292 



VIRGINIA. 



founJgtt.on. Jefterson's description of this scene u)ust be familiar to every reader. A lofty 

 crag, upon tlie margin of the river, has received the name of Jefferson^s Rock, and is rep- 

 resented in the subjoined cut. 



.3. Rivers. The Potomac, on the northern boundary, has ah'eady been described. James''s 

 River rises among the mountains, and tlows southeast into Chesapeake Bay ; it is more than 

 600 miles long, and is navigable by sloops 120 miles, and by boats 230 miles further. At the 

 point where this river breaks through the Blue Ridge, it receives a branch called J^ortli River ; 

 afterwards it is joined by the Rivanna and at City Point by the Jlppomattox ; this branch is 

 120 miles long, and is for the most part navigable. The Rappahannock rises in the Blue 

 Ridge, and runs into the Chesapeake, 25 miles south of the Potomac ; it is 130 miles long, 

 and is navigable by vessels of 130 tons for 110 miles, York river is formed from two con- 

 siderable branches, the JSIattapony and Pamunky, and enters the Chesapeake, 30 miles below 

 the Rappahannock ; it is navigable for large ships 40 miles. The Shenandoah is a tributary 

 of the Potomac, and unites with it just before that river bursts through the Blue Ridge. The 

 Dan and Staunton rise in this State and unite to form the Roanoke, which passes into North 

 Carolina. All the preceding rivers belong to tlie Atlantic region. West of the mountain, the 

 streams run into the Ohio, and are smaller. The Great Kanawha rises in North Carolina, and 

 passes through this State ; it has a great cataract 100 miles above its mouth, but is navigable 

 for the most of its course in summer. The Jllonongahela, one of the head branches of the 

 Ohio, the Clinch and Holston, whose union forms the Tennessee, pass out of the State. The 

 Little Kanawha, and Big Sandy, and Guyandottc, flow into the Ohio. 



4. Bays and Harbors. The outer half of Chesapeake Bay lies in this State, and by its 

 depth and extent, and the numerous fine rivers which it receives, is of the highest use for navi- 

 gation. Most of the large towns are situated at a considerable distance up the rivers. Norfolk 

 has a good harbor, in the southern part of the bay, near the mouth of the James. The em- 

 bouchure of this river forms a spacious haven, called Hampton Roctds. These roads were 

 formerly open, but strong fortifications have rendered their entrance impracticable to an enemy. 



5. Sliorcs and Capes. The shores are low and flat. A peninsula about CO miles long, and 

 from 10 to 15 wide, lies on the eastern side of the Chesapeake, and is bordered toward the 

 sea, by a string of low, sandy islets. The waters of the Chesapeake enter the sea, between 

 Cape Charles and Cape Henry, forming a strait 15 miles in width. 



6. Climale. From the vast extent of this State, and the varieties of its surface, we should 

 of course be led to expect a great diversity of chmate. In the Atlantic country, east of the 

 mountains, the heats of summer are long and oppressive, the spring short and variable, and the 

 winters extremely mild ; the snow seldom lying more than a day after it has fallen. Droughts 

 in summer and autumn are frequent. The people have sallow complexions, from the heats of 

 summer, and bilious diseases in autumn. In the mountains, the air is cool and salubrious, and 

 the inhabitants are tall and muscular, with robust forms and healthy countenances. Fires are 

 here used during five months of the year. The heat of summer during the day is considerable, 

 but the nights are always cool. On the western side of the mountains, the climate is colder by 

 some degrees than in the same parallel of latitude on the coast. The valley of the Ohio is 

 exceedingly hot in summer, while in winter, the river is frozen so as sometimes to be passable 

 for 2 months together. The autumn is dry, temperate, and healthy, \Yith the most beautiful 

 weather. 



7. Soil. There are 4 distinct divisions under which we may regard the surface of this 

 State. From the Atlantic coast to the head of tide water on the rivers, the country is low, flat, 

 and marshy, or sandy ; this meagre soil is covered with pines and cedars ; but the banks of the 

 rivers are loamy and rich, and the vegetation in those parts luxuriant. This territory is alluvial, 

 and exhibits marine shells and bones everywhere beneath the surface. From the head of tide 

 water to Blue Ridge, the land begins to rise, and becomes stony and broken ; the soil lies on 

 a stratum of stiff, reddish clay, and is much superior to the lowland country. In the valley 

 between the Blue Ridge and the Alleghany, we come to a limestone country ; here the soil lies 

 upon a bed of that rock, and is very fertile, particularly in grain and clover. In some parts, 

 the soil is chalky. The v/estern part of the State, or that part which lies between the moun- 

 tains and the Ohio, has a broken surface, with extensive fertile tracts ; but the soil is occasion- 

 ally lean. 



8. Face of the Country. In general appearance, Virginia resembles Pennsylvania in the 

 •nountainous parts ; but the level plains toward the sea, are much more extensive 



