Extending about 40 miles between the Shawangunk and Nevesink rivers, the Kittatinny is reached by Delaware river, at the extreme northern angle of New Jersey, and at the mouth of Nevesink. From this point the mountain chain deflects the Delaware, and the river and mountain stretch nearly parallel to each other, south-westwardly 36 miles, to the Delaware Water Gap. Here the river assumes a southern course and traverses the mountain; whilst the latter again rising and inclining a little more to the westward, stretches 28 miles to where it is traversed by the Schuylkill, above the village of Hamburg. Inclining so much more to the westward as to lie nearly S. W. by W., the Kittatinny extends 30 miles from the Schuylkill Water Gap to where it is pierced by the Swatara. tween the latter point and the Susquehannah, five miles above the borough of Harrisburgh, in a distance of about 22 miles, the direction of the chain is something W. of S. W., and pierced by several small confluents of Swatara, it is there broken into successive ridges.

Beyond the Susquehannah, the Kittatinny again rises, and extending first nearly west between the confluents of Conedogwinet and Shareman rivers; thence broken into ridges bounding on the westward the valley of the Conecocheague, the chain gradually curves to the southward and reaches the Potomac, extending very little west of south. Rising again beyond the Potomac, between the Opequan and Back creeks, it assumes a very near parallelism with the Blue Ridge, is passed by the North Fork of Shenandoah, and extends thence between the two main branches of that river. Though scarcely appearing on our maps, the chain of Kittatinny remains continuous over Rockingham, Augusta and Rockbridge counties of Virginia into Botetourt, to where it is traversed by James river below the mouth of Craig's creek. Still faintly represented, the chain stretches along the higher sources of James and Roanoke rivers to the centre of Montgomery near Christiansburg, where it merges from the Atlantic slope into the valley of Ohio, by entering the sub-valley of New river or Upper Kenhawa.

Thus far, in all its range from the Hudson, the Kittatinny chain is broken into links by the higher sources of the Atlantic rivers, and similar to the South East mountain and Blue Ridge the base gradually rises, ascending the vast inclined plain obliquely, until it reaches the highest apex between the sources of Roanoke and Little river. Here the lowest gap, through which a projected canal is intended to be carried, is 2049 feet above the level of the Atlantic Ocean. See Table IV. The chain now inflects to a course considerably west of south-west; and is traversed by New river or Upper Kenhawa. Beyond the latter stream, under the local name of Iron mountain, discharging to the eastward the confluents of New river, and from the opposite flank those of the south branch of Holston and Watauga, reaches the extreme north-eastern angle of Tennessee.

At the preceding remarkable natural and political point, the chain assumes a direction very nearly VOL. XVIII. PART I.

to the S.W., and under the various names of Iron mountain, Bald mountain, Smoky mountain, and Unika mountain, pierced in succession by Watauga, Doe, Nolechucky, French Broad, Big Pigeon, Tennessee Proper, and Hiwassee, according to Tanner's United States, merges into Blue Ridge in the northern part of Georgia, between the sources of Coosa and Hiwassee rivers.

If the whole mass of the Kittatinny is taken into the estimate, it exceeds the Blue Ridge, though no peak of the former rivals in elevation the peaks of Otter. Both chains are almost every where in a natural state clothed with timber.

In the existing state of our mountain geography it is impracticable to attempt a systematic review of the chains beyond the Kittatinny.

Alleghany Mountain, or the main spine of the system, has received no more definite delineation than the minor chain, and it is evident from the analogy of the system that the term Alleghany is applied to ridges of different chains. Where exact information cannot be given, silence is best; but with a view to stimulate to future inquiry, I shall hazard the hypothesis, that the Catsbergs or Catskill mountains of New York are a part of the same chain with the Alleghany of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia.

Catskill mountains, properly to called, rise very abruptly from the valley of the Hudson, discharging northwardly the Schoharie river into the Mohawk, westwardly the extreme sources of Susquehannah, and south-westwardly the sources of Coquago and Popachton rivers, or the two main constituents of Delaware river. The Catskills are part of a mountain nucleus, rising into peaks from 3000 to 3500 feet above the tide level. From this burr, if the term is admissible, two chains.

The first or minor chain extends south-westwardly towards the Delaware, and between the sources of Nevesink and Popachton rivers; traverses Delaware river, and is mingled with the numerous chains between the Kittatinny and north-east branch of Susquehannah.

