Below their junction at Tioga. Point, the united water of Susquehanna and Tioga, flow a little S. of E. 15 miles, to the northwestern base of the Appalachian system below Towanda, the seat of Justice for Bradford county Pennsylvania. The now large stream quits the secondary and enters on the transition or inclined rocks, and to an eye above the mountains seems to sink into their re cesses; hut without even a cataract the volume turns to southeast, and following that general course fifty miles, breaks through several chains, and finally at the mouth of Lackawannock river, nine miles above Wilkesbarre, enters the beautiful valley of \Vyoming. Inflecting at right angles it now turns to the southwest and passing the villages or towns of Pittstown, \Vyoming, \Vilkesbarre, Ber wick, Mifllinsburg, Cattawissa, and Danville, eon tinues the latter course by comparative distance about seventy miles down the mountain vallies to the borough of Northumberland, and to the influx of the 'West Branch.
The West Branch is entirely a river of Pennsyl vania, having its most remote southwestern foun tains, and indeed the most western fountains of the whole valley of Susquehanna proper, in Cambria and Indiana counties. These fountains rise within thirty-five miles from the Alleghany river, at Kit tanning, and produce streams which unite in Clear field, and after a comparative course of seventy-five miles to the northeastward, enter Lycoming, and receiving a large accession by the influx of the Sin namahoning, from the northwestward, and from Clearfield, McKean, and Potter counties. Now a navigable river, the \Vest Branch continues N. E. 20, and thence turns to S. E. 25 miles, to the influx of Bald Eagle river from the southwestward and from Centre county. Below the mouth of Bald Ea gle, the course is a little north of east thirty-five miles to Pennsborough, having passed Dunnstown and Williamsport, and having received in the inter mediate distance, and from the northward, Pine, Lycoming, Loyalsock and Muncy creeks. Below Pennsborough, with partial winding and an elliptic course to the westward, the general course is nearly due S. twenty-five miles to the junction of the two main branches at Northumberland, passing the vil lages of Watsonburg, Milton and Lewisburg.
The valley of the West Branch lies between lat. 30' and 41° 45' N. and between longitudes 0° 33' and 1° 50' \V. from Washington City ; and if the extent is taken from the eastern source of Loyal sock, to the extreme west fountains in Indiana, the length is 140 miles. The mean width at least 50 miles, and area 7000 square miles, comprising all the counties of Lycoming, Clearfield and Centre, with very little exception on the borders of the two latter ; and part of Tioga, Potter, McKean, Indiana and Cambria.
The now large and wide volume of the Susque hanna assumes a course of a little W. of S. forty miles to the great bend at the northwestern base of Kittatinny, having passed the towns of Sunbury, Selinsgrove, Georgetown, Millerstown,Halifax, and Petersburg; and received from the eastward, Sham okin, Mahanoy, Mahantango,\Vicomisco, and other small rivers or creeks; and from the westward, Penn's creek, Middle creek, Shareman's creek, and the Juniata river.
Juniata, which deserves the title of the Southwest Branch of Susquehanna, rises by its most remote southwestern source on the border of Somerset, but entering and traversing Bedford county in an easterly direction, passing the borough of Bedford and the village of Bloodyrun, and rapidly augment ed by numerous mountain streams, it thence ab ruptly bends to the northward inclining a little east ward, forty miles to the influx of Frankstown branch, a small distanct.: below the borough of Huntingdon, in Huntingdon county. The general course of Frankstown branch is from the northwest to southeast; and below their junction the united stream follows that course fifteen miles. breaking through Jack's mountain. Again inflected to the northeast, the Juniata leaves Huntingdon and enters Mifflin county, and pursuing that direction near thirty miles, passes the borough of Lewistown, and again winding to southeast, breaks through Shade mountain into Tuscarora valley; crossing that val ley in a course of ten miles reaches the northwest base of Tuscarora mountain, down which it flows northeast ten miles, where, near Millerstown, it passes the latter mountain, and once more turning to the southeast, enters on Perry county, over which it flows fifteen, to its final influx into the Susque hanna above the village of Petersburg.
In all its parts, Juniata is a real mountain stream. The current rapid, though the channels have no di rect falls of any great consequence; the beds are deep, embosomed in the mountain vales, and rocky. The whole valley comprises an arca of about 2750 square miles. The sources of both branches are in the slopes of the Alleghany mountain, at an eleva tion of upwards of two thousand feet above the ocean tides. The descent near the sources is very rapid. The general level of the farms of Bedford and Huntingdon may vary from nine to twelve hundred feet above the ocean; and that of Franks town branch at Frankstown 910 feet. In lat. this minor valley extends from 50' to 50', and the channel of the main stream has gained great importance amongst the commercial channels of the United States, by affording a passage for the Pennsylvania canal through five considerable chains of mountains.