The inlets are numerous but generally shallow; but as commercial channels may be named, Cali bogue Sound, Port Royal Entrance, or the outlet of Broad River; St. Helena Sound, or the estuary of Cambahee and South Edisto rivers; North Edisto, or the southern outlet of :torso river, between Edisto and Wadmelaw and Kiawaw islands; northern or rather north-eastern Stono river, between Kiawaw and James islands; the harbour of Charleston, or the united estuaries of Ashley and Cooper rivers, and Bull Bay.
Santee basin follows that of Savannah towards the mountains, and that of Edisto on the margin of the Atlantic Ocean; and so very confined is the space between their mouths, that Pedee may be united with Santee in one physical section. If thus bined, the united basins of Santee and Pcdee ex tend front N. Lat. 33° 03' at the southern mouth of Santee, to N. Lat. 36° 38', at the head of Tom creek branch of Yatikin, in Patrick county, Virgi nia; and in Lon. from I° 3S' W. from 1,V.C. at the sources of Waccamaw river. to 5° 40' IV. from W. C. at the extreme western fountains of Saluda rivt r. The higher sources of this physical section are in the south-eastern slopes of Blue Ridge, in a distance of 180 miles, from the northern sources of the Yad kin in Patrick county, Virginia, to the extreme sources of Saluda river, in Pickens and Greenville districts, South Carolina. But, though reaching. the Atlantic Ocean almost at one point, the inter mediate direction of the secondary streams are very different.
Santee river is formed by two great confluents, Congaree and Catawba rivers. The Congaree, or south-western branch, is again formed by the con fluence of Broad and Saluda rivers.
Saluda rises in the rallies of Blue Ridge. oppo site the sources of Tennessee Proper, and between those of Seneca and Ennoree rivers, and in Pickens and Greenville districts, South Carolina. Flowing by comparative courses south-east by east 130 miles, but with a considerable elliptical curve to the south ward, the Saluda loins Broad river at Columbia. and at the intersection of N. Lat. and Eon. .1° W. from W.C.
The Ennoree, Tyger, and Pacolet, arc three com paratively long streams originating in Blue Ridge, between the sources of Saluda and Broad rivers, and opposite those of French Broad river. Flow ing to the south-eastward and nearly parallel to each other, the Ennoree, Tyger and Pacolet enter Broad river separately.
Broad River, the north-eastern branch of Conga ree, rises in the vallies of Blue Ridge, between the sources of Pacolet and Catawba rivers, and oppo site those of French Broad. Supplied by numer
ous streams from the great valley of Rutherford county, the general course of Broad river is in the higher part of its course, only a little S. of E., hut on entering South Carolina between York and Spar tanburg districts, the channel rapidly inflects to S.S.E. which course it maintains about 100 miles in direct distance to its junction with Saluda, at Columbia. In its course in South Carolina, the confined space between it and the Catawba admits of no large confluent on the left; those from the right, the Ennoree, Tyger and Pacolet, have been already noticed.
Below Columbia, where the stream passes the outer primitive ledge, it takes the name of Conga ree, and sweeping a curve to the south but by a general comparative course of 35 miles, unites with \Vateree to form Santee. The Congaree valley embraces a triangular tract of 160 miles base, front the sources of Saluda to the mouth of Congaree; perpendicular 80, and area square miles. Though not so long by any branch as the Catawba, in surface drained and quantity of water discharged, Broad river is the main constituent stream of Con garee.
The Catawba rises in the valley between the Blue Ridge and South East Mountain, but contrary to the general course of the higher branches already described, that of Catawba is to the north of east for the first 60 miles of its course, draining the valley of Burke county, North Carolina. Thence traversing the South East Mountain, the channel abruptly inflects to a course only a little cast of south. The latter direction is continued with par tial windings over 2 degrees of latitude, and by com parative courses about 150 miles to its junction with the Congaree. The valley of the Catawba is about 200 miles in length, but does not exceed a mean breadth of 30 miles; area 6000 square miles.
Below the union of its two constituent streams, the Santee inclines for a distance of about 30 miles a little east of the general course of Catawba, thence inflecting 25 miles to a little north of east, and finally bending to south-east by east 50 miles, falls into the Atlantic Ocean by two outlets. The east ern cape of Cedar Island between the two mouths of Santee, is on Tanner's U. S. laid down at N. Lat. 33° 06' and Lon. 18' W. from W.C.