The principal chain, however, which stretches from the Catsbergs, extends also south-westwardly between Coquago and Popachton rivers; is traversed by the main volume of the former, and rises in Pennsylvania by the local name of Tunkhannoc mountain. The latter name is continued to where the chain is broken by the passage of the north-east branch of Susquehannah river, below the influx of Tunkhannoc river. Between the two main branches. of the Susquehannah, this chain inflects to S. W. by W. in full conformity with the corresponding direction of the South East Mountain, Blue Ridge, and Kittatinny, and by the local name of Bowman's mountain, reaches and is traversed by the west branch of Susquehannah, at the Great Bend below Pennsboro'; thence extending very nearly due west by the name of White Deer mountain and other local terms, merges into the valley of Bald Eagle creek, and sweeping to S. W. assumes the distinctive name of Alleghany Mountain.

The length of the chain from the Catsbergs to where it is unequivocally known as Alleghany, is 2 S

Cumberland chain is a very remarkable point in the physical geography of the United States. See ART. TENNESSEE RIVER, Vol. XVIII. pp. 666—7. Between the valley of Sandy river and its reaching Tennessee river, in a distance of 325 miles, the Cumberland chain is a dividing line of river source, and in many parts presents an impassable wall of rock. If we, however, compare the mountain system with the great inflections of the Ohio, Kentucky, Cumberland, and Tennessee rivers, we discover the influence of the former over the channels of the latter far westward of any regularly delineated chain. Similar observations have been made on the structure of the Atlantic slope, eastward of the Appalachian system. Restricting the system, nevertheless, to the space over which distinct chains extend in the United States, it stretches along something above one thousand miles. The breadth is generally not far from one hundred and seventy; of course, the physical section of the United States embraced by the Appalachian system, comprises one hundred and seventy thousand square miles. This physical region, though mountainous, is very far indeed from uniform in appearance, or in soil. The intermediate valleys between the chains are real table lands, varying in elevation above the Atlantic tides, from 500 to 2500 feet. It has been shown in this article, that the chains traverse obliquely over the river valleys on both sides of the summit of the river source. We have also briefly traced the main chains, but so numerous are the intervening ridges, and so defective all delineations of their position, or even individual existence, that it is utterly impracticable to determine to any decided exactness the space actually occupied by mountains. The number of chains may be assumed at 12, and the mean breadth of their bases at three miles, without much danger of great error either way. This would yield an aggregate length of mountain of 12,000 miles, and the area occupied by the chains at 36,000 square miles; leaving for the intermediate table lands 134,000 square miles.

We now proceed to a specific description of the rivers flowing from this great mountain physical section, commencing with the Alatamaha, and advancing north-eastwardly along the Atlantic stope to the St. Johns of Maine and New Bruns wick, and returning to the Alatamaha, and proceeding by the opposite direction to complete the circuit of the system.

Alatamaha is formed by two main branches, Oconee and Ocmulgee. Both confluents have their sources in the lateral spurs of the Appalachian chains, and, what is very remarkable, in a distance of seventy miles the remote fountains of both streams rise from five to ten miles from the main channel of Chatahoochee river. The Oconee, or eastern branch, rises between the sources of Broad river branch of Savannah and Soquie branch of Chatahoochee river, at North Lat. 34° 18', Lon. W. from W. C. 6o 40', and in Hall county, Georgia. Flowing thence S.S.E., by comparative courses, 175 miles, receives the Ocmulgee, almost exactly on North Lat. 32°. The valley of the Oconee is narrow,

when compared with its length, being under fifty miles where widest, and not much, if any, exceeding a mean breadth of 25 miles.

The Ocmulgee is, in fact, the main stream, both as to length of course and surface drained, and rising at North Lat. 34°, Lon. 7° W. from W.C. in Gwinnett county, Georgia, flows thence 170 miles, by comparative courses, and, in a remarkable manner, parallel to, and distant about 35 miles from the Oconee. Sweeping round to east and northeast, the Ocmulgee joins the Oconee between Montgomery and Appling counties.

The entire upper valley of the basin of Alatamaha is in length 170 miles, and having a mean breadth of 60, comprises an area of 10,200 square miles.

