[32] 
18 
quires; and the Potomac itself, by erecting dams across the summits 
of its rapids, will afford additional ;tid for this purpose. In indicat- 
ing the probable general route of tliis section, we shall I'eport the 
operations and surveys made, and those which remain to be perform- 
ed, before its lijje can be fixed in a final and definitive manner. 
These preparatory sui-veys have given the following results, as to 
the portion of the canal between the mouth of Savage River and Cum- 
berland. 
From the rr'outh of Savage River, in descending the Potomac, its 
northern shore presents a perpendicular bank of a compact mass of 
sandstone: ihe canal must therefore run for half a mile along the 
soutiicrn shore, when stopped by a perpejidicular l)luff of knobly 
mountain it crosses ovei- and follows the northern shore for one mile. 
Here another perpendicular mass of rocks compels it to pass to the 
southern side, from whence it crosses over to the northern, at West- 
ernport, at tiie mouth of George's Creek. From the mouth of Savage 
River to that of George's Creek, the canal must therefore cross the 
Potomac four times, in a spac^. of two miles, unless the expense of 
running it along those obstacles, on an embankment supported by 
dry walls. shouU prove less tlian that of constructing foui- aijucducts. 
From Westernport to W. R. Dawson's, on a space of eight miles, 
the canal follows the northern shore of the valley. Tliis portion will 
require sevci'al deep cuts, and it will be frequently necessary to cut a 
shelf in the tiank of the mountain, to run the canal upon. 
From W. R. Dawson's to S. Cresap's, the distance is four and a 
half miles: A little below Dawson's, Fort Hill, a high and rocky 
mountain, fills up the northern shoie, and compels us to run the canal 
across the river; and as in two other places, that hill closes the pas- 
sage, we must cross the Potomac twice, between Dawson's and Cre- 
sa])'s, unless it be foinid less expensive to continue the canal on an 
embank'.uent i-oun' these obstacles. It was endeavored to turn round 
the noi'ih of Fort Hill, along the road from Dawson's to Tenyard, 
but the ground was found too higii, its summit being elevated 3422 
feet above Dawson's. 
From Cresap's to Armstrong's, the canal follows the northern 
shore, through a rich, alluvial, and very favorable soil. From Arm- 
strong's, to a jjoint four and a half miles below it, we should cross the 
Potomac four tiuies. to keep in the most favorable ground. But the 
expense of those aqueducts must i)e compared with that of the deep 
cuttings and wallings which would be required to avoid them. 
From ti.ence to Lynn the canal follows the northern shore, on a 
distance of three and thi-ee quarter utiles. It meets with only two 
obstacles; a spur of slaty rock, and a mass of calcareous stone, which 
hang perp'MidicuIarly, but for a short space over the river, otherwise 
the ground is favorable. 
From Lynn the canal may tui'n rouitd the north of the hill on 
which Fort Cumberland is built, aiid cross Wills Creek above the 
l)ridgc, or turn round its south along the Potomac and Wills Creek, 
