RIVERS, 



153 



with the Ohio. Formerly, from the junction of the 

 Cow pasture and Jackson's river, to its confluence 

 •with the Rivannah, it was called Fluvannah river, 

 and bestowed its name on the county of Fluvannah. 

 This appellation of the river has grown into disuse ; 

 James river being that by which it is generally dis- 

 tinguished. 



The York. 



York river, at York town, affords the best harbour 

 in the state for vessels of the largest size. The ri- 

 ver there narrows to the width of a mile, and is con- 

 tained within very high banks, close under which 

 vessels may ride. It holds four fathoms of water at 

 high tide for twenty-five miles above York, to the 

 mouth of the Poropotank, where the river is a mile 

 and a half wide, and the channel only seventy-five 

 fathoms, passing under a high bank. At the con- 

 fluence of Pamunkey and Mattapony, it is reduced 

 to three fathoms depth, which continues up Pamun- 

 key to Cumberland, where the width is one hundred 

 yards, and up Mattapony to within two miles of 

 Frazier*s ferry, where it becomes two and a half 

 fathoms deep, and holds that about five miles. Pa- 

 munkey is then capable of navigation for loaded 

 floats to Brockman*s bridge, 50 miles above Hanover 

 town, and Mattapony to Downer's bridge, 70 miles 

 above its mouth. 



A further description of the rivers of the United 

 States would be unnecessary, and not consistent with 

 the nature of this work ; especially too as they are 

 so fully described in the excellent geography of the 

 Rev. Dr. Morse, whose v^^ork should be in the hands 

 of every one who wishes to become accurately ac- 



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