484 



CAROLINA. 



South approach from the sea, is lofty and bold, but on the 

 C^rolin?.^ north-west is level from its summit. This tract, call- 

 *T^""'' c d the Ridge, is a line belt of land, extending from 

 the Savannah to Broad River ; fertile, well cultiva- 

 ted, and watered by some considerable streams. The 

 country beyond this ridge resembles, in its scenery, 

 the most interesting of the northern states. The tra- 

 veller is perpetually gratified by the pleasant glterna- 

 tion of hill and dale; the lively verdure of the hills 

 ii contrasted with the deeper tints of extensive forests 

 which decorate their sides ; and in the vallies, broad 

 rivers roll their shining streams through the varied 

 beauties of luxuriant and highly cultivated fields. 

 From these delightful regions, the ground still con- 

 tinues to ascend ; every hill we pass yields in height 

 to its successor j 



' Hills peep o'er .hills, and Alps on AJps arise ;" 



til), after many a toilsome step, we reach at length 

 the western terminating point of the state. 



As the coast of South Carolina forms the base of 

 the triangle which its boundaries describe, only its 

 apex, containing four of the 25 districts into which 

 the State is divided, car. properly be called moun- 

 tainous. The districts of which this apex consists, 

 are Pendleton, Greenville, Spartanburg, and York. 

 Here seven or eight- mountains run in regular direc- 

 tion, the most distinguished of which is. Table Moun- 

 tain, in the district of Pendleton. This stupendous 

 mountain, towering to the height of 3000 feet from 

 its base, and 4000 above the level of the sea, presents 

 on one side an abrupt precipice of solid rock, nearly 

 perpendicular ; at the bottom of which is a dismal 

 valley, apparently sunk as much below the level of 

 the surrounding country, as the mountain rises above 

 it. The precipice, viewed from the valley, appears 

 like an immense wall stretching up to heaven ; and 

 the awe which it inspires is considerably increased by 

 the quantities of bones which lie whitening at its 

 base, the remains of various animals which had incau- 

 tiously approached too near its edge. The summit 

 of this mountain is frequently enveloped in clouds. In 

 winter, prodigious masses of snow tumble from its 

 sides, the sound of which is heard at the distance of 

 seven miles. Its forests produce excellent mast. They 

 are frequented by wild pigeons, in such flocks as 

 sometimes to break the limbs of the trees on which 

 they alight. The upper regions are the resort of 

 deer and of bears. Oolenoy Mountain, in the vicini- 

 ty .of the Table Mountain, is remarkable for a cata- 

 ract, the descent of which is from 600 to 700 feet. 

 Oconee mountain, near the head- waters of the rivers 

 Keowee and Tugoloo, is five or six hundred yards 

 above the adjacent country. Between this and Table 

 Mountain the country is generally wild, but the val- 

 lies are highly cultivated, and so fertile as to produce, 

 in many instances, 100 bushels an acre. On a stream 

 which flows among these mountains, there are several 

 fine waterfalls. From one of them in particular, 

 which is about 130 feet high, the water dashes with 

 such violence, as to occasion a current of air which 

 keeps the leaves in perpetual agitation, and to scat- 

 ter a spray, like rain, to a considerable distance 

 around. The other considerable mourtains of South 

 Carolina are Paris's mountain, in Greenville district, 

 from which issues a spring impregnated with. iron and 

 sulphur, said to be efficacious IB curing ring-worms, 



South- 

 Carolina. 



and other diseases of the skin ; the Glassey and 

 Hogback mountains, situated near the boundary line 

 of Greenville and Spartanburg, from which issue the """"V 

 streams whicU form the sources of the Tyger and 

 Pacolet rivers ; and- King's mountain, in York dis- 

 trict, on which has been discovered the real limestone 

 rock. These mountains afford a profusion of rich- 

 grass, and are clothed to their summits with lofty 

 forests. Copious streams of the finest water pour 

 from their sides ; and the intermediate vaMfcs, though 

 small, are amazingly fertile. Th boundless view of 

 the champaign country, becoming more level as it 

 approaches the &ea, is finely contrasted with the wild 

 irreo-ularit'^s of those immense heights which diver- 

 sify the western extremity of Carolina. 



Though but a small part of this country is occu- Rivers, 

 pied with mountains, every part of it- is intersected by 

 riverF. Towards the sea it is watered by the Wacca- 

 rnaw, Pedee, Black River, Santee, Wandow, Cooper, 

 Ashley, Stono, Edisto, Asheppo, Combakee, Coo- 

 saw, Broad and Savannah rivers. Most of these ri- 

 vers have a margin of swamp, extending from half a 

 mile to three miles. All of them run in a south- 

 eastern direction from their heads to the sea. Broad 

 river, Coosaw, Port Royal, and other short rivers, 

 are properly arms of the sea, deep, and of easy navi- 

 gation. Broad and Port Royal rivers can accommo- 

 date a large navy with convenience and safety. Wan- 

 dow river, which flows into the Cooper about three 

 miles above Charlestown, is navigable for about twen- 

 ty miles. Cooper river may be navigated for about 

 fifty miles by schooners and sloops ; and its eastern 

 branch is navigable for a considerable way to vessels 

 of a similar description. Where it empties itself into 

 Charkstown harbour, it is about one thousand four 

 hundred yards broad. The harbour is formed by 

 the junction of the Cooper with the Ashley river, 

 which, rising in the Cypress, and other contiguous 

 swamps, expands opposite Charlestown to a width of 

 two thousand one hundred yards. To vessels of con- 

 siderable burthen it is navigable for only a few miles, 

 but admits of sloops and schooners for many miles 

 higher. The Savannah river is bold and deep. Boats 

 of seventy tons burthen can advance on this river 

 from the sea to Augusta, in the upper district of 

 Georgia. Here the falls of the river commence, be- 

 yond which the navigation continues for boats of 30 

 tons to Vienna, sixty miles higher. The Santee is 

 navigable from the sea to the fork of the Cor.garee 

 and Wateree rivers ; thence up the Wateree to Cam- 

 den on otie side, and -up the Congaree to Granby on 

 the other, for boats of seventy tons. At these places 

 the fallo and rapids commence : the upper branches 

 of the rivers are dispersed extensively over the coun- 

 try. Though sometimes obstructed by rocks, their 

 current is in general deep and gentle. In full rivers, 

 light boats, containing several hogsheads of tobacco, 

 have been floated down their streams with safety. 

 The Pedee river, stretching from the sea towards the 

 mountains, through the northern part of the state, is 

 navigable to vessels of seventy tons as far as Green- 

 ville to Chatham. There the navigation is obstruct- 

 ed by rocks and shallows, though, in full rivers, boats 

 of light burden descend with the stream from North 

 Carolina. The Stono, Asheppo, Combakee, Edisto, 

 and Black rivers, though much inferior to those 

 which we have mentioned, are all navigable for soijie 



