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too salt, by reason of its exposure to the heavy seas, especially the northeast gales, and also 

 by the large amount of its area being very shoal. 



Medway River is the principal tributary to St. Catherine's Sound, of which it appears as the 

 prolongation. That part of it examined extends about 7 miles inland. Beginning with a 

 width of 1 mile, it extends in a westerly direction 2 miles, then narrows to a half mile in width 

 running northerly and westerly. The depth of water in this river ranges from 1 foot to 30 

 feet, there being many shoals making out into the middle of the river. The character of the 

 bottom is sand and soft mud, the sand being, as a rule, shifting and making shoals. It is there- 

 fore unsuitable for oyster cultivation, unless possibly in the vicinity of Sunbury. Along the 

 shores are a series of natural oyster beds of the raccoon type, the total area of which is 49 acres. 

 There are a few beds which do not ebb out and they show the oysters to be of a very superior 

 quality, although the size of the oysters indicated that the beds are very much depleted by 

 excessive fishing. At one place on this river the shore had changed so that the depth of 8 

 feet shown on the chart by the survey of 1857 is now dry at low water. 



The specific gravity 2 miles above Sunbury is 1.0174; at Sunbury, 1.0182; at the mouth of 

 Goulds, 1. 0180; at the upper mouth of Cedar Creek, 1.0196; at themouth of Medway River, 1.1020. 

 The total area of the river 1 mile above Sunbury is 2,560 acres; that beyond 1,000 feet from 

 shore is 1,660 acres. The area of natural oyster beds is 49 acres. 



Cedar Creek is a small stream coming into St. Catherine's Sound on the southwest side. It 

 extends in a westerly direction about 2}^ miles, and has a depth of water ranging from 5 to 20 

 feet, and an average width of 200 yards. Along the shores are a series of scattered oyster 

 beds, found on both sides, being almost a continuous streak. They are small and crowded 

 together, and generally of the raccoon type. The bottom is hard and sticky along the shores 

 and for a considerable distance along the channel, beyond which it is very soft. 



The specific gravity of the mouth is 1.0196 at low water; at the lower mouth, 1.1021 at low 

 water. The total area is 256 acres; beds of natural oysters, 23 acres. 



North Newport River enters St. Catherine's Sound to the southward and westward. At its 

 mouth it is 1% miles wide, narrowing rapidly to a half, and then to a quarter of a mile, which 

 is its average width. It flows almost entirely through the marsh for about 9 miles. It has an 

 uneven bottom like Medway River, and the greater portion consists of sand and is subject to 

 shifting during heavy seas. There are a few natural oysters along the shores, which is the 

 most favorable bottom for the cultivation of oysters. 



At half ebb the specific gravity at the mouth was 1.0197. The total area is 1,372 acres; 

 area beyond 1,000 feet from shore, 528 acres. The current at the mouth of this river is from 1 

 to 1^2 knots per hour. 



The specific gravity of the water at the head, or 8 miles from the mouth, is 1.0193; at the 

 mouth it is 1.02 11. 



Timmon's River is a tributary of North Newport River, into which it flows on its north side 

 2 miles from its mouth. It extends westward for 4 miles, and rejoins the North Newport River. 

 It averages about one-fourth of a mile in width, and is entirely surrounded by marshes. The 

 depth of the water ranges from 9 to 30 feet, there being frequent shoals extending out from 

 the shores. The bottom is not liable to shift, however, and in the sticky portions will be found 

 suitable ground for oyster cultivation. This, however, is a small area. Scattered along the 

 shores are a series of small oyster beds and numerous dead shells. The total area of the river 

 is 512 acres; that of natural oyster beds, 20 acres. 



The specific gravity of the water at the mouth at one-half ebb was 1.0197. 



Walburg Creek enters St. Catherine's Sound close to the north point of .St. Catherine's 

 Island. It has an average width of one-eighth of a mile. Its direction is southerly for 2 miles, 

 then westerly for 2 miles, where it joins the North Newport River. The depth of water for a 

 greater portion of this creek ranges from 10 to 20 feet. The bottom is soft mud, becoming a 

 little sticky near the shores, along which is a streak of natural oyster beds of an inferior 

 quality and small size. In the marshes there are some raccoon oysters. 



