12 GOLD AND TIN DEPOSITS OF SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS. 
then occupied extremely shallow and broad valleys and flowed sluggishly, with little degrad- 
ing power. Areas of rock particularly resistant to the agencies of denudation partially 
withstood this otherwise general planing down and remained as monadnocks, somewhat, 
elevated above the general surface of the peneplain. 
Before these last remnants could be reduced to the common level the whole region was 
elevated to approximately its present height. With their grade thus increased, the streams 
took on new vigor and again began active cutting. Up to the present time they have been 
unable to remove these conspicuous residuals of the former topography, but have produced 
the other variations in the surface as it appears to-day. 
The monadnocks of the area concerned in this report are the hills above described — 
Kings, Crowders, Draytonville,« and other mountains. All these eminences are made up 
of hard and resistant rock, in most cases quartzite. To this fact, as has been shown, they 
owe their commanding position. 
DRAINAGE. 
DESCRIPTION. 
A well-developed system of drainage is established in this region about three principal 
channels — Lynchs, Catawba, and Broad rivers. All these rivers flow across the area in a 
direction slightly east of south, turn more to the southeast on the Coastal Plain, and empty 
into the Atlantic. 
On the east Lynchs River, formerly called Lynchs Creek, rise's in the southern part of 
Union County, N. C.j and forms the boundary between Lancaster and Chesterfield coun- 
ties, S. C. It flows into the Pedec, which is the lower part of Yadkin River. 
Catawba River drains the central part of the area. Rising in the Western part of 
McDowell County, N C, it takes a course slightly north of east to the northwest corner of 
Catawba County, and then flows almost due south, forming the eastern boundary of Lin- 
coln and Gaston counties. In South Carolina it crosses York County and separates Chester 
and Lancaster counties. It there becomes known as Watcrec River, and farther south 
joins the Congaree to form Santee River, which continues to the coast. Little Catawba 
River, one of its principal tributaries, rises in the northern part of Catawba County, crosses 
Lincoln and Gaston counties, and reaches the Catawba just north of the State line. 
Broad River heads in the western part of Rutherford County, N. C, flows southeast- 
ward nearly to the State line, and then turns almost due south, crossing part of Cherokee 
County and forming the eastern boundary of Union County, S. C. At the edge of the Pied- 
mont Plateau it unites with the Saluda to form the Congaree, which in turn joins the Wateree 
to form the Santee. Two tributaries within the area arc of sufficient size to be mentioned, 
viz: Broad River rises in the northern part of Cleveland County, flows southward and 
empties into Broad River just north of the State line. Pacolct River heads in the north- 
eastern part of Spartanburg County, forms the southern limit of Cherokee County, and 
reaches Broad River at the corner of Cherokee, York, Chester, and Union counties, S. C. 
Each of these 1 rivers has numerous minor tributaries, of which the greater number flow 
in a southeast* rly direction. 
Nearly all the streams are rather swift and flow over innumerable rapids, commonly 
called shoals, and at some places over considerable falls, thus furnishing power for many 
mills. The water is generally yellow and muddy, owing to the large amount of material 
held in suspension. The valleys are, as a rule, not deep, but have rather steep sides. 
Most of the streams, particularly the upper tributaries, have noticeably straight courses. 
DEVELOPMENT. 
Only a glance at a large-scale map of the area and of the surrounding region is needed 
to show ih . ue general direction of the streams is southeasterly and that their disposition 
corresponds rather closely with the drainage that would be expected if a plain, tilted in 
a('f. Tuorrifiy, M. ; Geology of South Carolina, 1848, p. 101. "< 
