1749. 



tries, through the places where it met with 

 the leaft oppofition. This is perhaps the 

 reafon why fome rivers run in fo many 

 ben dings equally through fields of foft 

 earth, as likewife there, wheye mountains, 

 rocks, and {tones, divert their paflage. How- 

 ever it feems that fome rivers derive their 

 firft origin from the creation itfelf, and that 

 Providence then pointed out their courfe ; 

 for their exiftence can, in all probability, 

 not be owing to the accidental eruption of 

 "water alone. Among thefe rivers we may 

 rank the river Hudfon : I was furprifed on 

 feeing its courfe, and the variety of its fhores. 

 It takes its rife a good way above Albany* 

 and defcends to New Tork 9 in a diredt line 

 from North to South, which is a diftance 

 of about a hundred and fixty Engli/h miles, 

 gnd perhaps more; for the little bendings 

 which it makes are of no fignification. In 

 many places between New Tork and Albany^ 

 are ridges of high mountains running Weft 

 and Eaft. But it is remarkable that they 

 go on undifturbed till they come to the 

 river JJudjofi, which cuts directly acrofs 

 them, and frequently their fides ftand per- 

 pendicular towards the river. There is an 

 opening left in the chain of mountains, as 

 trpad as the river commonly is, for it to 

 pafs through, and the mountains go on as 



before. 



