Virginia 



James river, which was formerly called Pow- 

 hatan, from its having been the seat of that emperor, 

 is seven miles broad at the mouth, navigable to the 

 falls (above 150 miles) for vessels of large burden, 

 and thence to the mountains for small craft and 

 canoes. 



The falls are in length about six or seven miles; 

 they consist of innumerable breaks of water, owing 

 to the obstruction of the current by an infinite num- 

 ber of rocks, which are scattered over the bed of the 

 river; and form a most picturesque and beautiful 

 cascade. 



The Honourable Colonel Byrd,* has a small place 

 called Belvedere, upon a hill at the lower end of 

 these falls, as romantic and elegant as any thing I 

 have ever seen. It is situated very high, and com- 

 mands a fine prospect of the river, which is half a 

 mile broad, forming cataracts in the manner above 

 described; there are several little islands scattered 

 carelessly about, very rocky, and covered with trees; 

 and two or three villagesf in view at a small dis- 

 tance. Over all these you discover a prodigious 

 extent of wilderness, and the river winding majesti- 

 cally along through the midst of it. 



York river, for about forty miles, to a place called 

 West Point, is confined in one channel about two 

 miles broad: it flows in a very direct course, making 



* See Note III. 



f Amongst the rest, Richmond, the present seat of government. 



[39] 



