PASSAGE OF RIVERS, 241 
** tween rivers and mountains; and at first 
sight they lead us into an opinion that 
“ mountains were created before rivers be- 
gan to flow; that the waters of the Pa- 
“ towmac and Shenandoah were dammed up 
for a time by the Blue Ridge, biit continu- 
ing to rise, that they at length broke through 
at this spot, and tore the mountain asunder 
from its summit to its base.” Certain it is, 
that if the#Blue Ridge could be again made 
entire, an immense body of water would be 
formed on the western side of it, by the 
Shenandoah and Patowmac rivers; and this 
body of water would be deepest, and conse¬ 
quently would act with more force in sap¬ 
ping a passage for itself through the mountain 
at the identical spot where the gap now is, 
than at any other, for this is the lowest spot in 
a very extended tract of country. A glance 
at the map will be sufficient to satisfy any 
person on this point; it will at once he seen, 
that all the rivers of the adjacent country 
bend their courses hitherwards. Whether 
the ridge, however, was left originally entire, 
or whether a break was left in it for the pas¬ 
sage of the rivers, it is impossible at this day 
to ascertain; but it is very evident that the 
sides of the gap have been reduced to their 
present rugged state by some great inunda¬ 
tion. Indeed, supposing that the Patowmac 
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