or nine feet water a mile or two higher up to Fisher's bar, and four feet on that and upwards to Petersburg, where all navigation ceafes.

James river itself affords harbour for veffels of any fize at Hampton road, but not in fafety through the whole winter; and there is navigable water for them as far as Mulberry ifland. A forty gun fhip goes to James-town, and, lightching herfelf, may pafs to Harrison's bar, on which there is only fifteen feet water. Veffels of two hundred and fifty tons may go to Warwick; those of one hundred and twentyfive go to Rocket's, a mile below Richmond; from thence is about feven feet water to Richmond; and about the center of the town, four feet and a half, where the navigation is interrupted by falls, which in a courfe of fix miles defcend about eighty feet perpendicu lar: above thefe it is refumed in canoes and batteaux, and is profecuted fafely and advantageoufly to within ten miles of the Ble Ridge; and even through the Blue Ridge a ton weight has been brought; and the expenfe would not be great, when compared with its object, to open a tolerable navigation up Jackfon's river and Carpenter's creck, to within twenty-five miles of Howard's creek of Green Briar, both of which have then water enough to float veffels into the Great Kanhawa. In fome future state of population, it is poffible that its navigation may also be made to interlock with that of Potomack, and through that to communicate by a fhort portage with the Ohio. It is to be noted, that this river is called in the maps James river, only to its confluence with the Rivanna; thence to the Blue Ridge it is called the Fluvanna; and thence to its fource, Jackfon's river. But in common fpeech it is called James river to its fource.

The Rivanna, a branch of James river, is navigable for canoes and batteaux to its interfection with the fouth-weft mountains, which is about twenty-two miles; and may eafily be opened to navigation through thofe mountains, to its fork above Charlottesville.

York river, at York-town, affords the best harbour in the State for veffels of the largest fize. The river there narrows to the width of a mile, and is contained within very high banks, clofe under which the veffels may ride. It holds four fathom water at high tide for twenty-five miles above York to the mouth of Poropotank, where the river is a mile and a half wide, and the channel only feventy-five fathom, and paffing under a high bank. At the confluence of Pa

munkey

munkey and Mattapony it is reduced to three fathom depth, which continues up Pamunkey to Cumberland, where the width is one hundred yards, and up Mattapony to within two miles of Frazier's ferry, where it becomes two and a half fathom deep, and holds that about five miles. Pamunkey is then capable of navigation for loaded flats to Brockman's bridge, fifty miles above Hanover-town, and Mattapony to Downer's bridge, feventy miles above itsmouth.

Piankatank, the little rivers making out of Mobjack bay, and those of the eastern shore, receive only very small vessels, and these can but enter them. Rappahannock affords four fathom water to Hobbe's Hole, and two fathoms from thence to Fredericksburg, one hundred and ten miles.

The Potomack is seven and a half miles wide at the mouth; four and a half at Nomony bay; three at Aquia; one and a half at Hallooing point; one and a quarter at Alexandria. Its foundings are seven fathom at the mouth; five at St. George's ifland; four and a half at Lower Matchodic; three at Swan's point, and thence up to Alexandria; thence ten feet water to the falls, which are thirteen miles above Alexandria. The tides in the Potomack are not very strong, excepting after great rains, when the ebb is pretty strong, then there is little or no flood; and there is never more than four or five hours flood, except with long and strong south winds.

The distance from the capes of Virginia to the termination of the tide water in this river is above three hundred miles, and navigable for fhips of the greatest burthen, nearly that distance. From thence this river, obftructed by four confiderable falls, extends through a vast tract of inhabited country towards its fource. These falls are, ift, The Little Falls, three miles above tide water, in which distance there is a fall of thirty-fix feet; 2d, The Great Falls, fix miles higher, where is a fall of seventy-fix feet in one mile and a quarter; 3d, The Seneca Falls, fix miles above the former, which form fhort, irregular rapids, with a fall of about ten feet; and 4th, The Shenandoah Falls, fixty miles from the Seneca, where is a fall of about thirty feet in three miles: from which laft, fort Cumberland is about one hundred and twenty miles diftant. The obstructions which are opposed to the navigation above and between thefe falls are of little confequence.

VOL. III.

M

Early

Early in the year 1785, the legiflatures of Virginia and Maryland passed acts to encourage opening the navigation of this river. It was eftimated that the expenfe of the works would amount to fifty thoufand pounds sterling, and ten years were allowed for their completion; but the prefident and directors of the incorporated company have fince fuppofed that forty-five thousand pounds would be adequate to the operation, and that it would be accomplished in a fhorter period than was ftipulated. Their calculations are founded on the progrefs already made, and the fummary mode established for enforcing the collection of the dividends, as the money may become neceffary.

- aunum.

