in the open air unmelted through the year. The ridge of moun tains next beyond the Blue ridge, called by us the North mountain, is of the greatest extent; for which reason they were named by the Indians the Endless mountains.' [33] A substance supposed to be Pumice, found floating on the Missisipi, has induced a conjecture that there is a volcano on some of its waters; and as these are mostly known to their sources, except the Missouri, our expectations of verifying the conjecture would of course be led to the mountains which divide In the edition of 1853, the following addition is here inserted: "To what is here said on the height of mountains, subsequent information has enabled me to furnish some additions and corrections. "General Williams, a nephew of Dr. Franklin, on a journey from Richmond by the warm and Red Springs to the Alleghaney, has estimated by barometrical observations the height of some of our ridges of mountains above the tide-water as follows: The Eastern base of the Blue Ridge subjacent to Rockfish Gap, feet 100 1,822 The valley constituting the Eastern basis of the Warm Spring Mountain, 943 2,247 The Western valley of the Warm Spring Mountain, being the Eastern base of the Alleghaney, 949 Summit of the Alleghaney, 6 miles Southwest of the Red Springs, "In November, 1815, with a Ramsden's theodolite of 31⁄2 inches radius, with nonius divisions to 3', and a base of 1/4 mile on the low grounds of Otter River, distant 4 miles from the summits of the two peaks of Otter, I measured geometrically their heights above the water of the river at its base, and found that of the sharp or South peak, That of the flat or North peak, 2,760 2,946/2 3,103/2 As we may with confidence say that the base of the peaks is at least as high above the tide-water at Richmond as that of the Blue Ridge at Rockfish Gap, (being 40 miles farther westward,) and their highest summit of course 3,203% feet above that tide-water, it follows that the summit of the highest peak is 3431⁄2 feet higher than that of the Alleghaney, as measured by General Williams. "The highest of the White Mountains in New Hampshire, by barometrical estimate made by Captain Partridge, was found to be 4,885 feet from its base, and the highest of the Catskill mountains in New York 3,105 feet. "Two observations, with an excellent pocket sextant, gave a mean of 37° 28′ 50' for the latitude of the sharp peak of Otter. "Baron Humboldt states that in latitude 37° (which is nearly over medium parallel,) perpetual snow is no where known so low as 1,200 toises = 7,671 feet above the level of the sea, and in sesquialtoral ratio nearly to the highest peak of Otter." the waters of the Mexican Gulph from those of the South sea; but no volcano having ever yet been known at such a distance from the sea, we must rather suppose that this floating substance has been erroneously deemed Pumice.' 3 QUERY V. Its cascades and caverns? The only remarkable Cascade in this country is that of the Falling Spring in Augusta. It is a water of James river where it is called Jackson's river, rising in the warm spring mountains, about twenty miles South West of the warm spring, and flowing into that valley. About three quarters of a mile from its source it falls over a rock 200 feet into the valley below. The sheet of water is broken [34] in its breadth by the rock, in two or three places, but not at all in its height. Between the sheet and the 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 composing it; the sheet being only 12 or 15 feet wide above, and somewhat more spread below; but it is half as high again, the latter being only 156 feet, according to the mensuration made by order of M. Vaudreuil, Governor of Canada, and 130 according to a more recent account. In the limestone country there are many caverns of very considerable extent. The most noted is called Madison's Cave, and is on the North side of the Blue ridge, near the intersection of the Rockingham and Augusta line with the south fork of the southern river of Shenandoah. It is in a hill of about 200 feet perpendicular height, the ascent of which, on one side, is so steep, that you may pitch a biscuit from its summit into the river 'In the edition of 1853 is a footnote reference to 2 Epoques, 91, 112." 2 In edition of 1853 is the following footnote: "Bouguer mentions a cascade of two or three hundred toises height of the Bogota, a considerable river passing Santa Fé. The cataract is verticle, and is about 15 or 16 leagues below Santa Fe.-Bouguer, xci. Buffon mentions one of 300 feet at Terni, in Italy. 1. Epoques, 470." 3 Altered in edition of 1853 to "and flowing from that valley." Nou. The principal care is from 50 to 80 Ft/wide kabout Unexpl 3 M of this room -plored/mile. Salt bundan great abus Unexplored & Petre Big Neem Haunted Room Salt Petre with very little stone. Clay strongly impregnated with from the mouth you descent by a narrow winding Chasm 3017. & inter a nitre from 6 to 10 A: deep Explored 2's Miles. At this distance spacious cave.running in a direction, parralle with the haunted room, & as it is supposed, directly under it. This lowercave has been explored one Mile. Clay strongly impregnated with nitre, & in great abundancè Largespring falling into a well, at least 50 Az deep. Room A Spring |