These observations are exemplified in the higher branches of James river; the northern, James river Proper, Cowpasture and North river, rising in the same vallies with the sources of Shenandoah and Potomac, but flowing in an opposite direction or south-westward, and meeting the southern branches, Dunlap creek, Potts creek, Craig creek and Ca tawba. The main James river, or, as there call ed, Jackson river, rises in Pendleton county, Vir ginia, and in the mountain valley east from the Alleghany chain; and flowing thence by compara tive courses 50 miles, receives Dunlap creek, in flects to the southward 4 or 5 miles, traverses a minor chain of mountains, passes Covington, re ceives Potts creek, and rapidly bends to the north eastward, 12 miles to its junction with Cowpasture river. The latter, a considerable branch, has the remote Pendleton, but similar, it flows south-west ward over Bath into Alleghany, uniting with Jack son river at the north-western side of what is there called Potts' chain. Here the united waters take the name of James river, bend to south-eastward 25 miles by comparative course, traversing several chains of mountains into the valley between Blue Ridge and Kittatinny. Again inflecting to north east 16 or 17 miles, receives North river from Au gusta and Rockbridge counties, rapidly again bends to the south-east, and piercing the Blue Ridge, en ters on the fine valley between the latter chain and South East Mountain, and flowing 25 miles, tra verses this lower distinct chain of the Appalachian system near Lynchburg, and between Amherst and Campbell counties. Once more this now consider able stream bends to north-eastward, and flows in that direction about 40 miles, and in that part of its channel almost completely parallel to the Blue Ridge, distant from 20 to 22 miles from that chain, and nearly along the south-eastern foot of the South East Mountain. Below the latter chain James river assumes its final course of south-cast by east, which, with a very tortuous channel, it maintains by comparative length 70 miles, to the head of tide water at Richmond, and about 80 from thence to its entrance into Chesapeake bay, between points Willoughby and Old Point Comfort. James river is remarkable for the great number of small con fluents, and receiving below Blue Ridge but two streams really deserving the name of rivers. Ri vanna, rising by numerous branches from the Blue Ridge opposite the sources of the South Fork of Shenandoah, is a fine stream of about 45 miles com parative length, draining great part of Albemarle and Fluvanna counties, and falling into the left side of James river, 59 miles, by the actual chan nel above tide water at Richmond.
Appomattox is the principal confluent of James river, either above or below the mountains. This stream rises in Prince Edward, Buckingham and Cumberland counties, interlocking sources with those of some minor confluents of James and Roan oke, and also with the higher branches of Notta way. The intermediate windings and actual chan nel of .Appomattox arc very tortuous, and may ex ceed 130 miles, but the comparative length is about 85; 75 above tide water at Petersburg, and 10 be low that city to its entrance into James river.
The valley or sub-basin of James river lies in a position inclining a few degrees to the north of west and south of cast, in length 250 miles; mean breadth 40, and area 10,000 square miles. Extend ing in Lat. from 36° 40' to 38° 20' N.; and in Lou. from 1° E. to 3° 40' NV. from W.C.
For the relative elevations see Tables at the end of this head.
York river sub-basin, is overheaded by the inter locking sources of Rivanna branch of James river, and the Rapidan branch of Rappahannoc; the two latter originating in Blue Ridge, whilst the extreme fountains of the former are in the South East Moun tain. York river is formed by two confluents, Pa
munky to the south, and Mattapony to the north. The Pamunky is the main branch, and rises in Orange and Louisa counties, by numerous creeks, which enter and unite in Hanover near the head of tide water, below which it flows by a very crooked channel, but comparative distance of 40 miles, to its union with the Mattapony, having an entire comparative course of 90 miles S.E. by E.
The Mattapony rises in Spottsylvania county to the south-westward from Fredericksburg, from which, without receiving any accessory stream of consequence, it flows to the south-east 70 miles, between the Pamunky and Rappahannoc to its junction with the former, below which the united waters are known as York river.
The name of York river is really confined to a narrow bay of about 35 miles in length, extending from south-east to north-west, with, however, depth of water at its mouth for ships of the line of the largest class. The entire sub-basin of York river extends in length 130 miles, in a direction nearly from south-east to north-west; the mean breadth does not exceed 20, nor does the extreme width in any place amount to 40; area, 2600 square miles. Extending in Lat. from 37° 15' to 38° 16', and in Lon. from 0° 41' E. to I° 12' W. from W.C.
The Rappahannoc basin or sub-basin follows that of York, but as already noticed the former extends to Blue Ridge. The Rappahannoc has been com pared to a high tree with a small head and long trunk. The head is formed by two branches, Rapid Ann and North Fork, or Hedgman river. Rapid Ann rises in the south-eastern vales of Blue Ridge, opposite to the South Fork of Shenandoah, and in terlocking sources on one side with those of Ri vanna, and on the other with those of Hedgman river, draining Madison and Orange counties, and separating Culpepper from Orange and Spottsyl vania counties, joins Hedgman river after an east erly course of 50 miles. The North Fork, or Hedg man river, rises in the Blue Ridge to the north ward from the sources of Rapid Ann, and draining the greatest part of Fauquier and Culpepper, pur sues a south-eastern course of 50 miles to its junc tion with Rapid Ann, to form the Rappahannoc. This stream, 10 or 12 miles below the union of its two main constituent branches, falls over the primi tive ledge and meets the ocean tides at Fredericks burg. The Rappahannoc at the head of its tides is within 10 miles from the Potomac, at the great bend of the latter between Charles county in Mary land and Stafford in Virginia; and again, 15 or 16 miles lower the two rivers approach each other to within 5 or 6 miles. Below those points of ap proximation, in a distance of 75 miles, the inter vening peninsula between the two streams is in no place 22 miles wide, and varying from that to 5 or 6 miles in breadth. Below the head of tide water, the channel of the Rappahannoe extends 90 miles in a direction from north-west to south-east, and similar to all the confluents of the Chesapeake gra dually opens into a bay, and unites with its reci pient by a mouth of 6 miles between Stingray and Windmill Point. In all the space from the head of the tides to Chesapeake, Rappahannoc does not receive from either side a confluent above the size of an ordinary creek, nor does that part of its basin exceed 12 miles in mean width. The entire basin extends from north-west to south-east 140 miles, with a mean width of 20 miles; area 2800 square miles. Extending in Lat. from 37° 34' to 38° 44', and in Lon. 0° 41' E. to 1° 22' W. from W.C.