16 THE INLAND PASSAGE. 



your motive power and your charts. There are 

 very thorough and complete charts of the Chesa- 

 peake, six in number, carrying you the entire way 

 to Norfolk and insuring you a good and safe harbor 

 whenever you need it. Do not forget that this is a 

 big sheet of water, and that you are on a pleasure 

 trip, and will be much more comfortable if at 

 anchor during the night. Besides, there is time 

 enough; you have all winter before you, as you can- 

 not get back until spring if you wanted to, now 

 that Jack Frost is about shutting the gates. From 

 Norfolk you can take a tow through the Albemarle 

 and Chesapeake Canal or not, as you please; much 

 better not if you happen to have a good northerly 

 wind, as there is only one lock, and you can make 

 the distance more pleasantly and safely under sail. 

 If your vessel draws less than three feet, you leave 

 the canal when you reach North Landing Eiver, of 

 which there is a chart, and you go down through 

 Currituck Sound by Van Slyck's Landing, and 

 thence through the Narrows. Beyond that for 

 some distance, as the chart says, you "can only 

 carry three feet of water, and that with difficulty." 

 If your vessel is of greater draught, you must take 

 the extension of the canal which carries you to 

 North River, from which point there is plenty of 

 water all the way. You can get a condensed chart 

 from the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal Com- 

 pany, which will give you a general idea of the 

 route from Norfolk to Smithville, and which will 

 be found very useful. But the Government charts 



