Page:Notes on the State of Virginia (1802).djvu/23

Rh mouth of Ohio to Santa Fé are forty days journey, or about 1000 miles. What is the ſhorteſt diſtance between the navigable waters of the Miſſouri, and thoſe of the North River, or how far this is navigable above Santa Fé, I could never learn. From Santa Fé to its mouth in the Gulph of Mexico is about 1200 miles. The road from New -  Orleans to Mexico croſſes this river at the poſt of Rio Norte, 800 miles below Santa Fé: and from this poſt to New Orleans is about 1200 miles: thus making 2000 miles between Santa Fé and New Orleans, paſſing down the North River, Red River and Miſſiſippi; whereas it is 2230 through the Miſſouri and Miſſiſippi. From the ſame poſt of Rio Norte, paſſing near the mines of La Sierra and Laiguana, which are between the North River and the river Salina to Sartilla, is 375 miles: and from thence paſſing the mines of Charcas. Zaccatecas and Potoſi, to the city of Mexico is 575 miles; in all, 1550 miles from Santa Fé to the city of Mexico. From New Orleans to the city of Mexico is about 1950 miles: the roads, after ſetting out from the Red River, near Natchitoches, keeping generally parallel with the coaſt, and about two hundred miles from it, till it enters the city of Mexico.

The Illinois is a fine river, clear, gentle, and without rapids; inſomuch that it is navigable for batteaux to its ſource. From thence is a portage of two miles only to the Chickago, which affords a betteau navigation of 16 miles to its entrance into lake Michigan. The Illinois, about ten miles above its mouth, is 300 yards wide.

The Kaſkaſkia is 100 yards wide at its entrance into the Miſſiſippi; and preſerves that breadth to