TEE DISMAL SWAMP AND LAKE DKUMMOND. 339 



"The Dismal Swamp," to quote Professor Shaler, "belongs alto- 

 gether to that group (if inundated lands where the lack of drainage; is 

 due to an original deficiency of slope, combined with the flow-retarding 

 influence of vegetation on tin; movement of water from the hind." 1 

 North of the mouth of the Chesapeake 1 the inclination of the plain is 

 usually .sufficiently great to permit the ready off-flow of the rainfall, 

 while the climate is unfavorable to th' development of certain types 

 of vegetation (especially the large cane, Arundinaria macrosperma), 

 that are particularly effective in retaining the surface water. 



The total area of the Dismal Swamp is estimated at about :j,!)00 

 square kilometers (1,500 square miles), which comprises all extensive 

 bodies of hygrophile forest lying between Elizabeth River and the 

 mouth of the James on the north, and Albermarle Sound on tin; south. 

 More than one-half of this area lies in North Carolina, the Virginia 

 State line passing not far south of hake Drummond. An additional 

 1,800 square kilometers (700 square miles) is computed to have been 

 reclaimed by drainage; from the original area of tin; great swamp. A 

 large part of this land was deprived of its excess of water by the dig- 

 ging of the Dismal Swamp Canal, close upon a century ago. The 

 canal traverses the; swamp east of its center, and has had the effect 

 of partially draining the region east of it, while retaining in the por- 

 tion to Die west much water thai formerly escaped into the sounds. 

 Consequently the western section of the swamp is probably wetter 

 than it was a hundred years ago. Much of the hind east of flu; canal 

 is now in cultivation or is susceptible of cultivation after much less 

 preparation than the western part of the swamp would require. 



The outlines of tin; morass are very irregular, particularly on its 

 eastern margin, where the reclamation of extensive tracts has cut off 

 from the principal swamp some areas of hygrophile forest, especially 

 along the upper waters of the rivers, which wen; once continuous with 

 it. Occupying scattered depressions over the whole region, beyond 

 what could ever have 1 been the limits of the Great Dismal Swamp 

 itself, are; lesser tracts of similar character, which exhibit the same 

 peculiarities, but on a smaller scale. 



The Dismal Swamp is traversed by contour lines of from l\ to 6 

 meters (5 to 20 feet) elevation, and a great part of its area is thus 

 more elevated than the major portion of the plain lying to the east 

 and northeast. The surface; of Lake Drummond, nearly if not epiito 

 the highest point, in the swamp, is normally Of meters (22,2 feet) above 

 sea level. 



This interesting body of water (PI. LXV, frontispiece), lying approx- 

 imately in the center of the Dismal Swamp, is about 5 kilometers (3 

 miles) in greatest diameter, and is of quite regular shape-, as the 

 shore line forms long curves uninterrupted by promontories, and 

 there are no islands. The depth of water, which is said not to have 



1 Shaler, loc. cit., p. 313. 