Below the union of its two main constituent streams, the Alatamaha pursues a comparative course of about ninety miles, in a south-eastern direction, to its entrance into the Atlantic Ocean, at the northern extremity of St. Simon Island, North Lat. 31° 19', and Lon. W.. from W.C. 6° 22′.

The lower valley of the Alatamaha basin is narrow, only one stream entering that deserves the name of a river, and that, the Great Ohoopee, from the north-west, is an unimportant branch, of about eighty miles comparative course. The entire basin of Alatamaha extends in length 260 miles from south-east to north-west, with a mean breadth of fifty miles; area 13,000 square miles. This basin is bounded by the higher valley of the Chatahoochee north-west; by the valley of Flint river west; by the sources of Swanee and Santilla rivers south; basin of Great Ogeechee south-east; and the basin of Savannah to the north-east.

As a commercial and habitable basin, that of Alatamaha is of great importance. There is at low tide 14 feet water on the outer bar, and ships of that draught can be navigated some distance up the main stream. Steam boats are navigated up the Oconee to Milledgeville, and both Oconee and Ocmulgee are navigable for down stream vessels to near their respective sources.

A comparatively minor basin, the Ogeechee, or Ogatchee, follows that of Alatamaha. The sources. of the Ogeechee originate to the south-east of all the distinct chains of the Appalachian system, at about North Lat. 33° 30', Lon. 69 W. from W.C., between Little river branch of Savannah and Oconee, and in Greene county, Georgia. The valley or basin of Ogeechee is narrow, and lies in a direction from north-west to south-east. Length about 170 miles, with a mean width of 30; area 5100 square miles. The main stream receives but one tributary of any consequence, the Cannouchee. The latter has its valley between those of Ohoopee and the Great Ogeechee, and gains some importance from its position. The entire length falls short of ninety miles, but the lower part of its course above its junction with the Ogeechee being from west to east, the channel lies directly in the course of a projected canal to unite the Savannah and Alatamaha rivers. Ossabaw Sound, which receives and terminates the Great Ogeechee, is in North Lat. 31° 50', Lon. 4° 7' W. from W.C.

The very important basin of Savannah follows

those of Alatamaha and Great Ogeechee. The two higher constituents of Savannah river, the Chatuga and Seneca, both originate in the Blue Ridge, at about North Lat. 35°, and Lon. 6° W. from W.C. According to Tanner's United States, both of the higher sources of Savannah rise in North Carolina. The Chatuga, or western branch, flows first southwestward, receives the Turoree, and, bending to south-east, takes the name of Tugaloo, and joins the Seneca at the passage through one of the Appalachian chains, supposed the South East Mountain. The Seneca rises in the Blue Ridge, to the eastward of the sources of Chatuga, and westward of those of Saluda, and, flowing a little east of south, unites with the Tugaloo to form the Savannah. The comparative length of the two constituent branches are about equal to 50 miles each. Below South East Mountain the united waters now form the Savannah, and a navigable stream flows south-eastward, by comparative courses, to the entrance of Broad river, from the west.

Broad river, if length of course and surface drained are combined, is the largest confluent of Savannah. Its valley occupies the space between the higher sources of Oconee and Chatahoochee, and the valley of Savannah itself. Length about 70 miles, in a direction from N. W. to S. E. Below the influx of Broad river, the Savannah maintains nearly its original course of south-east to North Lat. 33°. Here this. river inflects to the south of S.S.W., and continues that direction about 80 miles, to the city of Savannah. Widening into a bay, the channel inflects to S. E. by E. below the harbour of Savannah, and, at a distance of about 14 miles, opens to the Atlantic Ocean between Turtle and Tybee islands, at North Lat. 32°, and Lon. 4o W. from W.C. According to Tanner's map, the two geographical lines intersect in the southern side of Savannah bay. The entire basin traverses a small fraction above three degrees of latitude, and two and two-thirds of longitude. The length is very nearly 250 miles, but for such a length the breadth is confined. For 60 miles from the mouth to the entrance of Brier river, the breadth falls short of 15 miles. Above the influx of Brier river, the basin slowly widens, but where the width is greatest, from the sources of Stevens creek to those of Little river, it still falls under 70 miles, and the mean width is fully estimated at 40 miles, and the area at 10,000 square miles.

If the three basins of Alatamaha, Ogeechee, and Savannah are united into one physical section, it will comprise 27,300 square miles, lying between North Lat. 31° 19' and 35° 5', and between Lon. 4° and 7° 30' W. from W.C.

