IIARTLAND. As there mentioned, ships of the line ascend it to the Washington navy yard, and large boats to Harper's Ferry, where the river breaks through the Blue Ridge. Its principal tributary In Vir ginia is the bitenandoaA, which rises near 38° N. lat., and drains nearly the whole of the Mountain Region north of that parallel and between the Kittatinny Chain and the Blue Ridge. It flows 130 miles before it joins the Potomac.
The Rappahannee rises on the eastern declivity of the Blue Ridge, with two branches called the Hedgeman and Rapid Ann, which unite after a course of about 50 miles. After the union of these streams the river becomea navigable, but I0 miles farther down it has some falls, and a short distance below them it meets the tide-water at Fredericksburg, up to which place vessels of 140 tons can ascend. In approaching the eta it widens to a narrow hay, which at its lower extremity is about 2 miles across. Its course is about 160 mike York Race originates iu the south-east mountains, with two branches, the Parimukey and Mattapony, each above 100 miles long. By their union the York River is formed, which is an lestuary from one to three miles across. After a course of 35 miles it falls into Chesapeake Bay. The largest ships ascend to Yorktown, 12 miles from the sea, where it forms an exoelleut harbour. Up to the union of its two branches it has a depth of 3 fathoms, and admits eoasting•veseels. The Pamun key and the Mattapony are navigable by boats for 70 and 60 miles respectively.
The James Rirer is the principal river belonging wholly to Virginia. It rises in the Allegheny Mountains with several branches, of which Jaeksoo's River and Cow-Pasture River are the chief. The James River thus formed runs with great Tepidity southward between high mountain; and turns to the east above Pattonsburg, at which place it is 206 feet above the sea-level, and hegine to be navigated. It passes through the Blue Ridge at. the Balcony Falls. which are avoided by a canel about six miles long which runs parallel to the river. At Lynch
burg the level of the river is 500 feet above the tea. Below Lynch burg it turns to the north-east and runs with great rapidity, but is navigable. Above Scotaville it passes the south-east mountain; and at that Itlan its level is only 255 foot above high water-mark, and nt Columbia, at the mouth of the Wrenn; only 178 feet. Lower down the current of the river is gentle until it approaches the falls above Richmond, where it descends 80 feet within 6 miles, and immediately below the falls it meets the tide-water. A canal coonocts the tide water below and the navigable water above the falls. Below the falls the river gradually widens and nannies the features of a bay, and after a course of DO miles farther it merges in Chesapeake Bay. wide expanse of its mouth, known as the Hampton Roads, affords a harbour for vessels of any aim, but it is not safe in winter. Ships of the line can ascend more than 20 miles above Hampton Roads ; vessels of 250 toms sail up to Warwick ; and of 125 tone to Rockets, a mile below Richmond. The whole length of James River is about 500 miles. The largest of Its effluents is the Appomattox, which rises at the base of the South-East Mountains, and runs about 150 miles; vessels drawing 7 feet water can ascend to Petersburg, 20 miles above its confluence with the James, and the navigation is continued above the falls there by the Upper Appomattox Canal. Two others of the affluents of James River are navigable : the Rivanna, which joins it from the north, which by a canal is made navigable to Pirieus, within one mile and • quarter of Charlottesville; and Willis River, which joins the James from the south a few miles below the embouchure of the Rivanna, and is navigable for 20 miles from its mouth.
Namemond Riser, which flows only 15 miles and falls into Hampton Roads, is navigable for vessels of 100 tons as far as Suffolk, 10 miles from its mouth.