The Severn, now a broad stream, crowded with bar ges, flows through a pleasant between high banks, till it approaches the city of Worcester. It then traverses a part of what is generally called the vale of Evesham, though that name more properly belongs to the vale through which the Avon flows, between the fine ridge of the Malvern hills, and the bold rising ground of Bredon. After this, its banks become high and steep, so that it almost disappears as it flows through the vast plain of Gloucestershire. About a mile above Glouces ter, it divides into two streams, which re-unite a little below that city,Yorming the tract of land called Alney Island. Soon after this junction, its depth and width are increased by several streams, as well as canals, from the clothing districts of this county. At a bend of the river, where the Stroud water canal joins it, it forms nearly a se micircle of ten miles, and flowing again south-west, grows gradually wider, till it receives the Wye near Chepstow, and the Avon from Somersetshire, thus form ing the Bristol Channel. Between Tewksbury and the sea, there is only one passage over this river by bridge ; this is at Gloucester ; the other passages are by boats.
The Severn, particularly below Gloucester, has fre quently overflowed its banks ; and by sudden risings of the tide, occasioned much damage to the contiguous country. It is remarkable for its tide, which rolls in with a head three or four feet high, with a great ndise. This arises from the circumstance, that it receives the waters of the great Atlantic Ocean with such consider able violence, as to fill the channel of the river all at once; and the opposition which the tides from the ocean meets with from the strong current of the river, occa sions that dashing of the waves which is called the hygre or eagre.
In describing the Mersey, it will be necessary to no tice the origin and course of the Irwell, which contri butes so largely to the waters of the former river. The Irwell rises in the moors that divide Lancashire from Yorkshire : it passes through the district of manufac turing towns in the former county, flowing at first west ward, and then descending in a southward direction to Bury. Below this town, having been joined by the Roche, it makes a great curve to the westward again, till being joined by a small stream from Bolton, it turns suddenly to the south-east: this course it preserves till it reaches Manchester, where it is united to the Irk and the Medlock. From Manchester, its course is nearly westward, till its junction with the Mersey, which derives its source from a conflux of small streams at the junc tion of Cheshire with Derbyshire : its course is consi derably serpentine, but generally with an inclination to the south-west. The principal place it passes by before
its junction with the Irwell, is Stockport. After this junction, the latter river loses its name, the united streams taking the appellation of the Mersey. Its course con tinues westward as tt passes the town of Warrington, a little below which it forms a great arm of the sea, which, turning abruptly to the south-west, grows a little nar rower as it passes the port of Liverpool, near its exit. At that part of the Mersey where it swells into a basin, it is joined by the Weaver. This river rises in the north ern part of Shropshire, and flows northward to Nampt wich and Northwich, where it is joined by two rivulets, one from the northern confines of Staffordshire, and the other from Middlewich. After this junction, its course inclines to the north-west, till it falls into the Mersey, a little below Frodsham.
The Mersey,' and the rivers which join it, have little of the mountainous character, except just about their source, as they soon reach a country abounding in manu factures, though not distinguished for beauty. The Mersey is navigable for vessels of considerable burden, for about 35 miles from Liverpool to the Mouth of the Irwell ; and the latter river has been made navigable for boats, barges, &c. as far as Hunt's Bank, Manchester.
The Dee rises in the mountainous part of Merioneth shire, from two rapid streams, which uniting, and de scending from the heights which separate Dolgelly from Bala, form the lake of Penible-meer, one of the largest in Wales. After issuing from this lake, the Dee pur sues an easterly course beneath the town of Bala, and passing through the beautiful valley of Llangollen, with various windings, enters the great plain of Cheshire, beneath the park of Wyne Stay. Soon afterwards it changes its course, pursuing a northerly direction, form ing a valley for itself through that plain: then crossing over to the city of Chester, it half encompasses its walls; and flowing from thence to the sea, it forms a broad sandy estuary, inclining to the north-west, which divides Cheshire from Flintshire. By inland na vigation, it has communication with the Mersey, Ribble, Ouse, Trent, Derwent, Severn, Avon, Humber, and Thames. It is navigable from near Ellesmere in Shrop shire, to Chester: but at this city the navigation is ren dered difficult and broken by a ledge of rocks running across the bed of the river, which form a kind of cas cade.