The actual elevation of the Blue Ridge, where it discharges the extreme fountains of Savannah river, has never been well determined, but the most elevated arable soil must exceed 1500 feet, or an equivalent to three degrees of latitude in regard to mean temperature. With this allowance, the climate of the section under review has extremes of temperature equal to 6 degrees of latitude. The surface is variegated from a monotonous alluvial ocean border to mountain vallies, presenting scenery bold,

grand, and even sublime. The contrast of vegetable production is the greatest to be found in any equal geographical extent in the United States. On the islands and alluvial banks of the streams of the southern and lowest part, the orange and lemon tree, the sugar cane, and other tender plants flourish. Rising from this tropical flat to the steeps of the Appalachian chains, the region of cotton is passed, and that of the apple and cereal gramina reached.

The Savannah basin is the connecting link which unites the Atlantic slope with the valley of Ohio, and with the Gulf of Mexico direct, by the channel of Chatahooche river. It is not probably one mile from the extreme sources of Chatahoochee, Hiwassee, and Savannah rivers. Yet such is the boldness of design conspicuous in the United States, that over this very elevated region, canals of intercommunication have been projected. Steam boats ascend the Tennessee to Port Deposite, at the lower side of the passage of that river through Cumberland Mountain, and canals or sluice navigation have been proposed thence up Tennessee and Hiwassee, to connect the latter with the Coosa and Savannah rivers: and again it has been proposed to join the latter and Chatahooche river by a canal. These projects are in great part not even so far realised as to have the routes surveyed. The upper channel of Savannah itself has, however, been much improved as a navigable channel, by the application of sluices and dams, an improvement aided by a prudent attention to the most practicable work in the first instance.

Another line of canals, of more immediate utility, and of greatly more facility of execution, than any line passing over the Appalachian chains, is one from Savannah river, above the city of Savannah, to the Alatamaha. In the month of December 1825, acts passed the legislature of Georgia for the construction of two canals; one the Savannah and Ogeechee canal, and the other the Ogeechee and Alatamaha canal. The former is to extend from the upper part of the city of Savannah, in a S.W. by W. direction 16 miles, to the Great Ogeechee river; and the latter, in a direction a little S. of W., 50 miles from the Great Ogeechee, to strike the Alatamaha at or near the influx of Ohoopee river.

The board of public works for Georgia was created 29th December 1825, by an act of the legis lature of that state, with the express design of uniting the Atlantic part of the state with its western rivers, by means of canals and rail-roads; and in extension, by future works of a similar nature, connect the Georgia navigation with the waters of Mississippi and Tennessee. It is also made the special duty of the board of public works, to meliorate the channel navigation of the Ocmulgee, Oconee, and Alatamaha, and to examine, with a view to remove obstructions from, or erect useful improvements in, the outlets of the rivers debouching into the Atlantic.

Amongst the peculiarities which distinguish the Savannah river, may be noticed that by the channels of Chatuga and Tugaloo, and again by Savannah proper; it is in all its length from N.

Lat. 35° to the ocean, a boundary between Georgia and South Carolina.

If we extend our view into the interior as far as the Blue Ridge, the basin of Santee follows that of Savannah, but along the Atlantic coast, and as high as the lower falls of the larger rivers, there spreads. a series of minor basins, the higher sources of which originate on the ocean alluvion. From the peculiar direction of Savannah and Santee rivers in the lower part of their courses, the intermediate space is nearly in form of a triangle, the side along the Atlantic Ocean about 100 miles, and the two other sides 130 miles inland to the sources of Edisto river, and respectively nearly parallel to the general courses of Savannah and Santee rivers. This alluvial basin extends over an area of 6500 square miles, extending in Lat. from 32° 05′ to 33° 55', and in Lon. from 2o 26′ to 4° 33′ W. from W.C. Beside many of lesser note it is drained by Coosa, Combahee, Edisto, and Ashley and Cooper rivers. The ocean border is excessively broken by islands, sounds, and interlocking water courses. The principal islands are, advancing from the Savannah outlet to that of Santee, Hilton, St. Helena, Hunting, Port Royal, Ladies, Reynold, Edisto, Wadmelaw, Johns, Kiawaw, James and Coffin, S. W. from Charleston harbour, and Sullivan, Dewees, Bull and Murphey, between Charleston harbour and the mouth of Santee river.

