SOUTH CA ROLINA, one of the original thirteen United States of America, hounded south-east by the At lantic Ocean, south-west by Georgia, and north and north east by North Carolina. It has an ocean border from Little Inlet to the mouth of Savannah river, 185 miles ; along S. annah, Ttigaloo, and Chatuga rivers, in com mon with Georgia, 270 miles ;—along the southern boundary of North Carolina, 300 miles ;--entire outline 755 miles.
The greatest length of this state is from the eastern angle on the Atlantic Ocean, at Little River Inlet, by a line extending N. NV. by a westerly direction to the western angle of Picken's district on the Chatuga river, 275 miles. The area of South Carolina has been gene rally and greatly underr..ted. Measured carefully, on the recent and excellent state map by the rhumbs, it gives a result of very near 33,000 square miles. The mean width is 120 miles. The state lies between N. lat. 32° 01' and 35° 10', and in long. from 1° 44', to 6° 20' W. from the meridian of Washington City.
Immediately south-west from the Susquehanna river, the physical geography of the Atlantic slope gradually assumes a separation into three zones, indeterminate in separating lines, but fully apparent in Maryland, more distinct in Virginia, and completely developed in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. These three zones are, first, from the ocean extends a level sea sand strip about 60 miles wide, and stretching along the whole front of South Carolina, 180 miles; second, a hilly and higher, but parallel and contiguous band of nearly equal breadth ; and lastly, a still more broken and elevated tract, comprising the residue of the state. These three zones may be specifically designated, the south-east or sea sand border ; the middle, sandy and hilly section ; and lastly, the north-western or mountainous portion.
The zone near the Atlantic rises very gradually from the Ocean level, near which it is marshy, and is inter sected by a net-work of interlocking streams, receiving the tide, though none are sufficiently deep to admit the navigation of large vessels. Receding inland, the sur face seems to emerge from the swamps, and hills of moderate, but increasing elevation, appear. The inter
locking of the river channels ceases before reaching the middle zone. In a state of nature, the Ocean zone of South Carolina was covered with a most dense forest, in which the gigantic. Palm ?lrec eleracea, raises its ma jestic stem. The tide in the principal rivers passes over the first to the middle zone.
Great part of the middle or central zone of South Carolina has been called " the Sand Hills." Here pine forests abound, the productive soil lying mostly along the rivers. This central belt passes the tides and reaches the falls of •the rivers. In a geological view, the two outer zones have been considered alluvial. The exterior one on the Ocean is truly so, and much of the alluvion recent, but the second must, in regard to formation, be referred to a very remote period, though below the falls of the rivers, the whole surface exhibits full evidence of sub mersion. The great ledge of rock over which the rivers of the Atlantic slope of the United States are precipi tated, and which in every case arrests the tide south west from the Hudson, crosses the Great Pedee near Sneadsborough,and almost on the line between North and South Carolina. Continuing south-westerly, the rock ledge is passed by the Vateree near Camden, the Con garee at Columbia, immediately below the junction of the Saluda and Broad rivers, and by 'the Savannah at Augusta, where it quits South Carolina.
Above this ledge and the river falls, commences the high hilly or mountainous zone, and though the change is not in many places very rapid, yet a few miles to the north-west exhibits the salutary transition. Below the falls the aspect of nature is more or less monotonous, and near the outer border vies with the ocean in depres sion and level : but above, receding towards the Appalla chian chain, hills meet the eye, in a succession of form and elevation, round, bold, and swelling in their contour. The rivers wind through vales, variegated and gently undulating, and where under the hand of culture, smiling in all the gaiety of field, garden, orchard, and meadow.