17 



200 miles in breadth ; while, as before, the Hud sou 

 and Connecticut rivers have but about three miles of 

 alluvial formation at their embrochures. 



But a more complete illustration of the subject, and 

 a more positive proof, that the rivers of America have 

 had but little or no agency in producing the alluvial 

 district, is afforded by an examination of the two prin- 

 cipal rivers in North America, (viz.) the Mississippi 

 and the river St. Lawrence. 



The first of these is supposed to run a distance of 

 nearly three thousand miles through the country from 

 north to south, and at the confluence of which the allu- 

 vial district is about 200 miles in width, that is, below, 

 or south of the primitive range of country on the At- 

 lantic coast. While the river St. Lawrence may be 

 said to pass through a distance of country, almost 

 equal to that of the Mississippi, including Lakes On- 

 tario, Erie, Huron, Superior, and Michigan, (and 

 Herriot says they are one river,) and yet there is not 

 three miles of alluvial formation at its influx into the 

 gulf of St. Lawrence. Or, if any exceptions can be 

 made to taking into the calculation the great lakes, we 

 will include only lake Ontario, as forming unques- 

 tionably a part of the St. Lawrence. Its extent would 

 then be about one third that of the Mississippi, or 1000 

 miles ; consequently, we ought to have an alluvial for- 

 mation at its mouth, equal in breadth to eighty miles ; 

 whereas, there is not, it is believed, any visible for- 

 mation of an alluvious kind. 



