Page:Notes on the State of Virginia (1802).djvu/20

10 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 4 fathom water to Hobb's hole, and 2 fathom from thence to Frederickſburg.

Patowmac is 7½ miles wide at the mouth; 4½ at Nomony bay; 3 at Aquia; 1½ at Halooing point; 1¼ at Alexandria. Its ſoundings are, 7 fathom at the mouth; 5 at St. George's iſland; 4½ at Lower Matchodic; 3 at Swan's point, and thence up to Alexandria; thence 10 feet water to the falls, which are 13 miles above Alexandria. Theſe falls are 15 miles in length, and of very great deſcent, and the navigation above them for batteaux and canoes, is ſo much interrupted as to be little uſed. It is, however, uſed in a ſmall degree up the Cohongoronta branch as far as Fort Cumberland, which was at the mouth of Wills's creek; and is capable, at no great expenſe, of being rendered very practicable. The Shenandoah branch, interlocks with James river about the Blue Ridge, and may perhaps in future be opened.

The Miſſiſippi will be one of the principal channels of future commerce for the country weſtward of the Alleghaney. From the mouth of this river to where it receives the Ohio, is 1000 miles by water, but only 500 by land, paſſing through the Chickaſaw country. From the mouth of the Ohio to that of the Miſſouri, is 230 miles by water, and 140 by land. From thence to the mouth of the Illinois river, is about 25 miles. The Miſſiſippi, below the mouth of the Miſſouri, is always muddy and abounding with ſand bars, which frequently change their places. However, it carries 15