culties on account of the exceedingly low stage of the river, and sickness among the men. The character of the country through which the Upper Cumberland flows, and the character of its own bed, were so fully described in my report of January 20, 1871, that it is not considered necessary to say any thing additional on these subjects in this report. Adopting the same divisions of the river which were adopted in the report of last year, the facts developed by this survey are as follows, viz: First division.-Extending from Laurel River to the South Fork. The obstructions in this division until Smith's Shoals (also called the "Great Shoals") are reached, twenty-four miles from Laurel River, consist in heavy gravel bars, rocky débris and ledges, and detached masses of rock. The descent is 1.29 feet per mile. At the obstruction known as "Smith's Shoals," or the "Great Shoals," the river flows over ledges of limestone which resemble broad, descending steps. At two points there is a vertical descent of two and a half feet. The total descent of these shoals in nine miles, including the intervening pools and the descent, is 54 feet, or at the rate of 6 feet per mile. The greatest descent is at four localities, known as Shadowen Shoal, White Cliff Ripple, Long and Short Shoals. Coal-barges have, in high stages of the river, navigated these shoals during the last thirty-five years, but with frequent losses. Second division.-Extending from the South Fork to Nashville. The main features of this division resemble those of the first division, but are less formidable in their character. The entire distance from Point Burnside, the head of steamboat navigation, and the point at which the South Fork empties into the Cumberland River, to Nashville, is 326.71 miles, and the descent is 232 feet, or at the rate of 0.71 foot per mile. The following table gives all the facts which were obtained by the survey of this division: Table giving the facts obtained by the survey of the second division, extending from the South Fork to Nashville. Point Burnside. Fishing Creek.. Miles. 0. Ford's Island. Gan's Island Harmon's Island Lilly or Wolf Island 34. Belk's Island 37. Wild Goose Shoal 45.3 Natural pool.. 45.87 Indian Creek, Poplar Mountain 47.95 Natural pool 48.21 Long Bottom Island. 50.01 Natural pool 50.32 Boyd's Island 51.72 Natural pool 51.90 Black Fish Bar. 53 03 Natural pool 53.52 Blankwiship's Bar. 54.62 Natural pool. 55.11 Campbell's Island 56.02 Natural pool.. 56.68 Snow Island. 59.05 Natural pool 59.83 Winfrey's Island. 61. 41 Natural pool 62.18 Winfrey's Ford. 63.49 Natural pool 63.70 Self's Shoal 67.32 Natural pool 67.45 Willis's Creek. 71.18 0.36 1.559 4.33 |