32 
GEOLOGY OF NORTH CAKOX.INA. 
the rivers of the State flow oft’ to all points of the compass. Thus the 
New River takes a N. E. course to the Ohio; the other rivers of the moun- 
tain plateau flow N. W. and W. to the Tennessee (and the Gulf) ; and the 
course of those rising in the south and east slopes of the Blue Ridge is 
south, southeast and east, reaching the Atlantic at numerous points from 
the coast of Georgia around nearly to Yirginia. 
The mountain plateau is drained by six large rivers, or rather systems 
of rivers, and three smaller ones. In the extreme western portion of the 
State is the 
Iliwassee River, with its two large tributaries, Notteley River and 
Valley River , draining the two counties Cherokee and Clay, — an area of 
about 650 square miles. The general course of these waters is west, 
and the descent from the upper valleys at the foot of the mountains, 
(about Yalleytown, for example), to the State line, is some 8 or 900 feet, 
and their aggregate length (within the State) some 75 miles. Coming 
eastward, the next in order is the 
Tennessee River and its affiliated streams, Cheowah, Nantehaleh , 
Tuckasege and Oeonaluftee. These are all large streams, and, united, 
form a river, which, by the abundance of its waters, constitutes one of 
the principal sources of that great continental stream which carries its 
name for a thousand miles to the Mississippi. Its drainage area is about 
1500 miles, including the counties of Graham, Swain, Macon and Jack- 
son. The united length of these rivers is not less than 200 miles. The 
fall of the Tennessee, from the town of Franklin to the State line, where 
it cuts through the Smoky Mountains in a stupendous chasm of 4000 feet 
depth, is over 900 feet. The fall of the Tuckasege, (which is equal in 
volume of water to the Tennessee itself), from the Forks to its confluence 
with the Tennessee, is about 1000 feet, and that of Nantehaleh and of 
Oeonaluftee nearly as much. 
The third drainage area, that of Pigeon River , is about 500 square 
miles, being limited to Haywood county; and this stream is smaller than 
the Tennessee in the same proportion as its surface of drainage is less* 
Its length is 50 to 60 miles, and the fall from the upper valley to the 
border of the State of Tennessee about 1000 feet. 
The French Broad River with its numerous large creeks and four 
considerable tributary rivers, Mills River , Swannanoa , Ivy and Laurel , is 
nearly as large as the Tennessee, and drains nearly as great a territory, 
measuring some 1,400 square miles. The fall to the State line below 
Paint Rock, counting only from the mouth of Little river, is 824 feet, and 
the aggregate length above 150 miles. 
