81 



the summit of the Bhick Mountain in Xorth Carolina, was 

 higher than that of the White mountains in ^ew Hamp- 

 shire, and the highest in the United States east of the Mis- 

 sissippi. The accuracy of the measurement was at first 

 controverted, but subsequently yielded by writers in Silli- 

 man's American Journal of Science, and has long since 

 ceased to be the subject of doubt. 



The question that remains to be settled is of less impor- 

 tance, but it is believed, that its proper and truthful solu- 

 tion, is no less favorable to the deceased Professor's claim 

 to accuracy as a man of science — was the pinnacle measur- 

 ed by Dr. Mitchell in 1835, the highest peak of the Black 

 Mountain ? 



In 1839, an agent of the publishers of Smith's Geogra- 

 phy and Atlas, called upon me at the University, and re- 

 quested an examination of the work and an opinion of its 

 merits. On an intimation that it was not very accurate in 

 relation to the Southern States, and especially erroneous in 

 various instances with respect to ^orth Carolina, he re- 

 quested me to revise it at my leisure, and transmit a correc- 

 ted copy to the publishers. I complied. A copy of this 

 book is now before me, and on page 138, in the section de- 

 scriptive of Xorth Carolina is the following paragraph : — 

 " Mount Mitchell in this State, has been ascertained to be 

 the highest point of land in the United States, east of tlie 

 Rock}^ Mountains." 



At the time I revised the Geography and Atlas, I re- 

 quested Dr. Mitchell, to mark upon the map of Xorth 

 Carolina, the highest point of elevation in the Black Moun- 

 tain range. " He did so, and I wrote against it " Mount 

 Mitchell." A copy of this corrected map " entered ac- 

 cording to an Act of Congress in the jenr 1839, by Daniel 

 Burgess, in the Clerks office in the District of Connecticut," 

 is now in my possession. I have examined it carefully and 

 with all the aid to be obtained from Cook's map of the State, 



