nel is obstructed by rapids at the distance of twen ty miles from its outlet. The western branch is navigable ninety miles from its mouth. The Susquehannah is the channel of trade between the western country and Baltimore.

The Delaware river, which discharges itself into the bay of the same name, rises near the forty-second degree of latitude, and runs, first in a south-easterly course, separating the state of New York from that of Pennsylvania; then it runs south-west, again south-east, and afterwards south-west, separating this last state from those of New Jersey and Delaware. At Philadelphia, which is situated on its banks, 120 miles from the sea, its waters rise with the tide to the height of five or six feet, affording sufficient depth of water for ships of the line; sloops ascend thirty miles higher, to Trenton, and boats 100 miles farther. On its western side it receives two great branches, the Schuylkill and the Leheigh. The former, which falls in six miles below Philadelphia, is boatable to the distance of ninety miles from its mouth; the latter, which has its junction sixty miles north of this city, is navigable thirty miles.

The Hudson river rises in the high lands, west of Lake Champlain, near the forty-fourth degree of latitude, and runs in a direction nearly from north to south, into New York Bay on the Atlantic Ocean, from which it affords an easy and safe navigation for ships 142 miles, to the city of Hudson, and for

sloops to Albany, eighteen miles higher. A fe miles above this last place it receives the Mohawk, or western branch, (formerly known by the names of Eorlar and Albany,) which, by means of canals running along its falls, is navigable for small boats to near its source, towards the Oneida Lake, and through this lake it has a communication with Lake Ontario. The great cataract in this river, which has an elevation of sixty feet, is situated near its outlet.

The Connecticut river has its source on the "Land's

height," above the forty-fifth parallel of latitude, and takes first a south-south-westerly course, but when near its outlet, it takes a south-south-easterly direction to Long Island Sound, in the Atlantic Ocean, running upwards of four hundred miles. At the distance of fifty miles from the sea, its chan, nel is full of rocks, which obstruct the navigation, On both sides are a number of small branches. This river separates the state of New Hampshire from that of Vermont throughout their whole length, and afterwards passes through those of Massachusets and Connecticut.

The river St Lawrence forms the northern boundary of the United States for the space of 150 miles. It is very large, and is the outlet by which the waters of the great lakes, Superior, Erie, and Ontario, are discharged. After issuing from the last, it runs a course of nearly two thousand miles, to the gulf of the same name, where, embos

soming the island of Anticosti, it is ninety in width; at Saguenay river, 260 miles from its mouth, it is eighteen miles; at the island of Orleans sixteen at Quebec five; at Montreal from two to four. The tide ascends 400 miles, (a league above the Three rivers,) affording navigation for vessels of war the whole of this distance, and for boats to Lake Ontario; but the current above the tide is extremely rapid, running at the rate of seven or eight miles an hour, and increasing in rapidity to Montreal, where it runs at the rate of ten miles. The ice of this cold region renders the river unnavigable one half of the year. Anticosti isle (named Assumption isle by James Cartier, in 1534) is forty-eight French leagues in length, and ten in its greatest breadth. The soil is sterile and rocky. The Isle of Orleans, (first named Bacchus' Isle,) below the city of Quebec, is seven leagues in length, and two in breadth, and nearly forty-eight English miles in circumference. The soil is good, and well cultivated. The population about 2000. The latitude and longitude of different points on this river were first ascertained about the year 1750, by De Lolbiniere, an officer of the Canadian troops; by Deshayes, Father Bonne Camp, a mathematician of the order of Jesuits; and De Chabert, à naval officer. The voyage of the last, consisting of a quarto volume, with plates, was printed at the Royal Press of Paris, in 1753.

CHAPTER IV.

CLIMATE.

To form a just idea of the climate of the United States, we must consider that the territory extends from the 30th to the 49th degree of latitude, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean; that it is traversed by mountains which rise in many parts 4000 feet above the level of the sea; is washed on the north by great lakes, or inland seas; is intersected by rivers of uncommon magnitude, terminating in bays some hundred miles in length; 'that it is covered in the interior with thick forests, and, on the Mexican borders, terminates in extensive plains of sand. It is evident that a country of such extent, and so diversified in its surface and situation, must necessarily embrace almost every variety of climate. In the northern parts, between the 42d and 45th degree of latitude, including the States of Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire, the winter is very severe for three or four months. During this period the snow is abundant enough for the use of sledges; and the ice of the rivers suf

ficiently strong to bear the passage of horses and waggons. In summer the heat is very intense during five or six weeks; and in low confined situations is nearly equal to that of the Arabian coast. In the southern parts of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland, the winter is equally cold, but is of shorter duration, seldom continuing more than fifteen or twenty days, and generally commencing near the close of October. The temperature of summer is nearly the same as in the northern states. Between the 10th of May and the 1st of November, the weather is never so cool in the morning or evening as to render a fire necessary. In the southern states, including Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia, the cold, though modified by particular circumstances, gradually diminishes with the latitude. To the south of the Potomac there is but little snow, except along the ridge of Blue Mountains, where the cold, owing to their elevation, is sometimes considerable for several weeks after the commencement of the winter solstice. In summer the temperature is sometimes as high as in Egypt. In the country, known by the general name of Louisiana, the seasons in the southern parts resemble those of the tropical regions, but gradually become colder as we ascend the Missouri mountains, the most elevated parts of which are covered with perpetual snow. Crossing this chain, and descending towards the Pacific