As foon as the proprietors fhall begin to receive toll, they will doubtless find an ample compenfation for their pecuniary advances. By an estimate made many years ago, it was calculated that the amount in the commencement would be at the rate of eleven thoufand eight hundred and feventy-five pounds, Virginia currency, per The toll muft every year become more productive; as the quantity of articles for exportation will be augmented in a rapid ratio, with the increase of population and the extenfion of fettlements. In the mean time the effect will be immediately feen in the agriculture of the interior country; for the multitude of horses now employed in carrying produce to market, will then be used altogether for the purposes of tillage. But in order to form just conceptions of the utility of this inland navigation, it would be requifite to notice the long rivers which empty into the Potomack, and even to take a furvey of the geographical pofition of the western waters.

The Shenandoah, which empties just above the Blue mountains, may, according to report, be made navigable, at a trifling expense, more than one hundred and fifty miles from its confluence with the Potomack; and will receive and bear the produce of the richest part of the State. Commiffioners have been appointed to form a plan, and to estimate the expenfe of opening the channel of this river, if on examination it fhould be found practicable. The South Branch, ftill higher, is navigable in its actual condition nearly or quite one hundred miles, through exceedingly fertile lands. Between thefe on the Virginia fide are feveral fmaller rivers, that may with ease be improved, fo as to afford a paffage for boats. On the Maryland fide are the Monocafy, Antictam, and Conegocheague, fome of which

pafs

pafs through the State of Maryland, and have their fources in Pennfylvania.

From fort Cumberland, or Wills' creek, one or two good waggon roads may be had, where the diftance is from thirty-five to forty miles, to the Youghiogany, a large and navigable branch of the Monongahela, which last forms a junction with the Allegany at fort

Pitt.

But by paffing farther up the Potomack than fort Cumberland, which may very eafily be done, a portage by a good waggon road to Cheat river, another large branch of the Monongahela, can be obtained through a fpace which fome fay is twenty, others twenty-two, others twenty-five, and none more than thirty miles.

When arrived at either of these western waters, the navigation through that immenfe region is opened by a thousand directions, and to the lakes in feveral places by portages of lefs than ten miles; and by one portage, it is afferted, of not more than a single mile.

Notwithstanding it was fneeringly faid by fome foreigners, at the beginning of this undertaking, that the Americans were fond of engaging in fplendid projects which they could never accomplish, yet it is hoped the fuccefs of this first effay towards improving their inland navigation, will refcue them from the reproach intended to have been fixed upon their national character, by the unmerited im putation.

The Great Kanhawa is a river of confiderable note for the fertility of its land, and ftill more, as leading towards the head waters of James river. Nevertheless, it is doubtful whether its great and numerous rapids will admit a navigation, but at an expense to which it will require ages to render its inhabitants equal. The great obftacles begin at what are called the Great Falls, ninety miles above the mouth, below which are only five or fix rapids, and thefe paffable, with fome difficulty, even at low water. From the falls to the mouth of Green Briar is one hundred miles, and thence to the lead mines one hundred and twenty. It is two hundred and eighty yards wide at its mouth.

The Little Kanhawa is one hundred and fifty yards wide at the mouth. It yields a navigation of ten miles only. Perhaps its northern branch, called Junius's creek, which interlocks with the western waters of Monongahela, may one day admit a fhorter paffage from the latter into the Ohio.

Besides the rivers we have now mentioned, there are many others of leís note, nevertheless the State does not abound with good fish; fturgeon, fhad (and herring are the most plenty; perch, sheepshead, drum, rock fish, and trout, are common; befides these, they have oyfters, crabs, fhrimps, &c. in abundance. The fprings in this State are almost innumerable. In Augufta there is a remarkable cascade, it bears the name of the Falling Spring. It is a water of James river, where it is called Jackson's river, rising in the warm fpring mountains about twenty miles fouth-west of the warm fpring, and flowing into that valley. About three quarters of a mile from its fource it falls over a rock two hundred feet into the valley below. The sheet of water is broken in its breadth by the rock in two or three places, but not at all in its height. Between the fheet and rock, at the bottom, you may walk across dry. This cataract will bear no comparison with that of Niagara, as to the quantity of water com pofing it, the fheet being only twelve for fifteenfeet wide above, and fomewhat more spread below; but it is half as high again.

SOIL, PRODUCTIONS, &c.

The foil below the mountains feems to have acquired a`character for goodness which it by no means deferves. Though not rich, it is well fuited to the growth of tobacco and Indian corn, and parts of it for wheat. Good crops of cotton, flax and hemp are also raised; and in fome counties they have plenty of cyder, and exquifite brandy, diftilled from peaches, which grow in great abundance upon the numerous rivers of the Chesapeak.

The planters, before the war, paid their principal attention to the culture of tobacco, of which there used to be exported, generally, fifty-five thousand hogfheads a year. Since the revolution they are turning their attention more to the cultivation of wheat, Indian corn, barley, flax and hemp. It is expected that this State will add the article of rice to the lift of exports; as it is fuppofed a large body of fwamp, in the easternmost counties, is capable of producing it.

Horned or neat cattle are bred in great numbers in the western counties of Virginia, as well as the States fouth of it, where they have an extensive range, and mild winters, without any permanent fnows. They run at large, are not houfed, and multiply very faft.

"In