CAROLINA, SOUTH, one of the United States of America, is bounded on the north and northeast by North Carolina, on the south and south-west by Geor• gia, and on the east by the Atlantic ocean; extending from the 32° to the of north latitude, and from the 78° to the 81° of west longitude from London. Its limits may be more minutely traced as follows. Its northern frontier is determined by a line commencing at a cedar stake, marked with nine notches, on the shore of the Atlantic ocean, near the mouth of Little River. It then pursues, by many traverses, a course W. N. W. till it reaches the fork of Catauba river ; and next runs due west to a point of intersection in the Apalachian or Alleghany mountains, It thence takes a southerly di rection, till it meets the C hatuga, the most northern branch of the Tugoloo river, and then proceeds along the Tugoloo to its confluence with the Keowee. From this point it stretches along the Savannah, till that river flows, by its most northern mouth, into the Atlantic ocean. It then runs north-east along the Atlantic, including the islands which stud its shore, till it intersects the northern boundary, near the entrance of Little River. These boundaries include an area, somewhat triangular, of about 24.80 square miles.
South Carolina is divided by nature into two parts, which, from their physical situation, have been called Upper and Lower Carolina. Towards the coast, the country is a level plain, extending more than one hun dred miles westward from the ocean. Here the eye finds no relief from the dull uniformity of boundless forests, swamps, and level fields. This fatiguing plain is succeeded by a curious range of little sand-hills, ex actly resembling the waves of an agitated sea. This singular country occupies an extent of about sixty miles. It is extremely barrem—enlivened here and there by spots of veroure, or by some straggling pines ; and its few inhabitants earn a scanty subsistence by the cultiva tion of corn and sweet potatoes. After passing these satin-hibs, we come next to a remarkable tract of ground, on its approach from the sea, is lofty and hold, but on the north-west is level from its summit. This tract, called the Ridge, is a fine belt of land, extending from the Savannah to Broad River ; fertile, well culti vated, and watered by some considerable streams. The country beyond this ridge resembles, in its scenery, the most interesting of the northern states. The traveller is pery toady gratified by the pleasant alternation of hill and dale ; the lively verdure of the hills is contrasted v. idt the deeper tints of exten ,ive forests which decorate their sides; and in the rallies, broad rivers roll their shining streams through the varied heatiti_s of luxuriant and highly cultivated fields. Front these delightful re gions, the ground still continues to ascend ; every hill %ye pass yields in height to its successor : " Hills peep o'er hills, and Alps on Alps arise ;" till, after many a toilsome step, we reach at length the western terminating- point of the state.
As the coast of South Carolina lim•ns the base of the triangle which its boundaries describe, only its apex, containing four of the 23 districts into which the state i, divided, can properly be called mountainous. The
districts of which this apex consists, are Pendleton, Greenville, Spartanburg, and York. I lcre scrim or eight inouhtains run in rt !;eilar direction, the most dis inguish«1 of which is Table 'Mountain, in the district of Pendleton. This stupendous mountain, towering to tor height of 3000 feet fi om its base, and 4000 above U• level of the sea, presents on one side an abrupt preci pice of solid rock, nearly perpendicular; at the bottom of which is a dismal valley, apparently sunk as much below the level of the surrounding country, as the moun tain rises above it. The precipice, viewed from the valley, appears like an immense wall stretching up to heaven; and the awe which it inspires is considerahl: increased by the quantities of bones which lie whitening at its base, the remains of various animals which had in cautiously approached too near its edge. The summit of this mountain is frequently enveloped in clouds. In win ter, prodigious masses of snow tumble from its sides, the sound of which is heard at the distance of seven miles. Its forests produce excellent mast. They are Frequented by wild pigeons in such flocks as sometimes to break the limbs of the trees on which they alight. The upper regions are the resort of deer and of bears. Oolcnoy Mountain, in the vicinity of the Table Mountain, is remarkable for a cataract, the descent of which is from 600 to 700 feet. Oconee mountain, near the nead waters of the rivers Keowee and Tugoloo, is five or six hundred yards above the adjacent country. Between this and Table Mountain the country is generally wild, but the valdes are highly cultivated, and so fertile as to pro duce, in many instances, 100 bushels an acre. On a stream which flows among these mountains, there are several fine waterfalls. From one of them in particular, which is about 130 feet high, the water dashes with such violence, as to occasion a current of air which keeps the leaves in perpetual agitation, and to scatter a spray, like rain, to a considerable distance around. The other con siderable mountains of South Carolina are Paris's moun tain, in Greenville district, from which issues a spring impregnated with iron and sulphur, said to be efficacious in curing ring-worms, and other diseases of the skin ; the Glassey and Hogback mountains, situated near the boundary line of Greenville and Spartanburg, from which issue the streams which form the sources of the T•ger and Pacolet rivers ; and King's mountain, in York dis trict, on which has been discovered the real limestone rock. These mountains afford a profusion of rich grass, and are clothed to their summits with lofty forests. Copi ous streams of the finest water pour from their sides ; and the intermediate valfies, though small, arc amazingly fertile. The boundless view of the champaign country, becoming more level as it approaches the sea, is finely contrasted with the wild irregularities of those immense heights which diversify the western extremity of Caro lina.