A. Guyot on the Appalachian Mountain System. 179 
great similarity, for in an extent of thirteen hundred miles the to- 
pographical characters are singularly analogous. The multipli- 
cation of the same name in all parts of the system becomes here, 
as in political geography, a serious evil. Green, Blue, and Black 
mountains are found ‘alike at the south: and at the north ; 
White mountain, White face, White side, &c., are also numerous. 
Chestnut, Oak, Pine mountain and Laurel mountains are found 
or with its analogous 5 oer pre Frazeri, which only grow on 
heights which exceed 5000 or 6000 feet. The Bald Mountains 
whose summits are dessin of forests, a thing comparatively 
rare at the south, are yet very numerous. It only remains for 
the geographer, in order to avoid intolerable confusion, to add 
to such names another name, or epithet, as Richland Balsam, 
Smoky Bald, and other similar designations. 
These difficulties eae and excuse yeep in part, the 
frequent use in America of names of men to designate places, 
rivers, and sie tata This course et the least effort of 
the imagination. A river without a name commonly takes that 
of the first planter who erects there ile cabin or farm-house, and 
if there is a remarkable mountain near, it is soon designated by 
the same name. This is the origin of a great number of the 
names, more convenient than elegant, of the mountains and val- 
leys of the Alleghanies. It is ut recently, since scientific meas- 
urements have been made, that the names of men, distinguished — 
either in the political or ‘scientific world, have been given to 
prominent mountains in New England, in the state of New York 
and at the Sou 
ie ood of the point designated. 
has been given to the same point, as 
from : 
seg the posi- 
3 have at Seaiawed: by instruments, or or otherwise, with 
derable care. But it is evident that popular usage 
the last resort and that the name universally adopted 
