sufficiency at all times for liglitbattennx, and canoes to 

 Fort Pitt. The rajjids are in latitude 38° 8'. The in- 

 undations of this river beufin about the last of March, 

 and sul)side in July. During these a first rate man of 

 war may be carried from Louisville to New Orleans, 

 if the sudden turns of the river and the strength of 

 its current wi'^ admit a safe steerage. The ra[)ids at 

 Louisville descend about 30 feet in a length of a mile 

 and a half The l)ed of the river there is a solid rock, 

 and is divided by an island into two branches, the 

 southeru of ^vhich is about 200 yards wide, and is dry 

 four months in the year. The bed of the northern 

 branch is worn into channels by the constant coinse of 

 the water, and attrition of the pebl)le stones carried on 

 with that, so as to be passable for batteaux through the 

 greater part of the year. Yet it is thought that the 

 soutiiern arm may be the most easily opened for con- 

 stant navigation. Tlie rise of the waters in these rap- 

 ids does not exceed 10 or 12 feet. A part of this island 

 is so high as to have been never overflowed, and to 

 command the settlement at Louisville, which is opposite 

 to it. The fort, however, is situated at the head of the 

 falls. The ground on the south side rises very gradu- 

 ally. 



The Tnnissee, Cherokee or Hogobege river is 600 

 yards wide at its mouth, 1-4 of a mile at tiie mouth of 

 llolston, and 200 yards at Chotee, which is 20 miles 

 above Holston, and 300 miles ahove the mouth of the 

 Tanlssee. This river crosses the southern boundary of 

 Virginia, 58 tniles from the Mississippi. Its current is 

 moderate. It is navigable for loaded boats of any bur- 

 den to the Muscle shoals, where the river passes 

 through the Cumberland mountain. These shoals are 

 6 or 8 miles long, passable downwards for loaded ca- 

 noes, but not upwards, uidess there be a swell in the ri- 

 ver. Above these the navigation for loaded canoes and 

 batteaux continues to the Long Island. This river has 

 its inumlations also. Above the Cbickamogga towns is 

 a whirlpool called the sucking pot, which takes in 

 trunks of trees or boats, and throws them out again 



