers, are the highest points in the Blue Ridge, and of the whole system south-west from the Delaware, and they are only 4250 feet above the surface of the Atlantic Ocean. The great difference of elevation, however, between its two bounding plains, is more remarkable in the Blue Ridge than in similar phenomena of any other chain of the Appalachian system. The subjoined Tables of elevations along both plains or valleys, will illustrate the preceding remarks. Chambersburgh, near the sources of Conecocheague and Conedogwinet rivers, say Williamsport, on the Potomac, immediately below, and on the same side with the mouth of Conecocheague, the village, Williamsport, level of Potomac at, Harper's Ferry, water level at, Shenandoah and James rivers, sources of,, Pattonsburg, at the Great Bend of James river in Botetourt county, Virginia, James River, at the influx of Cowpasture ri ver, Covington, at the junction of Jackson's river with Dunlap's creek, and where the united waters take the name of James river, Salem, on the Roanoke, Feet. 360 480 276 300 400 ? 450 355 282 806 995 1224 394 1002 Pittsfield, in Berkshire county, Massachusetts, and in the valley of the Housatonick near its source, Forks of Roanoke, 1178 Summit level between the sources of the 945 200 Lynchburg, Campbell county, Virginia, level of James river at, 500 - 2500 From the sources of New river, the northwestern slope of Blue Ridge depresses along the sources of Nolachucky, French Broad, Tennessee Proper, and Hiwassee rivers, but at the extreme Table Land from which flow the higher sources of Savannah, Chatahooche, Coosa, and Hiwassee, the mean elevation, without estimating the mountain ridges, must be above 1500 Tables III. and IV. are in great part constructed from elements procured from actual admeasurement, and will serve to exhibit the great elevations and depressions of, perhaps, the most remarkable mountain valley, not only in the United States but on the earth. Before, however, proceeding to close the description of the intervening valley, we shall proceed to trace the succeeding chain to the Blue Ridge, the Kittatinny. son. One of the greatest difficulties in classifying the Appalachian chains, is the want of general names; a deficiency arising from another disgraceful want, a scientific survey of the whole system. Such a survey, would, it is probable, connect the Shawangunk ridge with those to the eastward of the HudTo the westward of that stream, in the lower part of Ulster county, New York, and between the Rondout creek and Wallkill, or rather between Rondout and Shawangunk creeks, ridges of mountains are found rising, and ranging thence southwestward towards the Delaware. These ridges are the commencement to the south-west of the Hudson of the Kataatin Chunk, or, as we have corrupted the Indian term, the Kittatinny chain. |