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Phenomena. Eddies and whirlpools are common, 

 particularly at liigh waters ; but not dangerous. A 

 natural echo is heard throughout the narrow valley. 

 Fogs are common dur- [I. 362] [7^] ing the winter and 

 spring in the valley, they pollect in the morning and 

 last until the sun dissipates them : they preserve the 

 valley from the chilling frosts, and render its climate 

 milder than that of the adjacent country. The 

 prevailing winds are westerly, and four times out 

 of five a breeze blows up the stream, following the 

 meanders of the valley : it is a deviated branch of the 

 Mexican trade wind. Thunder storms are frequent 

 in summer, and hurricanes have sometimes happened. 

 Waves then rise high against the current and are 

 dangerous. Intermittent fevers are not uncommon in 

 the fall near some low banks and in the low bottoms ; 

 but the climate is otherwise very healthy. Many 

 springs are found along the banks and cliffs and 

 many more appear at low water. 



Scenery. All the banks, and cliffs, and nearly all 

 the islands are covered with trees, among which the 

 Platanus occidentalis (Sycamore,) the Populus angulata, 

 (Cotton tree,) and the Salix nigra (Willow) are the 

 most common and conspicuous. The cliffs and islands 

 offer every where very fine views and prospects, and 

 the cultivation increases those natural beauties ; this 

 is very conspicuous near Cincinnati, Maysville, Pitts- 

 burgh, &c. 



Navigation. The River is navigated by Steam 

 boats. Barges, Keel boats, Schooner barges, Rowing 

 boats. Flat boats or Arks, Skiffs, Pirogues, Rafts, 

 &c. of which many thousand annually descend the 

 stream. Those which ascend it again amount annu- 

 ally to many hundred, among which there are already 



