Vol. nr. MifielUma Curiofa. 295 



pafl: leven Miles in one place, tho' it may 

 be flxty in others. The Heads of the Bran- 

 ches of the Rivers interfere and lock one 

 within another, which I think is beft ex- 

 prelTed after the manner that an Indim ex- 

 plained himfelf once to me, when I enquired 

 how nigh the Rivers of Carolina^ Virginia and 

 Maryland arofe out of the Mountains ? from 

 thofe that ran Wefterly on the other fide of 

 the Mountains, he clapt the Fingers of one 

 Hand 'twixt thofe of the other, crying, they 

 meet thus ^ the Branches of different Rivers 

 rifing not pafl: a hundred Paces difl:ant one^ 

 from another : So that no Country in the 

 World can be more curioufly vfatered. But 

 this conveniency, that in future times may 

 make her like the Netherlands^ the richelt 

 place in all America^ at the prefent I look 

 on the greateft Impediment to the advance 

 of the Country, as it is the greatefl: Obfl:a- 

 cle to Trade and Commerce. For the great 

 number of Rivers and the thinnefs of the 

 Inhabitants diftract and difperfe a Trade. 

 So that all Ships in general gather each their 

 Loading up and down an hundred Miles di- 

 ftant ; and the belt of Trade that can be 

 driven is only a fort of Scotch Pedling ^ for 

 they muft carry all fort of Truck that trade 

 thither, having one Commodity to pafs off 

 another. This (/. e.) the number of Rivers, 

 is one of the chief Reafons why they have no 

 Towns ; for every one being more follicit- 

 ous for a private Intereft and Conveniency, 

 than for a publick, they will either be for 

 making forty Towns at once, that is, two 



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