The inlets are numerous but generally shallow; but as commercial channels may be named, Calibogue Sound, Port Royal Entrance, or the outlet of Broad River; St. Helena Sound, or the estuary of Cambahee and South Edisto rivers; North Edisto, or the southern outlet of Stono river, between Edisto and Wadmelaw and Kiawaw islands; northern or rather north-eastern Stono river, between Kiawaw and James islands; the harbour of Charleston, or the united estuaries of Ashley and Cooper rivers, and Bull Bay.

Santee basin follows that of Savannah towards the mountains, and that of Edisto on the margin of the Atlantic Ocean; and so very confined is the space between their mouths, that Pedee may be united with Santee in one physical section. If thus combined, the united basins of Santee and Pedee extend from N. Lat. 33° 05' at the southern mouth of Santee, to N. Lat. 36° 38', at the head of Tom creek branch of Yadkin, in Patrick county, Virginia; and in Lon. from 1° 38′ W. from W.C. at the sources of Waccamaw river, to 5° 40′ W. from W. C. at the extreme western fountains of Saluda river. The higher sources of this physical section are in the south-eastern slopes of Blue Ridge, in a distance of 180 miles, from the northern sources of the Yadkin in Patrick county, Virginia, to the extreme sources of Saluda river, in Pickens and Greenville districts, South Carolina. But, though reaching the Atlantic Ocean almost at one point, the intermediate direction of the secondary streams are very different.

Santee river is formed by two great confluents, Congaree and Catawba rivers. The Congaree, or south-western branch, is again formed by the confluence of Broad and Saluda rivers.

Saluda rises in the vallies of Blue Ridge, opposite the sources of Tennessee Proper, and between those of Seneca and Ennoree rivers, and in Pickens and Greenville districts, South Carolina. Flowing by comparative courses south-east by east 130 miles, but with a considerable elliptical curve to the southward, the Saluda joins Broad river at Columbia, and at the intersection of N. Lat. 34°, and Lon. 4° W. from W.C.

The Ennoree, Tyger, and Pacolet, are three comparatively long streams originating in Blue Ridge, between the sources of Saluda and Broad rivers, and opposite those of French Broad river. Flowing to the south-eastward and nearly parallel to each other, the Ennoree, Tyger and Pacolet enter Broad river separately.

Broad River, the north-eastern branch of Congaree, rises in the vallies of Blue Ridge, between the sources of Pacolet and Catawba rivers, and opposite those of French Broad. Supplied by numerous streams from the great valley of Rutherford county, the general course of Broad river is in the higher part of its course, only a little S. of E., but on entering South Carolina between York and Spartanburg districts, the channel rapidly inflects to S.S. E. which course it maintains about 100 miles in direct distance to its junction with Saluda, at Columbia. In its course in South Carolina, the confined space between it and the Catawba admits of no large confluent on the left; those from the right, the Ennoree, Tyger and Pacolet, have been already noticed.

Below Columbia, where the stream passes the outer primitive ledge, it takes the name of Congaree, and sweeping a curve to the south but by a general comparative course of 35 miles, unites with Wateree to form Santee. The Congaree valley embraces a triangular tract of 160 miles base, from the sources of Saluda to the mouth of Congaree; perpendicular 80, and area 6400 square miles. Though not so long by any branch as the Catawba, in surface drained and quantity of water discharged, Broad river is the main constituent stream of Congaree.

The Catawba rises in the valley between the Blue Ridge and South East Mountain, but contrary to the general course of the higher branches already described, that of Catawba is to the north of east for the first 60 miles of its course, draining the valley of Burke county, North Carolina. Thence traversing the South East Mountain, the channel abruptly inflects to a course only a little east of south. The latter direction is continued with partial windings over 2 degrees of latitude, and by comparative courses about 150 miles to its junction with the Congaree. The valley of the Catawba is about 200 miles in length, but does not exceed a mean breadth of 30 miles; area 6000 square miles.

Below the union of its two constituent streams, the Santee inclines for a distance of about 30 miles a little east of the general course of Catawba, thence inflecting 25 miles to a little north of east, and finally bending to south-east by east 50 miles, falls into the Atlantic Ocean by two outlets. The eastern cape of Cedar Island between the two mouths